Realistic but optimistic Jazz offseason.

[HadAnEffectHere]

1. Draft Cody Williams 8th overall, Justin Edwards 28th overall, trade 32nd pick for future seconds

Cody Williams is a high upside PF who is years away from contributing and a likely bust, but he fits the Jazz's needs well hypothetically if he manages to hit. Justin Edwards is a potential 3D guy who fits the mold Ainge loves (overweight prospect committed to losing the weight). The Jazz don't need three more rookies so I expect them to trade away their last pick

2. Trade Jordan Clarkson for Gabe Vincent and a future second from the Lakers

Clarkson seemed to want to move on and I'm pretty sure Gabe Vincent doesn't want to spend more time in LA getting blamed for their struggles. This trade assumes the Lakers trade D'lo and thus need more scoring from guards.

3. Trade John Collins for Zach LaVine.

Perhaps the most unrealistic trade, but this saves the Bulls $18m which should allow them to dodge the luxury tax line even if they sign DeRozan+Patrick Williams to a combined $55m a year. The Jazz clear their center logjam while adding a high upside bad contract they could flip later if he bounces back.

4. Renegotiate and extend Lauri Markkanen

With our left over cap space, we give Markkanen a raise and sign him to a four year max extension.

Jazz rotation is now

PG: Keyonte George
SG: Gabe Vincent
SF: Zach LaVine
PF: Lauri Markkanen
C: Walker Kessler

Key bench: Collin Sexton, Taylor Hendricks

Couple of holes (mostly backup center), but can be filled with low salary guys with not too much difficulty.

This sets up the Jazz as a playoff team if LaVine and Kessler have big bounce back years, and makes the Jazz's chemistry much better regardless to hopefully improve the trade value of guys like Sexton and Kessler if the team isn't good enough for the playoffs and Ainge needs to blow them up again at the trade deadline.

[HartfordWhalers]

1. Draft Cody Williams 8th overall, Justin Edwards 28th overall, trade 32nd pick for future seconds

Cody Williams is a high upside PF who is years away from contributing and a likely bust, but he fits the Jazz's needs well hypothetically if he manages to hit. Justin Edwards is a potential 3D guy who fits the mold Ainge loves (overweight prospect committed to losing the weight). The Jazz don't need three more rookies so I expect them to trade away their last pick

2. Trade Jordan Clarkson for Gabe Vincent and a future second from the Lakers

Clarkson seemed to want to move on and I'm pretty sure Gabe Vincent doesn't want to spend more time in LA getting blamed for their struggles. This trade assumes the Lakers trade D'lo and thus need more scoring from guards.

3. Trade John Collins for Zach LaVine.

Perhaps the most unrealistic trade, but this saves the Bulls $18m which should allow them to dodge the luxury tax line even if they sign DeRozan+Patrick Williams to a combined $55m a year. The Jazz clear their center logjam while adding a high upside bad contract they could flip later if he bounces back.

4. Renegotiate and extend Lauri Markkanen

With our left over cap space, we give Markkanen a raise and sign him to a four year max extension.

Jazz rotation is now

PG: Keyonte George
SG: Gabe Vincent
SF: Zach LaVine
PF: Lauri Markkanen
C: Walker Kessler

Key bench: Collin Sexton, Taylor Hendricks

Couple of holes (mostly backup center), but can be filled with low salary guys with not too much difficulty.

This sets up the Jazz as a playoff team if LaVine and Kessler have big bounce back years, and makes the Jazz's chemistry much better regardless to hopefully improve the trade value of guys like Sexton and Kessler if the team isn't good enough for the playoffs and Ainge needs to blow them up again at the trade deadline.

I like it better with it LaVine for Clarkson/Collins than as a separate deal with the Lakers.

[jazzfan1971]

Seems pretty realistic. I would go for a full tank myself, but this feels very Jazzesque.

[HadAnEffectHere]

1. Draft Cody Williams 8th overall, Justin Edwards 28th overall, trade 32nd pick for future seconds

Cody Williams is a high upside PF who is years away from contributing and a likely bust, but he fits the Jazz's needs well hypothetically if he manages to hit. Justin Edwards is a potential 3D guy who fits the mold Ainge loves (overweight prospect committed to losing the weight). The Jazz don't need three more rookies so I expect them to trade away their last pick

2. Trade Jordan Clarkson for Gabe Vincent and a future second from the Lakers

Clarkson seemed to want to move on and I'm pretty sure Gabe Vincent doesn't want to spend more time in LA getting blamed for their struggles. This trade assumes the Lakers trade D'lo and thus need more scoring from guards.

3. Trade John Collins for Zach LaVine.

Perhaps the most unrealistic trade, but this saves the Bulls $18m which should allow them to dodge the luxury tax line even if they sign DeRozan+Patrick Williams to a combined $55m a year. The Jazz clear their center logjam while adding a high upside bad contract they could flip later if he bounces back.

4. Renegotiate and extend Lauri Markkanen

With our left over cap space, we give Markkanen a raise and sign him to a four year max extension.

Jazz rotation is now

PG: Keyonte George
SG: Gabe Vincent
SF: Zach LaVine
PF: Lauri Markkanen
C: Walker Kessler

Key bench: Collin Sexton, Taylor Hendricks

Couple of holes (mostly backup center), but can be filled with low salary guys with not too much difficulty.

This sets up the Jazz as a playoff team if LaVine and Kessler have big bounce back years, and makes the Jazz's chemistry much better regardless to hopefully improve the trade value of guys like Sexton and Kessler if the team isn't good enough for the playoffs and Ainge needs to blow them up again at the trade deadline.

I like it better with it LaVine for Clarkson/Collins than as a separate deal with the Lakers.

I just think the Bulls would want the salary savings more, they need to get under the tax.

[Mrakar]

all of that seems quite realistic, but you are missing one thing. 2025 is Cooper Flagg draft, Jazz are 100% tanking.

[babyjax13]

all of that seems quite realistic, but you are missing one thing. 2025 is Cooper Flagg draft, Jazz are 100% tanking.

We didn't tank for Wemby.

[HadAnEffectHere]

all of that seems quite realistic, but you are missing one thing. 2025 is Cooper Flagg draft, Jazz are 100% tanking.

Ainge only trades players when he absolutely must (because they're expiring) or when he gets the deal he wants.

Markkanen's trade value is depressed by the CBA, Kessler's trade value is depressed because Hardy and Ainge caused him to be benched, and Sexton's trade value is much lower than his ability.

So they need to trade those guys to tank, but they won't trade any of them.

You can definitely argue that this is penny wise and pound foolish.

2026 is likely a better tank year as well as Cam Boozer would probably want to play here.

[babyjax13]

all of that seems quite realistic, but you are missing one thing. 2025 is Cooper Flagg draft, Jazz are 100% tanking.

Ainge only trades players when he absolutely must (because they're expiring) or when he gets the deal he wants.

Markkanen's trade value is depressed by the CBA, Kessler's trade value is depressed because Hardy and Ainge caused him to be benched, and Sexton's trade value is much lower than his ability.

So they need to trade those guys to tank, but they won't trade any of them.

You can definitely argue that this is penny wise and pound foolish.

2026 is likely a better tank year as well as Cam Boozer would probably want to play here.

Yup. Love it or hate it (I am not the biggest fan and have been clear about that since the hire) he has a method and it is very clear. Cash out for your price, otherwise, hold.

[Cappy_Smurf]

all of that seems quite realistic, but you are missing one thing. 2025 is Cooper Flagg draft, Jazz are 100% tanking.

We didn't tank for Wemby.

We did in the 2nd half of that season, just like this year.

The difference between now and then, is Ainge would have had to dump Conely and friends at the beginning of the season, which would have been an obvious tank move. Adam Silver came out and warned teams specifically not to do that.

This next season, all the FO has to do is avoid doing anything that would make a significant improvement. As the team sits now, they are already set to tank next year. They won't be the worst team in the league, but they'll be worse than the last 2 years. At #8 this year, they only have an 8% lesser chance at the first pick than the worst team.

I'm not saying that's what they'll do, but when it comes down to it, it would be pretty dumb to keep our pick this year only to give it up in next year's draft. I'm guessing Utah will make a move to improve the team if the right opportunity comes along, but I don't think the right deal is likely to prevent itself.

My gut tells me Utah has at least one more tank year coming.

[Colbinii]

Collins for LaVine isn't realistic, that's highway robbery.

[giberish]

Collins for LaVine isn't realistic, that's highway robbery.

Which way?

[SkyHook]

1. Draft Cody Williams 8th overall, Justin Edwards 28th overall, trade 32nd pick for future seconds

Cody Williams is a high upside PF who is years away from contributing and a likely bust, but he fits the Jazz's needs well hypothetically if he manages to hit. Justin Edwards is a potential 3D guy who fits the mold Ainge loves (overweight prospect committed to losing the weight). The Jazz don't need three more rookies so I expect them to trade away their last pick

2. Trade Jordan Clarkson for Gabe Vincent and a future second from the Lakers

Clarkson seemed to want to move on and I'm pretty sure Gabe Vincent doesn't want to spend more time in LA getting blamed for their struggles. This trade assumes the Lakers trade D'lo and thus need more scoring from guards.

3. Trade John Collins for Zach LaVine.

Perhaps the most unrealistic trade, but this saves the Bulls $18m which should allow them to dodge the luxury tax line even if they sign DeRozan+Patrick Williams to a combined $55m a year. The Jazz clear their center logjam while adding a high upside bad contract they could flip later if he bounces back.

4. Renegotiate and extend Lauri Markkanen

With our left over cap space, we give Markkanen a raise and sign him to a four year max extension.

Jazz rotation is now

PG: Keyonte George
SG: Gabe Vincent
SF: Zach LaVine
PF: Lauri Markkanen
C: Walker Kessler

Key bench: Collin Sexton, Taylor Hendricks

Couple of holes (mostly backup center), but can be filled with low salary guys with not too much difficulty.

This sets up the Jazz as a playoff team if LaVine and Kessler have big bounce back years, and makes the Jazz's chemistry much better regardless to hopefully improve the trade value of guys like Sexton and Kessler if the team isn't good enough for the playoffs and Ainge needs to blow them up again at the trade deadline.

I’m onboard with #s 1 & 4.

[SkyHook]

Collins for LaVine isn't realistic, that's highway robbery.

Agreed. I can’t see the Jazz taking on the worst contract in the league.

[GoBobs]

Seems reasonable... and treadmill

[babyjax13]

I'll play, too.
--------------
Draft trade
UTA trades: 2025 UTA/MIN/CLE 1st (lowest), 2024 OKC 1st (29)
in: 2024 PHI 1st (16)
The obvious scenario is that someone is there at 16 that Utah wants. I want Kyshawn George, he's mocked all over the place ... I have him top 3 on my big board at the moment, so I'm moving up for him.

NYK trades: 2024 NYK 1st (25), 2025 BRK 2nd
in: 2025 UTA/MIN/CLE 1st (lowest)
New York moves one of their picks for a pick in a similar range (most likely) in a better draft (with a small chance of being better if Utah remains bad [likely] and both Minnesota and Cleveland collapse).

PHI trades: 2024 PHI 1st (16)
in: 2024 NYK 1st (25), 2024 OKC 1st (29), 2025 BRK 2nd
Philadelphia turns one shot at a rotation player into three reasonable ones, including two this year. It's not sexy, but it could be a shrewd way for them to fill out the back of their rotation while they go for bigger targets.

--------------
Picks
8. Cody Williams
16. Kyshawn George
32. Justin Edwards

Utah goes looking for wings. I like HadanEffect's other targets, my goal here is just to get the one guy I like in the draft.
--------------

I wouldn't do the LaVine deal, but the Clarkson one I'd do. I think this sets Utah up pretty well to tank next year but have some hope for the future.

[Colbinii]

Collins for LaVine isn't realistic, that's highway robbery.

Which way?

One is an All-Star.

[Colbinii]

Collins for LaVine isn't realistic, that's highway robbery.

Agreed. I can’t see the Jazz taking on the worst contract in the league.

Bradley Beal?

LaVine is an all-star. No team would trade LaVine straight up for Collins.

[SkyHook]

Collins for LaVine isn't realistic, that's highway robbery.

Agreed. I can’t see the Jazz taking on the worst contract in the league.

Bradley Beal?

LaVine is an all-star. No team would trade LaVine straight up for Collins.

Two years ago, as was Wiggins. No rational person would call either of them all-stars anymore. I’m not saying that Collins is either, but he gave FAR better bang for the buck than those two did this season.

[sip]

Collins for LaVine isn't realistic, that's highway robbery.

Agreed. I can’t see the Jazz taking on the worst contract in the league.

Bradley Beal?

LaVine is an all-star. No team would trade LaVine straight up for Collins.

Haha, Lavine is no longer an all star and never will be again. What he is now is a solid one way player with a large 3 year contract.

[Colbinii]

Agreed. I can’t see the Jazz taking on the worst contract in the league.

Bradley Beal?

LaVine is an all-star. No team would trade LaVine straight up for Collins.

Two years ago, as was Wiggins. No rational person would call either of them all-stars anymore. I’m not saying that Collins is either, but he gave FAR better bang for the buck than those two did this season.

I'm not sure why people view these players this way.

1) LaVine is significantly more talented
2) LaVine is significantly better
3) Last year LaVine put up 25/5/5 on +80 TS% in 77 games. This is an all-star level player, last year.

The idea that Collins has more value than LaVine is a massive red flag for player evaluation. No team in their right mind goes "Man, this LaVine guy had surgery this year but over the past 3 seasons was at 3.7 OBPM and +340 TS+ yet is less valuable than Collins.

Like come on. LaVine when healthy [which he has been for literally 5 of the past 6 seasons] is 10x the player Collins is.