Austin Ainge Says Jazz Won't Tank This Upcoming Season

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Austin Ainge met with the media for the first time since being announced at the president of basketball operations for the Utah Jazz. One of the questions Ainge was asked about was if the Jazz would continue to manipulate playing time in an effort to tank for draft position. Ainge was concise, but clear in his answer.

"You won’t see that this year," Ainge said.

Over the last three seasons, Utah has pivoted towards draft position at various points in the season. Last season, the Jazz were never really competitive on a night-to-night basis. The previous two seasons saw the team change their approach around the trade deadline.

Jazz owner Ryan Smith made it clear that Ainge has final say in basketball decisions, despite his father Danny and GM Justin Zanik still being with the organization. For Ainge, that will mean picking a direction this offseason. Utah could seek veterans to build around Lauri Markkanen to chase a postseason spot in a deep Western Conference. The Jazz could also trade the veterans they have for more draft capital, while prioritizing young players.

 

Rekkapryde

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Taking is for losers. It sucks as a fan. When I watch my teams I enjoy watching them win or get close to winning. If you have a bad team then you'll lose without enough tanking and the fukked up draft you will get a chance for #1 anyway.

fukk tanking gms

Above all, it don't guarantee you shyt.

Don't know the last team to actively tank hard and get the number 1 pick. And it's not like any of the current 1st Team All NBA players were the number one picks anyway (Giannis, Joker, Tatum, Shai, Spida).
 

KFBF

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Having your team be bad because of incompetence vs being bad because you're acquiring assets and making a play for the future are different to me.

If you're tanking you have good young players and optimism about the future. If you're team is incompetent you're rooting for Demar DeRozan and Zach Lavine.

I think also if you have a young team and you see them go from bad to playing good basketball like the Pistons, Rockets, etc. is different than rooting for an established team that's ceiling looks like it's a 6 or 7 seed year after year.
 

Da_Eggman

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I aint gonna lie Austin Ainge is a really bytchmade name :hhh:
 

SchoolboyC

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They’re not gonna have too that team is ass…

And we know Ryan Smith wants AJ to stay in Utah..

And their pick will go to OKC if not in the top 8 or something like that


Tanking is one thing but it doesn’t feel like they’re getting great value with the picks they do have. Nobody seems to be good enough to pencil in as a core member.

Cody Williams needs to kick a percentage of his earnings to his brother for getting him drafted that high
 
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