Cooper Flagg wants another year in college

[bigmike]

But is it though? With the league constantly changing it's rules on CBA and expanding the "supermax" it's gets evidently more desirable to sign your contract extension later. Just look at Jokic and Jaylen Brown. Just a year ago in 2022, Jokers supermax extension was still 270mil for 5yr. Then one year later...boom! jaylen browns supermax with the Celtics became 304mil for 5 yrs. That's basically one whole year worth of extra earning. Joker sorta screwed himself by signing that deal one year earlier.

Fair point, but it's hard to imagine that sort of exponential growth in the AAV of a supermax continuing in perpetuity, and/or being impossible for agents to figure out and provide some guidance on when to sign, how long to sign for, etc.

But even in your Jokic scenario - that's still an AAV of $54m per year. If we look at Anthony Edwards (better comp as a recent young star in the first year of his max deal), I think he's making $42m this year. Coop dogg would have to make just insane (read: impossible) NIL money to justify 1) the injury risk of derailing his NBA career and 2) offset the ~$25m in "lost money" between the last year of his rookie deal and the first year of his second (presumably max) contract.

 

[gomretat]

There is a 12M difference over the life of the deal going from 1st to 3rd. He may make up a good chunk of that with NIL.... maybe like 60% ish. First year of his max in 5 years would be 56M to 67M. Getting to that one year earlier is huge. At any point there could be an injury that limits money. If this was the backend of his career and he was giving up 60-70M (plus being the undisputed headliner of the draft class this year and the endorsement money that comes with it) then maybe I could see someone making that decision.

I guess what I'm saying is he might go back and have everything go okay... and still lose 75-100M. That's a tough bet at the beginning of his career. It won't happen. Sorry for you doomsdayers.

Has nothing at all on my part related to doomsday. Just stating that NIL will change the draft landscape. There is no question that for kids at the top of the draft, it is much better financially to get drafted. However, all decisions are not made based on dollars and cents. It will impact decision making and the depth in the draft.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Has nothing at all on my part related to doomsday. Just stating that NIL will change the draft landscape. There is no question that for kids at the top of the draft, it is much better financially to get drafted. However, all decisions are not made based on dollars and cents. It will impact decision making and the depth in the draft.

Understood... some here and online are pointing to this meaningless Cooper quote as a way to say "this is why you don't tank". He will be in this draft. I'd bet large sums of money on it. I don't know that after an adjustment for NIL in the next year or two that many drafts will have less depth. Those players will come out eventually. This will impact like 3-4 top 40 prospects decisions... maybe? Over a 2-4 year window they will come out though... so maybe a couple light drafts... maybe a couple more heavy. Overall it won't change much and I'd be shocked if it changes one top 10 candidates' thought process. The money will never be the "same" for those types even if the salary is similar for a year or two.

 

[FalseFlagg K]

Storm in a teacup. Or in Rubashov's case his D-cups

83 days until the Utah Jazz win the 2025 NBA draft lottery and go on to select Cooper Flagg. You're welcome

 

[bopahull]

its right until the nba forces teams to stop. This is the only way the jazz can get better, so if other teams are doing it the jazz sure as hell better be doing it too like cars going over the speed limit to stay with the flow of traffic.

I'm not saying the Jazz are doing anything that the other teams aren't. I'm simply pointing out that it is against the rules contrary to the statement that they were acting within the rules. After all, "if you ain't cheatin you ain't competin" right?

 

[bopahull]

I've

Storm in a teacup. Or in Rubashov's case his D-cups

83 days until the Utah Jazz win the 2025 NBA draft lottery and go on to select Cooper Flagg. You're welcome

I've been a Jazz fan since they moved to Utah. In all that time they have never moved up to a better pick and have almost always been moved down because other teams have drawn out lucky numbers. They haven't even won a coin toss when it has come down to draft positioning. What makes you think our luck will change now?

 

[JazzFever]

With the

I'm not saying the Jazz are doing anything that the other teams aren't. I'm simply pointing out that it is against the rules contrary to the statement that they were acting within the rules. After all, "if you ain't cheatin you ain't competin" right?

With the rules expanded recently to clarify that holding players out specifically during nationally televised games, it seems the Jazz are abiding the letter and the spirit of the laws- it’s just the law that sucks.

 

[David Hume]

I've

I've been a Jazz fan since they moved to Utah. In all that time they have never moved up to a better pick and have almost always been moved down because other teams have drawn out lucky numbers. They haven't even won a coin toss when it has come down to draft positioning. What makes you think our luck will change now?

In 2011 the Jazz owned New Jersey’s pick and it moved up from 6 to 3 in the lottery.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Worth noting that Flagg reclassified to be in this class and went from the #2 prospect in the ‘26 draft to the #1 prospect in the ‘25 draft. Seems like the intention has always been and will ultimately still be to enter the draft this year.

 

[JazzFanNBama]

Since we aren’t going to out tank the Wizards this year, I hope he stays one more year. We still get a great player this year then get to tank correctly next year and get him. Could work out in our favor.

 

[JazzFever]

Since we aren’t going to out tank the Wizards this year, I hope he stays one more year. We still get a great player this year then get to tank correctly next year and get him. Could work out in our favor.

As long as we're top 3 we'd have equal shot at Flagg:

Team > Odds for No. 1 Pick

• Team 1: 14.0%
• Team 2: 14.0%
• Team 3: 14.0%
• Team 4: 12.5%
• Team 5: 10.5%
• Team 6: 9.0%
• Team 7: 7.5%
• Team 8: 6.0%
• Team 9: 4.5%
• Team 10: 3.0%
• Team 11: 2.0%
• Team 12: 1.5%
• Team 13: 1.0%
• Team 14: 0.5%

2026 NBA Draft Lottery: Odds, history and how it works

The official site for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. The participating teams and final Lottery odds will be determined at the conclusion of the 2025-26 regular season.

www.nba.com

The main issue is how far you can get pushed down by other teams moving up. Odds are even for 'top' 3 teams for picking first though.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Since we aren’t going to out tank the Wizards this year, I hope he stays one more year. We still get a great player this year then get to tank correctly next year and get him. Could work out in our favor.

Are the Jazz not currently tanking correctly?

It's only going to get harder next year if the current young players improve. We might start looking like the Raptors next year