How about the Jazz just don’t trade a future pick to get off Favors money to bring in Rudy Gay. Or maybe play to win in one of the worst drafts in recent memory when they had multiple high picks - instead they ranked their asses off and kept the pick. They get what they deserve if they lose the pick this year in a loaded draft.Lottery isn't rigged. NBA trades is
Its called being a masochistEven if you believe only the lottery is rigged I’d question why you’d be a fan.
This has been my thought all year.Now I know everyone's first thought is why would the NBA have an interest in helping the Utah Jazz of all teams. The Jazz are one of the smallest markets and often the buttend of jokes on podcast and national broadcast.
And you would be right, but helping the Jazz jump the lottery would help the league avoid the biggest possible headache, the Thunder getting another lottery pick and all the complaining that would come with it.
The Ainge Boys tell Silver we are going to compete and not do tank shenanigans. You scratch our back, we scratch yours
So if lottery rigging actually exist, the Jazz should be beneficiaries of it this year.
To be honest I don't think that's a factor - I just don't think Ryan Smith thinks to himself...ok we'll make our money either way so we don't need to be that good. I don't get that vibe from the ownership at all. I think they recognize fans are tired of tanking so it's fatigue. But...when no free agents want to come here, I think it's the 2nd least liked destination in the NBA, then the only way to become a contender is through the draft.The problem with Utah is that the fans support the team no matter how bad the team is. This doesn't create an incentive to boost the Jazz in the lottery. However, this year could be the exception. Like the OP says, it's not about helping the Jazz, it's about not helping the Thunder when the Thunder are already a dynasty.
Fair enough. But if either are true, being a fan is futile.Your guess is a logical fallacy and is wrong in my case. The draft lottery is controlled by a single machine. Whereas, the outcomes of games have enough different variables that the outcome can only be influenced, rather than set.
Fair enough. But if either are true, being a fan is futile.
Think if Jazz get the 8th pick they might also drop to 9th after lottery night and OKC gets their pickFrom what I’ve read, I’m gathering that it would be better for the Jazz to get the eighth spot in the lottery and then we’d move up to number four or five or whatever so that OKC doesn’t get the pick?