NBA Trade Deadline: Jazz shopping Derrick Favors, Suns keen on power forward

The Utah Jazz (35-22) are shopping seventh-year power forward Derrick Favors ahead of Thursday's NBA Trade Deadline, per reports. Besides calling teams about Favors, they are listening to offers for the former Georgia Tech standout, and have reportedly drawn interest from the Phoenix Suns (18-39).

At the start of the season, Favors was expected to put up strong numbers and make a case for a maiden All-Star berth. However, the 26-year-old has had to deal with recurring knee issues for the better part of the 2016-17 NBA season, causing him to miss a total of 16 games. Favors’ averages have dipped from 16.4 points and 8.1 rebounds (in 2015-16) to just 9.2 points and 6.1 rebounds this season. Earlier this month, Jazz coach Quin Snyder emphatically claimed that Favors had "no life" in his legs during a practice session before a home game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Derrick Favors trade: Phoenix Suns interested

With Favors approaching free agency at the end of the 2017-18 season, the Jazz would have to make some key decisions, hoping to ink all-star forward Gordon Hayward to a maximum-level contract extension, according to ESPN's Zach Lowe. "Utah is all-in to keep Gordon Hayward, but they also need to shed some salary before their army of young players ink pricey new deals. They've (Jazz front office) tested the market for Derrick Favors over the last few weeks, according to several league sources.

"Favors hasn't been quite the same since coming back from injury, and Utah plays Favors and Rudy Gobert together for only 10 or 12 minutes per game. Utah's seriousness on Favors is unclear; they are mum as usual, and they don't want to weaken their team ahead of the playoffs with Hayward heading to free agency. Favors is still an important player. They could be testing the market ahead of a trade around the draft," Lowe continued in his report.

According to The Salk Lake Tribune, the Suns have inquired about Favors' availability. "Sources have told The Tribune that the Jazz are hesitant to trade Favors before Thursday's NBA Trade Deadline unless they are overwhelmed by an offer. Sources have told The Tribune that the Phoenix Suns have inquired about Favors' availability. Even though he has been dealing with a nagging knee injury throughout the season, Favors is still important to the success of the team. Favors is on a team-friendly contract through the end of next season."

Would the Suns pull off a Derrick Favors trade? Stay tuned for the latest news and updates surrounding the NBA Trade Deadline.