SALT LAKE CITY (July 10, 2013) – The Utah Jazz announced today the team has acquired center Andris Biedrins (AHN-dris BE-a-drinsch), forward Richard Jefferson, guard Brandon Rush, five future draft picks and cash considerations, as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. In the trade, the Jazz will receive veterans Biedrins, Jefferson and Rush from Golden State in addition to two future unprotected first-round picks (2014 and 2017) and two future second-round picks (2016 and 2017) from the Warriors, a future second-round pick from the Nuggets (2018), and cash considerations. As part of the deal, the Jazz re-signed free agent guard Randy Foye and traded him to Denver, and sent guard Kevin Murphy to Golden State. Golden State also receives guard Andre Iguodala from Denver (via a sign-and-trade agreement) while sending the Nuggets a future second-round pick (2018).
“This trade helped us address our need for size, shooting and experience while also allowing us to add assets and maintain flexibility for the future,” said Jazz General Manager Dennis Lindsey. “We want to thank Randy for the strong work ethic and high character he displayed during his time here in Utah. Trades like this are never easy, but we wish him and Kevin well as they move forward in their careers.”
Biedrins (7-0, 242, Latvia) spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Warriors and holds career averages of 6.4 points and 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 510 career games (311 starts). Originally selected by Golden State in the first round (11th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft, Biedrins leaves the Warriors as the franchise’s all-time leader in career field-goal percentage (.594), and ranks fifth on their all-time list for both offensive rebounds (1,118) and blocked shots (580). He is the second player in NBA history to hail from Latvia, following Gundars Vetra, who played 13 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992-93.
Jefferson (6-7, 230, Arizona) owns career averages of 15.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 32.6 minutes in 852 games (695 starts) over 13 seasons with New Jersey, Milwaukee, San Antonio and Golden State. He also has appeared in 101 career playoff contests (71 starts) with the Nets, Spurs and Warriors, averaging 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 31.9 minutes and twice advancing to the NBA Finals (with New Jersey in 2002 and 2003). Originally drafted by Houston in the first round (13th overall pick) of the 2001 NBA Draft, Jefferson finished second in Rookie of the Year balloting in 2002 and has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week three times in over the course of his career.
Rush (6-6, 210, Kansas) has appeared in 291 career games (105 starts) over five seasons with
Indiana and Golden State, averaging 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 26.8 minutes. In 105 career starts, he owns averages of 11.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists while hitting .402 from long range. Rush appeared in just two games for the Warriors in 2012-13 after suffering a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee on November 2, 2012 in a game vs. Memphis. He had shot over .410 from three-point range in each of the previous three seasons (2009-12), one of only three players in the NBA to accomplish to do so during that span (Stephen Curry, Kyle Korver). In 2011-12 he also became just the 19th player in NBA history to shoot above 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from beyond the arc in the same season (among qualifiers). Rush was selected in the first round (13th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft after helping lead Kansas to a national championship his junior year of college (2007-08).