The Lauri Thread

Lots of interesting questions around Lauri, especially as we get towards the off season when he can be traded.

- His numbers are down this year, are we worried? He doesn't seem to be moving as well this year.
- How long is he willing to play for a non playoff team?
- How soon are we able to build a playoff team that can eventually compete for a title with Lauri?
- Does Lauri fit in with our timeline/how has our timeline shifted with the Hendricks injury and Cody being so far behind?
- What is Lauri's trade value? How does that change in the off season?
- How does the 2026 draft impact the decision to trade Lauri?
- How does our pick owed to OKC with top 8 protection impact our decision to trade Lauri?

Bottom Line: Should we look to trade Lauri this coming off season?

(Might add more questions later)

I think Lauri should be traded next offseason, but it's very unlikely he gets traded next offseason.

His trade value has obviously declined a huge amount since the 2024 trade deadline and Ainge would be under a huge amount of heat if he traded Lauri for two firsts this summer when maybe he could have gotten 5 at the 2024 deadline.

Ainge can maybe get away with it if he gets Flagg or Harper, but if he gets a more marginal prospect, then he's probably in Save His Job mode and that doesn't fit with a Lauri trade.

how often do the jazz find a good player that wants to live and play in Utah? Lauri purposefully signed his extention when he did so Utah could not trade him this year. that has to be a major factor in Utah's decision making. I get it, his time line does not match Utah's. It would take a lot for me to trade Lauri and we certainly are not in any hurry. so if someone offers the sun and moon maybe i would trade him. i just am in no rush and would be happy to keep him.

Thanks for starting this.

I’m concerned. He is playing meaningfully worse. They need to ice him until he’s 100% (sincerely), then let him go nuts for stretches of the schedule with stiff competition and/or sit other people when he’s healed up. Seems hobbled to me and there really is no reason to be playing hobbled in this season of all seasons.

I was of the opinion that we should keep him and try to start building a winning team next year. But that was last off season pre Hendricks injury, pre Cody Williams sucking more than anyone ever sucked, and pre realizing that Key was going to stink again this year.

I have switched my stance completely. Trade him asap and tank again next year.

fishonjazz said:

I was of the opinion that we should keep him and try to start building a winning team next year. But that was last off season pre Hendricks injury, pre Cody Williams sucking more than anyone ever sucked, and pre realizing that Key was going to stink again this year.

I have switched my stance completely. Trade him asap and tank again next year.

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Well unless he starts looking better, he may have gone from an asset to a millstone.

Lauri probably just put on way too much weight last summer.

Jazz training staff should tell him to dump some weight so he can jump again.

I am a little traumatized by the Jazz never telling Favors to dump that 20 pounds of muscle that killed his athleticism and probably contributed to destroying his back and knees.

We had a really bad strength and conditioning staff in that era...

Why did he need to be 265...

I don't have any answers but my gut feeling is they did want to build a competitive team with Lauri.

Now less than 2 months into the season, it appears with the Hendricks injury and the rawness of their draft picks, especially Cody, they have been set back at least a year on the rebuild. If Lauri is fine missing the playoffs, missing games to fake "injuries", etc the next few seasons then sure keep him. My guess is it might be best for both sides if they part ways next offseason assuming of course the offers are there for him.

NUMBERICA said:

Well unless he starts looking better, he may have gone from an asset to a millstone.

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he's probably just getting dragged down by the trash players we are putting out there with him. that being said, if we blow our first round pick again this summer, probably have to give up and trade him away.

fishonjazz said:

and pre realizing that Key was going to stink again this year.

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I don’t think he’s sucked at all he’s a victim of being on a really bad team. Before all those players got traded last year he was looking very good then the trade deadline happened and he wasn’t the same. Hes actually gotten better at running an offense. He has more developing to do but I’ve been encouraged. Let’s also not forget he’s only 21 years old. I think he’s going to be very good.

fishonjazz said:

I was of the opinion that we should keep him and try to start building a winning team next year. But that was last off season pre Hendricks injury, pre Cody Williams sucking more than anyone ever sucked, and pre realizing that Key was going to stink again this year.

I have switched my stance completely. Trade him asap and tank again next year.

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Im not sure we will be able to trade Lauri on his contract.

r_u_s_t_b_u_c_k_e_t said:

he's probably just getting dragged down by the trash players we are putting out there with him. that being said, if we blow our first round pick again this summer, probably have to give up and trade him away.

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Team is much worse and he’s contending with 3 ball dominant combo guards. If he were playing on GS he’d be getting 25+ a game.

Thee Idiotic Minivan K said:

I don’t think he’s sucked at all he’s a victim of being on a really bad team.

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Ok, you can say he's sucked because he is on a really bad team. Either way he sucked last year and has sucked this year. It would be much better if he didn't suck. Like Sexton, Flip, collins, kessler. Who also are victims of being on a very bad team.
Keyonte this season is shooting a worse 3 point percentage, worse 2 point percentage, (worse field goal percentage as well of course) and worse free throw percentage than he was last season. He is also rebounding worse this year. He has about the same assist to turnover ratio as last year which is really bad. His effort is often extremely poor this season and his defense sucks. Last year he was one of the worst players in the league. So far this year he might be even worse. I thought he was going to be better this year by a decent amount. Still might. But just not so far. Which sucks imo.

Like most off ball scorers, you can't separate Lauri from the guys he plays with. IMO, he mostly didn't look great last year (even when healthy) despite putting up his usual stats, but this season, he's obviously struggling mightily as the roster is a garbage fire of epic proportions and teams are finding it easier than ever to make his life difficult.

I agree Lauri's not moving well or getting elevation, but I don't think he's injured – it's more likely that he's once again carrying too much muscle and it's slowing him down. It's kind of bizarre he went that route for no reason, since excessive bulking up almost destroyed his career back on the Bulls. I thouht it was well established that the lighter he is, the better he plays.

My stance has always been that Lauri should be traded ASAP because the timelines simply aren't compatible. I also think that he may not be that far away from the point where nasty chronic injuries start showing up due to his ultra taxing play style for a big guy. The guy has a **** ton of miles on his legs.

Ainge nuked Lauri's trade value by first giving him a max deal and then surrounding him with a G-League team full of guys who can't pass. There's probably still quite a few GM's who remember his glory days and would give up a large pile of assets though. But the trade needs to happen next summer and Lauri needs to stay healthy.

SoberasHotRod said:

Lots of interesting questions around Lauri, especially as we get towards the off season when he can be traded.

1. His numbers are down this year, are we worried? He doesn't seem to be moving as well this year.
2. How long is he willing to play for a non playoff team?
3. How soon are we able to build a playoff team that can eventually compete for a title with Lauri?
4. Does Lauri fit in with our timeline/how has our timeline shifted with the Hendricks injury and Cody being so far behind?
5. What is Lauri's trade value? How does that change in the off season?
6. How does the 2026 draft impact the decision to trade Lauri?
7. How does our pick owed to OKC with top 8 protection impact our decision to trade Lauri?

Bottom Line: Should we look to trade Lauri this coming off season?

(Might add more questions later)

Click to expand...

1. His numbers are down a bit, because Jazz don't both want or can run same sets they used to. He's even more closely defended now and neither starting guards have magically become better playmakers, and one of them is very uneffective and doesn't get respect. IMO Lauri doesn't move much worse, but Jazz don't run as many off ball sets with him. It's partly to investigate if he could develop his ISO game in more static situations. I'm not too much worried, as the plan probably never was to look for trade him until the summer 26 the earliest (I predicted 2027 when he has 2 or 2,5 seasons of contract left, meanwhile the cap space also goes up- Jazz will be good or trade him then.

2. Only Lauri knows. But I'm not sure he wants to hard tank another season, so unless Jazz hits their draft targets, and will be go on to suck this much again... He might be frustrated. I'm not betting on him to ask a trade out as he's states he'd like to be a part to build something. My initial though is getting top 5 pick now, and improvise it the next season.

3. To do it right 26-27 is the earliest Jazz can dream of more than borderline play-in level. If Jazz has managed to get a great draft pick and possibly nailed one trade, it could look good.

4. Lauri will fit the timeline only if the 2025 pick will be ready to contribute some in his rookie contract, to get the understanding if it makes sense to pair him and Lauri past this current contract

5. Trade value has decreased. Two firsts to three firsts at most right now, depending how he'll play the season. He's not going to be allstar Lauri bc they're trying new things to him which takes down his efficiency a bit. But doesn't matter,bc the goal probably never was to trade him next summer.

6. The 2026 draft ofc plays a part. It's too early to make predictions, we have to see the 2025 rookies and how Jazz looks like 12-15 months from here

7. Owing the pick to OKC sucks, but I think Jazz can suck enough if needed, to keep their pick and not trade Lauri. I don't think trading or not trading Lauri is crucial for that. Jazz will be young enough to run half a season if hard tank if needed, and keep their pick with Lauri.

Bottom line: Trading Lauri this off season would be stupid. He'll have better value in the trade if they'll land a great playmaker that can shoot. They wouldn't try build Lauri's tool bag on this season if they had a thought of trading him next summer. It's the biggest proof on him not being on the trade block. It'll be either 26 summer or, my guess 27 spring if he'll be traded.

That what happens when you don't have a good point guard on the roster. John Collins can get his points without a point guard, Sexton can do it too, Clarkson also could do it before this season. But a player like Lauri can't. When the Jazz get a decent floor general we will get back the All Star Lauri.

Also, you folks need to decide what do you want: to finish in the bottom-3 or to have the All Star-level Lauri. You can't have both.

If Lauri starts playing a little better, we should trade him. Not sure if we have to wait till December (or the summer like Embiid) but it makes no sense to not trade him imo.

Lauri clearly won’t fit our timeline. He, along with Sexton and Collins, two other players who shouldn’t be in our future, should also be moved. Stockpile more picks. In the offseason, sign the best two vet leaders possible. Guys who can truly lead and help groom young players. Then give our 1st rounder, Keyonte, Collier, Hendricks, and whoever else a **** ton of time. Even if it’s to the tune of 13 wins. **** it. Great players need to learn how to fight and win. Tough to do that when other guys are options 1, 2 and 3.

cant trade him at all this year

fishonjazz said:

Keyonte this season is shooting a worse 3 point percentage, worse 2 point percentage, (worse field goal percentage as well of course) and worse free throw percentage than he was last season.

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Hes played 18-20 games and got off to a slow start to start the year. He hasn’t been half bad at all. You are nitpicking a little. Also he’s 21, and no where near the finished product.

SoberasHotRod said:

- How soon are we able to build a playoff team that can eventually compete for a title with Lauri?
- Does Lauri fit in with our timeline/how has our timeline shifted with the Hendricks injury and Cody being so far behind?

Click to expand...

A tanking team doesn't have a timeline. The timeline is "when we get lucky". You have to keep tanking until you get lucky, otherwise it was all for nothing. When will the Jazz have a competitive playoff team? Maybe not in our lifetimes, maybe in two years time. With a tanking team it's impossible to know. What we do know is that none of the six picks used by Ainge so far will elevate the team to that level.

Thee Idiotic Minivan K said:

Hes played 18-20 games and got off to a slow start to start the year. He hasn’t been half bad at all. You are nitpicking a little. Also he’s 21, and no where near the finished product.

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I was just posting factual stats is all. Not nitpicking anything.

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