Collin Sexton has started the past 17 games for the Jazz, with the team going 13-4 in those contests and completely turning around their season, writes The Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen. Sexton — who was once viewed as an available trade piece — is among the league’s top per-possession scorers and is averaging 28.1 points per 36 minutes over the past 30 days, sixth in the NBA.
“Collin’s been playing really well, at a high level. He’s really picking his spots, when to attack, when to facilitate, and when to slow down and when to use his speed,” teammate Lauri Markkanen said. “I think he’s playing a really high level right now and we need him to keep it up.”
Larsen observes Sexton’s made changes to his game, including the pace at which he plays and improving his efficiency.
“Collin’s one of the best athletes I’ve ever been around. He gets incredibly low to the floor when he drives, he’s very strong, very explosive, and he’s able to play through contact,” head coach Will Hardy said. “We know can get in the paint at will — maybe not every time, but most times he can get into paint, and his decision making has really improved in those spots.”
Sarah Todd of The Deseret News explores a similar topic, writing that Jordan Clarkson has also helped turn Utah’s fortunes around in recent weeks. Since returning from a hamstring injury, Clarkson is averaging 19.8 points and a career-best 5.9 assists in 11 games while breaking the Jazz’s 15-year triple-double drought in early January.
“It’s been feeling really great, to be honest,” Clarkson said. “I think in the beginning of the year it was just tough. I think we were all trying to figure out each other. … Early in the season it’s hard to put a label on the team. Just credit to the coaching staff and all of us for sticking with it and coming out here and putting a good product out.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Part of Sexton and Clarkson’s success comes from Hardy’s adjustments to the Jazz‘s rotation, Larsen writes in a separate piece. Every rotation player has more defined roles than they did at the beginning of the year, leading to guys like Kris Dunn and Simone Fontecchio improving in starting spots. Larsen also writes the bench unit has improved as a result of the progress made by, and changes to, the starting lineup, with the five-man bench lineup of Keyonte George, Clarkson, Ochai Agbaji, Kelly Olynyk and Walker Kessler outscoring opponents by 24 points per possession.
- Tony Jones of The Athletic says that the Jazz‘s players have bought into the team’s changes. “We’ve just mixed and matched and put ingredients into the soup and kind of figured out what’s worked and what hasn’t worked,” Olynyk said. “We’re at the point where guys know their roles, and they are trying to be stars in their roles, and it’s all just working right now.“
- The Thunder are way ahead of their rebuilding timeline and are among the league’s top contenders, The Athletic’s John Hollinger notes. It’s an impressive feat alone, but becomes even more fascinating when considering many of the Thunder’s top guys have come from their own draft picks, like Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace, and not the draft picks obtained from dismantling the Paul George–Russell Westbrook core. Of course, as Hollinger acknowledges, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the NBA’s best players since being obtained in the George trade, while Jalen Williams was drafted using a Clippers pick. Hollinger argues the Thunder should look to move some of their non-rotation young guys and big contracts for a player who can help now, since their contention window has already started and they’ll have big contract decisions on the horizon.
- Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe left Thursday’s matchup against the Thunder with a right adductor strain and did not return, according to team PR (Twitter link). Sharpe missed Portland’s Friday game at the Timberwolves due to the injury, The Oregonian’s Aaron J. Fentress tweets.
Horton-Tucker to Orlando for Markelle Fultz. Helps both teams
Helps neither team. Jazz have something good cooking and won’t disrupt it to insert Fultz. From Orlando’s side, THT isn’t an adequate replacement for Markelle.
That and Fultz is usually injured.
The magic don’t need a PG in return. They have too many. Fultz could help the jazz. Have you seen the magic play when Fultz was injured? The jazz could help Fultz like they have done with everyone else there. They don’t need or play Horton-Tucker, Horton-Tucker gives Orlando someone to patch in anywhere. I don’t think you know either team. Fultz can help the jazz when he is ready. Plus he is on a expiring contract
UTH should pursue Murray. He could change the seasonal outlook for this team immediately. They’ve won some games, but there’s no evidence (yet) that the FO is ready to end their tanking direction. This would do that. It would be the first FO move since the Gobert trade designed to improve the team on the court.
I don’t know exactly what ATL would want back, but UTH has both young players and FRPs to offer up. They can certainly put together a competitive package.
What big guy could/should OKC go for?
Markannen’s contract seems to have the good timing, but Bertans + picks will probably not move the needle.
What about Siakam? His expiring contract maybe has less value and does OKC want to commit close to a max deal in the offseason? Plus the 37 million is more difficult to match.
Atlanta is open to dealing, so maybe the contract of Clint Capela (20.6m) is an option?
A project like Wiseman doesnt seem a good choice to me. Both Bertans for Wiseman or Bertans+Poku for Wiseman+Burks are options in theory.
Picking up Brook Lopez in a multi team trade seems unlikely.
Picking up the expiring contract of Valanciunas seems like a good deal to me.
Jonathan Isaac is also not the win-now piece they need.
Harrison Barnes also an option, will be expensive but OKC could afford it. Could only happen as part of a bigger trade (like for Siakam) maybe.
Zach Collins is injured 4 weeks so could maybe help. Only 9 million expiring though. Collins+McDermott for Bertans+Poku+Cash+picks?
Raptors Poeltl or Boucher are also options.
Utah’s John Collins is also a maybe.
And if I look at the final team, Kyle Kuzma could also be an asset. And rebuilding Washington might be interested in picks + not mind a salary-dump of Bertans.
Laurie but it’ll be a kings ransom. The thunder don’t have the guts even though they could do many many picks and players …. Thunder just aren’t ready to chase and that’s ok. They can play it both ways and be fine
Dont think they should give up some really good players as the team is actually playing well.
Personally I think they should focus on trading Bertans, Poku and Mann and a boatload of draft picks and see what three experienced bench players that dont have a long term contract are available.
I just read the latest Athletic article (also referenced on Hoopsrumors).
I really like the Olynyk or Royce O’ Neil options. I prefer Olynyk.
Straight-up trade Olynyk-Bertans is theoretically possible. I like Bertans+Poku for Olynyk and Horton-Tucker, where they could trade Horton-Tucker.
And why not a three-team-deal with both O’ Neil and Olynyk going to OKC? Dont manage to match the salaries in that trade yet though.
The article:
“Backup big or wing: The Thunder are second in the West and also the second-youngest team in the league. They are in the sweet spot and don’t need to do anything. If they do make a move, a couple of players I like are Utah’s Kelly Olynyk and Brooklyn’s Royce O’Neale. Both players could easily fit into OKC’s style of play while not taking minutes or shots from the core pieces. They would also offer some veteran stability to a young bench in the playoffs. — Andrew Schlecht”
Orlando Carter Jr
Refs are allowing other teams to beat up on Shaedon Sharpe and ground the high flyer. He is the Rodney Dangerfield of the NBA “No Respect” I tell ya the kids a freak, who should be promoted by the league but is instead ignored because he’s a conservative Christian. This year hardly any Portland fans are getting to see the blazers because of a change in their TV broadcasts. You have to pay extra to get the games. So that means the Refs know they don’t have to blow their whistles or give any player the calls they deserve. Watching them this year has been eye opening as to how much preferential treatment teams and players get because of corporate sponsorship $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. NBA stands for N.othing B.ut A.ctors “Truth” it’s entertainment not even real competition basketball. We now have Fake News and Fake Basketball via league and corporate mandates.
If Siakam is dealt I kind of want Markkanen and Olynyx with Agbaji in return. I know it won’t happen but yea. Pacers or hawks will probably strike a deal for Pascal.