Roster Building From Here - FA and Summer of 2023

[Handlogten's Heros]

Just so everyone knows the deal... we have 36M in cap space this offseason with Jordan Clarkson's cap hold... I have factored in all the pick holds as well. To do that we have to waive KO - he is only 3m guaranteed next year.

If JC "leaves for nothing" we open up another $20M in space.

The draft will dictate what type of player we pursue in FA but some situations to "monitor"

- Grant Williams in Boston is likely to get 15-20M a year from a team... Boston is way over the tax. I think you could do a sign and trade (he's restricted) and give them a trade exception and a sweetner for the trouble.

- Brooklyn will likely trade one of Cam Johnson or DFS. Can do the same deal with Cam - offer them a pick to facilitate a sign and trade since he is restricted. You could sign him to a toxic offer sheet I suppose but the sign and trade route is likely best for everyone - except Cam. If they prefer to keep him moving a pick to assume DFS' deal is likely good business as he has a long deal so if we end up sucking you can trade him again and recover the value or a portion of it.

A few unrestricted FAs that won't be back with their teams because of cost - Naz (maybe), Max Strus, Gary Trent

A few other FAs that we could pursue - Jalen Mcdaniels, PJ Washington, Josh Hart, Bruce Brown

A few teams that will want to or need to dump salary - Heat, Hawks, Nuggets, Celtics

Build your fantasy rosters accordingly.

 

[YoungJefe]

The one thing that I really don't want to do is kill our long term cap flexibility by overpaying guys like Grant Williams, Cam Johnson, and Gary Trent Jr.

I'm a dreamer but I was praying that Jaylen Brown was going to make an All-NBA team this year which would've made him eligible for a super max this summer, seems unlikely now after his injury. If he does become supermax eligible and they come up short again, could he ask out and would they be willing to listen to offers to have some assets to reshape the roster around Tatum? If he doesn't make one though he's almost guaranteed to hit the free agent market in 2024 because he'll be eligible for a much bigger deal then if he extends now.

 

[campaignist]

Whatever they do, they just have to be bad enough to keep next year's pick

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

The one thing that I really don't want to do is kill our long term cap flexibility by overpaying guys like Grant Williams, Cam Johnson, and Gary Trent Jr.

I'm a dreamer but I was praying that Jaylen Brown was going to make an All-NBA team this year which would've made him eligible for a super max this summer, seems unlikely now after his injury. If he does become supermax eligible and they come up short again, could he ask out and would they be willing to listen to offers to have some assets to reshape the roster around Tatum? If he doesn't make one though he's almost guaranteed to hit the free agent market in 2024 because he'll be eligible for a much bigger deal then if he extends now.

We should be good there even if we offer one of those guys a deal. Cap goes up by like 13M and we have another 20M in expiring salary off the top of my head. I can't imagine he'd choose us but we could get there if we need to.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Good thread. I think a decent estimate for our picks would be 7/15/26. So we should consider who we would take with those picks as well.

I'll give it some thoughts and post later. Originally, I would have said the plan should be to be as bad as possible to ensure we get our pick. With Lauri though, I think you have to try and build a team around him sooner than later.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Jerami Grant will be an UFA. I would love to go after him.

 

[rjfan]

Am curious at who would we pick with our best selection If we end up around 6~8 and don't win 1st or 2nd in the lottery. Main priority a PG, a big wing ?

 

[rjfan]

Jerami Grant will be an UFA. I would love to go after him.

I would too. Kinda doubt he would

 

[Elizah Huge]

It feels really ****ing good to have actual cap space and the most future picks in the league.

 

[homeytennis]

There are going to be guys getting bought out and the Jazz can go and sign any player in the GLeague for the rest of this year. I would like to see some youngish guys brought in to see if they might have a future this year.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I wonder what kind of deal Harrison Barnes gets. He will be an UFA as well.

Kyle Kuzma is another guy I would look into. He will be an UFA too.

 

[Elizah Huge]

The one thing that I really don't want to do is kill our long term cap flexibility by overpaying guys like Grant Williams, Cam Johnson, and Gary Trent Jr.

I'm a dreamer but I was praying that Jaylen Brown was going to make an All-NBA team this year which would've made him eligible for a super max this summer, seems unlikely now after his injury. If he does become supermax eligible and they come up short again, could he ask out and would they be willing to listen to offers to have some assets to reshape the roster around Tatum? If he doesn't make one though he's almost guaranteed to hit the free agent market in 2024 because he'll be eligible for a much bigger deal then if he extends now.

Lol we literally have 4 guys under contract for a total of 43.4M in 2024-25. I think we can take a swing on someone if we want to.

 

[Jaanipoeg]

Jerami Grant will be an UFA. I would love to go after him.

Yeah I think Grant and Kuzma both deserve mentions.

We are not a sexy destination, but we are also one of the only teams with cap space this off-season, and the rest are further back in the rebuilt like Houston and San Antonio. Players love money. I know Grant made previous comments about wanting to represent a majority black community and Kuzma has that LA vibe, but I definitely think we'd be in the running since we can offer them the contacts they want.

Cam Johnson is still my #1 target, and I think Brooklyn is a weird limbo station that may make him more available. I'd be fine paying him $22.5M/year

 

[Jingled]

I would love to sign Jerami Grant. I think he would be a pretty ideal fit next to Lauri and Kessler. However, he said a big part of the reason why he chose to sign with Detroit was because he wanted to play for a back coach and a black GM and live in a black city...Utah can offer him none of those things. I would be shocked if he shocked if he signed with the Jazz.

 

[TheStormofWar]

Am curious at who would we pick with our best selection If we end up around 6~8 and don't win 1st or 2nd in the lottery. Main priority a PG, a big wing ?

Serviceable PGs are easier to get than serviceable wings.

 

[JazzFever]

It feels really ****ing good to have actual cap space and the most future picks in the league.

Where do we sit vs Nets and OKC regarding future picks?

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Good thread. I think a decent estimate for our picks would be 7/15/26. So we should consider who we would take with those picks as well.

I'll give it some thoughts and post later. Originally, I would have said the plan should be to be as bad as possible to ensure we get our pick. With Lauri though, I think you have to try and build a team around him sooner than later.

I think a tank next year is out of the question tbh. I also think this exercise gets much easier to do once we know where we land in the draft and who we select with the first pick we own. I focused on wings because you almost always need more.

 

[YoungJefe]

Lol we literally have 4 guys under contract for a total of 43.4M in 2024-25. I think we can take a swing on someone if we want to.

I'm sure we will, I just hope we swing on the right guys.

Gary Trent Jr I'd actually be cool with depending on the cost.
Jalen McDaniels I'm assuming will be on the list of guys we target.
Ayo Dosunmu is a RFA that we could likely pry away from Chicago.
Kyle Kuzma obviously has ties to Utah but I'm not sure he fits our timeline.

2024 RFA class could feature Haliburton, Avdija, P Williams, Jaden McDaniels, Desmond Bane, and Herb Jones.

 

[YoungJefe]

When you look at Danny Ainge's approach to roster building he has had his most success when drafting guys or trading for them.

He traded for KG/Ray Allen plus drafted Rondo/Perkins.

Drafted Tatum/Brown/Smart.

The three biggest FAs that he signed with Boston (Hayward, Kemba, Horford) didn't work out for them.

 

[YoungJefe]

I think a tank next year is out of the question tbh. I also think this exercise gets much easier to do once we know where we land in the draft and who we select with the first pick we own. I focused on wings because you almost always need more.

I think it's definitely in the realm of possibilities that we tank again next season. It's unlikely that any rookies we have are huge contributors from day one in terms of winning. Or that we commit enough money to veteran guys around Lauri/Kessler to be competitive.