What should the FO do if we are 0.500 by January?

[MTS]

They don't. You are wrong. Playing him 32-34 minutes vs 36-38 is not going to ruin his life. You can also let him know it may extend his career. See Malone, Karl and Stockton, John.

He can sit a few games this year or he can get traded. My understanding is he would rather be here than chase the playoffs for now. So he has a choice too. We've paid him fairly and there is an end in sight. If he's miserable then ask out.

Trading Lauri for being unwilling to sit a few games would be the ultimate case of letting the tail wag the dog.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

32-34 as opposed to 36-38 isn't going to make any meaningful difference. Try 23-25.

I'm sure he doesn't think playing less would "ruin his life". But if he simply wants to play a lot of minutes, Will Hardy isn't going to bench him for tank purposes. That much has been clear from the start. He's like Lauri's #1 fan.



He may not want to play NBA basketball until he's 38 or something. Certainly doesn't need the money, and with the miles he's willingly logging as a 7 footer, it seems he knows he's not gonna be around for 10 more years anyway. Maybe.



Yes, in theory. But it's such a hard contract to trade with the market being like it is. I enjoy watching him trying to drag a bunch of misfits to wins, but if I look at it from the POV of a tank boss, he should have been traded a long time ago.



Many things can be true at the same time. He obviously wants to be here, he's paid fairly, there's an end in sight, he doesn't seem miserable... and he wants to play. His employer could play hardball with him if they were so inclined, but I just don't think they are.

A few less minutes per night would have easily flipped a few games we have won. He plays 38 minutes in wins. It obviously matters to Hardy so he rides him when its close. He's our most impactful player. 2-3 minutes less over every win we have had would almost surely have us in the 5 or 6 spot vs in a full panic in the 9 spot.

Players don't determine how much they play. Sorry.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Trading Lauri for being unwilling to sit a few games would be the ultimate case of letting the tail wag the dog.

It was an extreme jump admittedly... but just showing that you can in fact tank with Lauri and he likely is willing to participate because he wants to be here. If the choices were extreme I'm sure Lauri wouldn't let the "sitting a few games" tail determine his complete satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the franchise. Likewise they likely wouldn't move him just for that.

I'm fairly certain if the choices were sitting 5-10 extra games the rest of the year or being traded to Det that Lauri would opt to be here. I think the Jazz also strongly prefer that... but there are lots of options in between. Acting like we can't tank with a player of Lauri caliber is just wrong. OKC did it with SGA... we've done it before. We wouldn't even have to be as extreme about it.

Or we can run him into the ground chasing the play-in and let the basketball gods bless us with a top 4 pick.

 

[Shad]

So even Zack knows everyone hates Svi playing over our young players. We know what the vets are. Bench them and let Cody and Hendricks fly already

 

[tksavis]

Besides personnel change and benching, we can also get Hardy to cool it with coaching hard for the W. If Hardy doesn't lazer focus on getting the W against DET, the narrative is probably a lot different. We would have lost against DET and be happier with our W against SAS. But since we beat two good teams back to back the tank is suddenly over. There's been a few games like that earlier in the year as well. We've won games because Hardy is focused on it, and we've also lost some games where Hardy probably could have coached us to a W if he wanted.

We gotta cut out the flip flopping whenever and wherever we can. Just a few wins can make a big difference.

I just don’t think it’s in Hardy’s DNA to not coach as hard as possible for each W. He’s not gonna do it. We've got to kneecap the roster if we have any hope of keeping the pick.

 

[KqWIN]

I just don’t think it’s in Hardy’s DNA to not coach as hard as possible for each W. He’s not gonna do it. We've got to kneecap the roster if we have any hope of keeping the pick.

He does it all the time. Did so all of last season and even some games this year. Look at the LAL game for example. If you think Hardy in the game was the same as Hardy in the DET game I’ve got beachfront property in Idaho to sell you.

Hardy is proven to be compliant, and that’s a good thing. If there is instruction from the FO he’ll do it.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

So even Zack knows everyone hates Svi playing over our young players. We know what the vets are. Bench them and let Cody and Hendricks fly already

LOL. You watched them "fly" against the Celtics?

They fell on their faces.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Acting like we can't tank with a player of Lauri caliber is just wrong. OKC did it with SGA

People always roll out SGA/OKC as an example of "tanking with a star".

I've said it before and I'll say it again: SGA was really young when that happened. OKC were in no rush with him, they knew he wasn't even in his prime yet.

With Lauri, it's totally different. He's smack in the middle of his prime, has a max deal, is approaching 30 and the Jazz are wasting a massive asset.

Makes no sense.

 

[jom2003]

Just let it play out.

If we keep our pick, then great. Draft whoever happens to be our missing piece then full speed ahead.

But if we fail to keep our pick, we consolidate our assets and go all in on Anthony Black. Give Orlando any combination of Collier/Brice/Tay/Cavs firsts/Lakers firsts/Wolves firsts until they say yes. A starting five of Key/Black/Ace/Lauri/Kess should be enough to contend for years to come.

 

[HermanG]

Just let it play out.

If we keep our pick, then great. Draft whoever happens to be our missing piece then full speed ahead.

But if we fail to keep our pick, we consolidate our assets and go all in on Anthony Black. Give Orlando any combination of Collier/Brice/Tay/Cavs firsts/Lakers firsts/Wolves firsts until they say yes. A starting five of Key/Black/Ace/Lauri/Kess should be enough to contend for years to come.

I dont hate this idea. Black can also exploit the gravity provided by Lauri because he is a good enough passer to find Lauri (or Key) if the defence cheats off him. He can also defend the point pretty well.

I think those 3 paired with a competent center (doesnt even have to be a spacer, so Kessler could work) and a solid wing defender and you got a starting lineup that can win their minutes against anyone. Then if Ace pops and reaches his theoretical ceiling, you got a monster team.

 

[Shad]

LOL. You watched them "fly" against the Celtics?

They fell on their faces.

Exactly. Play them more.

 

[KqWIN]

We’re 12-20.

The only real benefit to I see in letting it “play out” is that it feels better in the meantime. You don’t get rewarded for being a slightly less bad team.

I keep seeing people using the Jazz being better than expected or Keyonte’s breakout season as justification that we don’t need to tank. I don’t really understand that. If you truly believe you have some in Key+Lauri it’s extra important that you build the best team possible around them.