The Utah Jazz approach the NBA's Feb. 18 trade deadline with apparent needs and rumors circulating. Whether they make a deal or not, the consequences will be felt for the rest of this season and for seasons to come.
Even the most thought-out NBA trades are made somewhat blindly, with teams often not knowing for years whether things worked out in their favor.
With the benefit of hindsight, here are what look like the top five deals the Jazz have ever made:
(Note: There's a great deal of subjectivity in evaluating trades. While some trades landed Utah with a much more productive player, they may not have contributed to improved record or playoff trips. Also, while the players selected with traded draft picks are evaluated in the following analysis, there's no telling who the team that traded the picks would have selected.)
No. 5 — Kosta Koufos and two future first-round picks for Al Jefferson, 2010
The thinking behind it: Utah was looking to replace the offensive play of the departed Carlos Boozer, a consistent post scorer who took some of the offensive pressure off point guard Deron Williams. With Williams and Jefferson, the Jazz felt prepared to contend and weren't too torn up about losing draft picks.
Why Minnesota agreed: Jefferson looked like his best years might already be behind him, scoring six points less per game for Minnesota in 2009-10 after a major knee surgery. With Kevin Love and Michael Beasley at power forward and Darko Milicic and Nikola Pekovic at center, the Timberwolves felt solid in the post and were happy to part with the roughly $13 million owed to Jefferson over the next three years.
What became of it: Although he came with a hefty price tag, Jefferson was healthy enough to play in 96 percent of the games over three years for Utah and proved to be a good offensive replacement for Boozer, with 18.5 points per game. It's remarkable that Jefferson led the Jazz to the playoffs in 2011-12 without Williams.
Koufos played less than 10 minutes per game for half a year with Minnesota before being traded to Denver. Since, the 7-footer has played for Memphis and Sacramento in backup roles.
The two first-round picks ended up being Donatas Motiejunas and Terrence Jones, whose pick was traded from the Timberwolves to Houston.
Production of acquired player for duration with Jazz:
Al Jefferson: 18.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.55 bpg
Production of departed players during same duration:
Kosta Koufos: 6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, .94 bpg
Donatas Motiejunas: 5.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, .2 bpg
Terrence Jones: 5.5 ppg, 3.4 rbg, 1 bpg
No. 4 — Three draft picks for No. 3 draft pick (Deron Williams), 2005
The thinking behind it: Utah had specifically eyed Williams and Chris Paul as possible solutions to its problems at point guard, and didn't think either would be available for the No. 6 pick already previously possessed by the Jazz, which turned out to be true. Utah had worked out Williams and felt confident he was the man for the job.
Why Portland agreed: Unlike the Jazz, the Blazers were not targeting a specific player in the draft, and wanted to make optimal use of their pick. They felt they did so by moving down just three spots, and getting two additional first round picks.
What became of it: Williams grew into his role quickly for Utah and became, right along with Paul, one of the top true point guards of the time. He averaged a double-double in three seasons for the Jazz and was selected to an All-Star game. Williams led Utah to the playoffs four times.
The 2005 NBA draft was strong at the very top, but not deep. Portland took Martell Webster with the sixth pick and Linas Kleiza with the 27th pick. With the final pick of the deal, the Blazers took Joel Freeland with the 30th selection in the 2006 draft. Webster and Kleiza played somewhat significant minutes in the years following the trade, while Freeland has only emerged to play in parts of the last three seasons.
Production of acquired player for duration with Jazz:
Deron Williams: 17.3 ppg, 9.1 apg
Production of departed players during same duration:
Martell Webster: 8.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg
Linas Kleiza: 8.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Joel Freeland: No stats during that period.
No. 3 — Deron Williams for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and two first-round picks, 2011
The thinking behind it: Williams became poisonous in Utah despite his stellar production, and with how his career has unfolded since, it's surprising the Jazz got five good years out of him. It was a gamble for Utah, trading for a young Favors and two other unknowns, but it was time to part with Williams. The known was Harris, who was a serviceable replacement at point guard.
Why New Jersey agreed: The struggling Nets were looking for a star point guard to pace their young team, and knew that due to his off-court issues, the Jazz would part with Williams for an apparent bargain. Favors had shown potential, but New Jersey was making a play for the present.
What became of it: For the first couple of years after the trade, it appeared that New Jersey, who became Brooklyn, came away on top. Favors has since developed into an elite rim protector and productive scorer. The 2011 first-round pick was Enes Kanter, who gave the Jazz good offensive production before being traded essentially for Tibor Pleiss and two future draft picks. The other pick was one of two 2013 picks the Jazz traded for Trey Burke. So for now, at least, the trade has yielded Favors and Burke, with some still to harvest.
Williams fought through injuries and missed 47 games over four years with the Nets, and saw a significant drop in production before signing with Dallas.
Production of acquired player for duration with Jazz (through Feb. 12):
Derrick Favors: 12.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Trey Burke: 12.5 ppg, 4.4 apg
Production of departed players during same duration:
Deron Williams: 16.3 ppg, 7.2 apg
No. 2 — Jeff Malone and a first-round pick for Jeff Hornacek, Sean Green and a second-round pick, 1994
The thinking behind it: Utah had proven it could get to the playoffs year after year, but the Jazz needed a shooter to help spread the floor and take pressure off Karl Malone and John Stockton. Jeff Malone was a two-time All-Star in Washington, and averaged 18.5 points per game for Utah, but he was wearing down, and the Jazz wanted a shooter who could keep teams honest and seal wins at the free-throw line.
Why Philadelphia agreed: At the time, general manager Jim Lynam said the Sixers needed some scorers. He said that Malone would replace Hornacek's production (Malone averaged 16.3 ppg while Hornacek averaged 16.6 ppg), and hoped that Philadelphia could use the first-round pick to get an elite scorer.
What became of it: Jeff Hornacek became one of the most popular players in Utah, and helped the Jazz to improve in the ways they anticipated. His presence helped Utah spread things out and work more smoothly on offense, and the Jazz went to the NBA Finals twice behind their big three.
Hampered by injuries, Jeff Malone played just 78 more games in his career, while Hornacek played 477 for Utah. Green and the draft picks didn't amount to anything significant.
Production of acquired player for duration with Jazz:
Jeff Hornacek (477 games): 14.4 ppg, 4 apg, 439 3P
Production of departed players during same duration:
Jeff Malone (78 games): 12.7 ppg, 1.4 apg, 20 3P
No. 1 — Spencer Haywood for Adrian Dantley, 1979
The thinking behind it: As the New Orleans Jazz were becoming the Utah Jazz, they traded Haywood, a five-time All-Star power forward who had averaged 24 points over just 34 games with the Jazz. They bet on the upside of the small forward Dantley, who was six years younger than Haywood and hadn't yet blossomed.
Why Los Angeles agreed: Haywood was a proven star, who had dominated for the Denver Rockets of the ABA and Seattle SuperSonics. He appeared to be in his prime, and was coming off a stint in New Orleans in which he was much more productive than Dantley was for the Lakers. Los Angeles also liked Haywood for his great rebounding ability.
What became of it: Dantley developed into a star in the league, making six All-Star appearances in seven seasons for Utah and averaging more than 30 points per game four times. His No. 4 was retired by the Jazz and he was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2008.
Haywood had his basketball career destroyed by a cocaine addiction, which sources say he began abusing once he got to Los Angeles. He was famously dismissed from the team by coach Paul Westhead before the start of the 1980 NBA Finals.
Production of acquired player for duration with Jazz:
Adrian Dantley: 29.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.7 apg
Production of departed players during same duration:
Spencer Haywood: 10.8 ppg, 5 rpg, .8 bpg