NBA Trade Rumors: 3 players the Utah Jazz should trade away

The Utah Jazz entered the 2018/19 NBA season with confidence thanks to their excellent performances over the course of the previous season. After a disappointing start, the Jazz finished the 17/18 season strongly, and the team managed to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder during the playoffs.

While the team was defeated in the semifinals by the Houston Rockets, there was still a huge amount of optimism coming into the 18/19 season.

Nevertheless, the Jazz failed to improve during the 2018 NBA offseason, as the organization failed to make any notable additions to the roster. This has also been compounded by the poor performances of a number of the team's best players such as Ricky Rubio, Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingles.

These factors have resulted in the Jazz making a disappointing 18-19 start to the season, and here we will look at three players the team should offload in order to make room for new additions.

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#3 Thabo Sefolosha

Adelaide 36ers v Utah Jazz

Thabo Sefolosha was selected with the 13th pick of the 2006 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, but was quickly traded to the Chicago Bulls, where he played for three seasons. After leaving the Bulls in 2009, the Swiss player signed with the Thunder, and the guard became a regular with the team, reaching the 2012 NBA Finals.

Sefolosha went on to play for the Atlanta Hawks, before ultimately joining the Jazz in 2017. Nevertheless, Sefolosha's first season in Utah was a disappointment as he suffered a season-ending injury in January and was also fined for violating the terms of the NBA Drug Program.

The 34-year-old has played 23 games for the Jazz during the 18/19 season and is currently averaging just 3.0 points per game. Sefolosha's $5.25 million deal is up in the summer, and the team should look to move him on before the February trade deadline.

#2 Dante Exum

Utah Jazz v Philadelphia 76ers

Back in the 2014 NBA draft, Exum was selected with the fifth overall pick by the Utah Jazz. The Australian was expected to become the team's starting point guard, however, despite showing flashes of brilliance, injuries have hindered Exum's development.

Over the summer, Exum signed a 3-year, $33 million contract with the Jazz, which means that the 23-year-old will earn an annual average salary of $11 million, and ultimately, the Jazz would need to move him on in order to make a major addition.

During the current season, Exum is playing just 16.4 minutes per game, averaging 7.4 points. Exum is also shooting just .430 from the field, and the young point guard looks as though he has no route to a starting place, and the Jazz should move him on in order to free up cap space.

#1 Derrick Favors

Golden State Warriors v Utah Jazz

Derrick Favors was drafted third overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2010 NBA draft, although he has been with the Jazz since 2011. The 27-year-old has played a major role in the Jazz's recent success, although doubts still remain over Favors' ability to play alongside Rudy Gobert.

This is a major problem for the Jazz, as the big-man duo are the two highest paid players on the roster. This summer, Favors re-signed with the Jazz on a two year, $32 million contract, while Gobert is halfway through a four-year, $102 million deal.

Aside from Donovan Mitchell and Gobert, Favors is the Jazz's most valuable asset, so the player could potentially be moved on in the next year. Favors' ability to play at both power forward and center will interest other teams, and the Jazz would benefit from trading him for a reliable shooter.