Lopez is starting to play really well in the NBL too.
Looking ahead to 2025-2026
- Thread starter SoberasHotRod
- Start date
I could see it going both ways but really my stance will change in less than two weeks. What we do at the trade deadline coming up will speak volumes. We hold onto some guys I think we try to compete next year. We move some guys and I could see another tank year.
underdog
Well-Known Member
Yeah, real nice prospects coming up in the 2026 draft.
I have a question for the people who are smarter in regards to pick swap rules:
Let's say some catastrophic injuries happen to either the Wolves or Cavs next year and they somehow end up with a top 3 pick, but Utah is forced to convey their pick to OKC through some bad luck in the lottery, does that mean OKC gets to swap for the Cavs/Wolves pick that ends up in the top 3?
@Handlogten's Heros @Elizah Huge
Let's say some catastrophic injuries happen to either the Wolves or Cavs next year and they somehow end up with a top 3 pick, but Utah is forced to convey their pick to OKC through some bad luck in the lottery, does that mean OKC gets to swap for the Cavs/Wolves pick that ends up in the top 3?
@Handlogten's Heros @Elizah Huge
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“if the Utah pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyable, then Minnesota's and Cleveland's obligations to Utah will be extinguished.”
If I read this correctly, it means that the first order of operations is whether Utah’s pick (the pick whose draft order is determined by the Jazz’s record) falls in the range to convey to OKC or not (top-8 protected in ‘26), then the swap determinations follow. Thus/for example, if the Jazz pick lands 10th in ‘26, it conveys to OKC regardless of whether the Cavs or Wolves picks land top-10. Ergo, finishing 9th-30th in draft order means we sacrificed the opportunity to a top-8 pick from EITHER team if such a scenario arises when we decided to tank last year in a dog **** draft.
Bump.
I think I feel differently now than I did when I first posted this. Anybody else?
I think I feel differently now than I did when I first posted this. Anybody else?
fishonjazz
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I still want to start building and playing to win next season if we get Flagg.
Hell I might even want to go that route even if we don't get Flagg which is a change for me since this thread creation. I was thinking that if we don't get Flagg then let's tank next year but I'm really sick of tanking.
Douchebag K
Well-Known Member
i can't really see how we can be bad enough to tank for a super high pick again next season ... surely our guy will be developing enough and with whoever the top say 5 pick is .. i can't see the players being happy with or tolerating another year like this year
So a couple of things have changed since I started this thread:
- We didn't end up moving Collins or Sexton, which means we have more legitimate NBA players than expected going in to next season.
- Flagg has played so well for so long that I'm becoming me confident that he will be a positive contributor sooner than later.
But Mostly...
- I'm super sick of tanking and just don't want to cheer for losses or watch bad basketball anymore.
I am currently intrigued by the idea of getting Flagg and then going out and getting the best available two way guard we can trade for.
- We didn't end up moving Collins or Sexton, which means we have more legitimate NBA players than expected going in to next season.
- Flagg has played so well for so long that I'm becoming me confident that he will be a positive contributor sooner than later.
But Mostly...
- I'm super sick of tanking and just don't want to cheer for losses or watch bad basketball anymore.
I am currently intrigued by the idea of getting Flagg and then going out and getting the best available two way guard we can trade for.
This article is extremely relevant to this thread. I'm just not sure how much of this is based on intel from the front office or just her opinions:
www.deseret.com
State of the Utah Jazz’s rebuild: Just how long is this going to take?
How long until the Jazz start winning games? What happens next year?
www.deseret.com
The idea that we will be tanking next year, almost no matter what, seems very consistent at this point. We are hearing it from everyone in the know.
The article was interesting but it sets a picture that we are hell bent on tanking in 2026 which does not fit the flexibility narrative that the FO has pushed a lot over the years and also executed in how they manage the cap and veterans (keeping the best ones around).This article is extremely relevant to this thread. I'm just not sure how much of this is based on intel from the front office or just her opinions:
State of the Utah Jazz’s rebuild: Just how long is this going to take?
How long until the Jazz start winning games? What happens next year?
I doubt the FO is fully locked in on what they will do in 2026, and if we get Flagg its hard for me to believe they would sabotage the team because a combination of Flagg, Kessler and Markkanen is too good to tank. That would be one of the best frontcourts in the league (not only future outlook, but also currently) and there are no guarantees you find better players to pair with Flagg than Lauri and Walker. You gotta at least let it play out for a bit to see what you got.
I thought it was interesting that she wrote we are potentially more likely to trade Lauri if we get Flagg since Flagg + Lauri will make us too good for the 2026 draft.
With AJ going to BYU and now this kind of reporting, it almost feels like Ainge and Smith are laser focused on that draft.
A) The Jazz's pick is only top-8 protected.
B) The Jazz don't have 1A or 1B talent on the roster.
C) If small-market teams want to be competitive, then getting franchise-player talent under long-term team control is virtually a must. Denver is who they are because they drafted Jokic, Murray and MPJ, while having enough assets left over to trade for Aaron Gordon. It gave them a 5-year window of contention. That has to be the Jazz's blueprint.
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Houston bottomed out for 4 straight years in order to draft Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard. Even though they hit on a couple other picks, like Sengun and Eason, I struggle to see how that team makes it to the top of the West. Maybe they can eventually be a #3 or #2 seed. It's really hard to get all the way to the top.
Orlando tanked for multiple years to come away with Jonathan Issac, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black. Now they're several games below .500 and not going anywhere soon.
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FWIW, I think John Collins is potentially part of the Jazz's future. He's not a perfect player, but it's not going to be all that easy to replace what he brings.
I just don't see how another path is viable....and this is not a "tanking always works" kind of argument. It's just that the other direction of trying to build forward from here is extremely bleak. The only thing that makes moving forward a legitimate path is if we land Flagg, but if we hit on that 14% chance I still think there's a great argument to be had that we should trade Lauri+other vets anyways.
I'm not sure if I'm more sick of tanking right now because we have been doing it all season or because we have done it at this time of the year for 3 seasons in a row, or a combination of both.
I just want to be happy when our guys are healthy and we are winning games again. It feels like I'm reaching my limit.
I just want to be happy when our guys are healthy and we are winning games again. It feels like I'm reaching my limit.
HadAnEffectHere
Well-Known Member
One thing I'm growing more confident in as Walker continues to get rested for no reason is that we promised him huge money to make him not complain.
Like, he was guaranteed to get between 5-125 and 5-150 in his extension next year, but I'm increasingly feeling like 5-150 is his floor.
I could very easily see 5/200.
Like, he was guaranteed to get between 5-125 and 5-150 in his extension next year, but I'm increasingly feeling like 5-150 is his floor.
I could very easily see 5/200.
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