If Utah is below .500 at the deadline, they may be open to trading Hayward. They have Burks who is a starting caliber SG and Rodney Hood who's shown big time flashes and would be their everyday SF. Two Future 1sts along with Leonard and someone else (Vonleh/Plumlee?) might be able to get the job done. Might have to give up a little more Lillard / Turner McCollum / Crabbe Hayward / Harkless Aminu / Davis Ezeli / Plumlee or Vonleh
I like Hayward but I don't think he is needed. He's a small forward and we just got Turner at $17M a year. Besides it'd be a one year rental only as he has a player option which he will definitely not take next year.
Since he's exciting he's attainable. I think you could convince him to stay. Hayward is better than Turner and Parsons. Imagine if you could get him and bring Turner and Crabbe off the bench. That'd be so deadly
Would we have money to keep him? Unless you're trading Crabbe and Leonard for him to free up some cap space, we won't be resigning Hayward.
My worry with Blake is his injury history more than him potentially bolting. With Dame and CJ locked down, and his history with Neil, I don't see him wanting to go anywhere else -- even with overtures from his hometown OKC to join Russ. But he is intriguing. A healthy Blake is a borderline top 5 talent, even with his shitty post game. God that geometry on offense gives me chills with Dame penetrating and shooting from outside, CJ owning the midrange, and Blake facing up and finishing in the P&R. Do it, Neil! Outside of adding Boogie or KAT, a healthy Blake would be the next best chance for us to actually have a chance against GSW in the next 3 years.
Neil is #1 among GMs in pandering to agents. He himself would admit the importance of staying in good terms with those guys.
For various reasons I've always liked John Henson and thought he would be a good fit for our team. Unfortunately he wouldn't bring a whole lot more at the 4 and 5 than we already have have.....so let the damn cake bake.
I don't think Plums/Vonleh would be enough to get it done. They don't need a center because they've got Gobert, and they have Favors at PF, who is only 25. The Jazz need a go-to-guy. If they make a trade, it will be to acquire a guy like CJ.
Our future 1sts could likely be in 20-30 range so usually not worth that much. I don't think Vonleh has much value, Leonard and Harkless are fine I guess but again nothing special. Cousins is a star, and he'd fit in. Expensive but why not. I really doubt we'd get him for that package.
