Game Thread Mar 05, 2023 05:00PM MT: Jazz at Thunder

[NUMBERICA]

This is not just a Lauri problem, it's a team building problem. I thought you armchair GM's were experts at this ****.

Renegotiate & extend won't help with a guy like Markkanen if you have no tangible hope to offer. Lauri knows his next contract will be huge anyway, no matter where he gets it. He'll be 26 in a few months, never been to the playoffs. The bottom line is, he'll want to win ASAP. As I pointed out earlier, the decision to start a late tank separated Lauri's timeline from the team's. That's the big story here. This is why teams who have a prime All Star on the roster never voluntarily start to tank. It's basically unheard of. You're wasting extremely valuable years.

Some people are saying we'll be gunning for the playoffs as early as next season. I think that's a load of BS. It's overwhelmingly likely the guy(s) we draft won't make any difference in the wins column for a while, even if we end up picking near the top. Either Ainge makes some big win-now moves in the offseason or we'll be tanking again.

IMO, the latter option means that Markkanen gets traded next season for a king's ransom, turning him into a bunch of younger assets, and the Jazz settle in for a real multiyear tank, Houston and OKC style. Scorched earth, mothe****er. I can absolutely see Ainge doing that. There's no loyalty, no history. Both guys just got to Utah.

Seek help.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

OKC already got their mini star trio going on. SGA/Giddey/J Dub reminds me little bit of KD/Westbrook/Harden. They gonna be good for a very long time.

Don't forget about Chet

 

[Thee Jazz Fan]

The way I see it if we need to trade Lauri… I’m fine with it as long as it’s a haul of unprotected picks and prospects. We need to tank the right way. We can’t be half assing it.

 

[Bawse Dawg]

The reality of the tank hasn't had time to really sink in yet. But it will. Lauri didn't look at all happy in the last game he played in. To me he looked like a guy thinking "I can't believe this ****, it's me and a bunch of G-League scrubs".

People are straight up deceiving themselves if they think he's gonna accept a full tanking season next year after this **** show. I get that he's apparently the ultimate team guy or something, but for the first time in his career he's now in a position where he can really control his own destiny. No All Star is gonna waste his absolute prime toiling away on a tanking team.

What has Lauri's NBA career been up to this point? Was he in amazing situations? Was he a #1 guy all star and most improved player? These deep dives into his psyche are hilarious.

And no way we tank next year. It is a bad draft and we owe the Thunder a top 10 protected pick. We want that pick to convey and get it off the books.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Because the only thing the Jazz can do is make an offer. And Lauri can do whatever he damn well pleases and go wherever he wants to. Calling him a moron if he simply doesn't sign where he can get the most money just shows how out of it you are.

And for the "it's only 15 games!" crowd: Ainge might make some major moves in the summer. Much more probable he doesn't. Then it's three new rookies, JC quite possibly out and a couple of vets of the FA scrap heap. Now, record-wise that's a much worse team than this year's.

Go read a thread I put together for everyone... if we make the best offer we can... and he turns it down... he is in fact a moron. It is a Godfather offer.

 

[Swuul]

Go read a thread I put together for everyone... if we make the best offer we can... and he turns it down... he is in fact a moron. It is a Godfather offer.

As mentioned by several, even by you in fact, in that other thread, "Godfather offer" and "Big Payday" has very little weight for Lauri if the Jazz team sucks butt. I believe Ainge et al know that too, but it remains to be see which way they want to go. As far as I can see it, Jazz has two very good routes available. Do they want Jazz to be able to compete in 2025 with prime Lauri and some other all star they have to trade for, or after 2027 when Kessler, Agbaji and the rookies drafted this coming summer enter their prime (plus what ever haul Jazz would get for trading Lauri)?

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

As mentioned by several, even by you in fact, in that other thread, "Godfather offer" and "Big Payday" has very little weight for Lauri if the Jazz team sucks butt. I believe Ainge et al know that too, but it remains to be see which way they want to go. As far as I can see it, Jazz has two very good routes available. Do they want Jazz to be able to compete in 2025 with prime Lauri and some other all star they have to trade for, or after 2027 when Kessler, Agbaji and the rookies drafted this coming summer enter their prime (plus what ever haul Jazz would get for trading Lauri)?

I love how some are brushing off the money like its an extra week of paid vacation.

Even if his lifestyle did not change at all... we are talking about the ability to take care of the monetary needs of anyone in his future generations and anyone around him or his wife that they care about. Even if this was basketball purgatory (it is not) he would struggle to walk away from that.

 

[kabenac]

And he is just finding his footing again. Need to sign him now for 2 seasons at least. If this staff somehow helps him fimprove his 3pt shot too that will be one of the best value deals in the NBA. Would still be great bc he will not demand high amount of cash as of now.

We need to do it. I don't know how much money we have sitting around but I would assume Dunn would sign for cheap for a few seasons. If Dunn can shoot in the low-30s from three I'm happy. Just so as long as he plays defense, gets assists and shoots 44% from the field.

 

[Swuul]

I love how some are brushing off the money like its an extra week of paid vacation.

Even if his lifestyle did not change at all... we are talking about the ability to take care of the monetary needs of anyone in his future generations and anyone around him or his wife that they care about. Even if this was basketball purgatory (it is not) he would struggle to walk away from that.

What monetary needs? He and his family are going to live in Finland after his career. Free schooling, free healthcare. You don't actually need money at all in Finland; that is one of the reason why I did stay here to live

 

[Step-Back Hook]

What monetary needs? He and his family are going to live in Finland after his career. Free schooling, free healthcare. You don't actually need money at all in Finland; that is one of the reason why I did stay here to live

Not true. I have to pay 20 euro bills for doctor appointments. BC that I am in a bankrupt and eat trash now. Good news is that in Finland trash is fresh food.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

What monetary needs? He and his family are going to live in Finland after his career. Free schooling, free healthcare. You don't actually need money at all in Finland; that is one of the reason why I did stay here to live

Sure… I guess if he really want to win he signs a minimum deal and we can give that money to someone else to improve the team… that’s all that matters to him so nbd.

 

[Swuul]

Sure… I guess if he really want to win he signs a minimum deal and we can give that money to someone else to improve the team… that’s all that matters to him so nbd.

No, that is not all that matters to him. There is no need for him to sell himself short, just like there is no need for him to sell himself for "The Payday" just to see some more tanking. There actually do exist other scenarios in addition to those two options.