Jazz blog: Utah Jazz hold end-of-season media availability

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SALT LAKE CITY — Following a sooner-than-expected exit in the playoffs Friday, the Utah Jazz are holding their end-of-season availability Saturday.

Follow along as players, coaches and the front office share their thoughts on the season and what's to come.

Saturday, 04:34 pm

Jazz executives talk about evaluating the team after 2nd round loss

Here are some of the notable quotes from Jazz executives Dennis Lindsey and Justin Zanik.Lindsey on potential changes: "We err towards continuity. I think that served us really well this year, especially with the shortened off seasons. … The natural bent is the grass isn't always greener. … It's not lost on us that the historic season that we had in. You certainly have to evaluate the playoffs, I think we had to evaluate the playoffs under the lens of we wore down physically. I think we'll take a collective deep breath."Lindsey on Mike Conley: "We really appreciate Mike Conley attempting to play last night (in Game 6). … We never from an ownership, management, coaching level ever put any pressure on a guy's got to play. … In my opinion, a very notable and no noble attempt. It really was."Lindsey on Donovan Mitchell: "His performance was heroic, the fact that he played his best was needed, and, yet, it was clear that he was suboptimal was beyond remarkable. That speaks to his physical talent, his mental toughness, perseverance."Lindsey on evaluating the year: "You're obviously looking at how we ended. I don't think you over index and make every decision based upon the Clippers going small, and having some wing athleticism, if you will. But it's certainly a window into playoff basketball — things get reduced, rotations get reduced."Zanik on evaluating the team: "There's things we need to evaluate —the translation in the playoffs with certain matchups after finishing the season top five in both offense and defensive efficiency. So where does that apply in a relatively short series as opposed to a 72-, 82-game season, and where the league is continuing to evolve with players and where those opportunities are? I think it's too early to just make a flat, 'Hey, we need to do this.' A couple years ago when we knew about the shooting part we also saw the league moving this way and it was very, very clear. Now it's going to be a little bit more nuanced because we're closer."

Saturday, 04:16 pm

Quin Snyder says it's difficult to see season end on sour note

Here are some of Quin Snyder's comments from his last media session of the season:On his message to his team: "My heart really goes out to them, knowing that not just the work that they put in, which was substantial. And even more so given the circumstances of the season. The investment that they made, both physically and mentally, how passionate they were, it's difficult to see this season and on the note that it did in the way that it did."On the Game 6 loss: "Last night was an outlier from a shooting standpoint, and you hope that over the course of the series you can weather one of those games. But that doesn't mean you don't reflect on everything that's associated with it and try to do better."On the team's need for change: "It's hard to argue with the success that you know that we had this year. I think every year there's conversations that take place about how to improve the team. I feel lucky to have the chance to coach the group that we have."On the adjustments made in Game 6: "There were a lot of things that we tried to do at timeouts throughout the course of the game — whether it be playing zone, changing matchups, changing rotations. In the end, that's something that we'll study again and look at because the reality is we weren't able to get it done."On Mike Conley's looming free agency: "Not only is he a great player, but he's one of the best human beings that I've ever had an opportunity to be with on a daily, daily basis. To see his work, to see his leadership, to see his play — he's someone that changes our team."

Saturday, 02:59 pm

Derrick Favors was happy with first season back in Utah

Derrick Favors called his first season back in Utah "up-and-down," but, ultimately, he was pleased with it."I think it went good," Favors said. "I knew coming back that the minutes was going to be down and obviously the stats and the production is going to be down, also because I'm playing behind Rudy, and he was going to play 30 to 35 minutes."Favors knew what his role was going to be heading into the season, so the drop in minutes and therefore production wasn't an issue for him."I knew I wasn't going to be a huge part of the offense," he said. "For my role on the team and for what was asked of me, I think it went good, especially as the season went along. There was some ups and downs here and there, but overall I think it was a productive season on my end."Favors, who played sparingly in the later games of the second round to the Clippers and his struggles defending against drives, said that it wasn't anyone's fault on how Game 6 turned out."Terance Mann came out there and then had 39. I mean, you can't put that blame on anybody," he said. "The game plan was to try to make other guys beat us and not let Paul George beat us at all. You've got to give those guys credit, they hit shots. We did the best we could on PG and Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris and other guys, they just came out and made plays."

Saturday, 02:20 pm

Rudy Gobert says he trusted game plan in Game 6 loss

Early in his 10-minute media availability, Rudy Gobert said he was "going to have to clear my mind because there's a lot of things that kind of bother me."Asked to elaborate, Gobert just chalked it up to losing, but later it became clear that Gobert is frustrated with a narrative that Utah's issues against small-ball lineups rest squarely on him.When asked how he could better punish the smaller defenders, Gobert fired back: "I don't know. What do you think I should do?"It wasn't necessarily contentious, but Gobert did sound exasperated.Yes, if he had the offensive skillset of a Nikola Jokic, teams probably wouldn't go to those lineups, but, to him, if the Jazz didn't need him to help in the paint on nearly every drive, he probably would be more effective on the defensive end against teams that went small, too."My job is to make sure that guys don't get shots in the paint first and then obviously, there's some situations when teams try to draw me in to kick out to the 3s," Gobert said. "But the problem is if I don't come and help, it's layups."In Game 6, the Jazz had him stick close to the paint to avoid open shots at the rim — but he can't be in two places at one. "The game plan that we chose was that it was better to give up a Terance Mann 3 than a Reggie Jackson, (Paul George), even Kawhi (Leonard) early on, layups," he continued."Terance Mann did a great job knocking down shots. I thought we tried to adjust and go into full rotation, but the few times when I didn't come and help, it ended up in layups. I trusted the game plan to help my teammates. ... They did a great job moving the ball, played the right way every single possession, and that's what good teams do."He mentioned that it takes all five players working together to be good defensively."Everyone on their team raised their level and it was hard for us to get them as a team," Gobert said, before adding, "It starts with one on one."Gobert said it was frustrating to end the season in the second round after having such high expectations, especially by losing four straight."You try to ask yourself the right questions about what we can do so it stops happening," Gobert said.

Saturday, 02:01 pm

Georges Niang says his heart is in Utah

Georges Niang didn't have the impact on the postseason as he had wished, citing the "playoff experience is real," but the free agent forward said he wants to return to Utah."I've never been a free agent. So I guess I'm new to all this stuff," Niang said. "Obviously, my heart is in Utah. I love Utah. They gave me an opportunity to grow and mature as a man and a player. I'm forever thankful for that and I love being here."Niang said he was still in a state of near shock as he woke up this morning and replayed Friday night's loss in his head and thought: "Should have done this and should have done that."But, like his teammates, he would like to see what the Jazz could have accomplished if injuries hadn't derailed their season."I don't think enough credit goes to those guys, Mike and Donovan, for playing through what they had to play through," he said. "Obviously, they laid it all out there for us and I know us as teammates are super thankful that they wanted to go down swinging with us."

Saturday, 01:09 pm

Bogdanovic wants Jazz to keep core together for another run at championship

To Bojan Bogdanovic, the Jazz haven't yet got a chance to show what this collection of players could really do as a team.Last year, he was the one injured for the postseason. This season, the Jazz were without Mike Conley for much of the second round and Donovan Mitchell was playing through pain. So when it comes to what the Jazz need to do to take the next step, he thinks it starts with health."Mike and Donovan were the two best players on our team, probably," Bogdanovic said. "... It's tough to talk right now what we need for next season or who we need to sign. I hope we're going to keep our core team and try and get another shot next year."He said the Jazz missed Conley "big time" in the second round and marveled how Mitchell was still "our best player by far these playoffs" even with an injured right ankle.For his part, Bogdanovic said that he needed to get better at attacking the boards and putting more of an emphasis on defense over offense. He also wants to be a better ball handler next year to cut down on some of the turnovers he was prone to have.Bogdanovic said he was planning on playing for Croatia at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament that begins on June 29.

Saturday, 12:56 pm

Royce O'Neale says Jazz need another 'main guy' on defense

Royce O'Neale is seen as the Jazz's perimeter stopper. He's had degrees of success at that during his career, but in the playoffs he has struggled to stay in front of the league's elite offensive players.So what does O'Neale think the Jazz need to make the next step?"One of our downfalls at times is defense," O'Neale said. "But that's a team effort. I think having another guy to help us all out besides myself, Joe, Mike, Don, Rudy — probably another main guy."But O'Neale said he also needs to be better at that — stating that he needs to "take it up a notch on defense" next season, while also continuing to become a more comfortable shooter.

Saturday, 12:51 pm

Joe Ingles says season feels like 'a bit of a failure'

For Joe Ingles, this playoff exit stung the worst."This year felt the worst out of any of them, how we finished," Ingles said.Why? The Jazz felt they could beat anybody."We thought and believed we had a team that could matchup with anyone and beat anyone," Ingles said "And we didn't fulfill the goals that we had. So, when you have goals like that, if you're not holding the trophy at the end, it's almost a bit of a failure."Ingles said it was "shocking" that it was over. But he also doesn't think the Jazz need to change too much in the offseason."I don't think we need to blow the whole roster up and start from scratch," Ingles said.And that includes bringing Mike Conley back. Ingles said he'd be more than willing to fly out to Conley's "mansion in Ohio" to have lunch with the point guard to convince him to stay and run it back with the Jazz.

Saturday, 12:42 pm

Mike Conley is mum on free agency

For really the first time in his career, Mike Conley will be a free agent.So will he be returning to Utah next season?"Well, you know obviously how I feel about our team and the city and the fans — just a wonderful two years," Conley said, a day after the Jazz were eliminated from the playoffs.Conley said it was an "up and down" two seasons with the Jazz — eluding to injuries and his struggles to fit in with Quin Snyder's early on — but a "wonderful" one."I have to sit back and consider with my family when that time comes for us. … It's my first time being a real free agent. So it'll be interesting, but I did love it here."Asked what the Jazz needed to do to be more successful this playoffs, Conley said, "health would have been good."He also said that teams who are going deep are ones who have guys that can play multiple positions and are ones that can play different styles.Conley said he was about "50-60%" on Friday in Game 6 and that he struggled to move effectively in the elimination contest."I feel like I let a lot of people down."When asked about Donovan Mitchell's ceiling, Conley said: "I don't know. Maybe he'll start scoring 60 points per game." He said that he has the potential to be a top 10 or top 15 player in the league — if he's not already there.

Jazz blog: Utah Jazz hold end-of-season media availability

By Ryan Miller, KSL | Updated - June 19, 2021 at 4:42 p.m. | Posted - June 19, 2021 at 12:47 p.m.

Jazz executives talk about evaluating the team after 2nd round loss

Quin Snyder says it's difficult to see season end on sour note

Derrick Favors was happy with first season back in Utah

Rudy Gobert says he trusted game plan in Game 6 loss

Georges Niang says his heart is in Utah

Bogdanovic wants Jazz to keep core together for another run at championship

Royce O'Neale says Jazz need another 'main guy' on defense

Joe Ingles says season feels like 'a bit of a failure'

Mike Conley is mum on free agency

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Jazz blog: Utah Jazz hold end-of-season media availability

By Ryan Miller, KSL | Updated - June 19, 2021 at 4:42 p.m. | Posted - June 19, 2021 at 12:47 p.m.

Jazz executives talk about evaluating the team after 2nd round loss

Quin Snyder says it's difficult to see season end on sour note

Derrick Favors was happy with first season back in Utah

Rudy Gobert says he trusted game plan in Game 6 loss

Georges Niang says his heart is in Utah

Bogdanovic wants Jazz to keep core together for another run at championship

Royce O'Neale says Jazz need another 'main guy' on defense

Joe Ingles says season feels like 'a bit of a failure'

Mike Conley is mum on free agency

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