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

[Tanktastic]

A middling year this year will setup a middling decade.

This year doesn't matter any more than last year did any more than the year before that did. This year isn't something magical or decisive any more than any other year. And should the Jazz or any other team tank so m'fing hard that it hurts, their most probable scenario is still a #5-7 pick, that yields some dude that's pretty good, but in no way franchise altering.

ps. And whatever OKC is for the rest of the decade, whether they get the pick or not most probably has little impact on that.

 

[NUMBERICA]

This year doesn't matter any more than last year did any more than the year before that did. This year isn't something magical or decisive any more than any other year. And should the Jazz or any other team tank so m'fing hard that it hurts, their most probable scenario is still a #5-7 pick, that yields some dude that's pretty good, but in no way franchise altering.

ps. And whatever OKC is for the rest of the decade, whether they get the pick or not most probably has little impact on that.

Yes it is. Team performance isn’t terribly volatile year to year, and it is easy to predict that the Jazz are on an upward trajectory. This is their last chance to get to the top of the draft unless something crazy happens.

As or more importantly, the Jazz have to be terrible assure that they keep their pick, in a year with a seemingly exceptional class of talent at the top. They have one pick, their own, which means they also don’t have a shot at drafting some mid-round player that turns out awesome.

This is as straightforward as it gets. The landscape is completely different next year.

 

[framer]

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

The Jazz probably could have made the play in at least if they had wanted to that season. I doubt we end up at 9 if we get a start like that.

 

[framer]

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

Two years ago was an historically terrible draft.

 

[Thee Jazz Fan]

The Jazz probably could have made the play in at least if they had wanted to that season. I doubt we end up at 9 if we get a start like that.

Why would we want to make the plan? What’s the point of that? We’re not going anywhere we need a top eight pick nothing more to say nothing more to argue.

 

[fishonjazz]

Two years ago was an historically terrible draft.

I assumed he was talking about wemby. Who could be a multiple time MVP. Which is a rather fruitful player.

The two years ago time frame you mentioned wasn't in the post you quoted.

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[Handlogten's Heros]

I assumed he was talking about wemby. Who could be a multiple time MVP. Which is a rather fruitful player.

The two years ago time frame you mentioned wasn't in the post you quoted.

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This is correct. Having half assed tanks in the Wemby and Boozer drafts is just sad… in a kind of funny way?

 

[Isaiah 1:13]

Ainge was talking specifically about the phantom injuries, sitting guys with "rest" etc. Not actual team building. He will absolutely trade either or both of them if a good enough offer appears.

Kessler should absolutely be untouchable! Why the Jazz continue to sleep on a guy that outplayed one of the best centers in the league last night, constantly improving to include stretch five and galaxies ahead of Rudy at this juncture of his career is way beyond me!

 

[Tanktastic]

Yes it is. Team performance isn’t terribly volatile year to year, and it is easy to predict that the Jazz are on an upward trajectory. This is their last chance to get to the top of the draft unless something crazy happens.

What what now?

The Jazz have won 37, 31 and 17 games the last three years. This year their O/U was around 19 wins. The team has 8 guys 22 and under. Of those only Ace might change the franchise's direction. Keyonte might be a useful rotation guy. Williams is a bust. Others are still trying to prove they'll even stick.

The only place the Jazz are going right now is crawling in the gutter. Some are hoping we at least see a little bit of that upward trajectory. And others, like you, demand the team stays in the gutter. And then, suddenly, somehow, is fighting to be top of the West.

As or more importantly, the Jazz have to be terrible assure that they keep their pick, in a year with a seemingly exceptional class of talent at the top. They have one pick, their own, which means they also don’t have a shot at drafting some mid-round player that turns out awesome.

That is in no way decisive for the Jazz's future. At this point of the year Isaiah Collier was top3 in pretty much every mock his draft season. Whatever the Jazz pick ends up being or who uses it, the player is as likely to be Collier, Williams, Ace or someone really good.

This is as straightforward as it gets. The landscape is completely different next year.

No, it is not.

Just next year everyone will repeat the exact same thing with complete amnesia.

 

[donAZ62]

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 ****.

Yep. Whatever financial flexibility they wanted to gain by waiting on Kessler-- I knew it would cost them a minimum of 5 million a year on the next contract. It may be 50 million more for the next contract than what they could have paid him! By the end of this year he is for sure a top 10 center in the league- with upside to be top 5 if the 3 point shooting is for real. His offensive rating was already very high without the 3 pointer... and his differential between offensive rating and defensive rating this year is going to be crazy.

Wemby's first game this season had a +83 differential- with his Ridiculous numbers. Kessler's differential in game one was +89. Just one game but I don't think people realize how much Kessler contributes on the offensive end-- with screens, passing etc.

 

[seattlejazzfan]

What what now?

The Jazz have won 37, 31 and 17 games the last three years. This year their O/U was around 19 wins. The team has 8 guys 22 and under. Of those only Ace might change the franchise's direction. Keyonte might be a useful rotation guy. Williams is a bust. Others are still trying to prove they'll even stick.

The only place the Jazz are going right now is crawling in the gutter. Some are hoping we at least see a little bit of that upward trajectory. And others, like you, demand the team stays in the gutter. And then, suddenly, somehow, is fighting to be top of the West.


That is in no way decisive for the Jazz's future. At this point of the year Isaiah Collier was top3 in pretty much every mock his draft season. Whatever the Jazz pick ends up being or who uses it, the player is as likely to be Collier, Williams, Ace or someone really good.


No, it is not.

Just next year everyone will repeat the exact same thing with complete amnesia.

i don't think there is any question sensabaugh is an nba rotation player based on what he did in the second half of last season, summer league, pre-season and one game into this year. the only question with him, is HOW good is he or can he be - is he a 25 ppg guy at some point, or does he ultimately hover around 15 ppg. It would be shocking if Flip isn't a rotation player in the league - but i don't think it's as much of a lock as sensabaugh.

 

[fishonjazz]

i don't think there is any question sensabaugh is an nba rotation player based on what he did in the second half of last season, summer league, pre-season and one game into this year. the only question with him, is HOW good is he or can he be - is he a 25 ppg guy at some point, or does he ultimately hover around 15 ppg. It would be shocking if Flip isn't a rotation player in the league - but i don't think it's as much of a lock as sensabaugh.

I think keyonte, flip, wcj, ace, hendricks, brice, kessler are all rotational players (I might be missing someone even). Jazz have done a pretty good job drafting.
Problem is that when you look at teams who win the championship there is usually an mvp on the team. Giannis, steph, sga, jokic, lebron, etc. Now looking at that list and there is only one (lebron) who was a top 5 pick so you can find those mvp throughout the draft but I dont believe we have one currently on the team. I would like one more shot at the top of the draft next season to hope to draft that guy in what should be a great draft.

But mostly I just wanted to say that the jazz have actually drafted pretty good during this tank.