The Utah Jazz are migrating toward the middle of the lottery standings just as they did a season ago. Winners of six out of their past nine games, the Jazz still sit two games up on the Memphis Grizzlies, though the return of Ja Morant could change that, and right in the Toronto Raptors/Atlanta Hawks/Chicago Bulls territory of the standings.

Unfortunately, the Jazz are still a full three games out of the final play-in spot in the Western Conference, and with rookie Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, and Brice Sensabaugh waiting in the wings, it makes sense for the team to put some of its veteran pieces on the trading block.

Jazz CEO Danny Ainge and GM Justin Zanik are working on developing a title contender in Salt Lake City. They know they’re in this for the long haul, so if there’s a deal for anyone they think sets them up for that goal better, they’ll do it.

With factors such as contract situations, how players fit with other core pieces, and the Jazz possibly opening up more minutes for their young players, let’s go through some of the most likely trade pieces that Utah has and rank them by how urgently the team should try to move them.

The Jazz youngsters and the end of the benchers aren’t going to be included in this activity. George and Hendricks aren’t getting traded unless something extremely unpredictable happens — those guys are an integral part of the future.

Similarly, sophomores Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji are both safe as well, though their growing pains seem to have put a pinch of doubt into their long-term status with the team.