Conspiracy Theory Corner

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I don't think Ingram will be it... and I do wonder how desperate NO gets as training camp approaches. I think the not taking salary dumps will be partly because of money and not really caring much about 2nd round picks. They will sell it as waiting until the deadline so that they are one of the only teams able to take on money and they will get a premium. Not that I think the Ingram idea is ridiculous... cuz DA is the value hunter. I just think we are making mountains out of molehills.

But if its just Walker and Collins........

That's a hard pill to swallow for New Orleans, but they absolutely need a better center and Walker being cheap for 2 years is a huge blessing for New Orleans. They can use Collins as an expiring in 25/26 for trades. The Pelicans do have a good asset base, so they have a lot of flexibility to make moves so the Collins contract is somewhat a positive.

It's just a huge gamble to keep Ingram and get nothing, or force yourself to pay him. They have Herb/Murphy behind Ingram who both fit the team better and are cheaper (for now). They have to pay Murphy next year.

I think it happens unless someone steps up in a Lauri trade.

 

[KqWIN]

I think the Ingram deal is more real than a Lauri deal ever was, but I don't see it as an immediate play for the playoffs.

 

[fishonjazz]

True, but the cost to acquire a guy with as much talent as Ingram for cheap might not be an option next year.

Thats true. It might not be.

But what I actually think will happen (know way to know for sure) is that we will acquire a guy with more talent than Ingram who is younger and cheaper and use even less assets to do it.

In fact I think there is a decent chance that we get two guys as good or better than him next summer if we are patient. 2025 top 5 pick and we trade for a player or sign one in free agency. (though it may cost a little more)

Sent from my CPH2451 using Tapatalk

 

[Elizah Huge]

Is there anyway to sign Okoro (let's say it will have to be 3/45 for Cleveland not to match) while trading Walker/Collins for Ingram, trading for Clarkson/Sensabaugh for Williams and R&E Lauri?

Yes, here’s the breakdown:

The Jazz have 35.4M worth of cap space right now.

We give Lauri just under 24M in an R&E to bring him to the max this year.

That would leave 11.5M for Okoro’s first year of his contract.

We then can trade for Ingram and the least amount possible we could send to still make this all work is $28,516,199. Since we’d be under the first apron we can take back 7.5M more than we send out as long as the outgoing salary is less than 29M.

Collins and Kessler make around 29.5M but we’re in luck we can take back 125% of our outgoing salary if it’s over 29M. Those two would allow us to take back 36.9M which is more than Ingram’s salary which is 36.1M.

Clarkson makes more than Williams alone so that trade would work fine.

TLDR: We could sign Okoro to a deal as long as the first year is 11.5M or less and still R&E Lauri to the max. If Lauri takes any less than 24M this year it would be additional money we could give Okoro. We then could still trade Collins and Kessler for Ingram.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I would kick the tires on a Jordan Clarkson for Isaac Okoro swap in a S&T.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Yes, here’s the breakdown:

The Jazz have 35.4M worth of cap space right now.

We give Lauri just under 24M in an R&E to bring him to the max this year.

That would leave 11.5M for Okoro’s first year of his contract.

We then can trade for Ingram and the least amount possible we could send to still make this all work is $28,516,199. Since we’d be under the first apron we can take back 7.5M more than we send out as long as the outgoing salary is less than 29M.

Collins and Kessler make around 29.5M but we’re in luck we can take back 125% of our outgoing salary if it’s over 29M. Those two would allow us to take back 36.9M which is more than Ingram’s salary which is 36.1M.

Clarkson makes more than Williams alone so that trade would work fine.

TLDR: We could sign Okoro to a deal as long as the first year is 11.5M or less and still R&E Lauri to the max. If Lauri takes any less than 24M this year it would be additional money we could give Okoro. We then could still trade Collins and Kessler for Ingram.

Yeah, think Cavs would match that unless there is a creative thing you can do to make the contract bad for them. Can't really ask Lauri to take a discount to sign Okoro

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Oh and Danny is the one who drafted Robert Williams for Boston....

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Thats true. It might not be.

But what I actually think will happen (know way to know for sure) is that we will acquire a guy with more talent than Ingram who is younger and cheaper and use even less assets to do it.

In fact I think there is a decent chance that we get two guys as good or better than him next summer if we are patient. 2025 top 5 pick and we trade for a player or sign one in free agency. (though it may cost a little more)

Sent from my CPH2451 using Tapatalk

I think the best case and most reasonable expectation for tanking with Lauri is a top 6 pick. I currently really like at least 6 players in the 2025 draft, so that sounds pretty good, but to say the 6th pick of the draft is going to be better than Ingram within Lauri's contract is super high expectations.

I've been a proponent of the tank with Lauri plan, but I think there are risks, considerations, and disadvantages to that plant that don't get discussed as much as they should.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

If Lauri decides to sign the R&E after August 6th, effectively giving him a 1 year no trade clause, shouldn't that come with a discount?

I would think we should be able to get that done for less than the full $24M, which should give us more room to do other deals.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

If Lauri decides to sign the R&E after August 6th, effectively giving him a 1 year no trade clause, shouldn't that come with a discount?

I would think we should be able to get that done for less than the full $24M, which should give us more room to do other deals.

And you can still pivot, trade Lauri in 2026 and tank for Boozer. Lauri will have more value next year. I like this year's draft, but I don't think a 17% chance at Flagg is the absolute best path to take.

 

[The Midnight]

Sexton/Collier
Keyonte/Okoro/Juzang
Ingram/Williams
Lauri/Hendricks
Williams/Filipowski/Eubanks

I really like that team. Give OKC our 2025 pick by making the playoffs then pray for something catastrophic to happen to Minny or Cleveland for the 2026 swap.

First round exit in the West.. lol..

 

[The Midnight]

Guys I think Cy is taking this contrarian thing a bit too far.

 

[The Midnight]

Brandon Ingram is basically non-existent on social media. Hasnt posted on IG in over a year, hasnt posted on twitter in over 3 years. He's lowkey as it gets, perfect fit for Utah.

So he as invisible on social media as he is in the playoffs?

Nice!

 

[SoberasHotRod]

And you can still pivot, trade Lauri in 2026 and tank for Boozer. Lauri will have more value next year. I like this year's draft, but I don't think a 17% chance at Flagg is the absolute best path to take.

Have you seen some of the video of Alijah Arenas? I've never really followed high school ball, but that kid looks good. I also saw the highlights of the U17 they had a month or two ago, and some of the peach league highlights and that 2026 draft class looks really interesting. Pivoting to a 2026 tank if things don't work out with whatever we put together for 2025 is something I've mentioned a few times here.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Have you seen some of the video of Alijah Arenas? I've never really followed high school ball, but that kid looks good. I also saw the highlights of the U17 they had a month or two ago, and some of the peach league highlights and that 2026 draft class looks really interesting. Pivoting to a 2026 tank if things don't work out with whatever we put together for 2025 is something I've mentioned a few times here.

I can only imagine what Gilbert would say on his podcast if the Jazz drafted his son....

There will always be drafts to tank for. The Jazz already lost out on a chance at Wemby, the actual mega talent who you could argue was worth selling out for. I don't think you have to do that for 2025 if you think there is a path to making your team/assets better.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

I can only imagine what Gilbert would say on his podcast if the Jazz drafted his son....

There will always be drafts to tank for. The Jazz already lost out on a chance at Wemby, the actual mega talent who you could argue was worth selling out for. I don't think you have to do that for 2025 if you think there is a path to making your team/assets better.

The main reason I like the 2025 draft is because it's so deep. We won't know for sure until we actually get in to the season, but 2025 could be a draft you can tank for, have bad lotto luck, and still end up with an all star level guy.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

The main reason I like the 2025 draft is because it's so deep. We won't know for sure until we actually get in to the season, but 2025 could be a draft you can tank for, have bad lotto luck, and still end up with an all star level guy.

Well hopefully it's so deep the Minny/Cleveland picks get us two really great prospects.

 

[HeatCheck]

I would kick the tires on a Jordan Clarkson for Isaac Okoro swap in a S&T.

Cavs are less than $10 mil under the luxury tax which is why they likely do not want Okoro to pick up his $11 mil Qualifying Offer. I can't see them going into the tax for Clarkson especially when they already have so many guards on their roster.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Cavs are less than $10 mil under the luxury tax which is why they likely do not want Okoro to pick up his $11 mil Qualifying Offer. I can't see them going into the tax for Clarkson especially when they already have so many guards on their roster.

What is the alternative? Losing Okoro for nothing? We could take back extra salary to make sure they duck the tax.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

What is the alternative? Losing Okoro for nothing? We could take back extra salary to make sure they duck the tax.

Well they might view Clarkson as less than nothing.