In the wake of Friday’s season-ending loss to the Clippers, Jazz executive VP of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey promises to be “brutally honest” about the steps the team needs to take to reach the next level, tweets Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Speaking today at a media session, Lindsey said the organization has the ability to be “honest with ourselves” and will examine why it did and didn’t have opportunities to make a longer playoff run.
Utah posted the league’s best regular season record at 52-20 and coasted past Memphis in five games in the first round. The Jazz beat L.A. in the first two games of the conference semifinals, but then dropped four straight.
“The blueprint of trying to go from good to great is hard and complicated, but that’s what we strive for,” general manager Justin Zanik told reporters. “… You have to have some good fortune, too. For the large part of six to seven months, we were healthy. It caught up to us.” (Twitter link)
There’s more on the Jazz:
- Lindsey said the organization appreciates Mike Conley‘s return to the court Friday after missing the first five games of the series with a strained right hamstring (Twitter link). He added that the team never puts pressure on anyone to try to play through injuries. Conley estimated he was about 50-60% for Friday’s game and said he had difficulty moving (Twitter link). He will be a free agent this summer and expressed an interest in returning to Utah, according to John Coon of The Associated Press.“(This is) actually my first time being a real free agent, so it will be interesting,” Conley said. “But I did love it here. We’ll see what happens.”
- Entering the final year of his contract, Joe Ingles could be a trade chip for the Jazz to improve their perimeter defense, Coon adds. Ingles, who is preparing to represent Australia in the Olympics, doesn’t believe the team has to make major changes. “I don’t think we need to blow the whole roster up and start from scratch,” he said. “But maybe a few key pieces.” (Twitter link)
- Forward Georges Niang will also be a free agent this summer, and like Conley, he said he would like to remain with the Jazz. (Twitter link). “My heart is in Utah, they helped me be a man,” he said. “I’ll be a free agent for the first time, so we’ll see what happens.”
Until Mitchell reaggrevated his ankle, the Jazz were in the driver’s seat. They also really missed Conley’s presence on the floor.
The Clippers actually seem to play better when Leonard and George are not on the court together.
Yes, Kawhi anyway. Like the Nets, the Clips had reserves ready for playoff ball.
The Nets reserves didn’t help them much against the Bucks tonight.
The way this season has gone, the team that can stay healthy will win it all.
If Kawhi can come back, then the Clippers have a legitimate shot.
I think they should get DeRozan if he opts out. Utah already has a good nucleus. Derozan is another bucket and I think they let Conley go, in order for this to happen .
Conley misse a crucial game 4 or 5 and missed a crucial game 1 last year. But I doubt he gets super offers at his age, so Utah could retain him at maybe 2/$30. It’s up to the owners, as the Jazz are up against the luxury tax and also would like to keep Niang. No room for Derozan probably.
Jazz don’t have tax room. Conley would cost them $40 million tax
Or They’ll have to dump Ingle salary
I don’t think it will take that much $. Depends on the “bidding”. As usual, I would advise Monte Moris & save money, but he would be costly as well where they’re at.
Lindsey is all, “we will be tough”, bC there has to be cutting. Owners are not rich.
Conley is turning into Clippers’s CP3! Injured when needed the most. He’ll be 34 in October, let him walk. Any kid coming out of college can fill in for Niang. Jazz should trade Gobert for Hield and Holmes
You mean Conley is turning into Utah’s Chris Paul, always unreliable.
CP3 always let the Clippers down because they never reached the WCF.
That’s Hilarious, since that’s who Rockets traded for. Have fun watching Chris in NBA Finals. Maybe you can ask HardenWestbrookMVPs to join you.
That is HardenWestbrookMVPs, lol.
Depending on what happens with Conley, they need to still add another piece that can help defend the guard spot (dropping Shaq Harrison was a mistake b/c they didnt have anyone to do that once Conley got hurt), probably another piece at the 4, and another wing piece. They could also use some help scoring easier baskets in half court situations. Maybe that means using someone like Favors for more post possessions, or adding another piece somewhere that can take pressure off Mitchell
I also wouldn’t trade Ingles unless it was for something significant
Maybe ask why the GM released Jeff Green and Shaq Harrison. Green was often a disappointment and easily annoyed but now just looks mature and knowing.
Damn Holiday is such ballhog! He had a chance to kill the game in last 20 seconds. His 160 millions extension will haunt them and that dummy Brock Lopez didn’t even shoot it and turned it over. Greek Freak getting outrebounded by Bruce Brown!
All that and yet they won.
And they’ll probably cruise to the finals, too. Can’t see whoever wins Hawks/76ers giving them a tough series, but I could be wrong.
Funny if it’s the Hawks/Suns. Likely!
Jrue sucks, I can’t believe fans like him sooo much, guy is just awful!
K-Mid as always just disappeared when the going gets tough, really embarrassing stuff!
Thank goodness MIL has Giannis, he got them tot he ECF all by his lonely self the whole playoffs!
Now Giannis you must start making the FT’s otherwise there is no way forward, don’t care ’bout the treys, just get the FT’s in & MIL might win it all despite Jrue & K-Mid!!!
BRK fans made the GA FTs dramatic, otherwise, I would like to see refs whistle him and take the ball away!
Jrue did not even have a difficult guarding task as an excuse.
I wonder if anyone in the huddle stressed that there were only a few seconds left on the Lopez non-shot. He could have ended it there even with a miss!— ball caroms around & it’s over.
Jrue does not suck. Even on a poor shooting night he still competed and contributed with rebounding, distribution and fighting through adversity.
Jrue basically got the Bucks into OT in the fourth quarter on both ends of the court, so his haters can kindly silence themselves.
Anyone who doesn’t know that Holiday is incredible doesn’t know basketball.
Incredible? He is very credible. But this is not the RS. The Bucks mortgaged their future for him. The stakes are much higher now. How long will his honeymoon last?
He has made 68 of 151 FGs in this year’s playoffs; this last game, 5 for 23. For 3s, 15 for 61, 24%; and 3 of the last 20.
Holiday did pretty well in the Miami sweep; but is 36% on 2s and 26% on 3s against the Nets.
Now he will be against Trae Young. Great matchup; time to prove his acquisition cost. The focus among observers so far has been Giannis.
They’ll never get any further with Gobert playing heavy mins
Can the jazz trade Gobert??? Perhaps Rudy for Valencunas & Winslow.
Gobert for Valencunas and Winslow? Absolutely not!
Yes. Be stuck with a max contract where the player that is on that contract has yet to expand his game.