According to Adrian Wojarowski, a well-known reporter for ESPN, the Utah Jazz and the Toronto Raptors have made a deal. The Jazz sent Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji to the Raptors and Kira Lewis Jr. from the Raptors), Otto Porter, and a 2024 first-round pick.
Judging from the content of the trade, the Jazz also did their best to get a first-round pick for themselves. Olynyk is an expiring contract, his contract expires this summer, and it has no value to the Jazz, who are in a semi-rebuilding period, and the Jazz have always wanted to send Olynyk away, but have never been able to get the right chips. As for Abaki, in fact, his performance this season has declined to a certain extent compared to last season, and considering that he is 23 years old, his potential may not be as great as everyone thinks. In this case, packing and sending away two players with a certain market ** in exchange for a first-round pick can be regarded as a timely stop-loss operation.
For the Raptors, judging from the situation of this deal, it is clear that they still have expectations for the team's record this season. Although they still have a gap between their current standings and win percentage and the playoff places, that doesn't mean they are completely out of the playoffs. With the arrival of Olynyk, the team's interior strength has been significantly improved, and the addition of Abaki has also improved the team's flank strength, so that the current starters can greatly reduce the pressure and burden. Crucially, they are sending away the 2024 Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder first-round picks with lower picks. Regardless of who the Clippers and Thunder rank higher or lower in the final ranking, with their current record, this draft pick will not be very high, which also means that the Raptors can retain their first-round pick even if they don't perform well for the rest of the season, which could also help them make further moves this summer.
In fact, judging from the current situation, this deal should be considered a win-win deal. As for who will be the more beneficial side of the two teams in the future, the key is to see how fast Abaki grows in the future. Abaki, a former NCAA Final Four MOP winner, was also credited with his rookie season, showing what a 3-and-D wing player should look like. However, this season's performance has not only not improved compared to last season, but has also declined a little, and his position in the Jazz roster is also very awkward. The two teams have completely different judgments about Abaki's potential, which may have been a big factor in the deal. I don't know what kind of performance Abaki will be able to play next after joining the Raptors.
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