Jazz Front Office Throwing in the Towel is Bad for Business
So, for the second straight year, the Utah Jazz’s front office sent a message to their players and fans that winning in the present is taking a backseat to the future. Utah was positioned to make a run at the play-in tournament, but the odds of that happening took a big hit last week.
Utah gave up three rotational pieces in Kelly Olynyk, Simone Fontecchio, and Ochai Agbaji, and in return, received draft compensation that doesn't amount to much.
Last week, Jazz GM Justin Zanik held a press conference to explain the reasoning behind Utah's decision to let the foot off the gas for the 2023-24 season.
"I want to win just as much as they [Jazz players] do," Zanik said. "I don't think there's any question about that from Will, from Danny, from me — but I want to win for a long time. And so the definition of winning and success for me is a deep playoff run. And for us to get there, we need to have players that we can acquire that move the needle or continue to develop the players that we have here to see if they can be part of that."
What can Jazz fans expect moving forward? Just like last season, the losses should start piling up. Also, drafting in the top 10 is back in play due to Utah’s first-round pick in 2024, which is in possession of the Oklahoma City Thunder being top ten protected.
If the Jazz land in the bottom 10, then the pick gets pushed into 2025 with the same top-10 protection. In 2026, the selection becomes top-8 protected if it’s still not paid off.
Utah would only keep the pick if it bottoms out for three straight years. Ultimately, the debt needs to be paid off at some point.
Let's be honest. What the Jazz are doing is unheard of. Sure, tanking still exists in the NBA and always will. But these are teams that have zero shot at the playoffs and are increasing their odds for a top-five pick. The Jazz giving up Simone Fontecchio for a second-round pick while still in the playoff hunt is embarrassing not only for themselves but also for the integrity of the league.
Fans who have made financial and emotional investments in this year's team are short-changed, while the players who have spent their whole lives preparing for an opportunity for the post-season will again be watching from the sidelines. Utah’s two best players, Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton, have never played in a playoff game.
Also, according to thesportseconomist.com, teams that qualify for the playoffs split $347,545 between the players. Does Zanik lose an opportunity to miss out on a payday if Utah doesn't make the postseason?
This doesn't happen in any other major sports, but Utah’s front office gets away with it without much heat thrown its way. A big part of it is that ZaniK’s job is safe. The side of caution is always going to make more sense to a general manager whose job isn't on the line.
But according to Zanik, the Jazz are still in discovery mode regarding their roster, and at this stage, that's more important than the end results.
"We’re not trying to design an outcome," Zanik said, "we’re trying to know more about our team, put them in a competitive environment, which Will [Hardy] has done an outstanding job of doing, and I want to continue that.”
The Zanik press conference felt more like an opportunity to save face than anything. Writing off the season for a couple of late draft picks won’t make Utah any more or less competitive down the road. However, it can put a dark cloud over an organization with its fan base and players.
Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.
Subscribe to YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live streams!
