2019-20 season - Been waiting two decades for this one!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2020/...-20-lakers/29/

If the Jazz doesn’t believe that it can, perhaps they let Gobert walk in free agency after next season or try to trade him as an expiring deal in hopes of landing some sort of asset before he walks for nothing.

tanking!

[Xiao Yao You]

The Bulls plan to interview Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas and Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik, sources told NBC Sports Chicago.
– via K.C. Johnson @ NBC Sports

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/nba-offseaso...all-operations

Justin Zanik’s first season as General Manager was seen as gutsy, risk taking, and aggressive. He moved on from crowd favorite Ricky Rubio and the last remaining member of the Core 4-era Derrick Favors. He traded Jae Crowder, Grayson Allen, and a future 1st round pick to Memphis for Mike Conley. He successfully closed the biggest offseason signing since Carlos Boozer with the acquisition of Bojan Bogdanovic. He also flipped Dante Exum for Jordan Clarkson. Some of those gambles paid big dividends like Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic. Others like the loss of Derrick Favors and the pairing of Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell did not. Justin Zanik was with Utah as an assistant GM when they targeted some lanky Frenchman who ran like a baby giraffe in a weak draft. 7 years and two Defensive Player of the Year trophies later, Rudy Gobert has made the Jazz front office look amazing for that pick.

Don't think it's that cut and dry. They are a much better offensive team because of the moves they made. Favors, Rubio and Exum had to go.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2020/...-conference/6/

The Jazz is solid and has built a nice culture in Salt Lake City. Donovan Mitchell has really taken over as the team’s best player and done a nice job in his role. Bojan Bogdanovic has been a really good pickup and is averaging 20 points per game in his first season with the team. With this being said, he doesn’t provide anything else but scoring.

Right on Bojan anyway

Rudy Gobert is a two-time defensive player of the year and excels at what he does. In today’s NBA, he comes obsolete against small-ball lineups. The Clippers and Rockets run small-ball lineups, two teams they can potentially match up against in the playoffs. That is the same reason Clint Capela was let go in Houston.

[Xiao Yao You]

The coincidence in the Bulls’ search for a new head of basketball operations isn’t as much that Zanik interviewed Monday and is considered a finalist for the job. It’s that Josh Paxson and Kevin O’Connor enjoy a respectful professional relationship, and the family ownership structures and philosophies of the Jazz and Bulls are similar. The Reinsdorfs, like the leaguewide perception of Jazz ownership, are known for running the business side and letting basketball operations do their jobs.
– via K.C. Johnson @ NBC Sports

[Xiao Yao You]

The Bulls also interviewed Utah Jazz executive Justin Zanik, who has Chicago ties, but the Jazz organization seem intent on keeping him.
– via Vincent Goodwill @ Yahoo! Sports

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/...nder-look-like

If the NBA playoffs start based on the conference positioning when the league shut down in mid-March, the Utah Jazz will be facing the Oklahoma City Thunder. So, let’s keep rolling with that hypothetical scenario and take a look at what a series might entail.

You have no idea really. Could be only 4 teams make the playoffs. Who knows at this point

First and foremost that is going to be something the Jazz are just going to have to contend with by making Mitchell more of a playmaker and utilizing Gobert to create space through screens. Also, it goes without saying that no matter the situation in any playoff matchup that Mitchell and Gobert will have to be dominant at their respective positions in order for the Jazz to succeed.

I wouldn't say that. Adams is one of Rudy's toughest matchups and Mitchell will be going against some of the Thnder's best players as well. Other people can and might need to step up offensively. Rather they can stop anyone at the other end is the question

But, the Jazz have the personnel and the speed to capitalize in the open court and in a playoff series against the Thunder they’re going to have to.

less of a factor in a playoff series

As stated, this series would be one chock full of scoring power and it’s very possible that the better offense in this series will win out.

be more about who's better defensively

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/nba-offseaso...every-jazz-era

This economic outlook could be why Justin Zanik was so quick to click the link to the Zoom Meeting with the Chicago Bulls. The Utah Jazz have a projected cap figure of $118M in 2020-2021 with only 11 players, 8 of which are guaranteed. Next year’s luxury tax is currently set at $132M. But once the dust settles on the economic fallout from this whole shutdown, that could fall MUCH further down. Imagine if the Utah Jazz are above the luxury tax before they get to the NBA Draft or enter Free Agency.

and everyone thinks they should pay big money to keep Clarkson? Need a starting 4 more than anything else

The Utah Jazz’s win now bill is about to come due much sooner than previously anticipated. Justin Zanik might be interested in Chicago because Chicago has a wider array of young prospects, a 32% chance of drafting Top 4, and doesn’t have an aging roster with an expiration date that just got moved up. He has the ability to build there in the near present while in Utah he could soon be asked to completely tear it down.

Only in Utah can you be in win now mode with 6 rookies

Justin Zanik’s GM position could very well stay vacant for the next couple years as the Utah Jazz look to conserve costs. With the revenue trouble that awaits the Utah Jazz, there’s a very real scenario that we see Utah go into fire sale mode to cut the biggest costs from their business: their player payroll. Utah’s contention window may have slammed shut that night in Oklahoma City.

they have at least a couple other former GM's on the staff already and Lindsey is still calling the shots anyway

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/07/uta...se-date-price/

godawful

[Xiao Yao You]

Beginning Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m. ET, Paul, Young, Catchings, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, three-time WNBA All-Star Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky, Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr. and NBA Finals MVPs Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce will match shots against one another in a single-elimination HORSE competition from their respective, isolated home courts. ESPN NBA commentator Mark Jones will serve as the official host. – via Ben Cafardo @ ESPN Press Room

[Xiao Yao You]

“We weren’t the chief health office that night; the state and OSDH was,” Holt said. “We were trying to figure out what to do with the 21c hotel, which is where Rudy Gobert was sitting, in his room … people were coming to the lobby asking, ‘Is Rudy Gobert at this hotel?’ “I’ve got calls rolling in from the NBA, from Sam Presti. They were trying to figure out a variety of issues, including where would the Jazz sleep tonight if they couldn’t get out? Because they needed about 50 rooms, and they had checked out already … And also finding a hotel who could take in people that might have COVID-19.”
– via David Aldridge @ The Athletic

That took a while. “The governor (Kevin Stitt) was calling me, because the governor of Utah was calling him,” Holt said. “And (Oklahoma Senator) Jim Inhofe’s office was calling me; (Utah Senator) Mitt Romney’s office was calling them.”
– via David Aldridge @ The Athletic

[Xiao Yao You]

They had about four minutes. The phone call, from an official with the Oklahoma State Department of Health to a member of the Utah Jazz, was unambiguous: Rudy Gobert, the Jazz’s All-Star center, had tested positive for the coronavirus, the rapidly-spreading precursor to the condition known as COVID-19. An extremely contagious virus for which there is no vaccine, COVID-19 had already killed thousands of people in China, and was quickly working its way through Italy, where it would kill thousands more. Yet on March 11, the United States was, relatively speaking, still open for business.
– via David Aldridge @ The Athletic

As player introductions for the home team concluded, an official of the Jazz called an official of the Thunder. The two had been in regular contact for the last 24 hours, since Gobert had started showing signs of fever that weren’t dissipating. Now, there was no doubt. Even though Gobert had been kept out of Chesapeake as a precaution that night, and was still at the team’s hotel in town, he’d obviously been in close contact with several of his Jazz teammates – who were now taking the floor, along with the Thunder. There was no more time.
– via David Aldridge @ The Athletic

Fortunately, an OKC official was close enough to Donnie Strack, the Thunder’s Vice President of Human and Player Performance, to get his attention. Get the refs, Strack was told. Tell them to stop the tipoff. As Strack ran onto the court, Rob Hennigan, OKC’s VP of Insight and Foresight, started corralling the Thunder’s players and coaches. He then joined the huddle near midcourt with Strack and the referees – crew chief Pat Fraher, Mark Lindsay and Ben Taylor. The officials soon called over the respective head coaches, Quin Snyder and Billy Donovan. Seconds later, they contacted the NBA, through its Digital Operations Center, where the league monitors every game played. Usually, the biggest issue on a given night at the DOC is to help referees determine whether or not to instant replay. This was different.

– via David Aldridge @ The Athletic

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/uta...kes-dark-turn/

Even though I disagree with it, Mitchell is younger and plays a more important position in today’s NBA. Those are major factors in this. The odds of the Jazz trading Mitchell are very, very low.

the odds of the Jazz being very bad is really high

[Xiao Yao You]

Defensively, Turner would anchor a solid defense. Admittedly he’s not as good as Rudy Gobert at protecting the paint, but definitely above average and still capable of shutting down playoff teams.

The defense is barely solid now with Rudy

Last week I proposed the idea of pairing Rudy Gobert with Devin Booker, only this time it happens in Phoenix. The Jazz would get to keep Mitchell and pair him with Deandre Ayton, the former number one overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft.

Yeah Rudy and Rubio make so much sense together

I love this fit the most out of any of these players, because Collins can space the floor well for a big, and also run the pick and roll quite well. Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce went as far as to say that Collins and Trae Young are “the best pick and roll duo in the league”.

so long D

Maybe what Donovan Mitchell needs is a big that can shoot as well as attack the rim on the pick and roll. The Jazz defense would take a hard hit but the offense would be darn near unstoppable.

the offense is unstoppable now

The Jazz could acquire Collins, De’Andre Hunter, and Clint Capela in exchange for Gobert. It would take a little wheeling and dealing on Utah’s part to find Capela a new home, because he is just too good to play backup center to a 22 year old.

Capela and Collins starting together?

The Young/Gobert duo would be able to challenge Trae’s rival since the day he was drafted, that being Luka Doncic and his partner Kristaps Porzingis. Meanwhile the Jazz would be able to punt towards 2025, right about when Mitchell and Collins are in the peak of their careers.

You're definitely punting giving up the one guy that has made you not suck

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/uta...orgive-rudy/2/

The Warriors with Rudy Gobert and the Splash Brothers would be unstoppable, and maybe the Jazz would have an interest in their high draft pick this upcoming draft packaged with Paschall.

They have some young talent and the high pick but what crappy contracts do they have to take to equal salary? Wiggins?

The Hornets this season had the sixth worst defensive rating, and Devonte’ Graham didn’t do much to help that. Beyond his age (25), outside shooting, and previous experience being Mitchell’s teammate, there’s not much of a case for the Jazz to chase Graham.

Jazz won't be playing much D without Rudy anyway despite Snyder's supposed prowess in that area

It’s crazy to think that back on October, the Pistons were deciding on their final roster spot to be between Joe Johnson and Christian Wood. I was rooting for Iso Joe to make a comeback to the NBA after lighting up the Big 3 league in the summer, but the basketball gods had different plans.

Crazier to think that anyone in the league could have had the guy recently

Him and Mitchell would make a good defensive backcourt, and so long as the Jazz surround those two with plenty of shooters on the perimeter, they would be a problem to contain for a long time.

Neither is known for D. He has nice size to pair with Mitchell

The problem would be convincing Sam Presti and the Thunder to take on Rudy Gobert. They already have Steven Adams in place, whose made quite the mark in his time in Oklahoma City. The team is poised for a long term rebuild with their stash of future picks.

Adams would be a good get if Rudy goes

Like I said earlier, the Thunder would have to be crazy in order to do all of that right now. Now is a bad time for a team to try to jump into win-now mode, as the stacked Western Conference is set to get stronger next year.

It's why you save up picks. They'd certainly be a team to look at with their talent and picks