RealGM

SoCalJazzFan wrote:I wonder if there is a single team in the NBA where cap space is less important than the Utah Jazz.

Jazz need to position themselves for trades, not signings. That requires contracts of a decent size, decent players and/or expiring contracts when trading for that desired player.

The Hornets proposed trade whiffs on all of these.

Ive heard this argument for years (maybe decades at this point) but I struggle to find or remember a time when this was reality. Bogey, Okur, Boozer all seem like bigger gets than any trade we’ve ever made.

Also, cap space can be incredibly valuable in a trade as often other teams want space as well. That space can be sold for value if you’re not signing someone.

If you’re talking about signing superstars then sure we’re probably not going to do that, but history says we’re not going to do that via trade (unless is for draft rights) either.

The way Utah acquires stars is and has always been through the draft. Cap space should be less about acquiring star players and more about acquiring more assets and quality role players to build an environment for those home grown stars to blossom.

SoCalJazzFan wrote:I wonder if there is a single team in the NBA where cap space is less important than the Utah Jazz.

Jazz need to position themselves for trades, not signings. That requires contracts of a decent size, decent players and/or expiring contracts when trading for that desired player.

The Hornets proposed trade whiffs on all of these.

I look at the recent Siakam trade and think that cap space could be quite important. When the Pacers signed Bruce Brown for 20M per year it was a massive over payment, but he was a good player. They signed him for two seasons, with the calculation that any team could use him for one or two seasons even if his contract is a bit too big because it will expire in no time. And so they were able to package him as the main player and in a trade with some draft picks and landed Siakam. In the end, their free agent signing lasted about half a season there.

The Jazz could do something similar with the cap space. Sign pretty good players for relatively short deals with a slight overpay, and then try to package them down the road (which would be the same season or the next) with some draft picks for a star player. If it works then great, you got your star player. If it doesn't then you're still competitive and the player expires very soon so the team is not hampered by the contracts they've given. In effect it allows the Jazz to have contracts of a decent size, decent players and/or expiring contracts, which is what you want.

Inigo Montoya wrote:

SoCalJazzFan wrote:I wonder if there is a single team in the NBA where cap space is less important than the Utah Jazz.

Jazz need to position themselves for trades, not signings. That requires contracts of a decent size, decent players and/or expiring contracts when trading for that desired player.

The Hornets proposed trade whiffs on all of these.

I look at the recent Siakam trade and think that cap space could be quite important. When the Pacers signed Bruce Brown for 20M per year it was a massive over payment, but he was a good player. They signed him for two seasons, with the calculation that any team could use him for one or two seasons even if his contract is a bit too big because it will expire in no time. And so they were able to package him as the main player and in a trade with some draft picks and landed Siakam. In the end, their free agent signing lasted about half a season there.

The Jazz could do something similar with the cap space. Sign pretty good players for relatively short deals with a slight overpay, and then try to package them down the road (which would be the same season or the next) with some draft picks for a star player. If it works then great, you got your star player. If it doesn't then you're still competitive and the player expires very soon so the team is not hampered by the contracts they've given. In effect it allows the Jazz to have contracts of a decent size, decent players and/or expiring contracts, which is what you want.

Perhaps, but there are a lot of ifs in that plan.

The Pacers were able to trade for Siakham, but he is older and expiring. There is a big risk of losing all of that trade capital for less than a season of him playing with the team, and are the Pacers even in the run for the ECF?

The Jazz could more or less mimic your suggested approach, but with a trade for Dejounte Murray. It would cost them a little more than merely overpaying a good player over the summer (I'm not even sure who that would be this summer), but Murray has been an All Star and could actually be one of the missing pieces to construct a competitive team. He's on a multi-year team friendly deal, and even if he does not work out for the Jazz, he could represent that good (perhaps overpaid at that point) player whose contract could be used to trade for a star, should one become available in the next few years.

https://www.slcdunk.com/2024/2/3/24060875/nba-trade-rumors-utah-jazz-dejounte-murray-atlanta-hawks-deadline

Gotta wonder how serious the offer was and how far apart the 2 teams were.

I think one interesting this is Locke changed his tune about Dejounte in the past week.

A few months ago he said he was inefficient.
Now he says he has a great contract for a starting guard and he is obviously a starting guard

The Jazz are 1 game away from being in the bottom 10 and losing their draft pick this year. They don't need to make the playoffs, but they need to stay out of the bottom 10. A small trade may be in order.

If someone in the front office can read that: Please trade for Dejounte Murray! An exp and 2 FRPs (protected) get the deal done!

RookieJazz wrote:If someone in the front office can read that: Please trade for Dejounte Murray! An exp and 2 FRPs (protected) get the deal done!

Agreed! For those holding out for Luka, the Jazz can always include Dejounte as part of a deal to get Luka. Jazz have to use some of their picks in trades.

Personally, I see a 3 team deal.

J Clarkson to NYK
E Fournier to ATL
D Murray to UT

ATL gets a protected 1st from Utah and a protected 1st from NYK

RookieJazz wrote:If someone in the front office can read that: Please trade for Dejounte Murray! An exp and 2 FRPs (protected) get the deal done!

Naw I'd prefer to keep grooming Keyonte and continue to start the Dunn/Sexton duo in the meantime.

Murray is a guy whose bread and butter is the midrange shot and just don't want to build around that in today's NBA. His defense has also fallen off a cliff in ATL and the fighting with fans on social media is another bad look. Don't see him as a guy who could start next to Key long term just like he's struggling playing next to Trae in ATL. Sexton is now hitting his 3's on a nice clip so I wouldn't pay the freight in assets to upgrade to Murray tbh. Not sure he's even a great flip candidate as ATL isn't getting any serious offers for him at all. The 2 FRP's might have more value than Murray in any future star trade especially after the new 2nd apron penalties kick in.

Next season his yearly salary jumps up to $30 mil per season tier. The Jazz also want to pay Lauri on an extension which means they would be a little handcuffed trying to resign Tecc, Dunn and KO (if he's still on the team).

I don't think an expiring and two protected FRPs is going to get it done.

Fonteccio traded for the Wizards' second round pick.

Okay value-wise, but definitely more of a tanking move than you'd expect.

HadAnEffectHere wrote:Fonteccio traded for the Wizards' second round pick.

Okay value-wise, but definitely more of a tanking move than you'd expect.

Can Fonteccio play D? Seems like he can shoot.

theBigLip wrote:

HadAnEffectHere wrote:Fonteccio traded for the Wizards' second round pick.

Okay value-wise, but definitely more of a tanking move than you'd expect.

Can Fonteccio play D? Seems like he can shoot.

Sure, gives max effort each time. Good guy to have on a team also - sorry to see him go actually but I suspect this is our way of getting Hendricks some badly needed minutes.

HadAnEffectHere wrote:Fonteccio traded for the Wizards' second round pick.

Okay value-wise, but definitely more of a tanking move than you'd expect.

I hate this trade...... Not value-wise, but Simone has played great....... Hate to lose him.....

Also, no offense to the Pistons, but why are we punishing Simone by sending him there?

I hate this trade. Don't see the point. Fontecchio's contribution to the Jazz by bringing balance to the offense, defense and shooting is greater than a second round pick in a weak draft. I also feel really bad for him for being traded to the worst team in the league that is a complete train wreck. I guess next we'll trade Olynyk for two seconds as well.

He played very well this season and I hope he gets paid. Maybe this means we'll see Hendricks or the Sensei get some minutes?

EDIT: after seeing further details of this trade, while I'd hate to see Fontecchio go, I no longer hate this trade. I think value-wise it's actually a pretty good trade.

We're also getting Kevin Knox and draft rights to Gabriele Procida.

Pistons Acquire Simone Fonteccio From Jazz For 2024 2nd Via Wizards, Kevin Knox
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/274586/Pistons-Acquire-Simone-Fonteccio-From-Jazz-For-2024-2nd-Via-Wizards-Kevin-Knox

The Utah Jazz have agreed to trade Simone Fonteccio to the Detroit Pistons for Kevin Knox, a 2024 second round pick via the Washington Wizards and the draft rights to Gabriele Procida.

Inigo Montoya wrote:I hate this trade. Don't see the point. Fontecchio's contribution to the Jazz by bringing balance to the offense, defense and shooting is greater than a second round pick in a weak draft. I also feel really bad for him for being traded to the worst team in the league that is a complete train wreck. I guess next we'll trade Olynyk for two seconds as well.

He played very well this season and I hope he gets paid. Maybe this means we'll see Hendricks or the Sensei get some minutes?

That's probably why they're trading him, they don't want to pay him next season.......

Inigo Montoya wrote:We're also getting Kevin Knox and draft rights to Gabriele Procida.

Pistons Acquire Simone Fonteccio From Jazz For 2024 2nd Via Wizards, Kevin Knox
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/274586/Pistons-Acquire-Simone-Fonteccio-From-Jazz-For-2024-2nd-Via-Wizards-Kevin-Knox

I don't think Knox is going to be on the Jazz for long, he can score, but we already have plenty of gunners......

From a value perspective this is actually a good trade and it makes sense.

Some more info:
Knox is 24 and on an expiring 1.8M deal.
Procida is 21 year old, 6-7 SF/SG from Italy. Sounds like a younger Fontecchio. He was the 36th overall pick in 2022.