As the NBA offseason slowly comes to a close, some Jayhawks are on the move to new locations. The Cavaliers traded for big time backcourt player Donovan Mitchell, and frankly speaking? Agbaji did not need to be a part of this trade, but he was. I am perplexed (maybe it's just my bias) as to why the Cavaliers would trade away a lottery pick. Donovan Mitchell is good, yes, and you got a great deal for him. The Cavs traded Lauri Markkinen and Colin Sexton along with Agbaji and some future first round picks, which honestly is kind of a steal for an All-Pro player like Mitchell. He'll be a good addition, but why trade away a potential breakout star in Agbaji? He performed well in Summer League, he had great measurables, and it looked like he had plenty of upside. It really feels like if I'm the Cavaliers I am sacrificing the future for the now, which we've seen has not worked well for sports franchises.
Enough about the Cavaliers though, they've never been a great "trading" team but I guess this trade is okay. Agbaji will still have a chance to shine with the Jazz, where he will reunite with his former center and old friend Udoka Azubuike. Doke has managed to see some floor time with the Jazz in his first couple years, but like a lot of players his size has been hampered by injuries. Expect to see him get greater usage though this year as he comes back guns blazing. More than likely, you'll see him and Agbaji rotate in together due to the chemistry. I expect both of these guys to have sort of a lowkey year coming off the bench or playing in the G League, but eventually I think both guys can turn into great players with just a couple tweaks to their game. Both guys have to shoot better, and Agbaji will have a learning curve with being a rookie. Overall, it will take a little work, but the potential is plenty there.
In other Jayhawks in the NBA news, Svi has been released by the Toronto Raptors following a somewhat up and down career. The shooting is still there, but the defense is extremely inconsistent, not to mention he's gone to teams with a lot of backcourt talent. Most recently, he sat behind Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., which intrigues me due to the fact that VanVleet was injured for a lot of the season last year. Not keeping Svi around for insurance (as he has shown he is a capable player) is a bit of an interesting move, but Svi will have other opportunities. I expect him to go to the G League with an organization and work his way up from there, that or he may be brought on as a bench player for a backcourt needy franchise.
That's it for this installment of NBA Hawks, not much else going on with the other Jayhawks in the NBA. Christian Braun is finding his role with the Nuggets, Markieff Morris was traded to the Nets where I think he will find his place as a key role player, and the others really haven't produced much of anything to talk about. Decent week, but still some surprises and interesting moves. As always, make sure to tune in next time!
Burn Notice: 6/10 mild heat
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