Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 3:52pm

JACKSON, KANTER HIGHLIGHT 8-PLAYER, 3-TEAM DEAL (WITH THUNDER GETTING FOUR)

In a 3-team trade, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired center Enes Kanter and swingman Steve Novak from the Utah Jazz, and point guard D.J. Augustin and swingman Kyle Singler from the Detroit Pistons; the Pistons acquired point guard-shooting guard Reggie Jackson from the Thunder; and the Jazz acquired a second-round draft pick in 2017 from the Pistons, and a future first-round draft pick, center Kendrick Perkins, power forward Grant Jerrett, and the rights to center Tibor Pleiss from the Thunder.

What does it give the Oklahoma City Thunder
This is a major splash for a Thunder team trying to make a playoff push. In Kanter they get the scoring center they've needed for awhile, and the additions of Augustin, Singler, and Novak provide excellent bench strength. The latter three are all underrated performers, and--along with Kanter--can help the core of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka take the next step. Additionally helpful is that the budget-conscious Thunder didn't add major salary commitments here.

What does it give the Detroit Pistons
The Pistons seem intent on making a playoff run this year (even with star point guard Brandon Jennings out). Enter Jackson, a potential star who can take the point guard reins from the departing Augustin. Jackson will be a free agent after this season and has long wanted to be a regular NBA starter, and he gets his chance here in Detroit.

What does it give the Utah Jazz
Perkins isn't expected to stick with the Jazz very long (with the team likely buying him out and letting him sign with a contender). That said, this is a very nice deal for the Jazz. They not only cut next year's salary commitments to Kanter and Novak (giving them more flexibility moving forward), but they open up the starting center job for the emerging Rudy Gobert while adding a future first-round draft pick and a 2017 second-rounder. Meanwhile Jerrett has some offensive talent and could eventually develop into a useful player, and down the road Pleiss has a chance to be the steal of this deal (as he has NBA starter talent but is currently playing in Europe). Great move by a team with a bright future.

Fantasy impact
Gobert and Jackson are the fantasy pickups to target here. Gobert should step in as Utah's starting center right away, and he has the tools to immediately become one of the NBA's top shot-blockers and rebounders (and perhaps its top shot-blocker). Jackson has the goods to produce elite-level scoring and assists for Detroit as that team's new top guard, and shooting guard Jodie Meeks should get a fantasy upgrade since he may now start with Singler gone (if Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shifts over to small forward from 2-guard). On the Thunder, expect Kanter's fantasy value to stay roughly the same since he'll continue to score and rebound regularly (but do expect his arrival to take a bite out of the production of Steven Adams and Mitch McGary). Augustin probably gets the biggest fantasy downgrade in this deal, as he moves from a starting role to a backup one. Singler, Novak, Jerrett, and Perkins weren't significant fantasy factors before this deal, and likely won't be after it anytime soon. Do, however, keep Pleiss on the long-term sleeper keeper radar; he's a gifted pure center who might eventually start in the NBA when / if he decides to leave Europe.