ESPN’s Brian Windhorst put on a TV masterclass by wondering what the Jazz are doing

Brian Windhorst has developed a reputation as the NBA’s premier gossip reporter. While Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania get all the scoops, Windy is the guy most likely to kickstart the rumor mill by pontificating on what he’s hearing from league execs. He famously coined “The Deal Zone” as a term during the Philadelphia 76ers’ pursuit of James Harden. He might have topped himself during a TV spot on ESPN on Friday.

The NBA is currently engulfed in Kevin Durant’s trade request from the Brooklyn Nets. But as everyone wonders where KD is going, Windhorst noted that the Utah Jazz made a strange move with the Nets just before the Durant drama broke. The Jazz traded wing stopper Royce O’Neale to the Nets for a 2023 first round draft pick. Minutes later, Durant’s trade request was reported.

Windhorst very slowly connected the dots and wondered aloud what the Jazz are doing. He had the rest of the studio in the palm of his hand.

This is Windhorst at his best: making great theater out of a minor deal, that could lead to a major deal. This man lives for trade slop.

The suggestion here is that the Jazz are ready to trade either or both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. There has been rumors of tension between the two stars for multiple seasons. Utah has been an awesome regular season team with Gobert and Mitchell, but they haven’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs.

The memes from this TV hit are excellent:

Are the Jazz about to start their firesale? Brian Windhorst doesn’t know. He’s just asking questions.