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Jazz Acquire Three Players and Two Future Draft Picks in Three-Team Trade

SALT LAKE CITY (February 19, 2015) – The Utah Jazz announced today the team has acquired rookie forward Grant Jerrett, the rights to German center Tibor Pleiss, center Kendrick Perkins and a future first-round pick from Oklahoma City, as well as a 2017 second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons as part of a three-team trade.  As part of the deal, the Jazz traded center Enes Kanter and forward Steve Novak to Oklahoma City, who also received guard D.J. Augustin and forward Kyle Singler from Detroit while sending the Pistons guard Reggie Jackson.

“This trade allowed us to add assets while helping to maintain flexibility for the future,” said Jazz General Manager Dennis Lindsey.  “Trades like this are never easy, but we thank Enes and Steve for their contributions to the team and in the community and wish them well as they move forward in their careers.”

Jerrett (6-10, 232, Arizona) has seen action in five games as a reserve for Oklahoma City this season, recording 1.4 points in 5.0 minutes per contest.  The 21-year-old rookie forward has also appeared in 10 games while on assignment with the Thunder’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, averaging 14.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 25.5 minutes.  He spent the 2013-14 season with the Thunder’s D-League affiliate, where he saw action in 27 games and averaged 15.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per contest.  Originally selected in the second round (40th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Jerrett played one season at the University of Arizona after being named a 2012 McDonald’s All-American and to the Jordan Brand Classic as a senior in high school.

Pleiss (7-1, 262, Germany) was originally selected by the New Jersey Nets in the second round (31st overall pick) in the 2010 NBA Draft.  His rights were then traded to the Atlanta Hawks before eventually being moved to Oklahoma City.  The 25-year-old Pleiss currently plays for FC Barcelona, where he joined the club after averaging a career-high 12 points in addition to 5.4 rebounds with Laboral Kutxa Vitoria in Spain.  A member of the German Men’s Senior National Team, Pleiss began his career with Brose Baskets in Germany.

Perkins (6-10, 270, Clifton J. Ozen High School (TX)) is a 12-year-veteran who holds career averages of 5.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 22.6 minutes in 727 games (560 starts) with the Thunder and Boston Celtics.  Originally selected in the first round (27th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft by Memphis, Perkins has appeared in 51 games (three starts) for the Thunder this season, averaging 4.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 19.2 minutes.

Kanter appeared in 49 games for the Jazz this season, averaging 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in 27.1 minutes.  Novak averaged 2.2 points and 0.7 rebounds in 22 games.