The broader meaning of Mirotic's interest in the Jazz

[BabyPeterzz]

Let’s not forget that both Blake Griffin and Damien Lillard have both mentioned they would like to play in Utah.


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[Grimmetal]

I think having a guy like Mitchell, who is connected to a level of player that has never shown interest before is the biggest thing. From a basketball perspective, this makes me more than a little interested in seeing Mitchell "play" PG. With his passing and playmaking, he's able to get a lot of guys a lot of open shots.

 

[infection]

Let’s not forget that both Blake Griffin and Damien Lillard have both mentioned they would like to play in Utah.


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Link to Griffin?

 

[Engorged On Unborn Gore]

Excellent. Exactly as I expected.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Link to Griffin?

Griffin once was drunk on the beach, ran into a guy w/ a stockton jersey, and said stockton was the greatest PG of all time.

That's the extent of Griffin commenting on the Jazz as far as I know.

 

[Jazz4ever]

It's encouraging Mirotc wants to play for us. However trading a 1st for him doesn't take advantage of anything. The real test is free agency. Does anyone better than a washed up Joe Jonhson or Trevor Booker want to come here?

 

[Ellipse]

I welcome commentary on this assessment.

Nice story.

 

[Getting Traded]

It appears that the organizational cultural shift required to make the Jazz a desirable franchise to play for, despite all of the social stigmas associated with Utah (including the dominant religious hegemony located in Salt Lake City), has been achieved.

Dennis Lindsey's hire led to the hiring of Quinn Snyder, and DL's five-plus years of scouting, drafting, and trades have yielded two building block players in Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.

This core could not be more perfect in it's symbolic significance to a league that is now essentially balanced with both foreign and domestic stars. The development of Gobert from a D-league prospect to a top-20 All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive First Team player is a sign to all foreign players that the Jazz are willing to both develop and build around non-US talent. Gobert's length, defensive gravity, and his insistence on team defensive accountability, instantly transforms the Jazz into a top-5 defensive squad.

Commensurate to Gobert is the astounding rise of American-born Mitchell as a talented, unselfish rookie with star potential. The trade that brought him to Utah has bolstered the Jazz' cultural identity in a way that the franchise has never enjoyed. Before his rookie season is even completed, Mitchell already projects to be both a legitimate go-to scorer and play maker. But he is also a bright, positive, popular personality who has already endeared himself to the league's star fraternity.

The positive PR of Mitchell's cultural belonging among the NBA's elite cannot be overstated. With a single draft night trade, Dennis Lindsay has (perhaps unknowingly) transformed the franchise into a possible destination spot for anyone who wants to play with Mitchell, which may be a group of players that is already in the hundreds. Mitchell has dropped jaws across the continent, and he projects to be a star. His talent & personality represent incredible cultural capital in the world of professional basketball.

This brings us to Nikola Mirotic, who not only projects to compliment our core, but has expressed an interest in the Jazz because of the presence of Quinn Snyder. The number of times that a player has i) demanded a trade, and ii) shown interest in the Jazz as a destination could likely be counted on one hand. Mirotic's positive attitude toward the Jazz represents a step towards relevance in the NBA landscape that does not rely wholly upon available money and roster space. What is even more amazing about this is that weather we obtain Mirotic or not is irrelevant, as the fact that the NBA media knows that he wants to play for the Jazz is the true cultural signifier here.

The next step in this process will be the expression of public interest (and eventual signing) of a high profile American free agent player who would otherwise seek to team up with a contender in one of the larger NBA markets.

I welcome commentary on this assessment.

It's nice to dream, but as Jiminy Cricket said, "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, when you wish upon a 'star,' your dreams come true."

 

[Rubashov]

Excellent. Exactly as I expected.

Isn't the next line "Good! Your hate has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side!"?

 

[infection]

However trading a 1st for him doesn't take advantage of anything.

I disagree.

 

[infection]

 

[Stoked]

I agree, DL has been fantastic for this franchise from the league wide perception of them. That alone is enough to make me support his tenure as GM. He has done amazing work to change the culture and perception of the Jazz league wide. He has laid a lot of ground work that makes the pull of playing with Gobert and Mitchell that much more appealing.