Zach Lowe tells Utah (and a couple other teams) what to do in free agency

[bigmike]

Didn't read the thread. But read Lowe's commentary. That's why he's writing about the NBA and not running the team. Nothing cripples a team more than blowing money.

Not his best work.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Look the cake has baked, the steak has marinated, and the pie has cooled off... It's time for dinner bitches...

Adding a player with our cap space is not spending just to spend... GS had a young team and added a veteran at a big salary in Iggy... San Antonio has added pieces such as trading Hill for Kwahi... There is a case to be made for standing pat, but when you have assets and don't maximize them it doesn't help us become better.

Let the cake bake, but also get the ice cream out so we can have that **** a la mode.

 

[fishonjazz]

I'm pretty much dead set on getting Splitter and Mills right now. Its a good enough move to move the needle but doesn't change the dynamic of our team too much.

I'm down with this plan

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Didn't read the thread. But read Lowe's commentary. That's why he's writing about the NBA and not running the team. Nothing cripples a team more than blowing money.

Not his best work.

You don't understand the landscape of the nba salary cap... Lowe does.

 

[fishonjazz]

Look the cake has baked, the steak has marinated, and the pie has cooled off... It's time for dinner bitches...

Adding a player with our cap space is not spending just to spend... GS had a young team and added a veteran at a big salary in Iggy... San Antonio has added pieces such as trading Hill for Kwahi... There is a case to be made for standing pat, but when you have assets and don't maximize them it doesn't help us become better.

Let the cake bake, but also get the ice cream out so we can have that **** a la mode.

**** it. The future is so bright that there is almost nothing DL could even do to **** it up even if he tried.

I just really like our current team..... Alot. But some additions don't mean what we have gets destroyed.

 

[stitches]

Can we offer the contract, have the guy sign, then renounce the contracts? Or do you have to renounce first?

GVC would be best here, but as far as I know we need to renounce them before the contract is signed, because the moment it's signed the new contract would appear in our cap and we cannot go above the limit of the cap. In other words - we can negotiate and stuff, if they agree... we renounce whoever we need to renounce and then sign the new player. Same goes for offer sheets of RFAs - the moment you sign the offer sheet your capspace gets locked for the amount on the sheet.

 

[Jazz Spazz]

Didn't read the thread. But read Lowe's commentary. That's why he's writing about the NBA and not running the team. Nothing cripples a team more than blowing money.

Not his best work.

You don't understand the landscape of the nba salary cap... Lowe does.

It's not blowing money to spend up to the cap for a player that you either see will fill a need on your team, or that could be a good trade piece or asset. With the salary cap rising in the near future it is possible that you can hit on a decent player for cheaper than they could be had in a few years, so basically you might be able to get them for a decent price now which may be seen as a bargain soon.

Also if the contracts are structured to have team options to get out of the contract if you need to, it would be an extremely smart thing to do. Build up assets that don't lock you in and allow freedom to choose what you spend your cap on what you need to when the time comes.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

It's not blowing money to spend up to the cap for a player that you either see will fill a need on your team, or that could be a good trade piece or asset. With the salary cap rising in the near future it is possible that you can hit on a decent player for cheaper than they could be had in a few years, so basically you might be able to get them for a decent price now which may be seen as a bargain soon.

Also if the contracts are structured to have team options to get out of the contract if you need to, it would be an extremely smart thing to do. Build up assets that don't lock you in and allow freedom to choose what you spend your cap on what you need to when the time comes.

Also as currently slated we have to spend about $28 M just to get to the salary floor next year... every team will have space next year... many teams will need to get to the floor as well... so there will be a crap ton of buyers and a normal inventory (or slightly bigger inventory) of players. Spend now and you are much more likely to get value.

I have a feeling many Jazzfanzers are going to poop in their pants when they see the contracts that get handed out the next two years.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Hey everyone, let's go sign Lamarcus Aldridge. Talent is cheap these days. I'm sure Favors will be cool with that.

Can never have too much talent.

Are you suggesting that if the Jazz could add Lamarcus Aldridge, that they shouldn't strictly because of a cooking metaphor?

 

[NUMBERICA]

Hate to break it to everyone, but the Jazz might not even make the playoffs next year. Some/most of you are talking about having too much talent while in the same breath talking about allocating minutes for Joe Ingles, Elijah Millsap, and Trey Burke while letting an unprecedented opportunity to add real assets rot on the vine? Step back for a second and honestly appraise the situation here.

 

[♪alt13]

I'll ask here: can we offer Green 4 yrs 16/14/12/12?

 

[Maneesh]

^^

This is true. We can't let bake forever or it burns!!!!!!!

 

[Maneesh]

I'll ask here: can we offer Green 4 yrs 16/14/12/12?

They can make a way to sign at all cost. I think you could get Middleton if you max him.

 

[Cappy_Smurf]

Didn't read the thread. But read Lowe's commentary. That's why he's writing about the NBA and not running the team. Nothing cripples a team more than blowing money.

Not his best work.

The cap is going to jump something like 61% over the next 2 years. Spending money now is smart because salaries are only going to increase. This is why you are posting on a message board and not getting paid to write about the NBA.

 

[Cappy_Smurf]

Hate to break it to everyone, but the Jazz might not even make the playoffs next year. Some/most of you are talking about having too much talent while in the same breath talking about allocating minutes for Joe Ingles, Elijah Millsap, and Trey Burke while letting an unprecedented opportunity to add real assets rot on the vine? Step back for a second and honestly appraise the situation here.

I've stepped back far enough to see that even with a terrible first half to the season, Utah ended up with about the same number of road wins as they had when they went to the WCF. Utah turned a corner last year in a big way IMO. I'm betting that trend continues. I'll also go so far as to predict they will be closer to playing for HC than missing the playoffs.
.
Having said that, there's no such thing as too much talent. Stack the deck and let the cream rise to the top.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I feel like it's pretty risky for the Jazz to rest on their laurels and not go out and try to sign a talented player.

Yes, I love Quinn's confidence in his ability to maximize and teach talent, but we really don't know how good guys like Hood and Burks can become. We don't know their ceilings, so why not go out and add another piece to compete with those guys as insurance?

Worst case: You offend someone. They quit trying and feel "cheated". You trade them for assets if they don't prevail over other players who are trying and succeeding over them. We don't have any players on our roster who have untradeable contracts. If Burks becomes disillusioned with his playing time, he is one a tradeable contract and other teams would give up assets for him.

Best case: The players compete and raise each other's levels. You play the guys who deserve minutes and the locker-room is strong enough to not turn on each other. Both Burks and the new wing (Middleton/Green/Whoever) are all doing great? Plays Burks at backup PG. Start a new trend of not needing a backup PG. Will it work? Who knows. I'd rather try that than not sign anyone and just roll with Burke, who may still be the same player (again, who knows so why not sign talent as insurance?).

 

[Cappy_Smurf]

I feel like it's pretty risky for the Jazz to rest on their laurels and not go out and try to sign a talented player.

Yes, I love Quinn's confidence in his ability to maximize and teach talent, but we really don't know how good guys like Hood and Burks can become. We don't know their ceilings, so why not go out and add another piece to compete with those guys as insurance?

Worst case: You offend someone. They quit trying and feel "cheated". You trade them for assets if they don't prevail over other players who are trying and succeeding over them. We don't have any players on our roster who have untradeable contracts. If Burks becomes disillusioned with his playing time, he is one a tradeable contract and other teams would give up assets for him.

Best case: The players compete and raise each other's levels. You play the guys who deserve minutes and the locker-room is strong enough to not turn on each other. Both Burks and the new wing (Middleton/Green/Whoever) are all doing great? Plays Burks at backup PG. Start a new trend of not needing a backup PG. Will it work? Who knows. I'd rather try that than not sign anyone and just roll with Burke, who may still be the same player (again, who knows so why not sign talent as insurance?).

Spot on IMO. Does anyone think GS shouldn't have traded for Iggy because they already had Barnes and shouldn't risk hurting his feelings? Stack the deck and make these guys earn their playing time.

 

[fishonjazz]

let the cream rise to the top.

Add some cream to the cake then huh? Sounds tasty

 

[Jazz4ever]

I'll ask here: can we offer Green 4 yrs 16/14/12/12?

I'm pretty sure you can only raise or lower in 4.5% increments. A signing bonus could be added as a "poison pill" though (15% of contract), and it can be required to pay up front. Portland tried poison pilling us both on Millsap and Matthews, it got them Matthews.

 

[cowhide]

I see the play vets crowd is back. The grass is not always greener on the other side. After one year with a new exciting developmental coach, Jazz fans are ready to trade anyone and bring in overpaid vets to play over our young guys. I'll remember this when we can't sign Exum, Gobert or Hood. Bringing in Middleton on a Max contract when you already have Burks, Hood, Exum and Hayward isn't very smart. How much better is Middleton than those guys? If you bring in Middleton then you have got to trade someone.

I just think you have to be careful. Spending money just because you have it doesn't mean you have to spend it. If you are going to spend it then spend it on a player who is obviously better than the players you have. Now if the Jazz could get Butler or Leonard then I say go for it. I am not as big as a fan as others are when it comes to Middleton. Granted I haven't watched him too often either.