Jazz Free Agency Summer of 2018
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According to Tony Jones the only meeting he currently had scheduled was today’s with the Jazz.
Jack Strop
Well-Known Member
Simply not true under Lindsey. He added Thabo, Jerebko and Udoh last season because he had to wait until July 4th for Hayward's Player's Tribune abomination. Even at that, he was in Washington to talk to Porter's agent at the time. Oh yeah, with 15 guaranteed contracts, he also signed O'Neale. Many of us were WTF?
Lindsey has taken big chances in the draft, trading up for Burke, buying a pick to get back in for Gobert, taking Lyles ahead of Booker. Took a chance on Ingles. Trades? Made the trade for Hill, then Rubio and last year, to move up for Donovan. Traded Hood for Crowder. Now, I very much disagreed with the decision not to trade for Mirotic. I think Lindsey was wrong. But I also understand why he made that decision. He thought Utah was probably not going to make the playoffs and he'd be trading a lottery pick. As we saw, there were great prospects all the way down to #14. Mirotic or a lottery pick? Plus, no one foresaw the Cousins' injury. Lindsey thought Chicago would probably accept a couple of seconds at the deadline.
Jazz were arguably a top-5 team last season. So what do you want Utah to do, blow it all up? Sure, I'd love to see George, Lebron or Kawhi list Utah as their preferred destination. But it didn't happen and you move on. Why is it bad to "run it back." I think Lindsey has kicked the tires on a few guys he'd consider with the MLE. But it takes two to tango. And to spend more than that on a player would require Utah getting under the cap. That means weakening the team by renouncing Favors, Exum, their exceptions and/or giving up a 1st to dump Burks' salary. Instead, you keep your players and still have Burks' expiring and perhaps $13m more for a deadline trade. I'd wager there will be some very good vets available as teams look to clear salaries for the summer of 2019. And tbh, I see that as a better option to acquire a starter/6th man than hoping one of the beautiful free agents will dance with us.
I'd say Lindsey's actions, including his original decision to "tank" (getting rid of the likes of Jefferson, Millsap, Foye, etc.) have been far from conservative. The conservative route would have been to simply retool, make the playoffs every season, and Ty would have likely still been the head coach. Millers never would have let a coach go that made the playoffs every year.
Jack Strop
Well-Known Member
Free agency doesn't start and end today. I heard Chicago might be interested in Derrick. So perhaps he's meeting with the Bulls at some point this week. I'm sure Derrick heard the Jazz' pitch and needs to consider it along with his family. I wonder why no one has talked about the reasons for his wife moving back to GA. Are they separated? Will it influence his decision to be so far from her and/or his children? Has to be tough. At least I HOPE it's tough. I realize some fathers don't care much for their offspring.
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I know?.....but that’s all he has scheduled now?
LoPo
Well-Known Member
@Jack Strop
I'm talking about free agency. I agree, DL is aggressive around the draft and also looking into undrafted/diamond in the rough guys. But in terms of free agency, we don't aim high. We don't take risks. I'm not talking about giving an awful 2016 type deal, but I'm talking about going after a guy worth molding. If our coaching staff can make Ingles so important and O'Neale so valuable, why couldn't we try the same with a Vonleh, Hezonja, Simmons, etc., etc.?
I can't remember the last time we got a free agent during free agency with some upside. I appreciate role players, but I also feel like we can develop with the best of them.
I'm talking about free agency. I agree, DL is aggressive around the draft and also looking into undrafted/diamond in the rough guys. But in terms of free agency, we don't aim high. We don't take risks. I'm not talking about giving an awful 2016 type deal, but I'm talking about going after a guy worth molding. If our coaching staff can make Ingles so important and O'Neale so valuable, why couldn't we try the same with a Vonleh, Hezonja, Simmons, etc., etc.?
I can't remember the last time we got a free agent during free agency with some upside. I appreciate role players, but I also feel like we can develop with the best of them.
Jack Strop
Well-Known Member
We don't necessarily know that. Jones' isn't Derrick's personal assistant. And Derrick could have very well told a couple of teams he'd meet with them after he spoke with Utah. Could be working on scheduling visits now. What IS encouraging is that Derrick said he wasn't interested in just a phone call. He needs a face-to-face to assess an organization, talk to coaches about his role, etc.
He said he sacrificed last year with Utah and he did. He's a better offensive player than Rudy, but doesn't get the touches. He can play P&R or take the mid-range shot. Play him 33 mins and he probably averages 16/10. Utah may be the only team that will allow him to play PF, though.
Jack Strop
Well-Known Member
Ever heard of a guy named Royce O'Neale? How about the chance DL took on JJ. Not a guy with upside, but an important addition.
Dennis really didn't want to add FA's until 2 years ago. He wanted the Jazz to have a weak bench and lose so he could get lottery picks. But he only did a half-*** tank. Picks out of the top-10, even top-5 are generally not going to develop into franchise players. Had he not struck gold with Gobert and Mitchell, we'd be calling for his head (or he would have been fired).
That aside, I think you have to evaluate FA's over the last three years (counting this summer). JJ was a great addition. And the others came via trade. Hill was a necessary trade. Diaw was meh. Last year he got Rubio by trade instead of free agency. Very good move. And then there was virtually nothing he could do. His hands were tied until July 4th by Hayward. The really good FA's are generally gone by Day 1. But he found O'Neale and we got contributions out of Thabo, Udoh and Jerebko.
Now? As I said, it takes two parties to make a deal. We know Utah isn't on the list of a lot of free agents. Who's to say Lindsey hasn't contacted virtually everyone on your list and been rebuffed? We only have the MLE unless major changes occur. I think Favs and Exum are worth more than any of the FA's that want more than the MLE.
But I get your frustration. We all want that one player who is going to take us to the next level. I can see Lindsey adding a player on a 1-yr deal. I don't see him compromising cap space for 2019.
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Grimmetal
Well-Known Member
I think the unspoken thing about these meetings are that they can turn into venting sessions and need to be 100% open on both sides. Sometimes it can be very productive to air things out and sometimes it's just an honest coming to terms on roles and things.
Hoping to hear something today but wouldn't be surprised to hear nothing until something has been decided.
Hoping to hear something today but wouldn't be surprised to hear nothing until something has been decided.
True.
LoPo
Well-Known Member
You know that's not what I'm talking about.
And the emergence of Royce O'Neale could have been about Mitchell as much or more than Lindsey. That's Donovan's guy.
Agreed, I think the relationship between the Jazz/Favors is great. The fit, not so much. But we can only know what’s been reported on, and that’s all that’s been reported as of now. It’s hard to read this situation....it’s complicated for both sides.