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Did Jazz sign Drew Eubanks just to sell him again?

Did Jazz sign Drew Eubanks just to sell him again?
Posted on | Posted on Jasper

SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to the Utah Jazz Mailbag, where this week we look at the different ways the team can use Drew Eubanks this season.

Every week we send a request to X Please ask your questions about jazz.

We will then answer as many questions as possible in this week’s mailbag.

Mailbag: How can the Jazz use Drew Eubanks?

Question: Is Eubanks just an exception to the human trafficking case? Seems like an opportunity to sell him at the deadline.

Answer: First, for fans unfamiliar with the concept, let me define what a trafficking exception is.

Under the new collective agreement, it is extremely difficult for teams beyond the second tax threshold to conclude any deals.

These teams cannot sign a player who makes more than the player they are trading, and they cannot combine (aggregate) two players in a trade to equalize salaries.

They are either limited to dollar-for-dollar trades or can take back less expensive players in these transactions.

See also: Utah Jazz officially sign Eubanks, Mykhailiuk, Juzang and Filipowski

These tax-shelter teams attempt to exploit a loophole by signing their own players to overpriced contracts using their “bird rights.” This allows a team to go over the salary cap and re-sign their own players.

By overpaying these players, these tax-shelter teams increase the number of players across the league they could obtain through a trade, as long as they make less than the inflated salary they are paying out.

But since the Jazz aren’t a tax-saving team, it’s probably not fair to make Eubanks a human trade exception. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be traded before the trade deadline.

With only the first year of his two-year deal guaranteed, Eubanks is essentially an expiring contract once he becomes tradable on Dec. 15. He could be traded alone or paired with another contract in a larger trade to equalize salaries.

With Eubanks and the recently signed Svi Mykhailiuk, it becomes more interesting to consider how to use them to sign significantly more expensive players in return.

Under the new CBA, teams like the Jazz that hit the salary cap but first-past-the-post can sign a player who makes twice the amount of the player they traded (plus an additional $250,000), as long as the player they traded makes less than $7.25 million.

With both Eubanks expected to make $5 million next season, the Jazz could trade him for any player making $10.25 million or less.

Mykhailiuk will earn $3.5 million but can be traded for a player who makes $7.25 million.

That could make Eubanks and Mykhailiuk attractive transfer targets for teams struggling with high luxury tax penalties and looking to cut salaries but also add proven supporting players.

Ultimately, both players are low-cost investments that can rotate between teams, do not significantly impact the team’s win total, and can serve as flexible trade items before February 6.

Question: Which Jazz player is most likely to play in the 2028 Olympics? Or is it our 2025 draft pick?

Answer: The simplest answer would be Lauri Markkanen, who is not only the Jazz’s best player, but would undoubtedly be included in the Finnish roster in any international competition.

The problem is that Finland has not qualified for the men’s Olympic basketball tournament since 1964.

Collin Sexton is the Jazz’s second-best player, and while I wouldn’t completely rule out an invitation to represent the United States in an international tournament, making the 12-man Olympic team might be the toughest player in the world to make. Just ask Celtics star Jaylen Brown.

Forgive me for making your question a little too long, but the answer could be Gabriele Procida.

The Jazz acquired the rights to Procida when they traded fellow Italian Simone Fontecchio to the Detroit Pistons. Although he isn’t coming over this year, he could be headed to the NBA next summer.

Procida, only 22 years old, will be at his best at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, should Italy qualify, and was already in the Italian FIBA ​​squad for 2023.

The Italians have qualified for three of the last seven Olympic Games, despite missing out on the Paris Games, and as Fontecchio continues to improve, they could pose a serious threat in the battle to qualify for the 2028 Games.

Want to ask questions in next week’s mailbag? Follow us at @kslsports.

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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz Insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10am-12pm with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.

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