What's new

Locker Clean-out Discussion

DL: Last 35 games of the season we led the league in defensive rating, which I think is sustainable. Personnel changes could impact that. GSW and HOU are still in front of us, so we have a lot of work and evaluation to do.
 
Guess it's still early, was hoping this thread would've already been created and have a few links from interviews already completed.
 
Question: What do you want to get better at?

DL: We start with looking at internal improvement. A few guys who are of the age that they can make good improvements. Quin and the staff have shown the ability to make guys better.
Our ball security has to be better. That is our biggest challenge. Rudy is a high-center of gravity guy, and gets bumped around a bit. Work on his base. Work on how the guys around him get him the ball. The physicality of the playoffs suggest Rudy has room to grow there. We understand Ricky's body better, see where some limits are. Didn't have an off-season with him because he was with the national team.
 
Question: Any additional pressure to acquire assets around Mitchell?
DL: You always have an angst about trying to do your job, pick up the right people, but no more pressure than usual. Rubio deserves a good team. Rudy deserves it, he has always been confident.
 
DL: We liked our group. We knew there was a good team in there somewhere and we didn't know to what degree. It took a while to figure out. Health was still a difficulty. The goal was always to do our best to get a benchmark on what we needed going forward, not just make the playoffs, but see what we had and do well. There were fans at the airport last night, that was quite touching. Shout-out to them. [Me and @infection especially, I presume.]
 
DL: Last 35 games of the season we led the league in defensive rating, which I think is sustainable. Personnel changes could impact that. GSW and HOU are still in front of us, so we have a lot of work and evaluation to do.

That seems like a Favs may not be coming back hint.
 
DL: We liked our group. We knew there was a good team in there somewhere and we didn't know to what degree. It took a while to figure out. Health was still a difficulty. The goal was always to do our best to get a benchmark on what we needed going forward, not just make the playoffs, but see what we had and do well. There were fans at the airport last night, that was quite touching. Shout-out to them. [Me and @infection especially, I presume.]

So jealous... I need to move back to Utah for the DM era. May have to leave my wife and kids behind but it seems like its worth it.
 
Question about Favors and Rudy together.

Quin Snyder: We've tried to maximize what we have and not set limits on who we are. What Favors did against OKC is a good example of how effective he can be with Rudy. We talk about this a lot, and I think it's o different than when you look at diff guys playing together on the parameter.

DL: Having Favors mattered to us. It depends on match-ups. Our bib-big lineup gives protection if someone gets hurt. Also, the league shifts with some people playing small ball. We try to keep up with that. Jerebko gave us some flexibility there. Crowder, Ingles, even Royce O'Neale, we played with a big and 4 smalls. If we're doing our job we have three lineup buckets that give Quin options. The best teams have the best structure.
 
DL: Credit to Quin for doing such development with such a young team, where the primary player was 21 years old and playing a new role. We are excited about our pieces.
 
Question about Exum evaluation considering his injuries, plans for him.

DL: "Well, we hope to retain him. So we'll start there." (direct quote) There are a lot of considerations. He's done his job. Unfortunate things, not injury prone, just bad luck. He was already playing through a hamstring thing with OKC and played through it. (!) We'll see what happens.
 
Question about Jazz org talking to the league about officiating.

DL: I can comment delicately because I don't want to lose any money. We work hard in all areas of team-building, coaching, development, health performance. Officials are part of the game so we try to understand that. We've been clear since I got here. We hired Quin. Wanted to be a defensive team first who didn't foul. That's how we go on the road and beat go teams, especially in the playoffs. But at times that style of play can lead to some concerns based on the data we have seen. The league isn't out to get us. Haven't talked to Quin about it. But we felt these series were generally well officiated. There is sometimes a gap between how the rules are stated and how it's called. Keep our own poise and disciplined, which our coach and staff and players have done well. We added some guys that look more like linebackers because we wanted to be tougher in the playoffs. Favors is good for this, too. We are working on it. Assigned to to David Mooreway (?) as a project. We'll stand on the interview I did last year.
 
Question about Rudy and Donovan, franchise cornerstones, building a good relationship on and off the floor.

QS: When DM had to play PG they needed each other more. I challenged them to both think about winning and what they need to do, and to think about connectivity and what they need to do together. Good relationship of trust already there, and now it develops more. It would be great if people can say "Mitchell and Gobert" (like Stockton and Malone).

[end of interview]

[Not near enough questions for Snyder in this round. Hopefully he does some stuff with radio guys, too, because this was mostly DL, though he's great.]
 
So jealous... I need to move back to Utah for the DM era. May have to leave my wife and kids behind but it seems like its worth it.
I'm looking for a wife and kids. Trade possibility? You dont have to take back anything in return, so you could free up room for younger prospects.
 
What? Are you crazy? Well, I may be moving myself, but I don't have a wife and kids ... I know, you're just saying, but I am likely moving.

None of them really appreciate me like Jazz nation would... lower cost of living... if I don't have those financial millstones I can likely afford floor seat season tickets... for one.
 
Summary of some priorities DL mentioned:

-Re-signing Exum
-Working on Gobert's strength and handling
-Having both Favs and Gobert is not necessarily a liability (seemed highly complimentary and positive about Favs, but also will evaluate the possibilities, it seems)
-Evaluate available talent and see who might fit the system
-Continue player development, such as getting Ricky's body even better than it is now.
 
Top