2025-2026 Tank Race Prediction Contest and Current Results Thread

[KqWIN]

One thing that's weird/interesting is that Lauri probably would have an outside shot at making the all-NBA third team and all-star team if the Jazz weren't having him throw games but apparently he's just... OK doing this? Weird person.

And if he wanted individual accolades more than franchise success we call him selfish. Can't win.

 

[HadAnEffectHere]

And if he wanted individual accolades more than franchise success we call him selfish. Can't win.

Sure.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

They played those guys against Pels and sat them against Pistons. Would you want the Jazz to do it that way round?

No but it also isn’t anti-tank. Every game is winnable and loseable. Doing it in obvious matchups certainly raises more eyebrows. Punting a game is punting a game. When you have the worst record in the league it’s still tanking to punt even a very lose able game.

If you want use the speed limit comparison… we go 75 in the 65 and they decide 66 is enough.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

And if he wanted individual accolades more than franchise success we call him selfish. Can't win.

The words "franchise success" are doing some super heavy lifting here. (I did notice that like a true tanker, you were careful not to say "team success", though. That was a nice touch.)

Forget the AS team or All-NBA selections. Nobody would blame Lauri if he, as a top 20-25 player, got fed up with never even getting to the playoffs in the middle of his prime. That would not be selfishness, it would be normal.

I have no idea what really makes the dude tick. Never seen a competitive max player who's so fine with losing.

 

[HermanG]

No but it also isn’t anti-tank. Every game is winnable and loseable. Doing it in obvious matchups certainly raises more eyebrows. Punting a game is punting a game. When you have the worst record in the league it’s still tanking to punt even a very lose able game.

If you want use the speed limit comparison… we go 75 in the 65 and they decide 66 is enough.

Lost in translation, I think I said its "more anti-tank than tank". The point was they took a schedule loss game to rest guys.

One can argue "they could have had a shot" but on the road against the best team in the East with rest disadvantage I say "no way in hell".

 

[Jaanipoeg]

I will say that it's very weird that the nepobaby's first comment was "we will not strategically rest players to throw games" and then the team immediately strategically rested players to throw games.

Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face and watch Hardy's ability to coach a competitive offense. Even with a **** defense, am effective offense will win you more games than we want.

He did ship out Sexton/Clarkson/Collins for minimal returns. You can argue returning Nurkic, but I think he thought shipping out 52 PPG of offense from last year would be enough to keep us safely bottom 5. But he isn't dumb enough to make us lose our pick this year.

 

[KqWIN]

Wrt the Indiana conversation, I don't really care what you call what they're doing now. But this idea that the franchise is too proud to do it or that Carlisle himself won't tank just isn't accurate. I was running with the same narrative until I looked back. I expect them to take the foot off the gas just like everyone else. They have good tanking PR.

 

[Elizah Huge]

One thing that's weird/interesting is that Lauri probably would have an outside shot at making the all-NBA third team and all-star team if the Jazz weren't having him throw games but apparently he's just... OK doing this?

Haven't really seen a borderline top 40 player pass on the playoffs and individual accolades to just tank year after year.

He knew what he was signing up for when he signed his 205M extension. We paid him handsomely. He has elevated his game with the Jazz. It worked out pretty well for Shai I would say.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Wrt the Indiana conversation, I don't really care what you call what they're doing now. But this idea that the franchise is too proud to do it or that Carlisle himself won't tank just isn't accurate. I was running with the same narrative until I looked back. I expect them to take the foot off the gas just like everyone else. They have good tanking PR.

They have a built in excuse too. Their star player is out for the year.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

He knew what he was signing up for when he signed his 205M extension. We paid him handsomely. He has elevated his game with the Jazz. It worked out pretty well for Shai I would say.

SGA was so much younger when he was in this type of situation that the comparison makes zero sense.

Lauri will be 29 in a few months, he has a few years of his prime left. Shai's prime hadn't even begun back then.

We don't know what Lauri signed up for and we shouldn't pretend like we do. Did Ainge really have a masterplan from the start? Somehow I doubt it.

 

[rjfan]

One thing that's weird/interesting is that Lauri probably would have an outside shot at making the all-NBA third team and all-star team if the Jazz weren't having him throw games but apparently he's just... OK doing this?

Haven't really seen a borderline top 40 player pass on the playoffs and individual accolades to just tank year after year.

He still has a chance for the all star team even with the tank.

He's also the guy that when we landed in Utah was already in his third franchise in his 6th season at the time (and 3rd different one in 3 years), and the Jazz being the first team to deploy and platform his game as the Jazz did.