This Player Was ‘Hardest To Part With’ In Danny Ainge’s Blockbuster Trade

Danny Ainge has been busy in his first full season as CEO of basketball operations for the Jazz.

Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively, this past offseason. Utah acquired multiple first-round picks in those deals, and it reportedly received another one Wednesday.

The Jazz reportedly acquired Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and a 2027 Lakers first-round pick that is top-four protected as part of a three-team, eight-player deal that included Los Angeles, the Timberwolves.

The Lakers received D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley from Minnesota and Jarred Vanderbilt from Utah in the deal, and the Timberwolves received Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Jazz.

It is the latter who Utah was not thrilled to trade away.

“Multiple sources said the Jazz did have reservations about putting Alexander-Walker in the deal,” The Athletic’s Tony Jones wrote Thursday. “Utah thought Alexander-Walker had a good season to this point. He showed considerate chops defensively, and he had his moments on the offensive end. He is young, athletic, and can play and defend through multiple positions. Of the players Utah surrendered, Alexander-Walker was the hardest to part with.”

Westbrook is expected to be bought out, and there are multiple teams reportedly ready to sign the veteran guard. It also highlights how much the Jazz might not have gotten enough in the trade.

The Jazz acquired the fourth-year guard last season, and at 24 years old, he appeared to be a fit for the timeline the team has in potential stars in Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji.

But Utah does have multiple first-round picks up to the 2029 NBA Draft, so it does need to make tough choices in who to keep, and Alexander-Walker had to be one of those pieces.

The Jazz might not be done in trades, however. Follow along here ahead of the 3 p.m. ET NBA trade deadline Thursday.