Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Austin Ainge aims to transform Utah Jazz, ending their tanking strategy.
- Danny Ainge's 'big-game hunting' approach didn't yield results last season.
- Jazz must draft well and consider trades to improve their standing.
SALT LAKE CITY — Austin Ainge's initial push to transform the Utah Jazz is nearly here now that the NBA draft is only days away.
Like his father did last year, the team's new director of basketball operations offered an attention-grabbing statement in his first media availability by saying the Jazz are done tanking — "you won't see that" — after going 17-65 last season.
Early in the 2023-24 offseason, Danny Ainge said the Jazz intended to go "big-game hunting" over the summer.
In his role as chief executive officer, Ainge may have taken a few shots at the big-gamers but nothing came of it. The Jazz began last season with the three drafted rookies and the main core of holdovers, clearly intending to lose as much as possible.
Mission accomplished, as the campaign was the worst in franchise history. Holding out several players over the course of the season led to the bigger disappointment when the Jazz fell to the fifth spot in the lottery.
Now that tanking proved to be pointless, the novel concept has turned to winning. Therein lies the mystery regarding how to go about it.
No doubt, Austin Ainge's stated intentions for the upcoming season has caught the intention of other NBA executives. To jumpstart the drawn-out method of rebuilding, the Jazz likely will need to add more veteran talent.
The first shake-up in the Western Conference came last weekend, when the Memphis Grizzlies traded longtime starting guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for four unprotected first-round picks, one first-round swap and role players Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony.
The trade led to suggestions that the Grizzlies, who fired coach Taylor Jenkins late in the season, may begin a rebuild. If so, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. would be attractive trade candidates.
"Everyone's kind of got the gas put down (in the Western Conference), including the Jazz. The Jazz are intending to try to turn it up," NBA reporter Brian Windhorst said in discussing the Memphis transactions on ESPN.
To restore respectability, the younger Ainge needs to hit on a series of draft choices starting with the upcoming No. 5 and 21 selections. The team can improve through other methods, but it's imperative to land at least one good rookie now.
Over the last two years the Jazz have drafted five players in the first round and another early in the second round. The youth movement likely will multiply by at least two and maybe more (the Jazz also has two picks in the second round).
"I believe by far the most likely scenario is we draft the picks, but you never know what offers come in. Got to stay ready," Ainge said during a radio interview on The Zone.
The elder Ainge earned the nickname 'Trader Danny' by pulling off a few heists during his time running the Boston Celtics. Ainge built one NBA championship by acquiring two stars (Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen) and a draft-day trade that led to selecting Jayson Tatum resulted in another title after Ainge left the organization.
Now it's Austin Ainge's turn to start establishing a shrewd reputation. Staying ready, as he said, will likely include fielding offers for several attractive Jazz players.
Starting with former all-star Lauri Markkanen, whose talent has been wasted the last two seasons, league executives should be blowing up Ainge's cellphone. Without adding reinforcements to surround Markkanen, there may be no point in keeping him considering the haul Memphis got for a lesser player.
To a lesser extent, the same argument is there for John Collins, Collin Sexton and even four-year veteran Walker Kessler. But a combination of multiple moves in keeping some of the veteran talent, and allowing for improvement from the youngsters, the Jazz could make a substantial jump in the standings.
