Too Many Question Marks

[Handlogten's Heros]

Have been thinking through this a little and I think we have too many question marks going into this offseason. I think it leads us to a very safe "comfort zone" type of offseason. It eventually leads us to acquiring Favors as a safety blanket and pretty much running it back. I think we can find a way to dump Ed and TB's money pretty easily, so we can avoid tax implications.

Last offseason we went full project mode... and I support that type of thing but the coach actually has to try the guys to see what we have. The only projects he really tried were TB and Mudiay... so we really don't know what we have in Oni, Brantley, Morgan (maybe we know a little there)... so we likely keep them all around and maybe try them this year, but that means we aren't bringing in any other projects. So guys like Shaq Harrison who are less proven but might present a bigger value might be too risky to pursue and we don't have the cap assets to pay a more proven player... and we end up with veteran minimum guys that are likely washed up.

I wish Quin would have committed to giving us a look at one or two of these guys. Loved that Billy Donovan gave guys like Dort and Bazley run during the season and they actually helped in the playoffs a bit. Giving Mudiay any time in the bubble was just dumb... give all that time to Oni and see if there is anything there. If they suck bad enough you move on.

This is half on the coach half on the front office. We gave Quin too many projects and he was unwilling to try them. Now we go into this offseason with very little certainty other than knowing about our top 7 guys and that TB isn't really a reliable backup at this point (I mean they should have known that and kind of did based on their actions).

Good luck DL and Zanik... you got a tough job ahead of you.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Like we probably go after Courtney Lee with a minimum deal rather than going for a guy like Shaq or someone that might be a bit of a diamond in the rough.

 

[416Klawzz]

DL and JZ will find a way to screw the team up even more.

 

[l Abach l]

DL and JZ will find a way to screw the team up even more.

Pretty insane how many assets / expiring deals they had a few years ago just to lock themselves up for 2-3 years of aging over the 30 hump above average nba players.

You have a few chances like this where you had Rudy on a non-max deal and Donny on his rookie deal and they managed to f it up. I think it's up there with how the Sixers screwed the pooch. DL: "I have an idea... why don't we go OLD, SHORT, and UNATHLETIC!!!" What a moron.

 

[jom2003]

I mean to qualify as a project the guy needs at least to be either a first round talent or early second rounder in a deep draft. It's either that or this player needs to have some tools and raw talents which provides the foundation/starting point for our development team to work on. (Niang, for example, is a player without tools so doesn't matter if he is 27 or 17 he is not a "project") The fact of a player being young doesn't automatically make him a "project".

 

[LoPo]

I mean to qualify as a project the guy needs at least to be either a first round talent or early second rounder in a deep draft. And that player needs to have the tools and raw talents which the development team could work on. (Niang, for example, is a player without tools so doesn't matter if he is 27 or 17 he is not a "project") The fact of a player being young doesn't automatically make him a "project".

All depends on the circumstances. Brandon Ingram was a talent hidden by the dumpster fire that was the Lakers. Julius Randle excelled in NOLA when there was some sort of system. Jordan Clarkson shined for us after wasting away in LA and Cle. Jerami Grant is shining in Denver.

Sometimes, there are young players who desperately need a change of scenery.

 

[infection]

I get the sneaking suspicion that we’ll get less “u think u know better than GMs lol” posts this year.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I get the sneaking suspicion that we’ll get less “u think u know better than GMs lol” posts this year.

Maybe... hopefully less of the "he must suck in practice" and "the coach always plays teh best guis lolz" too.

Niang and TB were guys that were going to be tough to play in the playoffs (especially together). Brantley and Oni might have sucked but we don't know... Morgan wasn't a world beater but his playoff on/off splits were incredible.

The good news is we still don't know what we have... so management can use that as our "additions" for the year if they strike out. NWG era about to begin!

 

[jom2003]

I get the sneaking suspicion that we’ll get less “u think u know better than GMs lol” posts this year.

Well after seeing how the Conley trade unfold, what do you really expect?

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I mean to qualify as a project the guy needs at least to be either a first round talent or early second rounder in a deep draft. It's either that or this player needs to have some tools and raw talents which provides the foundation/starting point for our development team to work on. (Niang, for example, is a player without tools so doesn't matter if he is 27 or 17 he is not a "project") The fact of a player being young doesn't automatically make him a "project".

You have a weirdly specific definition of a project. There are different types obviously. Niang is a fine roster filler break in case of emergency guy. He does some good things. I do get your point with some of our projects like the 5-6 year pathway to developing Bradley into a average backup center or keeping NWG on the roster because... I don't know... we should have waived him midseason. the other projects make sense... but only if you give them some PT.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Well after seeing how the Conley trade unfold, what do you really expect?

I think he expects less of those "gms always know best" comments.

 

[jom2003]

Maybe... hopefully less of the "he must suck in practice" and "the coach always plays teh best guis lolz" too.

Niang and TB were guys that were going to be tough to play in the playoffs (especially together). Brantley and Oni might have sucked but we don't know... Morgan wasn't a world beater but his playoff on/off splits were incredible.

The good news is we still don't know what we have... so management can use that as our "additions" for the year if they strike out. NWG era about to begin!

We need more actual projects, the ones like Denver's OPJ and Bol Bol whom their development team will be ecstatic about. Not guys who everyone know that won't be anything more than your end of bench scrubs.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

We need more actual projects, the ones like Denver's OPJ and Bol Bol whom their development team will be ecstatic about. Not guys whom everyone know that won't be anything more than your end of bench.

Middle tier projects are also solid. Guys like Royce that can be solid wings at a bargain price are great bets to make. Doesn't have to be wild upside picks.

I do agree though NWG and TB were always WTF is the plan with these guys? NWG doesn't matter much if we just cut him this year but investing a pick, a roster spot for 4 years, and some small cap resources for a guy that at best will be an average backup center with no real differentiating skill is straight dumb.

It is okay to miss on late first round picks... just miss smarter.

 

[jom2003]

You have a weirdly specific definition of a project. There are different types obviously. Niang is a fine roster filler break in case of emergency guy. He does some good things. I do get your point with some of our projects like the 5-6 year pathway to developing Bradley into a average backup center or keeping NWG on the roster because... I don't know... we should have waived him midseason. the other projects make sense... but only if you give them some PT.

The only three projects on this team right now are Morgan, Bradley and Brantley because of their physical profile. But I'm less convinced on Bradley now because of his lack of explosiveness and verticality. Physicality and size are the things I see as foundation to players development since they are what separate NBA players from other basketball players AND these are the things that your coaches can't teach. It is no coincidence to see two of our best players rudy and DM also being the two most physically gifted players on this team.

 

[jom2003]

Middle tier projects are also solid. Guys like Royce that can be solid wings at a bargain price are great bets to make. Doesn't have to be wild upside picks.

I do agree though NWG and TB were always WTF is the plan with these guys? NWG doesn't matter much if we just cut him this year but investing a pick, a roster spot for 4 years, and some small cap resources for a guy that at best will be an average backup center with no real differentiating skill is straight dumb.

It is okay to miss on late first round picks... just miss smarter.

There will always be exception to those rules as we see with Royce and Ingles but we also have seen their physical limitations costing us in playoffs. This team needs physical talents in the worst way right now.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

There will always be exception to those rules as we see with Royce and Ingles but we also have seen their physical limitations costing us in playoffs. This team needs physical talents in the worst way right now.

Lots of guys have popped in that solid wing role that were undrafted or second round picks. Oni is a guy that could be a good wing... has size and athleticism. Problem is... he didn't see the court. I think you have to invest 8 minutes a night in guys like that to see what they can do and help them get comfortable.

I think the front office and coaches need to be a little more lined up when it comes to some of this stuff. Miami, Toronto, Boston, all have young guys in their rotation that they invested playing time in this season and they received dividends in the playoffs.

Not sure who comes back next year, but we really have no sense if any of them are keepers except Morgan. Now there is even more pressure to find ready to use additions as well. Just adds some limitations.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I dont see it.

Jazz have a lot of certainties.

DL's job is pretty freaking easy this year, at least as decision making. He has to make some improvements on the margins and assess where guys like Morgan/Brantley/Oni are. Bradley should be an easy dump/look to upgrade, but everything else is pretty much gravy. Obviously the challenges that come with GM'ing in Utah will always exist in the free agent field.

Make the draft pick and make it right (obviously hard).
Sign Clarkson to a fair deal (also hard, because convincing people to stay in Utah for fair market value is always difficult)
Sign one or two defensive specialist.

1st year late 2nd rounder players usually don't see the court. They got plenty of development time in the G-League. I think holding that against Quin is kind of ridiculous.

And DL has said as much interviews. They are going to target athletic guys who are committed to defense this off-season to round out the roster.

 

[LoPo]

The most important thing to monitor is the financial status of the NBA. It's concerning to me that the league had to delay the draft and free agency. We still don't even have those important dates. We don't know the start date of the next season which usually is a handful of weeks from now.

It's hard to say what's going to happen or who our FO might trade. We still don't know if Gobert is staying long term. Or Clarkson.

Logic will tell anyone that Conley would be the first to go if finances are truly an issue. Not keeping Clarkson is a close 2nd. Dumping Ed Davis' $5 million would be cute, but not really scratching the surface of any kind of huge financial dent from COVID. Same with Tony Bradley.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

All depends on the circumstances. Brandon Ingram was a talent hidden by the dumpster fire that was the Lakers. Julius Randle excelled in NOLA when there was some sort of system. Jordan Clarkson shined for us after wasting away in LA and Cle. Jerami Grant is shining in Denver.

Sometimes, there are young players who desperately need a change of scenery.

You are basing all of this purely on basic stats lmfao.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Yes, Julius Randle "thrived" in the NOLA run n gun system where they played no defense and went 33-49.