The story behind the Utah Jazz’s front-office shake-up, and why it happened now

[jom2003]

I went back and looked at what Bradley gave us last season and what Favs gave us this season, and statistically it was a wash. So we paid Favs a zillion dollars, gave away all our draft picks and Matty Ice, Dok and Hughes are what we have to show for it. Pure genius, What if the Jazz just stood pat, let Davis contract eventually expire, kept Bradley, kept Tucker, kept NWG, didn't sign Shaq, didn't sign Ersan didn't trade for Matty Ice. I think you could argue the Jazz would have been better off standing pat and letting Bradley develop or not develop and use that draft pick for something else.

I'd even date back to when DL cut Jeff Green and signed Tucker in his place. Niang almost fell out of the rotation when Uncle Jeff was here. Had we kept Jeff Green on the team we'd have won that clippers series, while keeping all of our second round picks.

 

[Mongoose]

Funny how DL always talked about not skipping steps and yet that is exactly what he did at least since the George Hill trade- for the last 5 or 6 years at least he's been skipping steps with the point guard rentals.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

According to Tony it sounds like Danny left Boston because of health reasons. Because of his health he wouldn’t be the day to day guy like he was with Boston.

Maybe he will just Skype in to vote nay or yay.


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Honestly would welcome him in an advisory type role. The biggest issue with him was his relationship stuff... and that he's annoying. I think he's worth having in the brain trust.

 

[The Jazz Wonderbra]

Hindsight is 20/20 but some of the moves almost feel like submarining Quin moves tbh.

It makes you wonder if their relationship was toxic enough to play it that way. It doesn't seem consistent with Dennis Lindsey's high character persona over the years, but some of these moves really make you wonder if it wasn't personal at some level.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Bummer. Not a fan of Ainge and not a big fan of Smith getting into the day to day basketball decisions.

I can't think of a circumstance where this has gone well. Balmer maybe... but he seems to just be really present and not a Cuban type that is the real decision maker.

 

[NAOS]

The next two seasons will reveal soooooo much. I wonder how much of that two year interval we’ll be able to predict based on what is revealed in just this offseason. The outcome with Mike is huge. How we’re able to pivot into a more flexible roster from this corner we’ve painted ourselves into is also very revealing...

Just how savvy is this new group that’ll be congealing? How big of a voice will Snyder have, and/or how warm is his seat?

If we basically just run it back, then is that a sign of too much conservatism and lack of a new consensus?

 

[bigmike]

Wonder what Danny Ainge in an "advisor" role would make?

What a cush job. New career goals.

 

[infection]

If Ainge is hired, I hope someone asks him in the press conference, "what kind of more opportunities do you think you'd have to work with now if this franchise had a $30M TPE available to them 4 years ago?"

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

For those of you who still don't think DL messed up the math or that its impossible for this type of thing to happen... let me just tell you how this goes:

- There is a front office person who likely is in charge of cap math and planning.... may not be all they do but it is something they do. Who knows how good they are, but lets assume they identified the issue of "we are going to be really close to the tax if we use the full MLE and retain our guys". He brings up said issue to DL and Zanik (an agent... not a capologist). They say thank you for bringing this up.

-DL then go and meet with Favs, JC, and they say negotiate a number. Its a little high but JZ and DL want to close the deal.

- The cap accountant (probably a guy named Melvin) then says... "hey guys... we have a cap problem here... we will be just over the tax". DL and Zanik then say "Hey Melvin... that's what we pay you then big bucks for... make it work." Melvin then goes to his desk... thinks we can trade Tucker to get some cap relief but its not enough. DL and Zanik do it... but its still a math problem of how to make it work.

- DL starts to catch on this is a real problem... goes to Ryan "Hey Ryan that ****ing bean counter Murray or Murphy or whatever the hell his name is says we are over the tax and can't do much about it. He really messed this up." Ryan then goes... "you mean to tell me we traded like 15 second round picks and backup centers... so that we could sign a good backup center... and now we are still in the tax?"

- Rift starts....

- Ryan then talks with buddy Danny Ainge about this.... Danny to Ryan "Look Ryan DL is a great dude. I've loved taking advantage.... errrrr working with him over the years, but he's more a touchy feely relationship guy and doesn't get bogged down by the details... he also has a weird obsession with hand pads... gives the longest handshakes."

- Resentment builds.

- Team doesn't win, has clear holes, is over the tax, Ryan now sees the full implications of his luxury tax issue to keep this **** together....

-DL steps down to an advisory role he has been thinking about for years.

 

[fishonjazz]

If we basically just run it back, then is that a sign of too much conservatism and lack of a new consensus?

Or another option. The choice that the new group all want. I remember wade having a great time on the sideline and being really happy with this roster when we were kicking *** with a healthy team. Maybe he wants that again.

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[Handlogten's Heros]

The next two seasons will reveal soooooo much. I wonder how much of that two year interval we’ll be able to predict based on what is revealed in just this offseason. The outcome with Mike is huge. How we’re able to pivot into a more flexible roster from this corner we’ve painted ourselves into is also very revealing...

Just how savvy is this new group that’ll be congealing? How big of a voice will Snyder have, and/or how warm is his seat?

If we basically just run it back, then is that a sign of too much conservatism and lack of a new consensus?

If Ainge is hired, I hope someone asks him in the press conference, "what kind of more opportunities do you think you'd have to work with now if this franchise had a $30M TPE available to them 4 years ago?"

So I have bagged on Ainge... but here is the deal with him. He is an emotionless *******... we kind of need that right now. Someone who isn't afraid to trade Pierce, KG, and IT after they have given the franchise their best. He's shrewd... and we need it. I think he is good at the detail stuff that DL seemed to **** up constantly.

Someone that says " I don't care that the fans love Favs and him coming back is a big story... we need his cap money for different things."

I think Ryan will spend to a point. I think we retain Mike because the non-Mike options are rough. I also think Mike has less of a market than some think and have a hard time thinking he will uproot his family just to leave. If we offer similar money to what is out there I think he stays. Dallas and NY are on different timelines and I think they spend money elsewhere. The Lakers will have a hard time doing a sign and trade for him without gutting the roster to stay below the apron. Miami would probably prefer a smaller one year deal on Dragic to a bigger multiyear deal on Mike and they likely have their sights set much higher.

Its the other moves I am curious to see... where do we cut salary... Favs, Bojan, JC? Ryan won't cut a check for $50M for luxury tax imo. I also think he won't let the new GM roll with 7 G league guys so we will find a few additional minimum veterans.

I trust Ryan but its blind trust and the owner operator model hasn't worked well in the NBA or any other sports franchise that I can think of.

 

[NAOS]

Or another option. The choice that the new group all want. I remember wade having a great time on the sideline and being really happy with this roster when we were kicking *** with a healthy team. Maybe he wants that again.

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You quoted a question... then gave an answer that I never excluded from the possibilities..... because I merely asked a question.