Please tell me who was available for Big Al? Please make sure a) the deal makes sense for both teams; b) the trade fits within the parameters of the rules; and, c) ensure that the contract Utah receives is either expiring or brings Utah a significant player in return. You may want to reference the value Philadelphia received for trading their starters last year. Also reference the assets Boston got for Rondo. UFA's don't command a ton. Also consider the type of player AL is - a team has to completely alter their sets to utilize Jefferson. That's not something most contenders would likely want to, or could do at the deadline. For example, as desperate as the Cavs are right now for a big, would they go after Jefferson if he were available? Yeah, I could really see him fit in with other players who want the ball.
I'll concede your point on Millsap. He had a smaller deal, is a more useful player, and there was a better market out there (more "garbage" players contenders could shed to match salaries). But also remember it was not a given Utah's rebuild would exclude keeping Millsap. KOC and the Millers reportedly were very torn over letting him go.
But to say we got "nothing in return" is simply false. There's an opportunity cost to everything we do. Had the Jazz gotten back players on non-expiring deals, they would not have had that cap room in free agency. By not having salaries on their books, they were able to shop for free agents. Instead of signing FA's (the retool strategy of KOC), they used that cap space for the GS trade (the complete rebuild model of DL). The first return on that trade is Hood. There are other picks coming. Also, don't forget rookies are cheaper than players we'd likely have gotten and Utah essentially controls their rights for 7-8 years (rookie + 1st RFA contract).
