The Jazz tore down their foundation by trading Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell this summer, and CEO Danny Ainge and general manager Justin Zanik explained why during a press conference today, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Ainge, who was hired last December, said he was “curious and optimistic” when he joined the organization, but he was surprised by the atmosphere he encountered.
“What I saw during the season was a group of players that really didn’t believe in each other,” he said. “Like the whole group, I think they liked each other even more than what was reported. But I’m not sure there was a belief.”
He later explained, “I think individually they have resolve. I just don’t believe that collectively they did. So we saw a lot of players trying to do it on their own, as the belief in one another wasn’t as great as other teams I’ve been on and around.”
Ainge thought it might have been a result of a veteran team going through the motions of the regular season, so he waited for the playoffs to make any decisions. Once Utah got eliminated by Dallas in the first round, he decided to act.
“It was clear to me that the team did not perform well in the playoffs again,” Ainge said. “That was just me coming in from the outside, but that was a little bit of what the view was internally even before, you know, I made those assessments.”
There’s more from today’s press conference:
- Remaining veterans, such as Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Rudy Gay and Malik Beasley, are reportedly on the market as well, with Utah hoping to add to its collection of first-round picks. The team has 17 players with fully guaranteed contracts, so more moves are likely to happen before the start of the regular season. Age will be a consideration as Gay (36), Conley (34) and Bogdanovic (33) don’t fit the team’s rebuilding timeline. “Those conversations continue to evolve, we’ve continued to be in touch with them directly and their representation,” Zanik said. “Obviously there’s been a lot of change this summer, so it’s natural for us to have those conversations.”
- Utah had extensive talks with the Knicks before the Cavaliers emerged as a surprise destination for Mitchell. Zanik said the Jazz were intrigued by the chance to acquire Collin Sexton and believed Cleveland’s offer was the best one available. “I think for them, they saw an opportunity to add to their team and open up a window with Donovan and a young group, I think they are going to be very good,” Zanik said. “And, you know, to get a good return, you have to give up something good as well. They certainly gave up a lot.”
- Ainge said one of the reasons Utah is stockpiling picks is the expected quality of the draft classes in 2023 and 2024. Zanik also suggested the draft assets will be useful if the Jazz want to speed up their rebuilding process. “What those picks represent is not necessarily, oh, you’re going to keep them and just select them,” he said. “It just opens up multiple opportunities and conversations, the flexibility to acquire players, or move them to speed up the process, or to slow it down,” he said. “I look at it as a lot of different cards that you have a chance to play and be involved in these conversations — where if we didn’t have these picks … you’re just not simply part of any of those conversations.”
Danny Ainge loves having a lot of 1st round picks to play with.
Too bad he doesn’t know how to pick once he gets those picks. This is a Boston 2.0. He had all those picks and not much to show for it
Tatum, Brown, Smart, R. Williams, Grant Williams, Pritchard is all he has to show for it.
The only two guys in the rotation last year Ainge didn’t draft, were White and Horford.
Don’t forget Rozier, Avery Bradley and Al Jefferson. No e are with the team anymore but all have had solid NBA careers.
@Yep
So you missed the team he drafted most of the players on made the Finals last season, got it.
They just went to the Finals. Are you trying to incite a wave of derogatory comments towards you or you just, well, you know…
Sounds reasonable.
This group underachieved for a very long time
this group had the most regular season wins over the last 4 years. Sure they struggled mightily in the playoffs over that span but hard to call that level of dominance “underachieving”, especially for a micro market team.
Funny how you compliment the team then insult a multi-million population by calling it a “micro-market”. Utah is middle of the pack when it comes to population. They’re right next to Connecticut in total population.
However, the Utah Jazz market also draws in more regional fans without a team. There’s also a large amount of the worldwide LDS faith membership that could potentially be fans, as long as they have access to NBA League Pass or YouTube highlights. =)
Here’s an article about how popular the team is in their own market:
“Where does the Jazz’s local TV popularity rank in the NBA? Second. Only the Golden State Warriors edged out the Jazz with a 5.96 local TV rating on NBC Sports Bay Area. And third was a distant third: The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard earned a 3.26 rating on their telecasts.”
I grew up in the Jazz market and lived here most of my life. It is a small market team and for the life of me I can’t see how anyone talking about the Jazz market size being an insult.
You mention that the population is right there next to Connecticut? Connecticut doesn’t even have an NBA team and depending on what part of the state you’re in it is considered part of the New York or Boston market.
Thanks for that compelling post.
San Antonio is the seventh largest city by population and is still a very small market. As for the Connecticut comparison, Connecticut is the wealthiest state and as mentioned, either partakes in the NY or Boston markets. The Hartford Whalers hockey team was squeezed out because of that very reason.
There is nothing to do in Salt Lake is why. That rating is going way down this year.
@Wash
The fact that Utah has won so many games is indication that they did, in fact, underachieve. Market size isn’t an issue. The team was good. They just fell short of the ultimate goal.
Utah problem was matching up in playoffs. Yes they can beat teams but in a 7 game series their weakness was exposed. Gobert has to be on a deep team that switches him out when the other team play small ball on them. Only thing bad was Mitchel wasn’t patient enough to wait for a team built around him.
You explain perfectly why I am so down on Minnesota. Minnesota gave up an absolute haul in players and picks for Gobert. Like you said, has to be switched out for “small ball”. You gonna switch out KAT as well? Couldn’t those assets have been better utilized to improve the team? That was a haul for Gobert!
All this hullabaloo over me calling Utah a small market at the end of my post. How naive of me to underestimate the sprawling metropolis that is Salt Lake City. I mean this dude brought up Connecticut…. WHAT!??
Paul George, Ty Lue, Terrence Mann & the Clips broke Utah similar to how Spida & the Jazz broke PGs OKC team a couple yrs ago. After being so dominant in the reg season then losing the way they did, largely just being outschemed & having 1 of their biggest weapons (Rudy) used against them, they were never able to get their swagger back. Similar thing happened to the Millsap/Horford/Teague Hawks that got swept by Bron in the ECF in 2015. Suns & to a lesser extent the Cs, are now on the hot seat to find a way to regroup from tough endings to fairly dominant seasons.
nah my mavs broke them the clips just started the cracks
They were the best team in the league & heavily favored when Lue & LAC beat them (without Kawhi). They were coming off a disappointing season & whispers of the end of the Spida/Rudy era had turned to shouts by the time Kidd & Dal beat them. Brunson puttin 40 on em in gm2 was probably the point of no return for em but the dif bw the Jazz pre LAC series & post LAC series is pretty obv
Yeah that’s why I say the clips starting the breaking. The mavs just sealed the deal
You have repeated the same post three times at this point.
then….the Champs thumped your Mavs.
@Larry Brown’s crank unfortunately yep lol
Sounds like internally they were considering it before this. Ainge had just barely joined the team during the season. What else would he base it on? It wouldn’t have mattered who they played. If the team didn’t believe in themselves then they weren’t beating anybody. The Mavs not having Doncic just added to it. But sure, if it’ll make you feel better that you broke something…lol
Actually, Houston was the first team to expose the Jazz’s weaknesses. That’s why they got rid of Rubio, signed Bojan, and traded for Conley. They needed more outside shooting.
Last season they completely changed their bench. Should’ve been a much better team than they were. They just didn’t have the leadership needed to bring everyone together. That’s really what did them in. Someone to hold everyone accountable. Usually the coach does this. However, Coach Q was too burned out by this point.
The Jazz needed a locker room leader. They just didn’t have enough capspace to go out and get one or didn’t have the assets to trade for one either. Joe Ingles used to be that guy but his confidence wasn’t what it used to be. Then he got injured and subsequently shipped off. Although, it’s likely that the team was beyond coming together after about January. The trade deadline rumors could’ve been part of that.
Overall, I would say lots of things contributed to blowing the team up. Not sure it would’ve happened as quickly without Ainge’s experience.
It was evident. This is how i see the Heat too. It’s just something about they way they all play together that I can’t view them as contenders.
Jazz were so dumb not trading Rudy the first second they could – he literally tried to spread covid on purpose. Kind of hard to say “sorry” after that to your co-workers after that – so many of them hated him forever from that moment on. Also showed a remarkable level of immaturity, that shows through every time he plays in the playoffs. Rudy is a fraud and that situation just highlighted it.
No one knew the severity of it then. Chill out dude
We all know Rudy looks bas for that, but saying he was intentionally trying to get people sick and vilifying him is outrageously stupid.
Jazz look pretty smart holding Rudy when you consider the absolute haul of players and picks that got for him. The Rudy Gobert trade is the epitome of getting maximum value for a player in a trade.
Agreed Very Barry, Washington, jbl. As usual, a horrendous take above coming from Lexington.
Risk getting somebody sick just to get a laugh. Nobody wants to be judged based on their one worst moment, but yeah, that was really stupid.
Every late night talk show the week before had their own running jokes on Covid just as Rudy did – Same demeanor/ same message
Extremely unfortunate timing, yes, stupid, I wouldn’t say so
It goes without saying but Ainge is a really smart GM. I respect that he didn’t immediately tear everything down without another postseason to see himself that the current roster couldn’t work. I expect, as we’ve seen so far, that the Jazz will have an efficient and effective rebuild of maybe only a year or 2.
He mentioned the 2023 and 2024 drafts. That could mean 2 years unless they’re able to do trades as well as draft high. Could be one year, if that’s the case.
Doesn’t matter to me. I just want them to build a long, athletic, balanced, leave your egos at the door, team.
Danny Ainge built the Celtics with draft picks. I got a feeling he going to help the Jazz draft their own Tatum and Brown.
Everyone knows the Jazz were never that good. Yes a top team during season. But no real cojones in the post season. Plus add the fact they were maxed out money wise. Makes sense to break them up. No one wants to play in Utah. Only way they will ever be good is thru the draft.
“When it comes to racially abusive fans, the NBA has a Utah problem”
link to theguardian.com
Hawk Homer should drool over this ……
There’s Knuckleheads everywhere and on both sides. We all see it. I’ve played pickup basketball in most parts of this country and I’ll tell you what, almost all people are good, cool, respectful folks.
It’s when you’re a knucklehead they might give you a problem. When you’re cool, they are cool. That’s hoops, that’s business, that’s school, that’s life.
Utah has been this way long before this. It’s no secret some places have more knuckleheads than others. It’s like NBA money brings out the worst in some.
We’ve been over this. They’ve signed plenty of big name free agents: Carr, Boozer, Bojan, Whiteside, Gay, Giricek, Fontecchio, etc. All of these guys were wanted by multiple teams at the time. Not all of them are very well known anymore, but they had their moments.
I think you meant to say that they don’t draw “superstars”. There’s a big difference. Only a few teams can really say they can do that. No, the Knicks aren’t one of them. Experts love to say that Donovan is a star but not a superstar.
Don’t forget that the Jazz re-signed Donovan, Rudy, Conley, DWill, Kirilenko, Stockton, Malone, Hornacek, etc, etc. If it was so bad then why didn’t all of these guys sign elsewhere the moment they could? Restricted free agency wasn’t a thing until later. The Jazz also didn’t have the best front office always.
Yeah and what they win. You breakup the top winning team in NBA in 2021. That says plenty to me. Especially when your two all stars are 30 yrs old and 25 yrs old.
Danny traded for KG when he was 31. So what does this say about Danny’s talent evaluation ………. Yeah tell me.
Knick fans trying to say Ainge can’t scout talent. This the pot calling the kettle black.
What do Knicks have to with what I say. We balling here. And you are Knick bating.
Danny gave up on two guys who are better than KG was at 31. Some would say. That’s not talent evaluation. That’s giving up for a reason. You understand giving up. Don’t you. It’s like when you try and understand a real basketball take.
” They’ve signed plenty of big name free agents: Carr, Boozer, Bojan, Whiteside, Gay, Giricek, Fontecchio, etc.”
You lost me immediately here. Big names? Are you referring to Antoine Carr, the 33 year old bench piece who averaged 5.8 ppg the year before signing with the Jazz? Washed Hassan Whiteside and Rudy Gay, two more 30+ year old bench pieces who were/are shells of their former selves? Gordon Giricek, who is not only not a big name, but was *traded* to the Jazz? Undrafted, 27 year old rookie Simone Fontecchio?
I’ll give you Boozer and Bojan, but the rest of that group is pretty far away from ‘big names’.
People love to jump on these bandwagon topics, especially with the extreme political correctness everyone is so obsessed with. They also love to judge and condemn people who make mistakes. Pretty sad.
Honestly, as a family that helped to establish the entire region, racism is NOT part of our vocabulary. Sure, there’s an isolationism to being so far from other major cities. Still, as a community that sends missionaries all over the world, it’d be pretty hard to do that while being hateful.
The problem I’ve always seen is a dichotomy to the population. There’s the LDS community and those that want to tear it down. That’ll always be there. Some people just want to see the world burn, as it were.
That could mean taking out their anger on outsiders as well. But that could also put be that outsiders are always trying to come in and change our laws and peaceful communities. Utah is like a different country with a different culture. Why can’t people respect that and not try to change it?
Also, in recent years the population has been at the top in growth. We’re getting a lot of immigrants from California, Texas, and the surrounding region. Housing has dramatically gone up because of it. They can’t build housing/highrises fast enough.
One of the problems has been a sharp increase in racial incidents. It’s like these people think we’re like the perceived/historical South in our extreme views and think it’s accepted here to be hateful. No, that’s not acceptable here. You saw how fast the Millers banned the fan(s) and publicly criticized that behavior. I imagine those who feel like me that live in the South have the same problem.
Honestly, it feels more like isolated incidents that get widespread attention because it’s surprising coming from Utah. The community tends to like keeping out of the spotlight because we are a bit isolationist, ironically. That’s also why you get people like me who really don’t like this unfair representation of our beloved home.
Guess we should be more open to sharing our other qualities. The problem to overcome is the prejudice outsiders always seem to have about “Utah”.
Plus, what would motivate them to cure their ignorance for a place that’s so beneath them on their minds. Trust me, we feel it. There’s a constant belittling and snobbery coming from outside Utah.
I imagine those emotions come out in various ways back at anyone coming in here trying to tear it down. Some people take sports way too seriously. Some obviously don’t know how to heckle in an appropriate way. That doesn’t mean there’s a widespread problem. It does mean that we need to be more proactive about shutting that evil down before it becomes a widespread problem. There’s definitely no need for it. We have enough prejudice from the outside to turn have more piled on top of that.
Thank you for reading. =)
Well, except there’s incidents like the black Duke women’s volleyball player getting called the N word, and BTU being unable to find any evidence that it happened.
IMO, there’s no reason for that woman to have said it was happening if it wasn’t.
There’s absolutely no evidence that racial slurs were yelled at this player.
Lol. So says the University whose management and staff is 99% white.
You new to society in 2022? No reason at all to do that? Lol. Fame, money, attention are plenty good reasons to be phony. The authorities, the university and her teammates all said there’s no evidence of it.
Not true. Her teammates issued a statement supporting her.
The SLC Tribune has published multiple articles about the racism black students at BTU face.
Well, you have Johnny Utah from Point Break. That’s a positive.
Top three movies in the history of the universe.
#1. Fletch.
#2. Heat.
#3. Point Break.
Good post Ben, but to be fair to Al you kinda made the same insinuations about the Knicks just last week
Not racial, but you made a trip on the bandwagon topic Knicks fans are disgruntled over losing DM train pretty hard yourself
* My take on Utah vs rest of the world as my best friend lives there ….yes there’s a stigmatism, no doubt, but Id take that with an affordable housing market and rapidly increasing need for quality workers over CA today ! You’ll be seeing a LOT more Cal-e-forn-yans here shortly I assure you that as prices out here have boomed, there is no affordable housing market, and companies are leaving due to taxes taking away jobs
If you think players don’t know where that is. And where they want to play. Then you don’t live in reality. I’m not the Hawk Homer. I’m speaking the truth as I see it.
“So we saw a lot of players trying to do it on their own…”
AMEN!
Wherever you see a team with a bunch of “hero ball” players then that’s exactly what Ainge is describing. Starts with your stars. No choice but to rebuild. Retooling doesn’t fully get rid of the infestation from that mindset.
To be fair, that a tab hypocritical of him to say, when his Celtics practically built their system on “hero, /ISO” ball. Tatum and Brown are amongst the leaders in that category. Also messed up by him to kind of pin Spida that way because he completely carried that Jazz team in the playoffs on great scoring and shooting percentages.
He did the move that several teams should have done when they plateau versus waiting until the wheels fall off (Blazers).
And he’s right that Bojan, Conley, and Clarkson are all worth a 1st in a deal for no true asset.
He’ll get the picks. The only one with a meh value is Rudy Gay. Beasley, I wouldn’t give more than 2 2nds tho.f
Utah did the right thing in trading him and Donovan. The only mistake they made was waiting another year to do it. It was all over in the playoffs the season before.
Hard to say without someone like Ainge, an outsider brought in partway into the season. Perhaps Ryan Smith knew it a year ago and was trying to get Ainge here last Summer, but he wasn’t ready yet. I do remember the rumors that they were discussing the job. Shane Battier was another name they discussed. Looks like it’s working out for the best.
They got a haul for Gobert, that deal wasn’t on the table last year, if it was, Gobert would have been gone.
Yeah I’m sure that’s it. Danny just say it in his own words lol.
So sounds like bad culture in Utah… they had nice pieces losing to Dallas was bad for them. Oh well Donovan Mitchell is a ball hog everybody knows that.
You mean you want to take the ball out the hands of the player with the 7th highest playoff scoring average All- Time? The one who dropped 50 multiple times in a single series? How about get a better coach that can put a solid defensive scheme together. Spida shoots it but the Jazz had one of the best offenses with him on the team.
Did the Jazz win that series with the 3 fifty pt games? How did Spida do in game 7?
Oh yeah, 22 pts on 41%/25% shooting 9 reb with 1 ast and 9 TOs
Utah is going to miss Gobert when they realize he’s gone.
They will forget about Mitchell soon enough. Out of site. Out of mind style.
Where is Danny going to get a front court from will be one of the hot topics of the season.
Draft picks do not play defense. Nor rebound. Nor shoot very well.
Will be said a lot.
Ping Pong knows nothing.