Mock Draft 3.0 (Full Draft)

[Handlogten's Heros]

Jesus christ dude. No one here is David Locke. Who is most? Who has even said an actual W/L number?

You think when dudes are like IDK we could "tank" they are thinking we lose 2-3 games more next year and get that 8th or 9th pick...

Imagine JZ and DA... "hey we got all this space but lets kinda punt on adding talent with it... we may not be bottom 7 bad but if we roll out and get a pick in the 8-10 range then that is pretty great... and all it costs is one year on Lauri's cheap contract, punting on 50M in space, and punting on a year of our cheap contributing starting center"

Mother effer DA and JZ are more likely thinking about how to get Jaylen Brown in the damn door than that ********.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Also factor in if Utah does flat out try to make the PO full stop, we are going to give OKC a very good mid teens pick vs if we wait a season and are truly ready to be an elite team, we can give them a pick in the 20s

 

[default]

Jesus christ dude. No one here is David Locke. Who is most? Who has even said an actual W/L number?

We will win 45 games next season. Heck I don't even know who will be on the team, but I'm calling my shot.

 

[NUMBERICA]

And factor in this might be the last chance Utah can get a top 10 pick.

That being said, I think they go for it this upcoming year. I do not think they did that this year top to bottom as an organization. I suspect Ainge was letting it play out as a leverage move and that he could cram the tank to end the year which he was mostly-wrong on both points.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Or that Jonas Valanciunas would be Pau Gasol with fire.

(Cy of course has made a ton of crazy correct draft calls.)

Calling out my Jonas love is a deep cut and I appreciate that. Would have been a better pick than Kanter!

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

That being said, I think they go for it this upcoming year. I do not think they did that this year top to bottom as an organization. I suspect Ainge was letting it play out as a leverage move and that he could cram the tank to end the year which he was mostly-wrong on both points.

My main take is what happens if we cant get any of the worthwhile free agents?

IF we can get a Jerami Grant, Josh Hart, FVV, etc then I see really going for it. If we cant... what's the point really? Let it bake one more year.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

The other angle here is that having one top-10 pick in ‘24 and two 1sts in ‘25 >>> zero picks in ‘24 and three (likely non-lottery) picks in ‘25.

I just don't think the FO is thinking about that... If you buy into the draft experts projections then the 2024 draft is bad and 2025 is good (iirc). We also might start spining our wheels lose Lauri somewhere in this mediocre process and now you are risking the pick swaps in 2026 (which may or may not have value).

I think they march into the summer looking to use 40-50M in FA and trades efficiently. That might yield a trade for Collins or Duncan Robinson that gets some stuff... or it might mean signing Gary Trent Jr. and Max Strus (thinking of very median options on purpose) and keeping some powder dry. thinking we will go full tank means you are punting on a lot of those options. Thinking the front office will target a tank-lite scenario... would mean the FO is pretty dumb.

Now say Lauri or Kessler miss 50 games next year... we let JC walk and then strike out completely in FA and trade... then you can tell me we ended up 4-8 but that was not the plan from where we sit.

 

[fishonjazz]

@Bawse Dawg go ahead and ask me any questions you like and I will answer them (you acted upset that I didn't address your points so this your opportunity to get me to if you want to). As for your answer to my first question:

1. Do you think we will sit healthy starters next season like we did this season? - Every single NBA team does, so probably. I dont think every single nba team sits starters for like 20 games straight like the jazz did with Sexton and Clarkson. I think that was the jazz tanking, not doing load management like I believe you are speaking of when you say "every single nba team does."

 

[NUMBERICA]

My main take is what happens if we cant get any of the worthwhile free agents?

IF we can get a Jerami Grant, Josh Hart, FVV, etc then I see really going for it. If we cant... what's the point really? Let it bake one more year.

I think there is an in-between area: Jazz make a modest FA signing, then rent the cap space for some future-facing assets. Simultaneously, they are trying to win games, Walker and/or Ochai likely get noticeably better, team is more gelled, there is more depth, and trade rumors might not be popping off all year either.

And like, straight up, what if the Jazz just have a tier-1 front office and developmental staff now? Not one player was a disappointment last year while there were CRAZY developmental wins (Lauri, Kessler, Ochai, THT, Dunn). If this organization just shed its skin as a thoroughly 2nd tier organization and became a thoroughly 1st tier? If they hit on their picks this year? I think we’re sniffing 50 wins with room to grow.

It could go either way but I think they have a jump this year.

 

[fishonjazz]

Yall really think Utah is the only team that will have internal improvement or become healthy lmfao

Did someone say that?

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Did someone say that?

How certain people acting

 

[fishonjazz]

The Jazz tried to win games this year as well before pushing the tank forward.

I disagree. I think trading rudy and donovan and royce and bogey was done with the intention of not winning games. I think those moves were a big reason why you, and nearly everyone, thought we would suck.