The more we talk about this the less clear my opinion gets on it. It's hard to put a price on the salary roll, and most salary dumps include long term contracts (i.e. Rudy Gay). Time to consider something like that will be next off season.
Grantland Article about Utah Trades and Approach to Free Agency
- Thread starter mdalby
- Start date
The more we talk about this the less clear my opinion gets on it. It's hard to put a price on the salary roll, and most salary dumps include long term contracts (i.e. Rudy Gay). Time to consider something like that will be next off season.
dogtoucher
Member
And you would be rightfully ripped for 20/20 hindsight. Lebron James COULD wake up one day in the middle of next season say "You know what? I want to go to the Jazz. Too bad they don't have any cap space anymore." or something, yeah, you're right. They COULD facilitate a salary dump for another team with the goal of getting an even better draft pick, yes, assuming that opportunity presents itself. Or they could take advantage of a delusional team that thinks it's one piece away from contending and turn cap space into cap space + draft picks right now.
How many of these opportunities should the Jazz pass on before finally pulling the trigger? How often do you get a shot at free draft picks in this league? Draft picks that could land anywhere, frankly, contrary to popular opinion? Every transaction is a gamble, but this is low-risk, high-reward one for the Jazz. You're advocating for timidity, for passing on a great deal now for an even better one down that road that may not ever come to be. You could apply this logic to any decision anybody ever makes in life! It's hogwash.
GVC
Well-Known Member
"Sloppy" is being kind. I like Lowe, but some of the errors and omissions in the original article were repeated in the footnotes of the follow-up (yesterday), including the portion I quoted above. He's digging in instead of correcting his mistakes.
GVC
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that seems to be the case. He still doesn't seem to fully grasp what meeting the minimum payroll entails, even if falling short of it is no big deal.
The final accounting cost of the trade will likely be in the neighborhood of $5mm (the difference between the minimum payroll and the Jazz payroll). While it's certainly well within the realm of possibility that better deals will become available in the future, it's also possible nothing will or would have presented itself. Given the message this move sends to the incumbent young players, the picks (which can also be traded) the Jazz acquired, and the cap space the Jazz maintain next offseason, I think it was a reasonable trade (although I tend to be pretty ****ing risk averse).
Last edited:
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
Succinctly put. Even when I was misunderstood the floor issue - i.e. actual monies paid vs. the salary listed for LT/Cap purposes - I was in favor of the trade. Guess I'm in the "ALL IN" tank mode. I do hope the Core5 play well, but I want the team to lose as many games as possible. My dream scenario is to have the starters play close to even and then have the bench lose games. I had two BIG fears:
1. The Jazz would be tempted to build their bench and strengthen the rotations. For example, going after Millsap or Landry as the 3rd big, bringing in someone like Calderon or Jack as the temporary starter and then sliding him to backup at mid-season behind Burke, going after Mayo, etc. to set-up a 3-man wing rotation. Jazz could have EASILY used their cap space to build a competitive team. One that might have very well won 38-43 games, or if Kanter, Favors and Hayward improve enough, challenge for the playoffs.
2. Jazz go with the "tank" strategy, are humming along towards a 5-8 pick, then pull off a trade at the deadline for 1-2 good rotation players. Insert those guys into the lineup, win 5-6 games more as a result and see the pick slip out of the top-8.
The 2014 draft is potentially just too important to this franchise. I'm not even counting on Wiggins or Parker. I think the Jazz will be better than the two worst teams (unless injuries happen). But even if the Jazz finish top-7, the player they draft is going to have serious potential. I'm not sure how Burks or Burke will develop. But I know we have three very good players in Kanter, Favors and Hayward. That said, none of them are superstars. The Jazz NEED another impact player.
Earlier today I was sitting in the stands at the Vegas Summer League watching the Knicks and Bobcats game. Some guy behind me, maybe a Knicks beat writer, was talking to his friend about the Bobcats' offseason. Then he mentions that he "really likes" what the Jazz had done this summer. I tried to listen, but my kids were distracting me. A few minutes later the friend got up to leave. I happened to see on his media pass: "Zach Lowe, Grantland".
Ah well.
Ah well.
UGLI baby
Well-Known Member
forreal?
Yes. I had my chance to extol the wisdom and virtues of the JazzFanz... but I blew it.