2023 off-season

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/nba-draft/20...-room-cleanout

It’s nice to see a Jazz team that’s aware of their weaknesses and wants to improve on them. That type of self awareness was absent with the former head coach and Dennis Lindsey that is now a part of what the Jazz do. The question is, how do the Jazz improve on that. Will it be through the draft, free agency, or by trade? We’ll find out soon.

let's not put it all on the Wizard. What did Zanik do? The head coach refused to make adjustments. The superstar refused to play D or pass the ball...

Olynyk was an integral part of the Jazz’s season with his locker room presence and his unselfish style of play. Olynyk plays with infectious intensity and moves the ball on offense which contributed to one of the best offenses in the league at times this season. Bringing him on to the team is a no-brainer.

picking up his option is a no brainer because he has value. Having him on the roster might not be a no brainer when you have money and picks

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2023/04/11/nba...gradey-dick/2/

Unless the Jazz plan on starting Kris Dunn at point guard next season, they probably need to invest in some new talent at the position. With Hood-Schifino sitting here at 15, it’s a no-brainer. As a player, he provides great size and defense with a great mid-range shot.

Sexton?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/500457/utah-ja...factor-grades/

Instead, they ended up with one of the league’s top rookies in Walker Kessler, another promising role player in Ochai Agbaji, and a potential rotation piece in Simone Fontecchio.

doubt Simone will be with the team past the trade deadline next year

They have found a legitimate first-option scorer to replace Donovan Mitchell and one who at seven-feet tall might only be scratching the surface of his potential. He’s also under contract for the next two seasons at an incredibly low number and seems like a cultural fit in Utah.

also plays some D unlike Mitchell

[Xiao Yao You]

Clemente Almanza: Jalen Williams was named a finalist for Rookie of the Year. Others include: Paolo Banchero Walker Kessler
– via Twitter CAlmanza1007




Mike McGraw: Most Improved finalists are interesting: ex-Bulls Lauri Markkanen, Stevenson HS grad Jalen Brunson, and OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Should be Markkanen, but we’ll see
– via Twitter McGrawDHSports

[Xiao Yao You]

Bobby Marks: Plenty of rooting interest in Orlando and Utah tonight. A loss by Chicago and Minnesota, likely gives (it will for Utah) each team a second lottery pick. A win by OKC or Chicago, pushes the draft order back starting at no. 15.
– via Twitter BobbyMarks42

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2023/4/14/23...e-justin-zanik

Danny Ainge was asked about watching playoff basketball, and he essentially said that the only NBA basketball he truly watches to evaluate a team is playoff basketball. His goal is for the Jazz to be competitive in the playoffs. “It’s hard to hide weaknesses in the playoffs, and weaknesses are exposed in the playoffs.” I think that was a bit of a shot to the previous rendition of the Utah roster that was outrageously successful in the regular season, but experienced playoff failures multiple seasons in a row.

and yet they were ready to bring COTM back despite not making an adjustment in 3 straight playoffs

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2023/4/14/23...a-timberwolves

16. 28 and at least 9th

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2023/04/15/ran...23-playoffs/6/

He’ll have a tough matchup with Jokic this upcoming series against Denver though. With Jokic’s ability to stretch the floor and make plays for his teammates, a limited paint defender like Gobert could find himself getting exposed in the first round.

nice to have someone running a Jazz site that isn't even familiar with Gobert

[Xiao Yao You]

League sources tell The Stein Line that the Mavericks, fresh off plummeting from the Western Conference finals into the lottery, are in advanced discussions to hire former Utah Jazz lead decision-maker Dennis Lindsey to join the organization as a special assistant to general manager Nico Harrison.

– via Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com

The Wizard!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2023/04/18/uta...im-free-agent/

Good player but they need more length on the wing I'd think than him and Agbaji especially if Sexton is your pg

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2023/04/19/new...ng-2023-draft/

He projects to be a great fit with Utah. With Kelly Olynyk entering the offseason on a non-guaranteed contract, there’s no promises we see him back with the team. This would open up the perfect role for Walker to instantly click with the Jazz in year one.

partial guarantee. Lauri should be their 4. They talk about getting better defensively and they play on playing 3 bigs still?

One thing the Jazz should be avoiding is selecting two players that play the same position in the same class. Especially when you consider the talent Utah currently has in the frontcourt, all this pick does is create a logjam at the position.

mock drafts generally just slot the guys in wherever they're ranked not based on teams needs

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/500645/jazz-ca...able-in-draft/

Jordan Clarkson and Talen Horton-Tucker also had impressive stretches during the season, but both could leave the Jazz this summer in free agency.

we can hope

Beyond the aforementioned three players atop the draft, the Thompson twins (Amen and Ausar), Cam Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Anthony Black, Gradey Dick, Cason Wallace, Taylor Hendricks, Nick Smith Jr., Keyonte George, and Jordan Hawkins generally make up the top 14 picks of the lottery in some order.

so I could see Ainge trying to move to get two picks inside the top 14

The Jazz do have one of the deeper backcourts in the NBA in Clarkson, Sexton, Horton-Tucker, and Dunn next season, but none of the four players is a proven star, and their futures with the team are murky.

Clarkson sucks. Horton-Tucker might be out of the league if he doesn't develop a more consistent shot and Dunn has been out of the league. Sexton has never been healthy. Deep?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2023/04/19/3-s...t-trade-talks/

1. The Utah Jazz should make a move for Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam.

How does he make sense? Jazz talk about getting better on D. Playing Lauri at the 3 doesn't seem like the way to do that

2. The Utah Jazz should deal for Bulls’ guard Zach LaVine if made available.

God no!

3. The Utah Jazz should be calling the Celtics about a trade for Jaylen Brown.

I'm sure he's one Ainge would like if he he could get him

[Xiao Yao You]

Look: Magic’s Markelle Fultz Ideal Jazz Offseason Trade Target (msn.com)

better than Sexton or even Dunn?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2023/4/21/23...nown-with-jazz

But, with that said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jazz want to take a chance on a different player next season with one of their two-way spots.

I'd think if the Jazz really liked him they would have tried signing him to a multi year NBA deal

I don’t want to pretend that we know that much about Potter’s NBA game from seven garbage-time appearances. Like I said at the top, this was a strange season that required so much time dedicated to the 15-man roster that it left very little time for the two-way players. If the Jazz wanted to give Potter another two-way deal, it wouldn’t be surprising to me. But I would also understand, as with Juzang, if the Jazz wanted to get a deeper look at someone else.

probably look at them in Summer league. With 3 firsts their 2 way spots are the last thing they are thinking about. Don't have a 2nd rounder which improves their chances of being back