I don't get why some of these organizations do what they do with their newly drafted players. Especially high picks.
If you use a 3rd round pick on a project big, I would think you would sacrafice some wins in order to teach and develop your new players. I understand if you are pretty good and you don't want to do that. But the Jazz were clearly not a contender. They were a playoff appearance hopeful with Jefferson at the helm.
The Jazz should have either traded Al and Paul and went into full rebuild mode, or trade Favors and Kanter and try to go into full contention mode. Instead, they rode the middle and got little to nothing out of it. They just wasted a bunch of time and valuable learning experience for their high draft picks. Can you imagine where the team might be had they traded Al and Paul for some picks, combined with a couple more losing seasons and the draft picks we would have gained from that? We certainly would have more assets right now, and would be in a much better position, and further ahead in where our team would be. Instead, we made the playoffs one year and had to give our pick to Minnesota and watched Golden State keep their pick. If we lose a bunch of games that year, we probably end up with a high pick, and bump Golden State out of that top8 protection zone and get both of those picks in a very deep draft. The draft where Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard and bunch of other studs were drafted. SMH!!
I don't get the thinking. These are complex human beings that are a work in progress. What you do with them will change, make or break who they become. I don't think it's a good idea to just expect them to figure it out on their own. We are just now implementing developmental coaches and making an effort to develop these players?? How in the world do you not think of this when these players are so young and in the stages of life where they can make huge strides in learning if you put the time into them. Seriously, how is it even a surprise that these players are behind in their development when it was put off for so long?
I could rant on this forever. I can't wrap mind around the thinking. I suppose it all boils down to money and attendance, and some business owners don't want to wait or take chances. But a good business owner should know the importance of proper investing. There was no investment in Kanter. He was just supposed to figure it out on his own, and they expected him to. If it's my team, I'm finding a way get him up to speed. I wouldn't leave it up to him. I wouldn't take the chance that it will come easy to him or he will have a great work ethic.
I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking these guys have a preordained destiny and will be good if they are meant to be good. I don't believe in that.
The Jazz handled the last few years, up until last year, like crap tbh. And this isn't hindsight is 20/20. A lot of people questioned the decisions and direction of the team.
Don't get me wrong I'm still excited about what we got, but it could have been so much better had the Jazz not rode the fence during this process.
