Would you trade?

[Cappy_Smurf]

Is JJ better than Burks? Absolutely. Is he becoming an UFA in 1 year? Also absolutely. So my answer is no.

People are reducing this discussion to who is the better player, which is a vast oversimplification. We have to be thinking long term. I don't see JJ maintaining quite this level of play for long (he's turning 32), and more importantly, I don't believe in our ability to retain him. He's an aging vet; he's not going to stay in Utah so he can NOT contend for a championship on what could possibly be his last contract.

Trading young pieces for 1 year rental vets is what you do when you're looking for that final piece to help push you over the top and win it all; it's not what you do immediately after not making the playoffs, unless you're a **** franchise like the Nets.

Good post, but as for the last part, some people used that argument against trading for George Hill. I think the difference here is that there is basically zero chance of keeping JJ after this season. However, even if Utah is unable to keep Hill, I think it was still a no-brainer move Utah had to make in order to have the best chance to re-sign Hayward.