UTAH JAZZ
Key additions: Enes Kanter (draft), Josh Howard (FA), Alec Burks (draft)
Key subtractions: Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Price
Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor never gets the credit he's deserved all of these years in Utah. No one has figured out how to completely rebuild a roster as quickly and thoroughly as O'Connor has. O'Connor made the boldest move of anyone at last season's trade deadline when he abruptly traded Deron Williams to the Nets for Derrick Favors and draft picks.
O'Connor used one of those assets to draft Enes Kanter with the No. 3 pick. Then he used his own pick to bring in Alec Burks. Put those two players together with Favors and last year's lottery pick Gordon Hayward and the Jazz suddenly have one of the best young cores in the NBA. All four players have the ability to be All-Stars if they live up to their potential.
What makes O'Connor one of the best in the business is that he's doing the rebuilding while still putting a respectable team on the floor. He has solid veterans like Devin Harris, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson still on the roster and added more depth by getting Josh Howard on a super cheap deal.
It's rare that you'll find a team that can compete for a playoff spot and be developing four excellent prospects at the same time. O'Connor has pulled that off this year.
GRADE: A
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