Grade the Trade: Warriors land Markkanen in expensive blockbuster pitch

Grading the Trade for the Jazz

The Utah Jazz have to be convinced to move on from Lauri Markkanen in the first place, but if a team has to pay the moon and the stars to get him, a deal is never happening. So for the sake of discussion let's assume they have decided as an organization to trade Markkanen for a reasonable return.

Is this return reasonable? It certainly seems so. Brandin Podziemski stepped in as a rookie last season and was a starter on a 46-win team, and he looked even better as Summer League. He may not be a future All-Star, but he's a longtime starter in the league.

Moses Moody is also an extremely underrated player because of the crowded roster he has played on in Golden State, but he can dribble, pass and shoot in addition to his strong defense. He could develop into a longtime starter in Utah as well.

Getting two solid prospects, two high-upside first-round picks, another two swaps and a veteran in Andrew Wiggins who is likely tradeable is an extremely solid haul for the Jazz. It also positions them to play "Capture the Flagg" this season and try to find a young star more on their timeline.

Grade: A