Jazz Trade 23rd Pick In Draft To Knicks For 27th, 38th Pick

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz traded the 23rd pick in tonight’s NBA Draft to the New York Knicks in exchange for the 27th pick in the first round, and the 38th overall pick in the second round. The Jazz are also sending former 2008 second-round draft pick Ante Tomic to the Knicks though the Croatian center is not expected to join the NBA.

The Jazz didn’t own a second-round pick before the trade with the Knicks after trading it to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyle Korver in 2018.

The move allows the Jazz two opportunities to find players that could step in and help the roster without dropping significant space in the first round.

📓| We have agreed to a swap with the New York Knicks, giving up the No. 23 pick for the 27th pick in the first round and the No. 38 pick in the second round. #JazzDraft2020 | @UofUHealth https://t.co/2dSYkYyUTo

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) November 18, 2020

Unlike many drafts that are heavy with talent at the top of the first round with a steep decline, the 2020 draft is light on can’t miss stars in the top five picks but remains talent-rich through the first round and into the first half of the second round.

It’s not unlikely that the Jazz felt confident that a player they were comfortable drafting with the 23rd pick is projected to be available towards the end of the first round. Now, the Jazz have an additional asset in the 38th pick that they can use in the second round.

My very own @UtahJazz NBA Draft Big Board.

I ranked 22 prospects that COULD be available to the Jazz on draft night from best to worst. #TakeNote https://t.co/O81yhl9w3A

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 12, 2020

The 27th pick has been unusually productive in recent draft history. In 2013, the Jazz acquired the pick from the Denver Nuggets and drafted All-NBA center Rudy Gobert. Over the next five seasons, it produced Bogdan Bogdanovic, Larry Nance Jr., Pascal Siakam, Kyle Kuzma, and Robert Williams.