“We’re ready to go big game hunting.”
That’s been the defining quote of the Utah Jazz’s offseason, the standout message from CEO Danny Ainge’s news conference in the days after a dismal 2023-24 season ended in April. But it’s worth looking at the full context of the quote as we evaluate what’s happened so far, and what’s apparently occurring: trade talks involving Jazz star Lauri Markkanen.
“I think that our objective is to find a player or two and we’re ready to roll. We’re ready to go big game hunting. And that hasn’t happened in the last two years. But if we start all over, then we’re three years, possibly, or four years, from being anywhere. We feel like we’re closer than that. We have a chance. I mean, we’re going all in this summer to try to figure out what we can do to get better,” Ainge said.
“When I say all-in, that doesn’t mean that we’re going to throw all our chips in and like championship or bust. I’m saying our mindset is that we’re going only to try to win. That’s our only objective ‘til we get to July. And if we don’t land anything, we don’t make any deals, we don’t land anything — then our direction could change that moment, and (we’d) wait ‘til the next time that we can try to build a roster. Does that make sense?”
Well, it’s July. It appears the Jazz’s direction has changed.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the teams negotiating with the Jazz believe they will trade Markkanen. Adrian Wojnarowski, also from the worldwide leader, said the Jazz are listening to offers. And The Athletic’s Tony Jones said the Golden State Warriors’ offer, in particular, was strong enough that the Jazz would have to at least consider doing the deal. To be sure, any deal that sees the Jazz send out Markkanen sees them declining in the near future.
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