Are they good enough to be the difference between the worst record and something better next year? Are they good enough to push the team just enough in 2024 or 2025 to convey a lottery pick to OKC?
I think they are. I want the very worst record next year and I don’t want that OKC pick conveying unless the Jazz already have a decent core in place.
And dumping all of the win-now guys might be harder than we think if the Jazz don’t consummate an LA deal. The roster is comically imbalanced right now but the Jazz are going to be able to win more games than many of us would like due to sheer firepower.
But if we’re betting on the deals happening that are getting rumored, then the Jazz might pick up a young 20+ ppg, pretty efficient scorer for scrap. And Conley will most likely still be here regardless, who will be very good in the early season.
On that point, if the question of “what are we supposed to use that cap space for anyway?” then that is one answer: value buys, renting out cap space for more draft capital, and rehabbing the distressed assets either for keeps or for trade. I really don’t think there will be a shortage of opportunity, but I think for this season specifically the Jazz need to grab most opportunities they can to get worse.
I get the argument for keeping either of those dudes, and I wouldn’t be mad to. But I just think the timing is slightly off.