Usually, I agree. BUT this year, for Utah, has been a perfect storm. When you combine the lockout, the stocked draft, Utah's lack of a superstar, and all the other factors, I whole-heartedly think that this year would have better served "tanking."
There are three big time players on this team (or getting paid like big time players). Al, Harris, and Millsap. Harris is Harris. He can be effective, but he is overpaid. He is not worth trading away, but he is good enough to this team with his uptempo play that he isn't worth amnestying. Millsap is very, very valuable with his contract. So he stays. The big linchpin is Al. Is Al worth wasting a shortened year, where at best, you are a 7th or 8th seed in the west? Is it worth playing Al 35 mins a game for a few extra wins (which I would argue he doesn't bring, but we will give him the benefit of the doubt), BUT taking away valuable playing time from Favors and Kanter, instilling bad habits (watch the offense when Al plays, nobody moves, Al doesn't pass, he doesn't play defense, if he misses a couple of shots early he quits on this team, etc, etc, etc).
The question is, "Is Al going to take you to the next level?" The answer is 100% no. Whether you like Al or hate him, he isn't taking this or any team anywhere. Who on this team has the chance to do this? Well, there are 4 players that have that "chance." Burks, Favors, Hayward, Kanter.
Now, let's look at this season. It is short, limited practice time, and a supposedly amazingly stocked draft. Now, we know that to win a title in TODAY's NBA, you need two superstars. Al, Harris and Millsap are not one of those two. So, the Jazz have no known commodities. BUT they do have four players that could take 1-2 of those superstar spots. AND, with a stocked draft, the Jazz have 1-2 chances of finding those two superstars. FINALLY, it is a shortened season, so losing isn't that bad. It's not as bad for the players, it is not as bad for the fans, etc, etc.
So, what do the Jazz do? They blow up a chance at better securing their future, waste a year of development to play Al, and might not end up with a single pick in this draft. It is ridiculous.
The dumbest part of all of this? As a small market team, Utah cannot afford to go into the luxury tax season after season, and they effectively wasted a year of Favor's rookie contract.
The Jazz could have amnestied Jefferson before the year started, given Favors and Hayward 30 mins a night, worked Burks up to that, and given Kanter 15. They might have lost more games (but again, I seriously doubt it), but Favors and Hayward and Burks would be ready to go for next year, with two additional lottery picks in a loaded draft, and a future as bright as OKC's.
Like I said at the beginning, I don't agree with tanking at all. BUT this year was a HUGE exception to the rule. The Jazz may have blew their chance at going from a solid 4-6 seed to a contender by playing Al Jefferson this year.
