WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:03.879 Next on the drive, Tim McMahon dropping dimes for your 2 00:00:04.040 --> 00:00:10.359 NBA Daily assists. 3 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:14.720 Van McMahon Van McMahon that is duding old Land, Texas 4 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:18.679 flood as tickets Mud, He's man. 5 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:21.280 Van McMahon. 6 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:22.760 Van McMahon. 7 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:38.320 Then gonna help you fill out your brackets today. Ken Pomeroy, 8 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:41.600 the legend himself Kenpalm dot com is live in studio 9 00:00:42.439 --> 00:00:45.240 during the four o'clock hour. We're gonna go region by region. 10 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:47.520 We'll previews some of the local stuff and get Ken's 11 00:00:47.560 --> 00:00:51.280 reaction on the hiring of Alex Jensen, which became official yesterday. 12 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:54.679 Excuse me on Monday, I was there. Should know Chris 13 00:00:54.679 --> 00:00:57.560 Comaraddie from the Athletic later on. But there is a 14 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:00.520 massive game tonight here in Salt Lake City at the 15 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.920 Delta Center as Washington rolls into town to take on 16 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:04.879 the Utah Jazz. 17 00:01:05.239 --> 00:01:07.239 Our next guest covers the Jazz. 18 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:09.760 And the NBA as a whole, and Tim McMahon, If 19 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:12.760 Wizards Jazz can't get you to Salt Lake, I don't 20 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:13.439 know what to do, man. 21 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:18.319 Yeah, well, I would say if things go the Jazz 22 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:21.439 is way tonight and then again in the lottery, I'll 23 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:23.359 probably make it a lot of trips to Slick City 24 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:23.920 next season. 25 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:26.439 All right, there you go, there you go. So what 26 00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:27.640 what are we expecting? 27 00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:29.439 Tonight? The Jazz released injury report. 28 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:33.319 Lowry is out with quote personal reasons, Walker is available, 29 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:36.920 John Collins out. Neither of these teams obviously want to 30 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:41.040 win this basketball game. They're both stuck on fifteen fifteen wins. 31 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:43.959 The Jazz have two more losses than Washington. But what 32 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:45.920 sort of game are we in for here in Salt Lake? 33 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:49.599 You know, it's crazy. The Wizards actually haven't been playing 34 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:53.480 terrible basketball, no true, since the trade deadline, and they 35 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:55.840 got a couple of vets in there. They got Chris Middleton, 36 00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:59.560 they got Marcus Smart. How about the Wizards sweeping the 37 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:04.400 season series with the Denver Nuggets. It's incredible, But like 38 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:08.680 they made up some and they were in danger of 39 00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:12.879 like historically horrendous territory, and you know, there is kind 40 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:16.360 of thing of like do you want to have lose 41 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:19.759 and just seep into every pore of the culture of 42 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:24.199 the franchise and those habits, and so they've been playing 43 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:26.800 better basketball, but tonight, you know, obviously this is a 44 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:28.960 this is a tanker to loser type of game. And 45 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:31.400 I don't know that it's one that I would purchase 46 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:36.319 tickets to see. Perhaps some you know, lean pass drive 47 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:41.639 bys just for comedic, comedic reasons, you know, listen. I 48 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:47.000 enjoy the Walker Kessler really leaning into the player development 49 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:49.120 aspect there, and maybe he can get up ten or 50 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.039 twelve threes to night eleven in the last two games 51 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:55.520 after I think six all season before that, something like that. 52 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:59.319 So I enjoyed, you know, Walker Kesler Stretch five. 53 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:03.719 That's gotta be the Jazz trolling the NBA right after 54 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:06.479 they find them for city and marketing. They're like, oh, okay, 55 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:08.159 if you're gonna find us, we're just gonna let let 56 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:09.599 our big guys shoot threes all game. 57 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:13.639 Well, I was controlling the NBA, don't I don't know 58 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:19.199 that that's that's aggressive. What I would say about it 59 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:23.599 in all seriousness is this Walker works on his threes 60 00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:27.840 every single day. He would love to be a Brook 61 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:31.960 Lopez type of Stretch five, And at this point in 62 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:35.719 the season, I would say there's no downside and letting 63 00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:39.039 him fire away. Maybe he stumbles into something and becomes 64 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:42.360 comfortable and it's actually a tool in his tool belt 65 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:47.360 at some point moving forward, certainly he's likely to do 66 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:49.680 something like go one of eleven from three point range 67 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:52.520 over two games that quite frankly, are in their best 68 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:55.319 interest to lose. So there's not a downside there. But 69 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:57.680 it is like he it's not like, you know, the 70 00:03:57.719 --> 00:03:59.919 guy's never walked out to the three point line and 71 00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:03.599 fired one up. He does it every single day. I 72 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:06.280 mean he's trying to develop that, so you know, give 73 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:09.120 him a shot. Hey, I remember when the Mavericks are 74 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:12.280 tanking trying to get Luca suddenly Solemn Measure. I don't 75 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:15.280 know if you remember the mah wow, but but Solid 76 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:17.959 Measury was firing up some threes. And the funniest thing 77 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:20.600 is there was a total tank up to lose a 78 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:24.199 game late in that season in Memphis, and the Mavericks 79 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:26.480 will want it because Solid Measuring got hot from three 80 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:26.959 point rate. 81 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:30.160 That's a good pull. I haven't heard that name in 82 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:34.199 a while. And you know, like Walker has a decent stroke. 83 00:04:34.279 --> 00:04:36.680 It's not like I can remember the Jazz used to 84 00:04:37.560 --> 00:04:41.199 every preseason there would be a video on social media 85 00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:43.519 of like go Bear hitting a corner three, and they'd 86 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:44.319 be like, hey, stay tuned. 87 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:45.079 I'm like, don't do that. 88 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:48.079 Like that's not like you like, don't do that with Rudy. 89 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:50.480 But Walker actually has a decent stroke, you know what 90 00:04:50.519 --> 00:04:54.639 I mean. It doesn't look like it's aesthetically unpleasing, it's 91 00:04:54.639 --> 00:04:58.040 pretty fundamentally sound. Maybe someday he can develop it to 92 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:00.680 a point where occasionally when it makes he'll be able 93 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:01.480 to knock one down. 94 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:06.879 Well, you know, unfortunately, the counterpoint to that would be 95 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:10.480 he's not a good free throw shooter. That's typically guys 96 00:05:10.519 --> 00:05:13.720 who are able to stretch their range out. It's like, hey, 97 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:16.879 they're good free throw shooters, and then you know that 98 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:21.160 that's an indication that's the three point ball is a possibility. However, 99 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:25.279 you know, I mentioned brook Lopez. Brook Lopez was a 100 00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:28.360 prototypical back to the basket score for the first half 101 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:31.560 of his career. It wasn't until Kenny Atkinson got to 102 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:35.839 Brooklyn pretty deep into Brooks time. There was his last 103 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:39.279 season in Brooklyn. I believe that he started marching his 104 00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:42.240 butt out to the three point line and firing away 105 00:05:42.279 --> 00:05:44.519 and then they just leaned all the way into it. 106 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:47.199 You know. A couple of siths later for him when 107 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:50.399 he got to Milwaukee, and now he's like the epitome 108 00:05:50.439 --> 00:05:53.959 of a rim protecting stretch five, which I mean, that's 109 00:05:54.040 --> 00:05:57.920 absolutely a new archetype of big man in the NBA. 110 00:05:57.959 --> 00:05:59.879 And if you've got a guy who can protect the 111 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:02.160 rim and then you have to guard him on the 112 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:04.600 three point line, like, that's a big time weapon. I 113 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:10.800 don't I don't think it's necessarily likely that Kesler becomes that, 114 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:13.600 But why not, like, at least at this point of 115 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:16.800 the season, when you know you're trying to stacking lottery 116 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:19.600 house as high as possible, why not lean all the 117 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:20.279 way into it? 118 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:21.879 For sure? 119 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:24.720 I mean, at this point, you know, try whatever you 120 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:26.680 need to try, because we all know what time it is. 121 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:29.839 But since I referenced the Jazz being fined tim for 122 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.920 city marketing, can you help us understand this? I mean, 123 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:37.519 ultimately it feels like teams sit players every single night 124 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:39.399 and star players every single night. 125 00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:42.000 We like, why the Jazz? Why would larry what happened here? 126 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:47.639 Because it was an extraordinarily aggressive, uh tanking measure? And 127 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.920 there's if we're being real honest, this is three straight 128 00:06:51.000 --> 00:06:54.360 years this time that the Jazz were extraordinarily aggressive with 129 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:58.240 tanking measures. I mean, that's the simplest reason. And then 130 00:06:58.279 --> 00:07:01.720 what was it like nine straightnesss correct. Yeah, so I'm 131 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:05.959 so look, I mean, let's just be real. It was 132 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:10.000 pretty flagrant violation of the player participation policy, and so 133 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:13.079 they had them with one hundred thousand dollars fine. And look, 134 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.600 if you end up with Cooper flag, you'd pay ten 135 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:21.839 million dollars in fines to get there. So, I mean, 136 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:26.759 it's it's not pretty, it's not fun, but it is 137 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:30.360 in the best interest in the Jazz to be tanking aggressively, 138 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:32.480 and the league called them out on it because what 139 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:35.759 they were doing marketing it was pretty flagrant. 140 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:39.519 Yeah, and there's no no debate as far as how, 141 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:41.639 you know, how they were handling it. It just feels 142 00:07:41.639 --> 00:07:43.959 like it happens across the landscape of the league. So 143 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.839 I don't know, I thought it was odd that they 144 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:46.800 on the Jazz. 145 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:51.959 Well, but there's been an investigation in Philly. They're investigating. 146 00:07:51.959 --> 00:07:55.680 I mean, they investigated the player participation policy violations for 147 00:07:55.720 --> 00:07:58.439 the Oklahoma City Thunder, the number one seed in the 148 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:01.639 Western Conference, for a game that they won by double 149 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:05.439 figures because Portland despite sitting there like top six players. 150 00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:09.079 So it's not only the Jazz. But again, I really 151 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.839 like the real honest answer is the Jazz have been 152 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:17.839 pretty aggressive tankers, at least late season in each of 153 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:20.160 the last three years. I mean, I don't know if 154 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:24.160 I've told you this before, but when the Mavericks tanked 155 00:08:24.199 --> 00:08:26.040 the last couple of games a couple of years ago, 156 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:28.560 when they had that top ten protected pick and post 157 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:31.839 Kyrie trade, like, things did not go well and they 158 00:08:31.879 --> 00:08:34.720 couldn't win, and they're at a point where, hey, they 159 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:37.720 had a small chance of being a playing team. But 160 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:39.919 the most likely scenario that have kept their foot on 161 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:42.759 the gas was they land the eleventh pick, which would 162 00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:45.000 have gone to New York. So they tanked. You know, 163 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:46.840 I called the League office and I'm talking to make 164 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:49.240 the League office and I'm like, hey, like, are you 165 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:51.559 guys gonna make any kind of comments? They're going to 166 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:55.080 be a kind of punishment. And this person said, have 167 00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:57.919 you called me about the Jazz? And my response was, 168 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:00.960 has Ryan Smith been fine six hundred one thousand recently 169 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:04.240 for publicly discussing tanking measures? Has that happened in the 170 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:07.480 last few years? And so you know, the Mattericks will 171 00:09:07.559 --> 00:09:13.519 repeat violators of flagrant tanking and you know had actually 172 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:16.039 been fined before. And this is the first time, and look, 173 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:18.039 one hundred grand is a slap on the wrist. Let's 174 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:20.360 just be real. But they got slapped on the risk 175 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.960 and because they've been very aggressive over multiple years now. 176 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:28.240 So you reference something with Washington, the concern of allowing, 177 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:32.440 you know, losing to permeate throughout the culture of your organization. 178 00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:35.360 And with Washington, we're a little late for that conversation. 179 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:38.320 I mean, my goodness, that organization. Whenever Jazz fans getting 180 00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:40.279 their feelings, I'm like, dude, you look around the league 181 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:44.480 for a little bit, namely Washington. But I always believed 182 00:09:44.519 --> 00:09:47.519 tim when there's a team that has leaned into simply 183 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:53.080 losing consistently. While I understand and agree with oftentimes the approach, 184 00:09:53.159 --> 00:09:55.519 there has to be a little bit of a danger 185 00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:58.919 for the Kyle Philipowskis and the Isaiah Colliers and the 186 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:01.559 Caante George's the world to get. 187 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:02.159 Accustomed to this. 188 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:05.720 Now, what I will say is the past month, month 189 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:07.559 and a half, there have been several games where the 190 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:10.320 Jazz have been close at the end against good teams, 191 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:13.240 which I think is valuable experience. But is there is 192 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.159 there a danger to leaning into this when you are 193 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:18.399 trying to develop young players and teaching them how to 194 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:19.240 be professionals. 195 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:22.960 Well, there absolutely is. And that's why I think that 196 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:29.480 this is an extraordinarily tough task for Will Hardy because ultimately, 197 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:34.559 like he's responsible for establishing the standards and the you 198 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:38.879 know what's unacceptable and you know, really instilled in the 199 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:43.639 kind of culture that he wants. And look, let's like 200 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:47.240 that's why you know, there have been instances, for example, 201 00:10:47.240 --> 00:10:51.399 where he's publicly called out the complete lack of effort 202 00:10:51.720 --> 00:10:56.840 defensively and young players have lost minutes because uh, you know, 203 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:00.960 they haven't had the level of the acceptable effort defensively. 204 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:05.600 So it's a it's a it's a really no pun 205 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:08.840 intended to kind of a no win situation, uh for 206 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:13.279 a coach. But the challenge is you understand the organizational 207 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:18.279 uh path right, and you've got to get high in 208 00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:20.519 talent to ever have any chance of getting that thing 209 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:24.240 turned around. And you get what the easiest way to 210 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:28.039 get there is. But you just can't let bad losing 211 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:32.039 habits seep in. And and you know, honestly, that was 212 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:35.919 a huge issue in Houston during their three years of 213 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:41.960 blatant tanking after the James Barden trade. You know, Emiodoko 214 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:44.720 was able to come in and fix those problems really quickly. 215 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:49.159 You know, I do think that Will Hardy's got a 216 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:53.480 very bright future as a head coach. I do think 217 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:57.559 that he has a level of authority, uh and and 218 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:01.159 respect in that lockeroman. And the other thing is like, hey, 219 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:04.240 if these guys don't live up to those standards, they 220 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:07.120 won't be there very long. And so if they if 221 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:10.120 they don't respect what he's trying to, you know, the 222 00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:13.240 standards he's trying to enforce, then you know, they'll probably 223 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:15.200 be looking for a job somewhere else. 224 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:18.960 Sarah Todd des Red News, friend of the Show, wrote 225 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:22.240 a piece last week that has received a lot of traction, 226 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:24.039 and we talked about it with her on the show, 227 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:28.519 and essentially it felt like she was talking to somebody 228 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:30.960 at the organization, and I think she probably was. 229 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:34.240 That has now kind of coined the term of uh. 230 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:36.799 The last three years were a tear down and the 231 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:37.840 rebuild starts now. 232 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:41.840 All right, Like I, you know, you and I have 233 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:43.360 talked about I've. 234 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:44.919 Got a pretty good idea who she takes to go 235 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:45.840 on fair. 236 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:49.039 Enough, fair enough, And I guess that's a spin you 237 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:51.720 can put on the situation three years later when you 238 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:53.799 didn't handle it the right way from the start, is 239 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:54.679 my opinion on that. 240 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:56.919 But if the rebuild starts. 241 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.799 Now, tim, does it feel like next year is going 242 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:02.039 to feel a lot like this year? 243 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:07.480 You know what? I think that depends on a lot 244 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:10.919 of factors. And frankly, one of those factors is do 245 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:14.559 they win the lottery? And if so, the second factor 246 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:17.240 would be how ready is Cooper Flag to make an 247 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:25.279 immediate impact? You know? Now, look, are there is there 248 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:28.399 going to be like some massive jump and wins next year? 249 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:32.159 Are they going to you know, be a sixth seed 250 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:36.480 in the Western Conference? I mean highly unlikely. But again, 251 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:41.840 if if Cooper Flag is as good immediately as people 252 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:45.440 think he might be, who knows, yeah, And then like 253 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:48.519 say they win the lottery, how do they approach the 254 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:51.360 rest of the summer? You know? Are they are they 255 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:54.120 aggressive to kind of get veterans in there, to put 256 00:13:54.159 --> 00:14:00.559 a you know, realistic competitive team on the court. Stranger 257 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:03.840 things have happened. The Deroit business won fourteen games last year. 258 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.639 They're in sixth place in the Eastern Conference right now. 259 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:09.360 So I'm not saying it's impossible. I am saying one 260 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:12.879 the West is a lot tougher than the East and two, 261 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:16.120 you know, the for that reason and others, it's it's 262 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:21.399 pretty unlikely, you know, typically rebuilds our multiple year processes. 263 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:27.960 So interesting though, because according to what Sarah Road, let's 264 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:31.200 operate off the fun hypothetical that Lady Luck shines on 265 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:32.799 us here in Salt Lake in a way that it 266 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:34.360 hasn't so far in the jazz. 267 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:35.080 It's wild. 268 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:36.919 The Jazz have only been a lottery nine times, but 269 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:39.480 they've had nine chances. They've never moved up outside of 270 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:41.440 a trade that they've made. That's how they got d Will. 271 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:46.120 But if it actually goes down and Cooper Flag is 272 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:49.480 a jazz man, Sarah kind of pontificated on the possibility 273 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:52.440 of actually that being the start of the timeline for 274 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:55.080 what they're trying to build, meaning do you move on 275 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:57.360 from Lowry now that you're going to be able to 276 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:00.879 once this offseason comes down, do you even considering move 277 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:05.519 on from Walker Kessler? Which pontificated about in her piece 278 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:08.240 for the d News, like if they get the prize 279 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:12.200 of Cooper Flag. The tone and tenor of the piece was, Okay, 280 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:14.879 now we start our rebuild and maybe we move on 281 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:18.559 from everyone, because Tim, if we're honest, outside of Lowry 282 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:20.120 and Walker, I don't know. 283 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:22.960 I just don't. I think there are a moment good 284 00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:23.559 go good. 285 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:26.600 I would say it's fair to say you don't know. 286 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:31.120 I think it's premature to say, you know, none of 287 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:34.000 these guys can be contributors to a competitive team. 288 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:36.320 Oh sure, I wasn't saying that now, But. 289 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:39.080 Look like the Lowry thing, Hey, you've got to consider 290 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:42.600 all options. And if you're building around me, slide is 291 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:47.039 going to be eighteen next season, so like prominably unlikely 292 00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:51.600 that he's going to be able to drive winning right away. 293 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:55.559 And like, you know, I think you have to be 294 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:58.440 open mind to do all possibilities, and you have to 295 00:15:58.679 --> 00:16:01.360 just like they did last summer, Lowry, you have to 296 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:03.799 be willing to listen to conversations. You know, you have 297 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:07.320 to be, you know, even willing to begin conversations, to 298 00:16:07.399 --> 00:16:12.159 initiate conversations. He's not untouchable. You can't. You know, you 299 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:19.360 can't win fifteen, sixteen, seventeen games and consider somebody untouchable. Now, 300 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:24.120 having said that, I would be pretty hesitant to move 301 00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:29.000 Walker Kessler because he's twenty three years old. He's going 302 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:32.799 to be you know, he's the type of guy who 303 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.240 I think can be a high, high, high quality role 304 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:39.879 player on a good team. And I think he's got 305 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:43.039 at least a decade long runway in front of him. 306 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:47.799 And again we're basing this on like they win the lottery. 307 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:51.799 It's Cooper Flagg, who's supposed to be just a potential, 308 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:57.360 like tremendous impact defensive player, like a like a andre 309 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:01.200 Kirolinko type of defender. You know, if you have that 310 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:04.319 type of defender with one of the two or three 311 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.799 best rim protectors in the league, that's the you know, 312 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.559 the foundation of potentially an elite or an elite defense. 313 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:15.960 For a long time, the asking price was very high 314 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:19.039 for Walker Kesspher, you know, even going back to last 315 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:21.200 summer when people thought the Jazz might be down on me, 316 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:23.319 maybe he could be at for a discount. And I 317 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:25.680 don't see any reason that would change were. 318 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:28.640 They ever close moving on from Walker, either last offseason 319 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:30.160 or prior to the trade deadline this year. 320 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:33.720 That's to my knowledge, I've not heard, you know, I 321 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:36.319 know there's been a lot of teams that have inquired 322 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:40.039 about him. I to my knowledge, there's never been anything 323 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:41.799 that was a serious consideration. 324 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:44.599 So let me revisit what I said. 325 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:46.480 And I didn't mean to imply that none of these 326 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:48.359 guys are ever going to turn out. I just very 327 00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:50.480 much have questions about all of them. But if I 328 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.680 removed Lowry, and if I removed Walker from the equation, 329 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:57.079 who do you think, based off of what you've seen, 330 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:00.000 has a chance to be here when they are good again. 331 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:05.640 Well, unfortunately, we barely have seen Taylor Hendriws and you know, 332 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:08.319 we'll see if he's even ready for training camp next year. 333 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:12.039 I know they're very encouraged by the progress that he 334 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:15.519 made last summer after a tough rookie season for a 335 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:18.279 kid who was a teenager at the time. You know, 336 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:23.039 Isaiah Collier has has definitely had stretches of really endearing 337 00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:28.400 himself to Will Hardy this season. You know, Keante George 338 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:31.119 is in some ways it's kind of like Walker, where 339 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:34.960 the second season has been disappointing. I think he's more 340 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:38.960 of a you know, of a Jordan Clarkson then he 341 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:40.680 is a Darren Williams. You know, I don't think he's 342 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:42.359 ever going to be a league art for somebody. Can 343 00:18:42.359 --> 00:18:46.319 he be a benchbucket Ginner? I could see that and 344 00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:49.440 then honestly, this year's rookies like, let's let's see, let's 345 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:51.720 see summer league. Let's see how they handle the summer. 346 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:56.039 I mentioned Collier, but I'm talking about like Cody Williams, Philipowski. 347 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:58.480 Philipowski's shown a little something. I don't you know. I 348 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:03.880 think he's a bit player if he's able to part 349 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.000 out a long career. And think Cody Williams, like, let's 350 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:10.920 be honest, he's more of an idea than a player 351 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:16.039 at this point. This summer is gonna be huge for him. 352 00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:18.160 All Right, one more jazz thing, then we'll move on 353 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:22.680 from this. And like you, I don't do the you know, 354 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:26.200 draft grind on tape every day thing the way that 355 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:29.039 people do it that have it as a full time gig, 356 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:31.759 like your guy Jonathan Cavoti or others that cover the draft. 357 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:35.039 But it does feel like, I mean, even when wem 358 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:38.079 ban Yama was there to be had, you had hipsters 359 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:40.039 and NBA media say things like well, I kind of 360 00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:41.920 like Scoot and you're like, all right, dude, whatever. But 361 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:46.039 it feels like we've moved into a space where at 362 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:48.960 the start of the season you would hear Dylan Harper, 363 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:52.279 you would hear Ace Bailey, you'd hear Edge Common after 364 00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:54.920 what Cooper's done? Is it safe to say that, like 365 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:57.839 wem Banyama, this is Cooper on his own level than 366 00:19:57.880 --> 00:19:59.039 everybody else after him. 367 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:00.319 Based off your understand. 368 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:04.039 That's my understanding. And you know, I've talked a little 369 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:08.880 bit to scouts and executives and I if it Cooper 370 00:20:08.920 --> 00:20:11.319 flags not the number one pick people throughout the league, 371 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:14.559 it's going to be absolutely shocked and dumbfounded. So you know, 372 00:20:14.839 --> 00:20:17.759 I would say that would put him very much on 373 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:18.440 his own level. 374 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:22.119 You brought up the Detroit Pistons. Do you still stay 375 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:24.720 in contact with Dennis? With Dennis Lindsay and I wonder 376 00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:27.240 what sort of role he's played in kind of this resurgence. 377 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:29.559 Yeah, you know what, I'll be honest with you. I 378 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:33.160 have not been in touch with Dennis this season. I 379 00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:35.480 have not. I don't get East a lot, and I 380 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:39.359 haven't run into him this season. But I would say 381 00:20:39.559 --> 00:20:42.359 that he had his fingerprints all over a very productive 382 00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:45.359 off season for the Mavericks a couple of summers ago, 383 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:49.359 and you know, the Pistons made it a priority to 384 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:53.920 hire him with a rookie general manager in trading Langdon. 385 00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:58.319 They obviously also had a very productive off season, and 386 00:20:58.359 --> 00:21:00.319 so look, you know, you start to cry with a 387 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.920 guy who's in charge and making the decisions in Trajan Langdon. 388 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:07.799 But Dennis Lindsay's got an off the good track record, 389 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:11.440 and this is two straight, too straight summers that he's 390 00:21:11.480 --> 00:21:14.200 been part of a front office that's made some moves 391 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:18.319 that really paid immediate dividends, and you know, you gotta 392 00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:20.359 think he had something to do with it all. 393 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:21.480 Right before I set you loose. 394 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:25.960 The big news story regarding the local sports scene is 395 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:28.559 that it is official as of Monday afternoon, that Alex 396 00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:32.680 Jensen is the seventeenth head coach in Utah men's basketball history. 397 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:34.559 The Jazz played the Tea Wools a few nights ago. 398 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:37.519 Go Bear post game was asked about the higher and 399 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:40.279 Rudy gave a great answer. It's up online. It's up 400 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:43.480 on the Utah page, the Jazz page. Will Hardy was 401 00:21:43.480 --> 00:21:45.920