To his defense, unless one really follows the Jazz, he'll have the attitude of a "casual" fan. Over the past week I've spoken with both my brother and father who are unsettled by what the Jazz have done. They're both guys who watch almost every game and have a hard time seeing the Jazz lose. However, I think I've brought them around to accepting the "one year of pain" plan.Too bad.
I always really enjoy Zach Lowe's articles that are actually about the Xs and Os of basketball, but this one doesn't quite measure up.
Bill Simmons didn't write this did he? This would be the first bad article I have read of his...
Lowe's math isn't right either, since the Jazz are well under the cap now. If they spend up to the cap, they will have paid the difference between 90% (payroll minimum, either spent or surcharged at the end of the season) and 100% of the cap, or about $6mm. Even if they use the Room MLE (available to teams who renounce their exceptions in favor of cap space, like the Jazz), those picks will only cost about $8mm.
2 1sts in loaded drafts + 2 seconds, and 3 warm, expiring bodies to fill the roster and help the tank (with one a potential keeper) is pretty good for $8mm.
Someone?My EXACT first thought. Someone on the article page commented on this as well.
Un-characteristically bad article by Zach Lowe, who's easily a top 3 NBA journalist
Someone?
i really like lowe
i think he is just commenting on how sad it is to watch nba teams pay to tank
which is basically what utah did
its a problem and i hope the nba learns how to fix it
there has to be some kind of incentive to being a middle of the pack team
I think Zach Lowe's main argument with the "two to three moves down the line" piece is that he thought our cap space would be more valuable at the trade deadline than it would now. That's an argument you could make, I suppose, but I doubt anything will be available at the deadline that fetches even more assets while preserving future flexibility.
Lowes only flaw was not looking past the tip of his nose. Poor journalism.
Lowe still has a point here though. There's a chance our cap space could have netted us more (if not substantially more) at the upcoming trade deadline. Or even further into this offseason. We essentially took on $$$$ for 2 first round picks, one of which, despite the wishful thinking among us, is destined to be in the 20s. I know it's not my money, but that's not the point, because it was about how we used it, not if. And I know I'm going to get murdered since 95% of Jazz fans have convinced themselves this was the best trade known to man. How much of it (cap space) do we have left?
Lowe still has a point here though. There's a chance our cap space could have netted us more (if not substantially more) at the upcoming trade deadline. Or even further into this offseason. We essentially took on $$$$ for 2 first round picks, one of which, despite the wishful thinking among us, is destined to be in the 20s. I know it's not my money, but that's not the point, because it was about how we used it, not if. And I know I'm going to get murdered since 95% of Jazz fans have convinced themselves this was the best trade known to man. How much of it (cap space) do we have left?
I couldn't agree more. No offense to those who felt the trades were good or great moves, but I'm somewhat surprised by the overwhelming love of the trades on this site. I personally agree that we might have gotten more in return, either in the way of better players or better or more picks. The trades are what they are, but I certainly don't think we robbed anyone blind.