What’s the point of this season?
- Thread starter ONE LOVE
- Start date
We won't view it as an idle year. We will view it as the perfect year where all our young guys starting getting heavy minutes halfway through and we get a top 5 pick.
There is plenty of talent. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Isaiah Collier looks.
There is nothing better for the fans than a year of mediocre team exceeding expectations(well except for a championship) and there nothing worse for a team than a mediocre team exceeding expectations. First because you don't actually win anything of consequence and you are not bad enough to get a high end prospect. And second, because it gives your FO a license to waste a year in holding pattern and hoping for progression of your mediocre core, when in reality what's much more likely after a year of exceeding expectations is regression. And the more this team regresses the less likely it will be that the FO will be willing to make a big move with our picks.
So to answer the question in OP... there is no point of this season. I feel like the FO is in waiting mode. They are waiting to see what happens with some of the younger players on the team hoping one of them hits gold, they are waiting to see if any big star becomes available and open to coming here (nope, unless we do a deal like Cavs did for Mitchell... where they get 2-3 years and he likely still bolts).
I think we're experiencing the end of the tear-down phase after trading out Mitchell, Gobert and Conley in the past year or so. The Jazz are starting to amalgamate some young talent -- Kessler, Ochai, Keyonte, Hendricks -- but they're years away from leading a playoff team. We've got some young vets in Lauri, Collins and Clarkson. Sexton, Dunn and THT are reclamation projects. We're just a mixed bag right now. It should be expected that the Jazz will trade Olynyk, THT and possibly Sexton this year. Clarkson possibly too.
If it were me, I'd try to tank and get a top 5 pick. I think that's where the Jazz will be headed if and when they realize that they're not playoff competitive. Otherwise, the Jazz need to make a couple trades to ensure that this is a 38 or 40-win team.
I think this version of the Jazz may be comparable to the 2014-15 team with Exum, Burke, Burks, Hayward, Hood, Favors and Gobert. That team won 38 games and put themselves in position to draft Trey Lyles with the #12 pick. Unfortunately, in our case, we'd be giving OKC a #12 pick instead.
If it were me, I'd try to tank and get a top 5 pick. I think that's where the Jazz will be headed if and when they realize that they're not playoff competitive. Otherwise, the Jazz need to make a couple trades to ensure that this is a 38 or 40-win team.
I think this version of the Jazz may be comparable to the 2014-15 team with Exum, Burke, Burks, Hayward, Hood, Favors and Gobert. That team won 38 games and put themselves in position to draft Trey Lyles with the #12 pick. Unfortunately, in our case, we'd be giving OKC a #12 pick instead.
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This team feels like the Rockets after Yao/McGrady. They were completely average for like 3 years until they hit it big with Harden. During that time they shuffled a ton of players and found some good ones. In some sense there was no point in those years, just waiting like you said. Seems aimless to be recycling assets over and over, but tanking for a star player can also be a futile experience. The reality is that the Jazz will not be elevated until they find their version of Harden. Whether it's from finding a "hidden" gem like Harden or a trade for a more established star, the Jazz aren't really going anywhere without a serious talent coming in.
I do think people focus to much on draft position when rebuilding, but when you're losing by design it's much more clear what the goals are and like I said....you win or you win. Hovering in no man's land isn't as....exciting (?).....as tanking but it's without a doubt the reality of our current situation. The only people who have these conversations (hardcore fans) have a very different perspective than the average fan. Losing on purpose is a tough sell for an average fan. Given that, I think it's very easy for FO's and Ownership to just sit around and coast, especially with so many future picks. It's very easy for them to coast with the promise of more in the future.
We are definitely trying to win but there will be ups and downs. Hopefully a good player becomes available and we can make a move. The better our team plays the more value we get for our players as well. Even without a trade this team will get rolling but it will take a minute.
FrenchJazzFa
Well-Known Member
Only pone game so way too early for me to have clear idea. We look pretty bad.... bad enough for tanking? not sure. And i don't forget than last year we look pretty good after 12 games. Wait and see.
jazzfan1132
Well-Known Member
No it's not. This team is going nowhere. We are semi. Semi rebuilt Semi Play offs. Be prepared for next 5 years of that kind of basketball like today.
Don't worry about that. Just like last year when the front office forced his hand with Ochai they will end up doing the same with other young guys this year.
Tremendous Upside
Well-Known Member
It's the same story as in the 2nd half of last season. Hardy is trying win. The players are trying to win. However, at the same time... Ainge is probably "trying to lose".
He's very deliberately put together a team that's just bad. I mean, the way we looked against the Kings, I'd be surprised if we win more than 25 games all year. Hardy has to work absolute miracles to drag these guys to 40+ wins.
This team plays exactly like the THT-led one that finished last season, and I expect the results to be similar. A trade for an experienced starting PG and the simultaneous clearing of the guard logjam would help, but I don't see that happening.
When we traded away Conley we were sitting at the 12th position. We rose up to the 8th seed and had to completely shut our team down to garbage to lose. We had a bench of guys who are mostly not in the league anymore and even starters some games.
Tremendous Upside
Well-Known Member
I hate to break it to you... but Dunn, THT, Key and Sexton (when he's playing like he did against the Kings) would be out of the rotation on most teams.
On this team they're allowed to run wild, and I suspect it's not because Hardy thinks it gives us the best chance to win.
For me personally, the point of this season is waiting for Keyonte or waiting for a trade that adds a guard that complements Collins-Lauri-Kessler.
As far as trades are concerned, here's my rough ranking of assets I'd part with (in order of most like to part with to least like to part with):
1. THT
2. Sexton
3. Draft assets
....
4. Olynyk
5. Clarkson
If we trade Olynyk and/or Clarkson, then it better be for a long-term piece (or a piece that has reasonably good odds being retained long-term). This team will get even uglier if either one of these dudes gets dealt.
As far as trades are concerned, here's my rough ranking of assets I'd part with (in order of most like to part with to least like to part with):
1. THT
2. Sexton
3. Draft assets
....
4. Olynyk
5. Clarkson
If we trade Olynyk and/or Clarkson, then it better be for a long-term piece (or a piece that has reasonably good odds being retained long-term). This team will get even uglier if either one of these dudes gets dealt.
seattlejazzfan
Well-Known Member
or OKC who fully committed to the tank and are absolutely loaded - i absolutely love their roster - you basically have a superstar in SGA and three legit young second options with Williams, Chet and Giddey - and a defensive stud who can get it on the offensive end at times too in Dort. add a couple young dudes who are full of potential in Dieng and Wallace - good grief. they did it right.
bottom line, the jazz were chicken **** last year, kept and signed too many veterans to begin the season and then hung on to them for too long. they should have had a top 5 pick at worst last year, tanked again this year, top 5 pick this year and then tanked again in 2025. it didn't seem like rocket science, but they ran out patience before they ever even got started and we seem to find ourselves in no man's land probably never ultimately landing a top 5 pick at any point in this so-called rebuild.
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You can try and break it to me, but its still wrong as per your usual.