WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:04.080 He's deprived of Norwich, Connecticut and an adopted son of 2 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:07.360 Salt Lake City. After forty years with the Utah Jazz, 3 00:00:07.719 --> 00:00:11.320 there's no one better to talk some hoops. Richard Smitty 4 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:15.199 Smith is back on the drive on ESPN seven hundred. 5 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:19.000 Richard Smitty Smith, Thank goodness that you know how to 6 00:00:19.079 --> 00:00:22.039 actually do real work instead of pretending like this is 7 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:23.920 actual swinging the pick in the salt mine. 8 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:26.160 How are you feeling today? You just, you know, you 9 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.719 just said that. It just made me think of what 10 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:32.799 about Bob? You know you remember what about Bob? Yeah? Sure, yeah, 11 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:35.640 you remember the scene when when Richard Dreyfus is going 12 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:39.280 you think he's gone, He's never gone and he opens. 13 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:41.920 The door and Maurice, that is such a good movie. 14 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:44.840 I'm glad you brought that up. I have a flight tonight. 15 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:48.079 I might watch What About Bob on my flight tonight. Now, 16 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:49.799 I just want to talk about the best Bill Murray 17 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:51.439 movies of all time, but we will not do that. 18 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:54.920 How are you feeling today? Feeling good? Yeah? We're doing good. Ben. Hey, 19 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:58.119 this is this time of year, whatever it is. I 20 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:01.560 guess my body, my brain was ever is uh is 21 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:05.959 in a certain flow and a certain certain mindset because 22 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:08.599 for years and years and years we would this is 23 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:10.439 the week that we would be in the office at 24 00:01:10.439 --> 00:01:14.439 seven am and leave at midnight every day. And and 25 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:16.719 I think I mentioned and a couple of weeks ago, 26 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:20.400 I was sitting at home, uh recently and reading in 27 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:23.480 the early evenings, and man, it's bright out. The sun's out. 28 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:26.959 And then I realized, oh, yeah, it's late spring, early summer. 29 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:29.879 And I usually never saw the sun because we're always 30 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:33.879 hiding in the theater at the Jazz practice facility, watching 31 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:36.519 film twelve hours a day. Yeah, you know, leading up 32 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:39.920 to the draft. So but this is this this time 33 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:42.280 of year, you just kind of get energized for all 34 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:45.040 the stuff that's going on and all the the decisions 35 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:47.439 that have made, some of them that are calculated, and 36 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:49.879 some of them are on the fly. And that's what 37 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:51.280 makes an exciting time. 38 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:53.519 So we'll start with the jazz and then we'll pan back. 39 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:57.040 Although now in my mind, I'm all I'm thinking about 40 00:01:57.239 --> 00:01:59.239 is the dinner scene from What About Bob when Bill 41 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:02.280 Murray asked for a salt substitute see salt? Is there 42 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:05.519 a salt substitute? And he just won't stop making noise. 43 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:08.479 How good the chicken is? Oh so good, Man, so good, 44 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:10.960 But we will move on. I'm just a big Bill 45 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:13.599 Murray guy, all right, So Subitty. One of the things 46 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:16.360 I like about having you in studio is you have 47 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:20.000 this front office perspective and you can help us understand 48 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:23.120 whether or not it means anything that everybody seems to 49 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:25.280 be applauding what the Jazz did last night. Now, Ace 50 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:28.639 Bailey is eighteen years old, and so he has a 51 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:31.000 marathon between now and whatever it looks like when he 52 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:31.719 is fully baked. 53 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:33.759 But let's start with Ace and then. 54 00:02:33.639 --> 00:02:35.439 We'll get to Walter Clayton Junior, and then we'll do 55 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:38.039 maybe what's next for the Jazz. We talked about it 56 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:40.280 last night, but for our listeners who may have missed it, 57 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:43.520 you know, at one point during this calendar year, and 58 00:02:43.560 --> 00:02:45.520 I looked this up prior to the draft, Ace was 59 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:47.680 thought to be maybe the second best player on the board. 60 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:51.800 Now his teammate Dylan Harper separated himself. So Cooper goes one, 61 00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:55.120 Dylan goes two, then VJ at three to Philly, and 62 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.080 then Conkinipleford to Charlotte, and Ace Bailey is there at 63 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:00.800 five for the Jazz to select. And all of the 64 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:04.360 reports Smitty are literally all of them. If you go 65 00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:07.080 and read anything from The Athletic or ESPN, if you 66 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:09.520 go listen to any of these post draft pods, they're 67 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:10.520 all saying the same thing. 68 00:03:10.919 --> 00:03:11.639 What are they doing? 69 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:13.960 He doesn't want to be there, But Austin Ain said, 70 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:15.639 I don't give a rip. We think he's the best 71 00:03:15.639 --> 00:03:17.360 player at five. We're taking him at five. 72 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:20.199 What do you think? Yeah, well, what happens? Spencer's All 73 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:23.039 that stuff is just stuff of the moment that that 74 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:26.960 ends up getting swept away and and you know, like 75 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:29.080 like the waves and on the beach, it just goes 76 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:31.759 away and and and then you move on and the 77 00:03:32.360 --> 00:03:35.759 kid will come out here, he'll get acclimated, they'll love 78 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:39.120 him up, They'll they'll make sure that he's comfortable and 79 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:43.240 and he's feeling, you know, wanted and secure and all that, 80 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:45.240 which you should. You know, that's that's the kind of 81 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:47.000 stuff you want to do when you have an eighteen 82 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:50.000 or nineteen year old who is you know, reacclimating to 83 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:52.879 a new part next part of their life and a 84 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.120 new part of the country that they're not familiar with. 85 00:03:55.159 --> 00:03:57.400 He's a he's a young kid. He's a He's an 86 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:02.560 exciting type player. What's gonna be interesting is, uh, is 87 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:05.919 how he how he comes into the fold of what 88 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:08.960 they're trying to do and what his his mindset is. 89 00:04:09.159 --> 00:04:11.919 You Know, one of the things I like about him 90 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:14.919 is that he really has a versatile game and he 91 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:17.519 can really do a lot of different things. He's a 92 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:21.000 switchable guy defensively, you know, he can create shots on 93 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:24.240 the offense. He's the kind of player the Jazz need 94 00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:28.240 on their roster, meaning you know, his length, his agility, 95 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:32.399 as his athleticism, all those things fit right into the 96 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:34.600 box that they need to fill. 97 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:36.000 Uh. 98 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:38.839 The one thing I've heard about him is that he's 99 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:41.480 he's a pretty good team guy and he's he's pretty 100 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:45.439 good with his with his teammates and the coaches that 101 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:49.120 were at Rutgers, which is which is a positive because 102 00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:53.079 the stuff I've seen, you know, outside of that in 103 00:04:53.079 --> 00:04:55.439 interviews and whatnot, in the way just the way he 104 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:58.639 carried himself, like last night, you know, during the draft 105 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.800 and stuff. To me, I got a different vibe off 106 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:04.480 that it kind of felt like he was, you know, 107 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:06.959 feeling a little bit of his oats. Maybe he thought 108 00:05:07.000 --> 00:05:10.680 he was bigger than the program, you know, just his 109 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:14.279 overall mindset and one of the questions I would have 110 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:17.079 going into it. Of course, I'm sure the Jazz looked 111 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:19.639 into all these things and you know, dotted the i's 112 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:21.800 and crossed the t's on all this kind of stuff. 113 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:26.000 But you know, I hope he's he's a team oriented 114 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:29.600 guy and he wants to do what he can do 115 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:33.480 to help the group to succeed. If he comes in 116 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:36.839 and he's trying to be, you know, a major guy 117 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:39.319 right off the bat and wants to be all rookie 118 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:41.879 and wants to be you know, make the All Star 119 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:44.319 team and all these things or whatever, he's more worried 120 00:05:44.360 --> 00:05:48.040 about his own game and what he produces on the 121 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:52.319 floor for himself, then that would be a concern that 122 00:05:52.360 --> 00:05:54.920 I would have in terms of having him as part 123 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:57.279 of what the group is trying to accomplish. But I'm 124 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:00.199 sure the Jazz front office group, you know, look did 125 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:03.240 all those things, and they they researched them, and and 126 00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:05.879 you know, feel comfortable that he was the guy that 127 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:08.639 they they wanted to incorporate into into what they're trying 128 00:06:08.680 --> 00:06:09.000 to build. 129 00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:11.639 So one of the many roles you've filled over there, 130 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:14.720 and You've told so many stories about going to pick 131 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.920 up Rudy, going to pick up Heyward, going to pick 132 00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:20.720 up Donovan from the airport, and then try. So let's 133 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:23.199 talk logistics for our listeners that would like a peek 134 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:26.240 behind the curtain? What what comes next? Phrase? You know, 135 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:28.120 does he fly in the salt lake? Who goes and 136 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:30.199 gets him? Or what does that look like? Are they 137 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:32.439 looking at apartments? Do they take him to the ZBBC 138 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:35.439 and say, so, what what what's next? In the process? 139 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:37.759 May Yeah, they'll try. They'll try and get him in town, 140 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:42.279 whether it's today or tomorrow, they'll uh, they'll have a 141 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:44.439 little Sometimes in the past, I don't know if they 142 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:47.680 still do it or not. We used to have a little, uh, 143 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:50.399 a little meet and greet thing over at the Grand 144 00:06:50.439 --> 00:06:53.279 America for season ticket holders. Oh cool, so they could 145 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:56.000 come over and say hi and meet the new player 146 00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:57.920 that we had drafted and that kind of thing and 147 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:01.120 have them say a few words to the group. I 148 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:08.319 remember one year I probably shouldn't story, we're there. He 149 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:11.319 took us down, man took me. I remember one time, 150 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:16.720 you know, the year we drafted Coasta Koufas from Ohio State. 151 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:20.480 It was a similar scenario. They Coasta did not come 152 00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:24.240 in to work out, We did not interview him. We 153 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:27.720 thought he was going to go before us in the draft. 154 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:31.639 He only played one year at Ohio State and UH 155 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:34.040 and he fell to us, and we we were kind 156 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:36.600 of we had him on our board, but we didn't 157 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:39.040 We really didn't expect him to be there, so we 158 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:42.360 hadn't kind of were in that that mindset. Anyway, we 159 00:07:42.439 --> 00:07:44.560 ended up taking him because he he we think he's 160 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:47.160 the best player. At the time he comes in, we 161 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:49.199 do this this little meet and Greek thing. We have 162 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:52.120 him on stage, we have a few questions and and 163 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:55.920 you know, he's of of a Greek heritage. You know, 164 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:59.839 his mother is a u was a middle school principal 165 00:08:00.439 --> 00:08:04.639 in UH in the Dayton, Ohio area, and that's where 166 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:09.519 he grew up. But Coasta is very Greek looking like 167 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:13.480 he looks like he just came over from Athens or something. Right, 168 00:08:14.519 --> 00:08:18.160 And we had a season ticket holding older gentleman, you know, 169 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:20.519 might have been in his eighties or something. He was 170 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:23.600 excited to come and be part of this thing. And 171 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:25.759 and you know, we said, are there any questions, and 172 00:08:25.879 --> 00:08:28.720 question over here, question over there. Then this gentleman raises 173 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:31.279 his hand and and say, yes, sir, you have a 174 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.279 question for a coaster. He goes, yes, how did you 175 00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:39.759 learn to speak such good English? And he goes such 176 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:44.519 good English? He goes, yes, you know, I'm very fascinated 177 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:48.200 with your Greek heritage and that you that you speak 178 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:52.200 such clear English. And he he was kind of dumbfounded, 179 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:54.759 you know, obviously, and the gentleman, of course, didn't know 180 00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:57.679 of his background. You know that he grew up in Ohio, 181 00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:01.200 you know, and uh, and the whole coaster kind of 182 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:04.480 did as much as he could to smooth it over 183 00:09:04.519 --> 00:09:07.200 to say, well, you know, I went to good schools 184 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:10.480 and my mom is an educator and in the middle 185 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:13.159 school in Ohio, and uh, I went to a very 186 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:17.039 good high school and and uhy're Ohio State. And so I'm, uh, 187 00:09:17.159 --> 00:09:19.600 you know, I think it's I think that's part of 188 00:09:19.639 --> 00:09:22.000 my overall uh, you know, he and he's trying to 189 00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:23.919 think of away, how do I say this, Yeah, yeah, 190 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:27.240 that I'm as much of an American as you are, 191 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:30.840 like and uh, and so that was funny, you know, 192 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:33.080 but you know, but we've had a lot of a 193 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:36.919 lot of interactions like that over the years, where uh, 194 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:40.200 players come in and they try and meet the uh 195 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:43.320 the season ticket holder base or maybe the VIP group 196 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:45.679 or something like that. I don't know what the Jazz 197 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:48.679 have planned in that regard, you know, with these new guys, 198 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:51.759 or if they're doing anything in that way, but but 199 00:09:51.799 --> 00:09:55.159 they'll certainly get them quickly acclimated the next three four, 200 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:57.840 five days, because they'll have him in here by the 201 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:01.080 middle of next week and getting getting they're group ready 202 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:03.879 for a summer league, because the Jazz do their summer 203 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:05.559 league here that this year is gonna be up in 204 00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:08.759 the Huntsman Center because of the renovations at the Delta Center. 205 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:11.200 So the Jazz Summer League is gonna be at the 206 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:15.720 Huntsman Center the week of right after July fourth, next 207 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:18.559 week is so, so they're doing it then and then 208 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:21.120 right from there they always go right down to Vegas 209 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:23.639 and do the Vegas Summer League. So those guys will 210 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:28.240 be getting in uh five, six seven games within like 211 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:32.000 a ten day span, you know. So, and and there's 212 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:36.399 always there's always variants and and how much guys play 213 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:39.279 in the games or how and when they decide they're 214 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:41.279 gonna hold them out or they're gonna play them on 215 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:44.240 Tuesday and not on Wednesday, or they're only gonna play 216 00:10:44.279 --> 00:10:47.840 them ten minutes today and twenty minutes tomorrow, and and 217 00:10:47.960 --> 00:10:50.879 all that stuff gets you know, a little, a little 218 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:53.919 goofy in my opinion, because they just try to over 219 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:59.000 overwork it and overthink the process. But but they'll those 220 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.840 guys will be in here quickly in the next several days, 221 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:06.000 and they'll be getting acclimated to the group, and Bart 222 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:08.559 Taylor and his group and the person outside will be 223 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:12.360 finalizing the people that they want to bring in for 224 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:14.480 the summer League team. They'll have some of the guys 225 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:16.679 from the team last year that will play in the 226 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:19.919 Summer League. And then, depending on how the draft goes tonight, 227 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:23.080 if they do anything else different, they'll be on the phones. 228 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:26.559 As soon as the draft ends tonight, they'll they'll be 229 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:29.360 on the phones with agents of guys who didn't get 230 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:32.399 drafted to say, Hey, we like your guy and we 231 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:35.720 really thought about taking him at fifty three, which youzz 232 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:38.480 have tonight. We didn't get take him at fifty three, 233 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:41.519 but we really like him enough to want to bring 234 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.080 him into Summer League and take a close up look 235 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:46.480 at him. Can we get him in here? And then 236 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:49.120 that's a negotiation thing with the agents. And so the 237 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.879 agent says, well, I got the Lakers want them, and 238 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:55.039 Phoenix wants them, and so let me see, you know whatever. 239 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:57.919 And so Bart Taylor and his group are on the 240 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:01.120 phone with agents just going down their lists boom boom 241 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.000 boom the players they want to try and get in 242 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:05.879 for the summer league program. And sometimes they get a 243 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:07.879 guy for Vegas, but they don't get a guy for 244 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:10.600 Salt Lake or vice versa. They say, hey, why don't 245 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:12.519 you give him give him to us for the Salt 246 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:15.519 Lake games and then have him go play for the 247 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:19.840 Lakers in the Vegas games, okay, And and the agent 248 00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:21.519 will go, yeah, okay, we can do that, you know. 249 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:23.919 So there's a lot of you know, jockeying around and 250 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:27.039 stuff and and and because it's really not obviously about 251 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:30.919 the the games themselves in the two summer leagues, it's 252 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:33.360 about getting a chance to see those players on the 253 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:37.240 floor against like competition, to be able to see how 254 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:39.879 they do and how they fare against that, and then 255 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:41.879 you make those kind of judgments and then you go 256 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:46.080 from there in terms of possibly inviting non drafted guys 257 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:49.240 into your your camp in the fall or even into 258 00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:53.720 uh other workouts later in the summer open gym type things. Uh, 259 00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:57.080 we can get more more bites at the apples, so 260 00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:59.240 to speak, about trying to fill in some holes on 261 00:12:59.279 --> 00:12:59.720 your roster. 262 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:02.159 So before we move over to Walter Clayton Junior, the 263 00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:04.679 second selection the Jazz made and they gave up. 264 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:07.159 What they gave up was not nothing. We'll get to 265 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:07.799 that in the moment. 266 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:13.240 So the dynamic of the reports that Ace and his 267 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:17.000 reps were trying to make sure he landed somewhere back east. 268 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:19.559 The two teams were Washington and Brooklyn that are reported 269 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:22.840 as where he wanted to land, and just Austin saying, 270 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:25.440 I don't care. You know, we're drafting you because we 271 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:29.759 think you're the best player. So they've got seven years, right, Seeddie, 272 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:32.080 They've got seven years where they can say, Okay, look, 273 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:36.000 we know that this wasn't your preferred destination, but we 274 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:37.919 think you were the best player available. We think you 275 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:39.919 fit in here. You're going to get to know our 276 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:41.559 head coach, who we like a lot. You're gonna get 277 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:43.519 to know our developmental program. You're going to get to 278 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:45.399 know the community. You're going to get to know the 279 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:49.519 organization what is that mindset where, Okay, we have seven 280 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:53.480 years to sell you on us. You know, if the 281 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:55.519 reports are true that this kid does not want to 282 00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:57.519 be here, and Austin just bucked that and said we're 283 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.639 doing it anyway, what's the mindset? 284 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:04.639 Well, well, that's a very good question, Spence, because uh, 285 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:07.840 I don't know what the the the regime now. Uh 286 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:11.159 you know the Ryan Smith and and his ownership group, 287 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:13.519 and then uh the Angels that are in the front 288 00:14:13.559 --> 00:14:16.960 office now, and and uh I know Danny. I don't 289 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:20.159 know Danny very well, but I know how he operates 290 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:23.559 a little bit. And it's it's kind of somewhat similar 291 00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:27.679 to uh, I think how Jerry Sloan would operate all 292 00:14:27.720 --> 00:14:31.480 those years, and and that is, Hey, we drafted you. 293 00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:34.039 You know we we are not going to kiss your 294 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:37.120 you know you know what. You know, this is a job. 295 00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:39.960 This is a profession. So you know, you come in 296 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:42.559 and let's go. We're going to work. I don't care. 297 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:44.159 I don't care. You don't want to be you know 298 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:46.240 you want to be here, you don't want to be here. 299 00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:47.960 It doesn't matter you want to play in the NBA. 300 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:50.480 It's it's it's the same as if you're in some 301 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:55.600 other corporation. Spence, you go to Harvard NBA school and 302 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:59.039 you come out and you you accept a job with uh, 303 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:01.759 you know, I'm obeying company. You know your dad was 304 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:03.919 with them a long time ago, you know. But that's 305 00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:06.440 a big firm. He could be working in Boston, or 306 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:08.360 they could say, hey, we want you to work in 307 00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:11.000 the Chicago office now for the next two years, or 308 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:13.600 we want you to work in the la office. Whatever 309 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:16.919 it is. So the NBA is is a big corporation. 310 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:19.759 And when you come into this this company and you 311 00:15:19.799 --> 00:15:23.840 want to work for this company, then you work where 312 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:27.159 the company asks you to go to work. Okay, it's 313 00:15:27.240 --> 00:15:29.559 it's a simple process. You know, you don't want to 314 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:32.279 do that. You can go play in Europe, you can 315 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:34.480 go play in Australia. We you know, we have no 316 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:36.720 holds on you, you know, but if you want to 317 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.240 play in the NBA, we're assigning you to the Salt 318 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:43.360 Lake office. Is the process? Yeah, And so you know 319 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:46.639 it's it's as simple as that. You know. Again, with 320 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:50.840 Jerry Sloan, with Kevin O'Connor, with Dennis Lindsay. You know, 321 00:15:50.919 --> 00:15:54.279 these are all guys who you know are straight up 322 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.879 guys who would just say, hey, we're all here to 323 00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:59.720 get the job done the best we can. You know, 324 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:02.320 we don't have time for this kind of you know, nonsense, 325 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:05.480 whether a guy's feelings are hurt today or you know, 326 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:09.080 or you know, whatever it is. So that's one thing 327 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:13.120 that I would caution against, you know, whatever is the 328 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:16.120 sentiment at the moment. And of course this is not 329 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:19.200 even twenty four hours after the draft has taken place, 330 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:21.720 and and some of this may be misread as well. 331 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:24.679 I don't know. These are all things we hear third 332 00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:26.720 and fourth hand, So I don't know how to how 333 00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:30.159 to put any weight on any of this kind of stuff. 334 00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:33.240 I would just take it one day at a time 335 00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:35.200 to see how the kid is when he comes in 336 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:38.000 and whatnot. You know, but if you know, if he's 337 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:40.240 coming in with the right attitude and the right approach, 338 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:42.799 this is great. Let's go to work. You know, we 339 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:45.720 can get a lot of stuff done. And if there's 340 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:50.080 a problem in that regard, then my my impression. And 341 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:52.320 again don't know him very well, but you know, Will 342 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:56.440 Hardy and Danny Ainge I know really well in that regard. 343 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:58.600 You know, the kind of guys that sit a guy 344 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:02.200 down and go, Hey says what the deal is. Okay, 345 00:17:02.679 --> 00:17:04.960 let's go. You know, we don't have time for this 346 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:08.559 that kind of thing. It's a job. And in the NBA, 347 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:11.079 the way the CBA is, if you draft a guy 348 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:14.799 and you like him and he's your guy, you really 349 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:17.279 think he can do something and you can develop him 350 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:21.920 into something. The Jazz in this case would have control 351 00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:25.920 over the player for a minimum of seven years based 352 00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:29.519 on his four year rookie deal and then the restricted 353 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:32.960 free agent process after that. If you're having problems with 354 00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:36.119 the player along the way, he's not working out the 355 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.160 way you want, you know, he's too much work. You know, 356 00:17:40.359 --> 00:17:44.079 it's you know, yeah, he's got talent, but his attitude 357 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:46.279 is way over here and we can't seem to get 358 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:49.519 it in line, and you know, it's too much heavy lifting. 359 00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:52.160 Then there are things you can do in terms obviously, 360 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:55.880 in terms of trades or even you know, letting guys 361 00:17:55.960 --> 00:17:58.359 go if if you just want to cut your losses 362 00:17:58.359 --> 00:18:00.000 and move on, you know, I mean, so there's all 363 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:03.519 all those things at play. I'm sure that Austin Ainge 364 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:07.720 and making this decision, made the decision based on the 365 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.160 player he thought had the best talent could could add 366 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:13.960 the most to the jazz group. And also I'm sure 367 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:16.119 that he had he had looked into all the things 368 00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:19.000 in his background about what kind of guy he is, 369 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:21.519 how he was at Rutgers, how the coaches liked him, 370 00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:24.880 you know what, the what the trainers thought of behind 371 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.640 the scenes, working with him every day, all those kinds 372 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:30.480 of things. And I don't think he would, uh, you know, 373 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:34.000 throw a lot of a lot of his or early 374 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:37.519 weight if you will, and get it, being new on 375 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:41.279 the job to selecting a guy who he thought, really, 376 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:44.440 you know, was was going to be wishy washy in 377 00:18:44.519 --> 00:18:46.480 terms of is this going to work out? In that 378 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:48.680 I really think that he would have made the decision 379 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:51.880 unless he's pretty confident that, you know this, we can 380 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:52.920 make this work. 381 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:55.119 Since you brought up Rutgers, let me ask you a 382 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:58.119 question here. So, so, the the Big Ten was a 383 00:18:58.119 --> 00:19:01.079 good not great basketball conference last year. You know, the 384 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:03.359 SEC was probably the class, then it was the Big Twelve. 385 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:07.920 Then we get into the ACC whatever. Michigan State, Maryland, Michigan, Wisconsin, 386 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:12.519 Purdue all top fifteen teams, but Rutgers was eight and 387 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:16.079 twelve in conference play, they were fifteen and seventeen. Overall, 388 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:19.680 they lost to Kennesaw State with two of the top 389 00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:23.039 really three prospects of the time and ended up two 390 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:25.920 of the top five NBA prospects on their roster at 391 00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:29.160 a time. How do you explain that and is that 392 00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:31.200 anything that's concerning as you go through your. 393 00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:35.240 Proceress It definitely is, because you've got two guys who 394 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:39.599 were projected when they came into Rutgers of being two 395 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:42.319 of the top five picks. As it turned out they 396 00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:47.039 were in the next NBA draft. And you would think 397 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:49.759 that that team, with the very good coach that they 398 00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:54.559 have there, is going to be able to do very 399 00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:56.400 well in the Big ten. And they didn't have a 400 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:03.559 winning record and their performances were uneven. Both Harper and Bailey, 401 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:06.880