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Who is the backcourt star we could theoretically get to complete the roster?

HermanG

HermanG

Well-Known Member
2025 Award Winner
I went through Ringers top 100 list and filtered it down to guards. I tried to identify all possible guys in the top 50 of that list that we could get that are already solidified or borderline NBA stars. I ranked them in arbitrary imaginary buckets based on the likeliness that they might move and whether they would fit with us:

Great, but not available in the foreseeable future:
Steph, Booker, SGA, Fox, Haliburton, Ja, Murray, Brunson (unless IQ takes over), Bane, Jrue, Beal, Lamelo (wish Hornets drafted Scoot instead)

Are or could become available but dont fit our timeline or wouldnt come here and be happy about it:
Harden, Lillard, Don, Kyrie (always available after a while), CP3

Are or could become available (in some foreseeable scenario):
Luka (#2 in guards), Brown (#11), Young (#12), Garland (#15), DJM (#20), Lavine (#21)

So 6 names only in the bucket of theoretical future lead guards for us, assuming we want to gun for those established star-level guys. And I personally am not loving some of the names there, and few of them are long shots to ever being available in the first place.

It kinda makes me wonder about what is the correct path:
1) Wait for one of those guys (or one of the guys in the other buckets) to become availble. Choosing this path means we cant be as picky as would want to be, and would likely need a big pool of assets.
2) Gun for a rising talent like Maxey, IQ, Giddey/Mann etc and bank on them reaching those levels. Here we need lots of assets as well to make it happen, but we can be more picky about the type of guy we target. Risk is of course that he might not reach the level of those guys.
3) Be picky and avoid overpaying for anyone, while accepting the risk that we might just end up having to homegrow our guy.

Would you classify some of the guys differently and what path would you choose?
 
Nice effort to put this together.

We are, "monitoring the Luka situation" and it feels like Ainge really believes that is a possibility at some point. I don't think we make a move that would jeopardize that possibility, even though I'm not so sure that is the best path when you have a guy like Lauri in his prime.
 
SoberasHotRod said:
Nice effort to put this together.

We are, "monitoring the Luka situation" and it feels like Ainge really believes that is a possibility at some point. I don't think we make a move that would jeopardize that possibility, even though I'm not so sure that is the best path when you have a guy like Lauri in his prime.
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Yeah I'm struggling with this a bit as well. On the other hand trying to homegrow is the riskiest path since the prospects are much more raw right now... but on the other hand if that big fish comes available and we have spent too many assets elsewhere then we might regret that and get caught in mediocrity again.

Nuggets did stay patient and it paid off though. Maybe we should also see if Lauri can raise his game even further, before doing any big moves. I mean right now the enviroment for the guys to grow is great, since we are national media underdogs and the outside pressure is not on.
 
HermanG said:
I went through Ringers top 100 list and filtered it down to guards. I tried to identify all possible guys in the top 50 of that list that we could get that are already solidified or borderline NBA stars. I ranked them in arbitrary imaginary buckets based on the likeliness that they might move and whether they would fit with us:

Great, but not available in the foreseeable future:
Steph, Booker, SGA, Fox, Haliburton, Ja, Murray, Brunson (unless IQ takes over), Bane, Jrue, Beal, Lamelo (wish Hornets drafted Scoot instead)

Are or could become available but dont fit our timeline or wouldnt come here and be happy about it:
Harden, Lillard, Don, Kyrie (always available after a while), CP3

Are or could become available (in some foreseeable scenario):
Luka (#2 in guards), Brown (#11), Young (#12), Garland (#15), DJM (#20), Lavine (#21)

So 6 names only in the bucket of theoretical future lead guards for us, assuming we want to gun for those established star-level guys. And I personally am not loving some of the names there, and few of them are long shots to ever being available in the first place.

It kinda makes me wonder about what is the correct path:
1) Wait for one of those guys (or one of the guys in the other buckets) to become availble. Choosing this path means we cant be as picky as would want to be, and would likely need a big pool of assets.
2) Gun for a rising talent like Maxey, IQ, Giddey/Mann etc and bank on them reaching those levels. Here we need lots of assets as well to make it happen, but we can be more picky about the type of guy we target. Risk is of course that he might not reach the level of those guys.
3) Be picky and avoid overpaying for anyone, while accepting the risk that we might just end up having to homegrow our guy.

Would you classify some of the guys differently and what path would you choose?
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Yeah I’ve done this too but not really in this official style… it’s why I kinda settled on thinking we should try to get FVV or Dejounte this summer. It’s kinda slim pickings.

Right now I think it’s Keyonte or acquiring another young guy that blows up. IQ, Anfernee Simons, etc. or just hoping one of the big stars wants out or a team pivots. I think Ainge likely has eyes on Luka or Brown. Would have been nice for a stopgap solution like FVV for a couple years.
 
Handlogten's Heros said:
Yeah I’ve done this too but not really in this official style… it’s why I kinda settled on thinking we should try to get FVV or Dejounte this summer. It’s kinda slim pickings.

Right now I think it’s Keyonte or acquiring another young guy that blows up. IQ, Anfernee Simons, etc. or just hoping one of the big stars wants out or a team pivots. I think Ainge likely has eyes on Luka or Brown. Would have been nice for a stopgap solution like FVV for a couple years.
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Its a good time to discuss it with the slowness of everything. What do you think of Tre Mann? He had some flashes like the 24/12/12 game at the end of last season, and is sort of stuck behind another young talented guy in Giddey. Or if OKC loves Mann and wont trade him then maybe Giddey is possible?

Right now I'm sort of not seeing anyone from our current roster apart from George becoming "that guy" who also fits with Lauri and Kessler. THT would actually be the second best bet since at least he has some playmaking chops, but he has so many wrinkles he needs to iron out that I'm not holding my breath. Sexton is the 6th man type, Dunn is a nice 2nd unit floor general. Even if we max out all those guys developmentally, the only real legit good bet is George. Or maybe Brice.. dont know too much about him.

So maybe go after someone even if he is a long shot, as long as we are not spending too many assets to get him?
 
I assume the Jazz are monitoring the Immanuel Quickly extension. Could be a good get as a sign-and-trade next summer (after a Clarkson-like Markkanen extension) if the Knicks don't extend him this fall.

He was really good when he started last season: 22.5, 5.5 and 5 on .605 TS
 
If the Jazz ever gets Luka it will be in the last year of his deal and you have to pray to God he agrees to sign long term, but I highly doubt that's a realistic scenario.

Currently LaVine seems to be the best combination of realistic, on a long enough contract to be palatable to Utah, on a good timeline with Lauri, positional size and not overly expensive .
 
HermanG said:
Its a good time to discuss it with the slowness of everything. What do you think of Tre Mann? He had some flashes like the 24/12/12 game at the end of last season, and is sort of stuck behind another young talented guy in Giddey. Or if OKC loves Mann and wont trade him then maybe Giddey is possible?

Right now I'm sort of not seeing anyone from our current roster apart from George becoming "that guy" who also fits with Lauri and Kessler. THT would actually be the second best bet since at least he has some playmaking chops, but he has so many wrinkles he needs to iron out that I'm not holding my breath. Sexton is the 6th man type, Dunn is a nice 2nd unit floor general. Even if we max out all those guys developmentally, the only real legit good bet is George. Or maybe Brice.. dont know too much about him.

So maybe go after someone even if he is a long shot, as long as we are not spending too many assets to get him?
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Tre Mann is mildly intriguing... he has a filthy first step/blow by/step back type stuff that can be exciting... just the results haven't been good yet. The challenge with a guy like that is we don't have a ton of development time available and they need it. Giddey isn't available... and I doubt he will be.

The guys I could see blowing up are Anfernee Simons and IQ if they were given a lead role. IQ is intriguing because of the two-way ability... Simons doesn't have that but dude has some juice off the bounce and is a GREAT shooter. Not sure either has the playmaking chops I'd like but they are good bets.

We'd have to consolidate cuz we already have some guys in that mold. I think JC could be pushed to the bench long term or moved if one guy emerged... Sexton would likely have to be included in any deal. Its kind of a difficult dance to do.

My guess is we give Sexton/JC run at the guards spots and see where George is before acquiring someone else. If NY was smart they would move IQ for a good deal before the season starts so his new team can extend him. I think they risk that asset losing value with all the guards they have competing for playing time... if he gets to FA they risk someone throwing down a big offer sheet (the opposite could happen too).
 
Great question @HermanG

I just spent the past hour looking at the transactions and draft picks of the Denver Nuggets over the past 10 years. I think that is the model that the Jazz need to use to put together their championship team.

One thing that will be very interesting in the next couple of years will be the NBA adding some expansion teams. I think there will be 2 but I have read that there is consideration for 4 new teams. I think that would be crazy but the reason that I have brought this up is that there could be expensive players made available in the expansion draft. Teams hoping that they get picked up to save their current team a lot of money and expansion teams still have to spend their cap space.

This could present an interesting opportunity for the Jazz to potentially trade for one of these players. I would not bet on this but it is a possibility.

With no Picks in the 2024 draft, the Jazz are not going to be too loaded on their roster yet. The 2025 season will be much different.

The NBA seems to be setting up a lot more parity and that I feel will help the Jazz.
 
Chargers Jazz Angels said:
Great question @HermanG

I just spent the past hour looking at the transactions and draft picks of the Denver Nuggets over the past 10 years. I think that is the model that the Jazz need to use to put together their championship team.
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That model only works if you get a Jokic (for nothing).

I love Lauri but I don’t think he’s ever an all-world offensive hub like that.
 
NUMBERICA said:
That model only works if you get a Jokic (for nothing).

I love Lauri but I don’t think he’s ever an all-world offensive hub like that.
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No way. But there is another thing to account for that is very unique to Lauri.

He might already be the most dangerous player offensively without the ball. That commands a lot of attention and others get better opportunities due to his off-ball gravity and affect on defensive schemes.

He may not facilitate with the ball in his hands, but he can still make others around him better.
 
NUMBERICA said:
That model only works if you get a Jokic (for nothing).

I love Lauri but I don’t think he’s ever an all-world offensive hub like that.
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Interesting is that Jokic was drafted as a draft-and-stash player. They already had Mozgov and had just traded up to get Nurkic. Who thought Jokic would be as good as he is?

With the right talent and work ethic sometimes these players become more than their draft position.
 
Chargers Jazz Angels said:
Looking at what NY needs would you be willing to give up Taylor Hendricks and a FRP for IQ?
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Hell no. Basically for me IQ is worth the Lakers pick... it would also depend if we had a home for Sexton as I think the backcourt would be a bit crowded.
 
Im not a big IQ guy (not that I dislike him, I just dont watch him), but on the surface he is a 24 year old who averaged 15-4-4 in a backup role and 23-5-5 as a starter (and is known for being a good defender)

You arent getting him for just a first rounder. It would take a first and one of our younger rookies, and that's probably not even enough. It would probably be 2 picks.
 
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