It’s time to test in with the Utah Jazz to see how their tanking undertaking goes.
Not good, thanks. They’re in yr three of the Nice Tank and have solely the second-worst file within the Western Convention and the fifth-worst in the whole league.
Sorry, it is not adequate, which implies it is not dangerous sufficient.
For those who do one thing flawed, do it proper.
If the Jazz wish to do that factor — and it is too late to show again now — then do all the things potential to win the prize. And the prize is: Duke freshman sensation Cooper Flagg.
He may very well be simply the piece the Jazz want to hitch the NBA’s elite groups. The Jazz, in fact, would put themselves in a greater place to recruit Flagg by ending final among the many NBA’s 30 groups.
They’re at present three video games out of final place. They’re in a race to the underside with the Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards.
Utah Jazz efficiency this season
After a pleasant six-game shedding streak to start out the season, the Jazz got here up brief and received three of their subsequent six video games.
What was it that?!
In December, the Jazz had their first two-game profitable streak of the season.
They did it once more to start out the brand new yr.
Are they concerned on this matter or not?
Sunday evening they’d a very good alternative to lose and blew it by beating Brooklyn by one level. time beyond regulation to say their first residence victory since November.
Possibly it is time for an additional checklist dump.
Look, the Jazz began this factor, so they need to end it. There is no such thing as a must faux.
It is not like they hid their intentions.
The Jazz tanked for 3 seasons after selecting to observe the mannequin famously and unapologetically established by the 76ers, who fought their technique to turning into championship contenders (however in the end didn’t win a championship, which is price noting).
In 2022, the yr after the Jazz posted the very best file within the league, they traded removed from their 5 greatest gamers for 11 first-round picks. The Jazz misplaced 45 video games.
Final season, the Jazz have been contending for a playoff spot, hitting .500 with lower than a 3rd of the season remaining and having received 12 of 14 video games throughout one stretch. This was not a part of the plan.
They traded three extra gamers so as to add two extra first-round picks to their assortment and received 31 video games.
Whereas primarily based in New Orleans, the Jazz knew how you can lose with out making an attempt. These have been the instances. That they had the worst file within the league in 1974-75 and 1978-79.
Then they by no means received greater than 28 video games of their first three seasons in Salt Lake Metropolis, however they by no means managed to complete with the worst file within the league even once they tried.
The Jazz are additionally one in all six groups which have by no means owned the primary decide within the draft. Properly, that is not solely true. They owned this decide twice in New Orleans as a result of their won-lost file, however traded them away.
They traded the 1975 No. 1 total decide to the Atlanta Hawks in change for Pete Maravich. The Hawks used the decide to pick out David Thompson.
The Jazz traded the 1979 No. 1 total decide to the Los Angeles Lakers for Gail Goodrich. The Lakers used this decide to pick out Magic Johnson. Oops.
Forty-five years later, the Jazz haven’t had a No. 1 decide. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Wizards each had six No. 1 picks, the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings had 5 every, the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, 76ers and Portland Path Blazers had some. 4 every.
Jazz: nothing.
Even the Boston Celtics and Lakers – who’ve received 35 NBA championships between them – have had a mixed complete of three No. 1 draft picks.
The Jazz are on tempo to win about 24 video games this season, which might be one of many worst performances in franchise historical past, nevertheless it in all probability will not be good/dangerous sufficient to complete final.
Jazz has managed a gradual and methodical decline. Their victory totals the final 4 seasons, beginning with 2020-21: 52, 49, 37, 31. Go, go, go…
For all their self-inflicted ache, the very best draft picks the Jazz have been in a position to get hold of since tanking started are ninth in 2023 and tenth in 2024.
They’ve six gamers from the 2023 and 2024 drafts, however they nonetheless have not discovered the centerpiece round which to construct a workforce. Their greatest participant is Lauri Markkanenwhich they obtained by an change.
Tanking: what do they actually get out of it?
Who knew tanking and shedding was such laborious work.
