The Jazz are reportedly interested in Wizards guard Garrett Temple to replace Dante Exum, who tore his ACL.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today:
As @DJJazzyJody tweeted, Jazz have interest in Wizards G Garrett Temple and Wizards not opposed to making a deal, I've been told.
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) August 7, 2015
The Wizards probably don’t need much to deal Temple, who’s behind John Wall and Ramon Sessions on the depth chart. In fact, Washington might be OK just dumping Temple’s $1,100,602 salary.
The Jazz could use Temple, because Exum showed a low-usage, defense-first point guard works in Utah. The Jazz’s strength is a Gordon Hayward-Derrick Favors-Rudy Gobert frontline. Alec Burks, Rodney Hood and Joe Ingles can handle the ball at shooting guard.
Most teams don’t have the luxury of relying on a limited point guard like Temple. Utah does. Washington doesn’t – at least not much beyond his role as a third point guard. That’s why a trade would make sense for both sides.