WEBVTT 1 00:00:22.679 --> 00:00:27.440 Welcome back here Drive time on a Friday afternoon. 2 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:28.399 No spend checkets today. 3 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:32.920 I am Porter Larson, Andy Larson alongside me. Well not 4 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:35.880 right now, he's actually stepping out. He took a call 5 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:40.119 from his boss. Sometimes you gotta sometimes you. 6 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:40.560 Gotta do that. 7 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:44.920 So we'll await Andy Larson. The reason he is not 8 00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:47.560 the Utah Sports Caster of the Year is because he's 9 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:51.759 making me wait while the Utah sports caster or sports 10 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:55.479 writer of the year rather is on the line, Sarah Todd, 11 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:58.640 the two time Utah Sports Writer of the Year. How 12 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:01.000 are you, Sarah, I'm doing great. 13 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:02.840 I wish that Andy was actually sitting next to you. 14 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:03.679 Go listen to this. 15 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:07.159 I'm looking at Andy talking to his boss on the 16 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:10.159 phone outside. He's running inside as we speak, so I'm 17 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:13.640 doing a little play by play. But no, beautiful, we 18 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:15.760 have the two time sports writer of the Year on 19 00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:20.959 the line, Sarah Todd, and the I think the one 20 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:22.640 time sports writer the year, Andy Larson. 21 00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:25.120 No, I've never won it, Sarah never won. 22 00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:27.760 Don't give him award that he hasn't won. 23 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:29.920 I could have sworn you got it the COVID year, 24 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:33.400 but no, I was pandemic Reporter of the Region. 25 00:01:33.959 --> 00:01:36.319 Let alone the state of Utah, but that was it 26 00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:39.200 was an odd inter mountain region. There we go. Okay, 27 00:01:39.239 --> 00:01:41.359 well that's all I got, though I'm bad at basketball. 28 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:44.319 As long as his career lasts longer than Sarah's, he 29 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:47.239 might win one of those Utah sports writers. She's got 30 00:01:47.239 --> 00:01:49.159 a stranglehold on him at the moment. 31 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:51.239 Sarah, how is your Friday? 32 00:01:51.719 --> 00:01:56.319 It's not too bad, you know, the when the basketball 33 00:01:56.359 --> 00:02:01.079 season ends, not that it's over. I'm watching playoff every night, obviously, 34 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:04.040 but what it ends for me, uh man, I'm just 35 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:07.359 getting so many things done that I ignored throughout the year. 36 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:08.919 So there's just not a lot. 37 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:10.400 Of you. 38 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:12.960 Be a DMV. 39 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:15.000 You've been to the post office, You've done all those 40 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:15.919 things in the last couple of weeks. 41 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:18.879 I soon, Yeah, absolutely, Sarah. 42 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:20.639 Did I tell you I bought the car and like 43 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:21.639 that's exciting? 44 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:28.639 Yeah, I saw the car because at the exit interviews. Yeah, 45 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:31.039 and I and I told you how crazy it was 46 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:32.919 to have a car that people couldn't get into the 47 00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:33.400 back seat. 48 00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:37.159 Listen, that's only if you need to drive more than 49 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:38.400 one person around, which I don't. 50 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:40.360 I don't, I don't have a family or whatever. That's 51 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:41.800 you know, that's great. 52 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:44.159 I've almost always driven a like a two seater or 53 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:46.960 something of the like because I got a small circle. 54 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:50.360 Sarah, what do you I only have one friend, Sarah, 55 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:51.159 what do you drive? 56 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:52.360 Well? 57 00:02:52.439 --> 00:02:54.159 I have I have a lot of friends, So I 58 00:02:54.199 --> 00:02:59.639 want to be I drive a Subaru cross track. 59 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:00.840 Okay, I like that. 60 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:03.560 I like that with Harry Potter bumper sticker or I 61 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.759 don't know, dcal what would you call it on the back? 62 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:06.280 Uh? 63 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:08.439 Yeah, it's used to have a Harry Potter Why. I 64 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:10.319 used to have a Harry Potter one and then a Paradise, 65 00:03:10.360 --> 00:03:13.319 California sticker And the Harry Potter sticker has died and 66 00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:15.719 fallen off and so it lives no more. 67 00:03:16.120 --> 00:03:19.879 Also, what is your license played in home address? Just kidding? Well, Uh, 68 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:22.400 we're the reason I asked if we're at a car dealership. 69 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:24.039 We were talking cars a little bit to start. But 70 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:27.639 your off season, of course started as the Utah Jazz 71 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:32.120 offseason has started. What is your since you mentioned it there, 72 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:36.599 what is your consumption of the NBA playoffs? You're an 73 00:03:36.680 --> 00:03:40.280 NBA reporter, but you're obviously a jazz beat writer. How 74 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:42.120 dialed into these games are you and how much of 75 00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:47.840 you enjoyed what is meaningful basketball? Postseason basketball where the 76 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:50.639 stakes are not to do with the NBA draft. 77 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:55.400 Yeah, I'm a junkie, So I've seen every single game 78 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.599 so far. I've played on watching every single game of 79 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:03.080 the playoffs one hundred percent. I'm an absolute junkie when 80 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:06.120 it comes. And I think that, you know, even if 81 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:09.439 it doesn't have to do with the Jazz, Like, there's 82 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:12.520 so much perspective and information that you can glean from 83 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:16.040 watching the postseason, right, Like number one, I'm thinking often 84 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:19.480 while I'm watching these games, like how many players on 85 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:23.279 the Jazz would be allowed to play any minutes on 86 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:23.959 these teams? 87 00:04:24.199 --> 00:04:24.480 Right? 88 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:27.560 And so kind of giving myself a little bit of 89 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:30.720 reality check because we spend Andy and I spent so 90 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:34.120 much time watching the Jazz that you know, sometimes you 91 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:37.319 can forget like what top level basketball feels like. 92 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:41.079 Yeah, and like playoff basketball too. I Mean I had 93 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:44.120 the same conversation with Spence yesterday, but like, yeah, you're 94 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:48.120 you're right that the Jazz's young players are so far away, 95 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:51.600 you know, they can contribute at a regular season level 96 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:53.199 a little bit. I mean, let's be honest, they were 97 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.079 still the worst team in the NBA last year. 98 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:57.040 It's not great, but they are. 99 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:02.360 Extremely like miles in min files and space ages away 100 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:06.000 from like actually helping an NBA team in the playoffs, 101 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:09.120 which is what Will Hardy and Danny Ainge are actually 102 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:09.639 focused on. 103 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:13.879 Yeah, it's it's hard to imagine. I mean, like you can, 104 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:18.040 like I'm going through currently and I'm writing like my 105 00:05:18.199 --> 00:05:21.680 annual grades for each player on the Jazz roster, right 106 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:26.120 and that has to obviously be like in context of 107 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.800 what was expected of them, But it's hard not to 108 00:05:28.839 --> 00:05:32.240 think about the fact that like, yes, like Isaiah Collier 109 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:34.360 deserves a lot of credit and like a good grade 110 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:38.199 for the season for improving compared to how he started 111 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:41.560 the season. But like, I'm not sure that there's a 112 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:44.279 single team where he would even get minute as a 113 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:46.480 backup point guard that's in the playoffs right now? 114 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:49.439 No, absolutely not, Like he can't he can't be on 115 00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:51.360 the floor, like, and he's not a good enough defender, 116 00:05:51.480 --> 00:05:54.000 right like the assisting you would want the ball in 117 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:56.399 someone else's hands on every other playoff team. And look, 118 00:05:57.040 --> 00:05:59.720 he's also twenty years old, right, like, so there's room 119 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:02.480 for the development and maybe he learns how to shoot, 120 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:04.399 and maybe he learns how to defend and kind of 121 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:06.199 all these other things that he doesn't have right now. 122 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:09.079 But yeah, I mean it is just far away in 123 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:12.600 a way that you know, like rookie Donovan Mitchell was 124 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:16.000 actually ready to contribute, you know, and that's not a 125 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.160 fair bar for for Isaiah Khllier or any other rookie. 126 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:22.279 But it does show kind of, like, you know, the 127 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:25.279 difference between a good rookie class and a bad one. 128 00:06:25.319 --> 00:06:28.959 And ultimately, I think what you hope is a good 129 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.040 draft pick and this year's draft to top five draft 130 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:33.800 pick versus what the Jazz have really kind of been 131 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:35.560 dealing with over the last couple of years, which is 132 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:39.120 ninth pick, tenth pick, sixteenth pick, twenty ninth pick, thirty 133 00:06:39.160 --> 00:06:41.720 second pick, soone, you know, like it just these guys 134 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:43.920 are fringy guys who may work out and may not. 135 00:06:45.480 --> 00:06:48.720 Yeah, and I think a lot about you know, I 136 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:52.680 don't want to like sound like I'm always so pessimistic 137 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:55.680 about this team, because like, you know, we I'm around 138 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:58.399 these guys like all the time, more than my family, 139 00:06:58.439 --> 00:07:00.639 more than my friends, and so like you get to 140 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:02.680 a point where like you do want them to succeed. 141 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:05.519 It's not like you're I'm a fan, but like I 142 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:07.920 want good things for good people just in general. And 143 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:09.560 so when you get to you know these guys so much, 144 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:11.720 and so it's not that I don't want them to succeed, 145 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:13.920 but like I do want fans to like temper their 146 00:07:13.959 --> 00:07:18.160 expectations because some people will see, you know that you know, 147 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:22.879 Bryce is kind of turning into a more like specialized player, 148 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:26.759 or that Isaiah you know, was racking up so many 149 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:29.759 assists and looks like a good point guard. But I 150 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.560 want the expectations to be tempered a little, just so 151 00:07:32.600 --> 00:07:34.480 that people understand, like, even if you were to get 152 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:38.399 Cooper Flag, the supporting cast currently on this Jazz team 153 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:41.519 is not one that can do anything well. 154 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:43.560 So let's you and I talk about that for a second, 155 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:46.720 because we had an interesting conversation with the Jazz veterans 156 00:07:47.079 --> 00:07:48.879 after the last game of the season, and I don't 157 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:50.839 know that we can share all of that, but right, 158 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:55.160 we had a conversation about what happens if the Jazz 159 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:57.439 get Cooper Flag versus what happens if they get the 160 00:07:57.439 --> 00:07:59.720 fifth pick and the draft and you know, let's call 161 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:04.279 it Try Johnson or Jeremiah Fears or whatever. Right, what happens. 162 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:08.120 What do you think the Jazz's plan is in those scenarios. 163 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:09.959 Do you think it's different. Do you think they still 164 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:13.360 want to rebuild next year, or is there any scenario. 165 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:15.560 In which they try to put a team together and 166 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:16.560 really go for it next year? 167 00:08:17.480 --> 00:08:21.160 Right? I think there's two possibilities. I think that the 168 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:25.160 Jazz get Cooper that then they try to capitalize on 169 00:08:25.319 --> 00:08:28.399 any chaos around the league that's happening, right, whether that's 170 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:33.759 hoping that the Sun's implode, hoping that the Bucks implode, 171 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:38.240 hoping like just hoping on something that creates possibility for 172 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:41.120 a really big blockbuster trade to get a guy who 173 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.480 would be like a number one on a team that 174 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:47.159 is trying to build Cooper Flag into a number one, right, 175 00:08:47.240 --> 00:08:49.919 And so I think that that's one possibility, is that 176 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:52.960 if they get Cooper, they would try to go for it. 177 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:56.080 Whether they strike out on that or not is remains 178 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:58.720 to be seen. And that all depends on getting Cooper. 179 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:03.039 But if they are not able to land someone huge, 180 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:07.759 I think that the plan is to tank again because 181 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:09.679 they don't want to give up a top eight pick 182 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:13.200 and have it go to Okac, who is could very 183 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:15.639 well win everything this year and then end up with 184 00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:21.039 a top eight pick next year, and they really really 185 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:24.679 like the top three in next year's draft as it 186 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:28.639 is kind of it's expected to be right now, that's 187 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:33.919 aj Debanza. Garon Peterson can't boozer, and so I think 188 00:09:33.960 --> 00:09:38.120 that the idea of having a top pick from this 189 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:40.519 year's draft, even if it ends up being trade Johnson 190 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:44.799 or a top pick, and adding a top pick from 191 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:48.639 next year's draft, is the ideal situation for the Jazz Brah. 192 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:53.399 Do you think that you know, so last year they 193 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:55.679 had kind of a scheme in mind where they would 194 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:57.320 trade and I don't want to call it a scheme 195 00:09:57.320 --> 00:10:01.799 plan whatever picks, or if they would trade for m 196 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:04.720 Kel Bridges and then go out and sign Paul George 197 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:07.960 and that would be a core around lowry market and 198 00:10:08.039 --> 00:10:09.320 that would be interesting in. 199 00:10:09.240 --> 00:10:10.120 The Western Conference. 200 00:10:10.600 --> 00:10:14.799 Now, I think the strategy that obviously did not pan out, 201 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:16.840 and even if it had panned out, I don't know. 202 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:18.559 How good it makes the Utah Jazz. 203 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:21.519 Do you think that there's been any kind of like 204 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:26.080 reckoning that, hey, look, this is just going to happen 205 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:28.159 through the draft, that the idea of using. 206 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:30.679 The draft picks as trade assets. 207 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:36.440 As maybe gone from the primary strategy to hey, maybe 208 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:39.360 but probably not kind of strategy. 209 00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:45.720 It really it depends that you talk to, right Like, 210 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:49.200 I think that there's a number of conversations that I've 211 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:53.200 had with you know, Jazz front office people or even 212 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:55.799 people around the league that really believe that the Jazz 213 00:10:55.879 --> 00:10:58.399 are going to eventually like use some of the assets 214 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:01.639 to make a big blockbuster trade. But I think what 215 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:03.679 I'm hoping is that there has been a little bit 216 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:06.720 of reckoning that like getting some sort of an aging 217 00:11:06.759 --> 00:11:10.919 star is not the route that should work, could work, 218 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:14.240 or that they should go because you're kind of seeing 219 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:17.080 how that has happened around the league and that it's 220 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:19.039 not working out as well as it might have it 221 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:22.799 used to. And maybe you know five or ten years removed, 222 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:28.799 like Kevin Durant to Phoenix didn't work. James Harden is 223 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:32.039 kind of working in LA right now. But I think 224 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:34.240 you'd be hard pressed to find people that think that 225 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:36.960 the Clippers are actually like a title contender this year. 226 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:40.960 And Paul George to Philly absolutely did not work out. 227 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:42.519 And so when you look at kind of like the 228 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:45.759 aging stars that are getting traded around the league, that's 229 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:47.879 not what is working, and so I think that the 230 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:49.879 Jazz that they're looking at, like we want to use 231 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:53.440 our trade assets, it's it's for a younger star, and 232 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:56.000 so there's a tiny bit of reckoning there. But I 233 00:11:56.039 --> 00:12:01.000 think that they also it's not some it needs to 234 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:04.279 happen to the draft, but that they want to capitalize 235 00:12:04.279 --> 00:12:07.639 on two of the best drafts that we've seen in many, 236 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:09.000 many years. 237 00:12:09.639 --> 00:12:12.519 Sarah, kind of along those same lines, I do want 238 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:18.879 to ask, if let's rewind a little bit, the Jazz 239 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:23.000 have I think wisely avoided using the term from last 240 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:26.480 year the big game hunting, you know, at least this 241 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:32.600 offseason now, they haven't changed the roster flexibility, the fact 242 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:37.039 that they have the options to basically do whatever they 243 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:41.240 want roster versatility wise, strike when the iron is hot, 244 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:44.559 right whenever one of those situations comes up across the league, 245 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:48.799 the Jazz are, along with OKAC and maybe two or 246 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:52.440 three other teams, really the only ones that are are 247 00:12:53.159 --> 00:12:58.919 positioned and prepared to put out some godfather type offers. 248 00:12:59.559 --> 00:13:02.440 You look at across the league, what are during this 249 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:05.720 offseason the most likely scenarios in which that. 250 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:07.600 Comes into play. 251 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:10.879 Yeah, looking at Milwaukee and maybe a falling out there 252 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:14.960 or in Phoenix. Obviously Denver just replaced their coach with 253 00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:20.960 stars and still on the roster there. Just looking across 254 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:24.879 the league, what's the most likely scenario where teams that 255 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:30.799 have built up this, you know, this war chest could 256 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:33.679 strike while the iron's hot across the league? 257 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:37.799 I mean, most likely, I think is obviously Phoenix. I 258 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:41.440 think the problem there is that Phoenix is probably going 259 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:43.879 to want to hold on to Devin Booker if they can. 260 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:46.840 I don't know if that's going to work for them, though, 261 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:50.279 because they literally have like no way out of the 262 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:52.559 hole that they're in right now. They don't have assets, 263 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:54.679 and they need to get them back, and so I 264 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:56.679 don't know that they're going to be getting back as 265 00:13:56.759 --> 00:13:59.679 much as they want or they think they can get 266 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:04.360 from deal or even durant to like make their future 267 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:06.639 as good as they want it to be while holding 268 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:09.279 on to Devin Booker. And so there might be a 269 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:12.519 moment where the most likely situation is that they actually 270 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:15.039 have to get rid of Booker and bottom out in 271 00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:17.480 order to have assets at a chance at building something 272 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:20.039 different in the future. And so when I look around 273 00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:23.440 the league, like that feels like the most likely also, 274 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:27.000 there's so much dysfunction happening in Memphis right now like 275 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:31.279 that that would probably be second on the list. We've 276 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:33.679 seen a little bit of upheople in Atlanta, and so 277 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:37.440 then you then you start looking at you know, Devin Booker, 278 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:40.159 Trey Young, John Morant as kind of the most likely 279 00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:43.240 young players around the league that could have an opportunity 280 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:47.600 to like be moved this summer and not not just 281 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:51.960 like exploring free agency, like intentionally moved to create different 282 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:56.679 opportunities for the team long term. But you know, Andy 283 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:59.399 and I have been talking about the possibility of Phoenix 284 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:03.399 imploding years at this point, and so, uh, it's really 285 00:15:03.480 --> 00:15:05.879 a guessing game because the NBA is the Wild West 286 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:07.960 right now. Like you know, Luca Dodge just could be traded. 287 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:10.240 We have no idea what can happen these days. 288 00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:12.480 Yeah, and I think it's tough because I think the 289 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:15.639 Jazz's assets are you know, they certainly have a lot 290 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.759 of picks, but they're the good picks that they have 291 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.960 are in their own And then you know, if you're 292 00:15:21.960 --> 00:15:26.120 talking about trading a future you know, a twenty twenty 293 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:28.039 nine pick, maybe you're more willing to do that, but 294 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:30.360 that's a long way down the road for a team 295 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.799 with an owner like Matt Ishpia who wants to win 296 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:37.120 right away and would see would if he were to 297 00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:39.039 trade Devin Booker, which he's already kind of said that 298 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:43.039 he won't that that he's going to want to find 299 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:47.200 some way to reconfigure it and go through that rebuild faster. 300 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:50.600 So it's just it's just tough. Like I think the 301 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:53.080 Jazz are. You know, they're not in the worst place 302 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:54.879 in the world. They do have their own picks. They 303 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:57.399 do have a number of picks that at the end 304 00:15:57.399 --> 00:15:58.840 of the that look like they're going to be at 305 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:00.480 the middle or end of the first that they can 306 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:00.879 use to. 307 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:02.639 Build role players around those players. 308 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:06.120 But they're just so far away, you know, like you're 309 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.440 going to have to draft. You hope you get a 310 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:10.799 Cooper Flag or a Dylan Harper in this year's draft. 311 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.759 You hope you get a Debonsa or Peterson or a 312 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:14.919 Boozer in next year's draft, and then it's going to 313 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:17.039 take a few years for those guys to develop and 314 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:19.639 for you to build a core around those guys. That's 315 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.200 it's going to look pretty different than what this roster 316 00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:23.039 looks like right now. 317 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:28.080 Yeah, and another reason for fans to temper expectations because 318 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:31.840 it's the likelihood of having literally the number one pick, 319 00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:33.799 not just in one, but both of those drafts. The 320 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:37.960 jazz is really low. So yeah, and so you know 321 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:39.759 it's not like, oh, we get Cooper, we can just 322 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:41.960 go this year like it just even if you get 323 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:43.720 one of those like, it's going to take time. I 324 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:46.639 try to use the comparison all the time with people 325 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:49.799 like is Cooper flag better than Victor Wimbanyama, And I 326 00:16:49.799 --> 00:16:54.159 would say, no, he's not. And Victor Wimbanyama did not 327 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.399 take the San Antonio Spurs to the Promised Land or 328 00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:59.360 even near it in the first of the two years. 329 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:03.000 Understand the injury of the blood clot situation came into 330 00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:05.640 effect this year, but what even if he's able to play, 331 00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:07.240 are they a play in team this year? And so 332 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:10.519 even after they get like the guy who they think 333 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:12.920 is the number one, you're still looking at two three 334 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:16.599 years before you're really even starting to play. 335 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:21.039 Well yeah, yeah, and and you know then you're hoping 336 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:23.400 for the best, even you know, with like you's pointed 337 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:26.640 out those odds, what do you I've been trying to 338 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:30.319 talk with people around the league about this and what 339 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:32.640 happens with the Jazz veterans, you know, not even just 340 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:36.480 Lowry market but Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, Colin Sexton, Like, 341 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:40.160 how how do you find spots for them? 342 00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:42.960 I mean, I think that depends a lot on if 343 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:45.559 you get Cooper or not, right, Like, how much would 344 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:48.400 a Cooper flag raise the ceiling or raise the floor 345 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:51.960 for the team rather next season? And if you aren't 346 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:53.640 able to get a star, are you trying to bottom 347 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:57.119 out like we've seen this year that even with Lowry, John, Colin, 348 00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:00.119 Jordan to an extent, like on the team, you can 349 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:02.400 sit them as much as you want, and you can 350 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:04.400 tank with all of those players on the team. And 351 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:06.279 so if you get a Trey Johnson, you have a 352 00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:09.559 rookie that maybe isn't as explosive right out of the gate, 353 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:12.400 you might be able to keep those guys, let them 354 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:14.680 expire and just end up with like a lot of 355 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.839 space moving forward. That being said, like you might have 356 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:22.319 to start attaching second rounders or take back less than 357 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:25.839 you and originally anticipated. I think there's probably still a 358 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:28.799 little bit of value with Colin. I think there's a 359 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:31.079 lot of teams that would really like having him on 360 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:35.119 their team, just because he's so competitive and works so 361 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:37.440 hard and has such a good reputation for that around 362 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:40.559 the league. I think that John Collins probably like raised 363 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:43.200 his value a little bit after coming from Atlanta. He 364 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:45.200 had a good season despite not playing much, but that 365 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:47.640 really wasn't his fault. Like, we both know that a 366 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:49.759 lot of the guys that didn't play much this season 367 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:52.000 were not as hurt as many people might think that 368 00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:53.640 they are. And people run the league. I don't know 369 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:55.039 people run the league know that. 370 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:59.519 What you're talking about now, Sarah, before we get you 371 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:01.559 out of here, we'll go back to what we started 372 00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:05.160 on a little bit of NBA playoffs. What series has 373 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:07.960 kind of kept your attention the most? Which one has 374 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:14.200 been most entertaining for you? I think Cleveland Pacers Celtics. 375 00:19:14.359 --> 00:19:17.680 These are some series that are pretty well in hand, 376 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:22.000 Oklahoma City over Memphis, especially after last night. But which 377 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:24.960 one has caught your attention the most has been most entertaining? 378 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:29.079 Yeah, I think that the Rockets Warriors series is probably 379 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:34.000 the most entertaining, just because of how incredibly different the 380 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:37.200 teams are going into this, the history of them like 381 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:39.599 fighting each other in the playoffs, even though they're like 382 00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:43.039 in different iterations, But I just like the idea that, like, 383 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:47.920 you know, I'm in Thompson guarding Steff is one of 384 00:19:47.960 --> 00:19:50.960 the most competent players we've seen guard stuff in a 385 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:55.079 long time. And it's against this Warriors team that comes 386 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:57.799 in as a narrative of like, this is a dynasty team, 387 00:19:57.920 --> 00:20:00.200 this is how you build teams, this is how you 388 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:04.119 win championships. Like that's that's the history and kind of 389 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:07.079 vibe of that Warriors team, and that's playing against a 390 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:10.839 team that's like ragtag group of misfits. There's not really 391 00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:13.359 a star on the team. Like you know, you have 392 00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:15.519 Albert and Segun who was an All Star, but like 393 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:20.640 that doesn't scream like superstar NBA player, and it's you know, 394 00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:24.559 if the Warriors win, then it's kind of proof that 395 00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:29.759 you need those elite top ten, top fifteen players on 396 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:32.640 your roster in order to win. And if the Rockets 397 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:35.119 win this series, it's more like, no, you can do 398 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:39.039 it with just like two handfuls of guys who are 399 00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:43.440 just absolute dudes on the on the roster. You don't 400 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:46.599 have to have the earlie players. You can win this way. 401 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:49.480