Thoughts on the Season + What's Next

[reapaman]

Q: If you're DL, and you have a choice between:
1)Blowing last of salary ($12M) on Clarkson; or
2) Bobby Portis ($7-9M), and one or two vet backups (could be from my list above),
which would you choose?

Why not both? We can do #1 and then do all of #2 with the exceptions since were in between the cap and the tax line.

[KqWIN]

The Nuggets beat us without Barton and they lacked Harris for several games too so it's not like we were the only ones missing players. And we did manage a 3-1 lead without Bojan, so I don't think missing him is why we lost. Also, our biggest problem was on defense, where he wouldn't have helped that much. Our offense was fine.

And this version of DEN just beat the title favorites. This season is wide open. Jazz missed their greatest opportunity to compete for a championship. Even without Bogey, you can't say this team couldn't compete with the best.

This was 10000% the year to go all in...Just major failure on Conley and major fail on the prioritizing winning. The Jazz won't have this opportunity again for decades. The combination of the Warriors dynasty ending, "green" superteams like the Clippers, and the cap situation where our two best players cost less than one max will not happen again.

Good on DEN for capitalizing, massive blown opportunity for UTA.

You have consistently held the position that this season would be wide open, at least since the bubble. Every sport is a game of inches or seconds, and the Jazz (as well as the Clippers) lost their series by a thin margin. For the Jazz, it could have been the difference of an odd-ball 8 second violation or just one more Jamal Murray stop. If they would have had Bogey, I think it would have made a big difference. Conley, with the exception of game 7, showed up in the playoffs. The Jazz might have the worst bench in the NBA, which is another factor. Next season could be another odd ball season with Covid and a weird time frame, bubbles, teams over-reacting to their playoff losses, etc.

I’ve really felt this way since KD got injured in last year’s playoffs. I think we were all so used to the Warriors dominance that we forgot what a normal league was like. The combo of no super teams and Mitchell+Gobert costing less than one max combine was truly a great window.

I suppose we have one more year of this, but Conley still isn’t the right guy and I’m not sure we have the right coaching/chemistry. I don’t think we need to hit on another Mitchell/Gobert to keep up with the West next season...but we probably need to hit on a Bogey level player who is good at all the things Bogey isn’t great at.

IMO, you have to move on from Conley/Bogey. There’s just too much overlap in guys who want to dribble/shoot the ball every time they touch it. We need to add some size, athleticism, and defense on the perimeter.

Obviously you can try to address this without trading one of those guys...but it’s going to be hard to hit on a guy using the MLE. That might just be what needs to happen though.

[KqWIN]

Q: If you're DL, and you have a choice between:
1)Blowing last of salary ($12M) on Clarkson; or
2) Bobby Portis ($7-9M), and one or two vet backups (could be from my list above),
which would you choose?

Why not both? We can do #1 and then do all of #2 with the exceptions since were in between the cap and the tax line.

SoCal is right about this. I highly doubt the Jazz are going to be willing to be a tax team. Clarkson would take us to the tax line. From there we could use the tax paying MLE if we want...but I don’t think we’re willing to spend.

In all likelihood, Clarkson signs for around $12M. We’re right at the tax but not above it, and that’s all we do this summer.

[vryadli]

OK, all that posts on this thread convinced me that Jazz has to trade Gobert the sooner the better. For what? I don't think it is important at all. For the next 5-7 years spent in the bottom of the league it will hardly matter. Utah will enjoy trades and spectacular DM offense as mach as Lakers did Kobe-years after Shaq trade.

They won the championship twice post-Shaq.

Sure. As soon as SLC will catch LA as big market destination for FA, they will be able to build championship team using Lakers methods. Utah is a great place with strong working ethics, so I think it can be done in something like 50-70 years.

[Inigo Montoya]

OK, all that posts on this thread convinced me that Jazz has to trade Gobert the sooner the better. For what? I don't think it is important at all. For the next 5-7 years spent in the bottom of the league it will hardly matter. Utah will enjoy trades and spectacular DM offense as mach as Lakers did Kobe-years after Shaq trade.

They won the championship twice post-Shaq.

Sure. As soon as SLC will catch LA as big market destination for FA, they will be able to build championship team using Lakers methods. Utah is a great place with strong working ethics, so I think it can be done in something like 50-70 years.

What made the Lakers win those championships had less to do with them being a large market and more about them able to trade for Pau Gasol.

[vryadli]

They won the championship twice post-Shaq.

Sure. As soon as SLC will catch LA as big market destination for FA, they will be able to build championship team using Lakers methods. Utah is a great place with strong working ethics, so I think it can be done in something like 50-70 years.

What made the Lakers win those championships had less to do with them being a large market and more about them able to trade for Pau Gasol.

Yes, exactly, Trading for Paw. And I'm not sure that Pau acquisition has nothing to do with them being the biggest market in the planet. But I'm sure being BM helped them to keep Kobe during the years of irrelevancy. That's something what SA and NO wasn't able to do with Kahwi and Davis.

[Inigo Montoya]

Sure. As soon as SLC will catch LA as big market destination for FA, they will be able to build championship team using Lakers methods. Utah is a great place with strong working ethics, so I think it can be done in something like 50-70 years.

What made the Lakers win those championships had less to do with them being a large market and more about them able to trade for Pau Gasol.

Yes, exactly, Trading for Paw. And I'm not sure that Pau acquisition has nothing to do with them being the biggest market in the planet. But I'm sure being BM helped them to keep Kobe during the years of irrelevancy. That's something what SA and NO wasn't able to do with Kahwi and Davis.

I don't think those are good examples. The Pelicans were never relevant even with Davis. He spent a lot of time there and they never made it anywhere so it's not like he left because it wasn't a big market as much as it was that the franchise was never able to build a good enough team around him.

As for Kawhi, he didn't leave because of big market issues. He left because a rift was created between him and the coaching\medical\management staff regarding how to handle his injury in his final season with the team. A season before that they won 61 games with him, so they managed to transition from Duncan pretty well while he was still with the team and even make it to the WCF.

[Wolverine]

Conley for the Clippers Trio?

[Crunch 99]

Conley for the Clippers Trio?

Who is Trio?

[Topofthekey]

Assuming the Pacers are interested, would the Jazz do a Domantas Sabonis-Rudy Gobert swap?

Would the Jazz add? What would Jazz be willing to add to make the swap happen?

[red4hf]

Assuming the Pacers are interested, would the Jazz do a Domantas Sabonis-Rudy Gobert swap?

Would the Jazz add? What would Jazz be willing to add to make the swap happen?

Gobert is the better player, so the Jazz wouldn't be adding anything......

[Topofthekey]

Assuming the Pacers are interested, would the Jazz do a Domantas Sabonis-Rudy Gobert swap?

Would the Jazz add? What would Jazz be willing to add to make the swap happen?

Gobert is the better player, so the Jazz wouldn't be adding anything......

Interesting. I thought that with Gobert being older, and his upcoming free agency, Sabonis would be the more valuable player

Also the Gobert and Mitchell thing. It looks like they've put it past them, but who knows

[red4hf]

Assuming the Pacers are interested, would the Jazz do a Domantas Sabonis-Rudy Gobert swap?

Would the Jazz add? What would Jazz be willing to add to make the swap happen?

Gobert is the better player, so the Jazz wouldn't be adding anything......

Interesting. I thought that with Gobert being older, and his upcoming free agency, Sabonis would be the more valuable player

Also the Gobert and Mitchell thing. It looks like they've put it past them, but who knows

Gobert's contract situation certainly factors into the equation, but not enough that the Jazz would need to add incentives..... Gobert is just that much of a difference maker on the court......

[MTJazzv3]

I think the Jazz hands are tied at the moment - it really comes down to where Mitchell and Rudy stand on extensions and whether in their heart of hearts see each other playing together well into the future. (My guess is no). I can see Mitchell accepting a 3-year deal but wouldn't be at all surprised if Rudy is ready to move on and just plays out his contract. Which means pretty much rolling out the same team next year, Rudy playing for a fat deal and/or getting traded. The Jazz would still be a good team, just not a contending team next year. A post-Conley and Gobert world could be really interesting the following season. Re-sign Clarkson for sure. The future of this team is building around DM running the point and loading up on young multi-position wings. The center position is overrated in todays league (unless one has a multi-tool AD or Joker).

[AingesBurner]

I think the Jazz hands are tied at the moment - it really comes down to where Mitchell and Rudy stand on extensions and whether in their heart of hearts see each other playing together well into the future. (My guess is no). I can see Mitchell accepting a 3-year deal but wouldn't be at all surprised if Rudy is ready to move on and just plays out his contract. Which means pretty much rolling out the same team next year, Rudy playing for a fat deal and/or getting traded. The Jazz would still be a good team, just not a contending team next year. A post-Conley and Gobert world could be really interesting the following season. Re-sign Clarkson for sure. The future of this team is building around DM running the point and loading up on young multi-position wings. The center position is overrated in todays league (unless one has a multi-tool AD or Joker).

If Gobert doesn’t sign an extension you trade him immediately, no more losing value for flexibility.

[AingesBurner]

I think if Gobert doesn’t sign an extension you trade for slightly overpaid but maybe underutilized player that can add to the team. I also think we should offer Conley a very team friendly deal and if declines then trade him for another slightly overpaid and underutilized player. Key targets: Randle, Harris, Aaron Gordon, Brooklyn’s young players, Bam Adebayo (if the Heat actually lose in the conference finals I see Gobert as an upgrade), Pascal Siakam, and maybe one or two others.

[Wolverine]

Is Blake Griffin healthy &/or available? Something around Conley for Griffen makes sence.
PG Mitchell
SG Joe
SF Bojan
PF Blake
C Rudy

[babyjax13]

Smith buying the team makes it more likely that we have a splashy move this offseason - seems to be a new owner tradition, buy a team, put your mark on it immediately. I can see that going a few ways:

(1) add to the core, trade Conley (and maybe the first) for a player on a longer, bigger contract (Harris/Paul)
(2) build around Mitchell, trade Gobert
(3) punt the big move for after COVID, but trade some long term contracts to open up flexibility (Bojan/Royce, assuming not Joe)
(4) do 3, but also make some kind of lateral move that shakes the team up a bit, e.g. Conley for Bledsoe/Ilyasova with DJ Wilson going to a third team

Which do people think it will be? I don't think standing pat is an option.

[Inigo Montoya]

Smith buying the team makes it more likely that we have a splashy move this offseason - seems to be a new owner tradition, buy a team, put your mark on it immediately. I can see that going a few ways:

(1) add to the core, trade Conley (and maybe the first) for a player on a longer, bigger contract (Harris/Paul)
(2) build around Mitchell, trade Gobert
(3) punt the big move for after COVID, but trade some long term contracts to open up flexibility (Bojan/Royce, assuming not Joe)
(4) do 3, but also make some kind of lateral move that shakes the team up a bit, e.g. Conley for Bledsoe/Ilyasova with DJ Wilson going to a third team

Which do people think it will be? I don't think standing pat is an option.

Standing pat is always an option with the Jazz.

[tugs]

Curious what Jazz fans think of having DM and JC as Utah's version of CJ and Dame. Bojan has been very effective as a starter and Joe created most of the offense but we've seen how Mitchell's game levels up whenever he runs the point. Having Clarkson as his running mate eases the burden of always creating for others. He was a very good PG with the Lakers during his rookie campaign. Bojan and Joe can be the 1-2 punch from the bench. Pretty sure they're better than most opposing bench units. Joe can work his PnR with Wagner and Bradley.

What the roster needs is another capable 3 and D like Harkless or Holiday, even Crowder would be a great fit. You'd be lucky to get Jerami Grant from Denver. Also another glaring need is a serviceable defensive inside presence ala Favors.