Game Thread Oct 22, 2025 07:00PM MT: LA Clippers @ Utah Jazz

[Udidthizz]

Love the little move by Clayton at 2:12 here. That’s the move of a guy who knows how to get where he wants to go on the court.

 

[seattlejazzfan]

WCJ stat line looking good with only 18 min played:

4-8 FG, 6 REB(3 ORB), 5 AST, 2 STL, 10 PTS

Led the team with 3 ORB

wcj's superpower at least at this point in his career is the pace he plays with, his change of pace and how under control he is at all times - he plays like he's a 10 year veteran. it's wildly impressive to watch. also, i couldn't be more impressed with his on ball defense. if he can get the three to fall from nba range, well damn, we may have our own derrick white.

as cy was alluding to above, it's hard to see a path forward for collier if key is going to be the starter at point.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

wcj's superpower at least at this point in his career is the pace he plays with, his change of pace and how under control he is at all times - he plays like he's a 10 year veteran. it's wildly impressive to watch. also, i couldn't be more impressed with his on ball defense. if he can get the three to fall from nba range, well damn, we may have our own derrick white.

as cy was alluding to above, it's hard to see a path forward for collier if key is going to be the starter at point.

The only issue with WCJ right now is that he seems kind of unsure on when/how he can get his 3-ball off. Got to think he figures that out sooner rather than later given it's always been his calling card. Doesnt seem to have much issues getting in the paint and finishing at this point, which would have been everyone's concern on him as a prospect.

I would guess when Collier gets back, him and WCJ play minutes together and see how that works. Obviously Collier has potential, so you have to give him a shot at showing he can shoot it and play this kind of uptempo ball movement style the rest of the team seems to be excelling at.

 

[tksavis]

wcj's superpower at least at this point in his career is the pace he plays with, his change of pace and how under control he is at all times - he plays like he's a 10 year veteran. it's wildly impressive to watch. also, i couldn't be more impressed with his on ball defense. if he can get the three to fall from nba range, well damn, we may have our own derrick white.

as cy was alluding to above, it's hard to see a path forward for collier if key is going to be the starter at point.

I'm also super impressed with WCJ's on ball defense--I hope all the other guards are watching and seeing what's possible

 

[Miggs]

I think we just need to play our guys and let the chips fall where they may. If we are 9-7 after 16, games, I am in favor of just playing everyone and trying to make the playoffs.

Keyonte, Collier, Clayton, Ace, Hendricks, Sens, Cody…how much playing time do we have for these young guys let alone another one. To waste an entire year on a tank that may not even pay off seems silly.

 

[str8line]

Watching highlights reminds me just how terrible bolerhack is. Ugh.

A few gems

* Messed up so many names, so many. Wow. Even mixed up Flip and Ace once. Wow.
* "Horna-chek...uh...Horn.....aseck. Hornacek" - yikes that was extremely painful.
* How many times can one guy say "we see you", good god. We get it Grandpa, you figured out something the kids said...4 years ago. Get something new already.

LEAVE BOLER ALONE!!!

 

[fishonjazz]

I really hope we don’t have another repeat of the 2022 2023 season when the Jazz started 10-3 and finished with the 9th pick. That would be a nightmare season

Especially because that would result in us not having a pick at all.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Not gonna overreact too much but the tank is in danger. Kessler gonna get like 25% more than whatever the Jazz thought. Legendary overthinking.

We have got to get rid of the overhead camera. Dumb as ****.

The answer to both problems is trading Walker if someone is willing to cough up a worthwhile package.

Within the genius of such a plan (wherein the Jazz could throw a max offer at him this offseason if they wanted) lies it’s potential crippling weakness; trading an impending RFA that isn’t a clear max player will probably ding his trade value substantially.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Trading 2 guys who are playing great and helping the jazz get a lot of wins and have a good record would sound a lot like dirty tanking shenanigans which Austin Ainge said the jazz would no longer do. I guess we might find out if Austin was lying or not.

I actually disagree. I think there is and should be a distinction between roster moves and in-game fraudulence (faking injuries/pulling good players in crunch time/drawing wack plays).

I think Austin agrees because the Sexton/Clarkson/Collins moves were not trades made to win or preserve asset value or anything that really made much sense besides being bad and clearing the path for the kids.

He could also just have been lying or change his mind on the fraudulence. I’m not and never have been much of a fan of that strategy but sometimes it’s preferable to alternative scenarios (it paid off huge last year, lottery gods notwithstanding).

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

The answer to both problems is trading Walker if someone is willing to cough up a worthwhile package.

Within the genius of such a plan (wherein the Jazz could throw a max offer at him this offseason if they wanted) lies it’s potential crippling weakness; trading an impending RFA that isn’t a clear max player will probably ding his trade value substantially.

Trade him or pay him. If he is playing anywhere near the level we saw last night his value may go up substantially... but the @infection principle of trade value comes in.

It was just such an own goal not to settle something in the 25-30M range and just structure it so its friendly to our future. Outside of an achilles tear he would retain value or be able to recover future value. I'm already pretty insufferable but when we take on dead salary with our cap space so that we can get some seconds and have to pay $35M+ to Walker on a 3+1... yall will just want to put me on ignore.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Would be hilariously sad if we didn't tank hard enough in the two most fruitful drafts in our tank era.

 

[NUMBERICA]

If it’s basically impossible to tank (even after trading Lauri and Walker), then we better be competing for the 1 seed. The nightmare scenario is scrapping to make the play-in and coughing up a lottery pick to an already-emerging dynasty.

A middling year this year will setup a middling decade.