2025-2026 Tank Race Prediction Contest and Current Results Thread

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I also think if you trade Nurk tanking becomes easier. Not having a backup 5 for 18 MPG would make winning hard

 

[hgb]

Trade the 2nd worst of Jazz/Cavs/Wolves/LAL in '27 (worst is already going to Suns) to OKC for that '26 pick, make playoffs, watch Wolves plunge to lottery behind injuries, swap pick with Wolves, draft star, win title.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I would be pretty hesitant to trade Lauri. He's a star. Jazz need to figure out how to get worse on the margins and lose with him. Jazz could be a 50 win team next season if they get Boozer and use that cap-space to sign a legit rotation piece

Trade Nurk and Svi, play Ace/Hendricks/Cody more minutes

 

[SoberasHotRod]

I would be pretty hesitant to trade Lauri. He's a star. Jazz need to figure out how to get worse on the margins and lose with him. Jazz could be a 50 win team next season if they get Boozer and use that cap-space to sign a legit rotation piece

Trade Nurk and Svi, play Ace/Hendricks/Cody more minutes

I agree with this, we have pieces and need to add to them, but it would be awful to miss out on our 2026 pick.

I don't want to sit Lauri and Kessler on purpose like last year, but whatever we can do around the edges should be done.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Trade the 2nd worst of Jazz/Cavs/Wolves/LAL in '27 (worst is already going to Suns) to OKC for that '26 pick, make playoffs, watch Wolves plunge to lottery behind injuries, swap pick with Wolves, draft star, win title.

It's been brought up before, but Cody to OKC for our 2026 draft rights should be explored.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

I would be pretty hesitant to trade Lauri. He's a star. Jazz need to figure out how to get worse on the margins and lose with him.

The margins are already pretty meaningless. This strong start is mainly the product of Lauri, Kessler, Keyonte and Hardy. Nurk , Flip and Svi have been adequate but none of them are critical pieces.

Tanking with this team would necessitate either trading or sitting Lauri (who's playing like a legit All Star but has a massive deal) and Kessler (who's playing for his first big contract).

Both things are much, much easier said than done.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

I agree with this, we have pieces and need to add to them, but it would be awful to miss out on our 2026 pick.

I don't want to sit Lauri and Kessler on purpose like last year, but whatever we can do around the edges should be done.

You can't sit Kessler when he's playing for a contract. The optics would be absolutely terrible.

Also, we might soon be in a situation where Lauri is realistically playing for an All Star spot. Sitting a guy like that would be another PR nightmare.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

The margins are already pretty meaningless. This strong start is mainly the product of Lauri, Kessler, Keyonte and Hardy. Nurk , Flip and Svi have been adequate but none of them are critical pieces.

Tanking with this team would necessitate either trading or sitting Lauri (who's playing like a legit All Star but has a massive deal) and Kessler (who's playing for his first big contract).

Both things are much, much easier said than done.

Whether or not you want to call the role players "critical pieces" or not is entirely irrelevant. The critical pieces are replacing those players with young guys who will lose you games.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

You can't sit Kessler when he's playing for a contract. The optics would be absolutely terrible.

Also, we might soon be in a situation where Lauri is realistically playing for an All Star spot. Sitting a guy like that would be another PR nightmare.

Jazz will play Walker all season. Like you said you just can't sit a contract year player

Lauri will sit after he gets his ASG position secured.