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Locke's Tone: Tank on The Horizon?

Typically the selling team gets more value at the trade deadline vs offseason. I'm wondering if that is offset by keeping good players longer resulting in a better record/worse pick?
It depends on how early they sell... it also depends on how the season starts... sometimes a slow start is what determines a sell off.

I think the pg market is kind of wonky right now and has so many dominos. The one trade player that is easiest to do is Mike out for wing x. If you trade Bogey I think you still need another trade.

The pg market... Brogdon was rumored to NY or Wash.... NY likely gets Brunson. Dallas doesn't need a replacement pg. Washington may get Tyus Jones... might prefer Brogdon to Mike... Clips just got Wall. So then does a spot open up for Mike to return to Memphis? as a backup maybe?

Deangelo Russell is also out there... so is Dejounte Murray. The PG position I think has the most dominoes so maybe in season a team realizes a need and you wish you hadn't sold off a guy like Mike just to shake things up.
 
The only concern I'd have with that is we already lack depth so if we give up multiple players for one guy we'd have basically no depth and would still be in a bad spot financially. The only player that seems obtainable that fits that mold to me is Tobias Harris.

Yeah, Tobias is a guy that Locke has mentioned a lot. I personally think a big 3 of Rudy/Don/Tobias would be destined to fail in the playoffs just like the Jazz have the last 6 years. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Jazz go that route though.
 
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Earlier in the offseason, Locke kept mentioning keeping both Don and Rudy and going all in on finding a third guy to pair with them, even if you have to give up another future first round pick to do so. Then if things don't go well this season you blow it all up next offseason and just trade everybody for picks.... with the all-star game being in Utah this year, I'm inclined to think this is the route they will take
His tone has changed a bit, but I agree this was likely Plan A. I think we shopped the **** out of our guys at the trade deadline last year and the draft and found that it may be time for Plan B... seeing what the trade return is currently on Rudy may have pushed us to Plan C...
 
Yeah, Tobias is a guy that Locke has mentioned a lot. I personally think a big 3 of Rudy/Don/Tobias would be destined to fail in the playoffs just like the Jazz have the last 6 years. I wanted be shocked to see the Jazz go that route though.
Tobias likely plays a little better here as he is good in pick and roll. He'd help our ****** vibes as hes a good dude. We still likely fail.
 
The pg market... Brogdon was rumored to NY or Wash.... NY likely gets Brunson. Dallas doesn't need a replacement pg. Washington may get Tyus Jones... might prefer Brogdon to Mike... Clips just got Wall. So then does a spot open up for Mike to return to Memphis? as a backup maybe?

Deangelo Russell is also out there... so is Dejounte Murray. The PG position I think has the most dominoes so maybe in season a team realizes a need and you wish you hadn't sold off a guy like Mike just to shake things up.
Yeah the PG market is tough the only realistic landing spots I see for Mike are the Mavericks (if they lose Brunson), Knicks (if they miss Brunson), Pelicans, and Wizards. But like you said there are other guys out there like Murray, Russell, Brunson, Brogdon etc.
 
His tone has changed a bit, but I agree this was likely Plan A. I think we shopped the **** out of our guys at the trade deadline last year and the draft and found that it may be time for Plan B... seeing what the trade return is currently on Rudy may have pushed us to Plan C...
Plan C is run it back again lol
 
It's worth pointing out that Ryan Smith is hardly poor, but his company's stock was worth north of $50 back when he purchased the Jazz and that same stock has retreated 75% and is below $15. He holds a very small share now, but he's still lost tens of millions through the retreat.

If you were going to blow up the team, I think you would have done it prior to the draft unless you're that hellbent on doing it now for 2023 and beyond picks and tanking this year for a shot at Wemby.
 
For the record, I don't see Smith tanking and in fact I will be surprised if he does so. What he might do, which he has not done so far, is work to get out of the luxury tax. The biggest benefit of his ownership to date has been his willingness to be in the tax. They have made decisions to save money but never made getting out of the tax a priority.
 
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