Utah Jazz & Mikel Brown Jr, Can Jazz Keep Both Kessler & Keyonte?, Big League Utah update &MLB CBA initial offers

DNA Sports Recap is LIVE breaking down all the latest around the Utah Jazz and the future of basketball in Utah! Tonight we dive into the growing buzz surrounding Mikel Brown Jr. after reports connected him to a Jazz pre-draft workout, and what his game could mean for Utah’s rebuild. We’ll also debate one of the biggest offseason questions: Can the Jazz realistically keep BOTH Walker Kessler and Keyonte George long-term, or will tough roster decisions eventually have to be made?

Plus, we’re talking about the momentum behind Big League Utah and what an MLB team could mean for the future of sports in Salt Lake City and across the state. From NBA rumors and roster building to Utah’s expanding sports landscape, we’ve got you covered LIVE on DNA Sports Recap!

Tap in, join the chat, and be part of the conversation!

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

You are looking live here in beautiful Salt Lake City here at DNA HQ. My name is Darren. That is AJ. What's going on, my friend? What's up, buddy? How are you doing today? I'm doing well. I'm doing well. Looking for another exciting edition of the DNA sports recap.

SPEAKER_00 0:13

Very exciting. So much good stuff to talk about.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

That's what we're here to do. So what we're going to do first is we're switching it up this week, AJ. Yes, we are. We are switching it up, and we're going to start with a little bit of Major League Baseball.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 0:32

But first, before we get into the content, folks, we'd like to encourage you to join the conversation in the comments down below. While you're down there, consider subscribing to Major League DNA and make sure you smash that like button for your boy AJ run over there. Do it. Alright, folks, as a reminder, if you're watching this live on YouTube during our live stream, we want you to jump into the chat, let us know where you're watching from. AJ wants to know your favorite color, as always, as long as it's blue. I mean red, not blue.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Not blue.

SPEAKER_01 0:59

Whoa. Easy there. Easy there. Yeah. Easy. Yep. Jump in, let us know what you're watching, uh, where you're watching from, as well as, you know, comment on what we're talking about. You know, we want to hear from you folks. Uh, that's what makes this show fun to do live, is that we get a chance to chat with you and interact with y'all. Because again, that's kind of the point of this whole gig was to basically just kind of be one of those shows where, you know, what if you bellied up to the bar with a buddy and just start talking sports?

SPEAKER_00 1:24

That's essentially what we're doing. What's what we do? At one point, we actually had a bar.

SPEAKER_01 1:28

We did, we did, but the uh acoustics were terrible. And the mic didn't work, the mics didn't work, and the and we were filming on a GoPro.

SPEAKER_00 1:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

So yeah, it was interesting. It was interesting.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Yeah, check out some of our first videos on the main page. That's that's a good time.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

Yeah, it is a good time. It's actually part of our intro that we're not gonna be using today. Uh, but yeah, so all right, so let's go ahead and get into it, man. We're gonna start a little bit about Major League Baseball first, and then we're gonna go into uh the the jazz after. That's gonna be the subjects we're talking about today. Um, hopefully some news happens on the youths front between now and next week that we could talk a little bit about the youths, but I doubt it.

SPEAKER_00 2:06

I doubt it. I mean, it's just in the offseason, it's all good.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

All right, man. So let's go ahead and jump into it. The first subject we want to talk about is man, there is a crazy stat out there right now. Yes, crazy stat. Did you know that Fernando Tachis Jr., according to baseball reference, has 196 plate appearances in 53 games this year. The guy puts up on average six war a year. Wow. Guess what he's sitting at right now for the year? Batting average wise? No, war. Oh, war? His batting average is 255, by the way. But what is his war?

SPEAKER_00 2:42

I'm gonna say 12.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

Zero.

SPEAKER_00 2:46

Zero?

SPEAKER_01 2:47

Yes. And what if I can make it even worse, AJ? What if I said that he hasn't hit a home run yet this year?

SPEAKER_00 2:53

No way.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Yeah. Zero home runs so far? Zero home runs as of the time of recording, zero home runs according to baseball reference.

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Because of just because you said that, he'll hit one tonight.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Oh, for sure. That's just how this works. Um, but yeah, so that's crazy. He on average hits about 30 home runs a season, 25 to 30 home runs a season on average, but right now he's sitting at zero. And it's leaving a lot of people asking, what is going on with Tatis? Well, we have a bit of an answer to that now, don't we?

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Yes, we sure do. Yeah, I mean, it all started because uh he just lost another legal ruling um in his dispute with Big League Advance Fund, BLA, um, over a 2017 investment contract. So a San Diego judge uh refused to overturn an arbitration decision that favored BLA. And this was this all kind of linked back to Tatis signed a deal when he was 18 um to receive $2 million in exchange for 10% of his future baseball earnings over 25 years. Well, Mr. Tatis ended up becoming a superstar, right? Which was a great idea when you're 18, right?

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Great idea.

SPEAKER_00 4:01

I'm a millionaire.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

Yeah, two million dollars. And if you don't sign a contract in the major league, they don't have to pay it back.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

Yeah, it's just it's it's a straight investment. That's what it is. Um, but yeah, he kind of turned into somebody, ended up signing a 14-year, $340 million contract with the San Diego Padres, and um yeah, he pretty much now owes 10% of that back to the company that fronted him $2 million, which is crazy.

SPEAKER_01 4:27

Um what what why do you think okay, let me ask you this question. One like this uh Fred Adam Tatis Jr. early in his career actually said when he was called up, said he wouldn't be in the majors without that two million that he got from BLA.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Right.

SPEAKER_01 4:45

So what makes you think he changed his mind and decided to sue the company? Um just because he doesn't want to pay the 34 million, like and it and it's paid back annually, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:56

So it's like on his annual, so it's 3.37 million or whatever per year. But he's like, yeah, nah. I don't I shouldn't have to pay that back.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

Yeah. Question I have is why did he sign this in the first place? His name is Fernando Tatis Jr., which means his dad is Fernando Tatis, who had quite a long career himself, who earned like $15 million in salary as a baseball player, too. Is his dad broke? Like what what like what uh why did he do this? Where was Pops?

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Yeah, yeah, and and where was anybody like on your like life coaching mission that they're like, dude, just stick it out. But but I mean if somebody told you they'd give you two million bucks and if you if you became a superstar, they want 10%, or if not, it's you got two million bucks.

SPEAKER_01 5:49

Yeah, I actually asked my son uh this very question, he's 15 and we kind of ran through the numbers and I asked it based off of something that he would like to do. Yeah, and said and basically did the same thing, use the same numbers, same time frame, and everything. And I asked him, Would you do that? He's like, Absolutely, it that's a no-brainer. Why wouldn't I? Yeah, he's like, because if I don't get the two million, then it doesn't happen. Yeah, I never get there. Yeah. So yeah, all day. And I'm like, that's a smart way of looking at it. So here's a few things. I want to get into the BLA side of things, but uh, let's go ahead and get into why I think Tatis is actually mad about this and doesn't actually want to pay. Okay. Okay, there's two reasons why Tatis doesn't want to pay BLA. And the two reasons are taxes and tomfoolery.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

Let's start with the taxes. All right, so taxes. Tatis only, and I put only in error quotes because what I can do with 170 million dollars, we'll only get 170 million dollars of that $340 million contract after state and federal taxes. So I know I'm saying only $170 million is a lot, but when the bottom line on that contract says $340 and you're only getting $170 million of that, that kind of sucks. Then go ahead and take away another $17 million uh that he owes his agent and management. Uh, so that brings you down to $153 million, and then go ahead and take $1.5 million out of that for his PED suspension where he lost 80 games due to that. Uh which by the way, he's lucky on that one because if that if he did that whole ringworm thing where he took, you know, steroids, if he did that later in the career, later in the years where that contract cost him a full year. Well, it would have cost him 16 million because his annual contract value is 30 million. He did it at early when it only cost him 1.2 when he was contract was much, much lower value for those years. So saved himself quite a bit of million there. So 1.5 million after that. So now we're looking at $151 million, and BLA wants $34 million of that $151, which basically brings you down to $114 million, which doesn't sound like sorry, $117 million. $117 million. Now it doesn't sound like not a lot of money, but keep in mind, this is a $14 year contract, AJ.

SPEAKER_02 8:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:01

14 years. So that brings it down to an annual salary of $8.3 million. I mean, that's still an eight million dollars take home a year. Well, think but also think about it that way. Like he is a $340 million contract type player. He signed a max contract deal where he would get something like $30 million a year.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:27

And after all of this, he's now making $8.3 million a year, which is gonna be basically kind of like your journeyman average salary.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

Because of all of this. The contracts extended out, the PED issue, the taxes because he plays in California, like all these different things just start to stack up. So yeah, I wouldn't want to pay $34 million on a hundred and $170 million contract. Pretty good investment by uh BLA, though. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Pay two million, get $34 back.

SPEAKER_01 8:56

That's gross, not net. So good for them. Good for them. But yeah, man, so I think that's kind of why. And the like I said, Tom Foolery with the whole game PD suspension and all that, he cost himself some money there. But yeah, I'm thinking when he's looking down the barrel audit seeing how much money he's losing and everything, that he just doesn't want to have to pay another 34. And his team came up with a bunch of arguments, legal arguments for why he shouldn't have to pay it. Uh my favorite one is that uh it's against the law for someone to issue loans in the state of California without a license. Uh, he forgets that he signed this when he was in the DR. So that wouldn't and also it wasn't a loan. No, it was an investment. No, the judge did say though, uh after the where it sees here. Um I have it in my notes here, that the judge did say that while after the ruling and he did side with BLA, that there are legal questions around whether BLA is operating as an unlicensed lender according to California state law, but the ruling will still stand. So even they say, hey, this is kind of like does it does it change when it's gonna pay out? Yeah, like it's no longer an investment is now a loan because he they are charging interest. So at that point, it's not an investment anymore, it's now a loan.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

So without the case, again, you toss that because again, they signed in the DR, so it's technically not in California that they signed it. And they also said that he was young, and basically, I'm hey, I'm old school on this kind of thing, is man. You sign a contract and you you agree to it when you're 18. A contract is a contract, is a contract. Yep. Rules act rule of acquisition, by the way. Um, so that is, you know, so I think he has to pay it back regardless, but you know, some of this does not sit right with me, and I don't know why. I mean, I could go into some of it, but I don't know, man. How do you think what do you think about this big league advance and what do you think about what they're doing?

SPEAKER_00 10:47

I mean, I think that it's somebody that had some money that was willing to invest in some players and take a little bit of risk. Um, it is a little bit sketchy to prey on 18-year-old players that you know, but but realistically, how many of these end up panning out?

SPEAKER_01 11:06

Yeah, that's why they're suing because they need Tatis to pay out. Yeah, they need that payout for that.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Yeah, how many players have they paid two million dollars?

SPEAKER_01 11:12

Yeah, because if they saw I said this, I think they made a statement on it about only two out of every 10 players they sign actually get a payout. Yeah, they're operating on very thin margin when it comes to that. So my take on this, man, is that the BLA, the way they're doing it is fine. Like you a player agrees to sign a contract, get that guaranteed money, um, you know, they do that fine. And if they do sign a contract, they do have to pay it back. I totally get that. What I'm not okay with is kind of in the in the delta there that statement that that judge made. It kind of sounds like they're going into Latin American countries so they can circumvent some of the you some of the US laws to sign these deals and then prey on players that don't know what two million dollars looks like.

SPEAKER_00 11:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:56

And then when they get in the league and realize they sign these massive contracts.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

Especially because if you're paying them out in the DR, I doubt they're paying taxes on it.

SPEAKER_01 12:04

Like they might get two million dollars. Right. Exactly. And now they come to it's just to me, I think there's a few things in here that kind of raise an eyebrow. I think it's the shady way that they're doing it, and while they're targeting Latin American players where they know they're more than likely not going to have the backing like they do here in the US from their academies and their preps and all that stuff that happens and you know, youth sports that their parents have been paying out forever, right?

SPEAKER_00 12:30

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 12:31

Um, so they're focusing on those players. And also, I think, again, legally, they're trying to circumvent some US laws by doing it this way. And I just don't know how I feel about that. To me, it feels a little icky, it feels a little predatory, but at the same time, you know, they're right. You're probably not gonna get there if you don't take the money. You're probably not gonna you invest that back into your body. You might go out and buy a house, buy a car, whatever. But most of that money is meant to get you to the next level, right? Hire the right coaches, hire chefs, training staff to get you there. Um, but yeah, I don't know, man. Something about just doesn't sit right with me. I do not like this practice.

SPEAKER_00 13:06

I don't know. I don't think the practice bothers me. I I think it's I think it's just a business model to try to encourage athletes to get to the next level. And you it's it's almost like a lottery, right? I mean, if you've got the money to invest, it it's not a bad strategy. I don't think it bothers me as much as it bothers you.

SPEAKER_01 13:25

I think it's see, it's not I it's not the concept of paying minor league players a guaranteed salary, and then if they do make it, then you have to pay it back. I'm totally okay with that because like I said, I agree, you do that all day. Yeah, it's the way they're going about it to be kind of underheaded with it.

SPEAKER_02 13:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:41

The fact that they are targeting Latin American players, the fact that they are doing signing these deals outside of the country, so they don't have to.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

Is there is there a list of the players that BLA's done this with?

SPEAKER_01 13:51

Not that you can find. Right, because I'm sure it's I'm sure it's there are a few.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

It's a private investment firm, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:56

They don't have to Yeah, there are a few. There's like LED Lar Cruz is next on the list.

SPEAKER_00 14:00

Oh, no way.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

And he's gonna be signing like a $400, $500 million contract.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:05

So makes you wonder where this is gonna go after that, right? Yeah. And there's also some other ones like there's uh the um the um PDF file that uh no longer plays for the Rays, Wander Franco. Uh he signed one of these. Yeah, so I wonder because he signed one of these contracts and also signed it with BLA. So even though the contract was voided, does he still have to pay the money to BLA? Oh, I'm sure. Yeah, so we'll see. I mean, I'm sure as much as he earned, yeah, he's gotta pay 10% of it. Side note, did you know that guy's not spending another day in jail?

SPEAKER_00 14:37

No way, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

Ruling came down, time served.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Yeah. That's wild. That's disgusting.

SPEAKER_02 14:46

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 14:47

That is absolutely disgusting. Who know, who knew, right? Who knew? Um, I guess if you have money, then the rules don't really apply to you, right? Uh unfortunately, that's the world we live in, buddy. Exactly, exactly. I want to hear from you folks. Uh, we want to hear from you folks. Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments down below when it comes to this BLA, Fernando Tatis Jr. I honestly think that this is sitting on his shoulders quite a bit, and with his struggles, continuing to mount on and mount on. I think this is actually piling on to really kind of escalate what's going on with him.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Getting to the point where it's actually affecting him on the field.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Yeah, so I think it's interesting. We want to hear from you folks. Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments down below for sure.

SPEAKER_00 15:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

Um, all right, so you want to kick off the next story?

SPEAKER_00 15:23

Yeah, absolutely. Um Big League Utah, eh?

SPEAKER_01 15:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

How about big league Utah, huh? Major League Baseball expansion discussions are heating up. And uh Utah is now considered a heavy favorite as one of the top candidates for a future franchise. Um USA Today, MLB columnist Bob Nightingale. Um, he reported that Salt Lake City and Nashville are viewed as heavy favorites for MLB's potential 31st and 32nd franchises. Um, you know, we've we've talked about it multiple times. Obviously, you know, Rob Manfred has has said it in the media multiple times that he wants to he wants expansion to to keep moving forward and he wants it to be in place before his term ends in January 2029. So there's a bunch of teams in the race. Um, you know, having the Miller's backing on you know, on big league Utah and having a shovel ready site and you know, state funding and all that stuff has helped Utah put them, you know, position themselves in the front of the pack. And this is a really exciting time to live in Utah, man.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

Yeah, yeah. I mean, going over what we have as far as an offering, why we are one of the heavier favorites, is again, like you mentioned, a hundred-acre site ready with $900 million in state funding, uh, with the Millers backing up another $3.5 billion in the development of the project. Um with a B. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 16:51

Um, yeah, the statement that came from Bob Nyingell says while cities like Portland and Sacramento are preparing uh their bids for potential MLB expansion sites in 2020, sorry, 2031 or later, uh they might just be wasting their time if MLB need decides to expand. So like City and Nashville are heavy favorites. I just think MLB wants to be in Nashville. I think if they were even like the had the worst offering, they'd still be number one because they just want it's just a market. Yeah, they want that market. Um, yeah, I just think it's really interesting, man. Uh the caveat to this though is the catch to all that money that the state's gonna be funding for this all goes away if that we don't have a team by 2030.

SPEAKER_00 17:29

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

Which is scary.

SPEAKER_00 17:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

I don't know, man. What is your uh feeling on this particular announcement here or this statement from Bob Nightingale in USA Today?

SPEAKER_00 17:39

I mean, I think it's uh it's a really I think it's kind of refreshing as a as a Utah fan and as a a baseball fan. Um it's it's really nice to hear that there's that there's opinions of people that are probably a little more informed than we are, you know, people that kind of run in the inner circles. Um I think we both know that professional sports in Utah do fantastic because we have such great fans here in Utah. Um the Bees are pretty well supported. I think um it's kind of taking the next step towards growing the city to I mean we'd have three professional teams at that point, which would be awesome. Um the sorry soccer fans. That would be the fourth professional team. I'm so sorry. Uh and actually five, if you consider the professional women's team. Yeah no, the women's team, the royals. Oh, sorry, the royals. Yeah, monarchs. They're the minor league. They're the minor league soccer team, yeah. So yeah, I mean that would be I mean the only thing we'd be missing is an NFL team, you know.

SPEAKER_01 18:42

Yeah, well that's never gonna happen in Utah, I don't think. I think that was just too.

SPEAKER_00 18:45

I think that one's I think that one's stretching it.

SPEAKER_01 18:48

I don't know if there's I mean, how long did it take before Utah had a home nationally televised game on Sunday? Yeah. Like it took like it was like two decades before that actually happened again. It only happened recently, like a couple seasons ago.

SPEAKER_00 19:01

It's pretty brutal. Yeah, and that's that's one of those, that's one of the major killers for NFL football for sure. Oh yeah. But I don't know, man. I think it's I think it's awesome. I think uh I think I'm really excited because like I feel like there's almost no way it doesn't happen at this point. Like I'm almost locked in in my heart that like we're getting an MLB team. It's not if it's when. You know what I mean? Like it the more and more these kind of reports come out, the more it makes me feel uh pretty optimistic that that we could get an MLB team here, and that would just be legendary because then we could have one more channel because we don't have enough.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Yeah, well, we'd have we have the channel, we just will talk about it here, right?

SPEAKER_00 19:42

Oh, I guess that's true. Yeah, we just do it here.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

We do it here, you know, eventually use subjects about the Dodgers and Braves and everybody else, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 19:49

I don't know. I feel like we'd have to make its own channel. I don't know, we'd have to have to. You guys, you guys let us know. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 19:54

We need to start doing a stuff start a channel for a non-existent baseball team for four years from now. You know, let us know what you think.

SPEAKER_00 20:01

Future MLB Utah DNA.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

Yeah, we'll just talk over, read it line by line, and every article that's posted and just discuss it. Yeah. Well, here's kind of the thing. Here's my statement on this one, man. This is a whole lot of nothing for me. Really? This is I mean, Bob Nightingale saying an article in the USA today saying that he believes that these two are the front runners for it. I mean, yeah, we've been that's we've been hearing that for almost a year now, right? We've been a favorite, we've been a top prospect, we've had the most money. We've had these statements come out every six months for like the last, you know, at some point I'm thinking maybe big league Utah's just you know greasing the palms to keep us in the news, I'm guessing. Yeah, you know, because honestly, man, it none of this matters. None of it matters because there is not a chance for MLB expansion to happen if we don't have baseball in the year 2030. That's correct. So while I uh excited about it, why I appreciate the optimism, there's almost like what I think uh Ken Rosenthal said there's about a 90% chance of a of a lockout this offseason, yeah. Where we're potentially gonna lose games potentially the whole season. If these two teams don't come together, why that would push that time frame past 2029, right? And then what happens? We don't have a team, we lose our nine million 900 million dollars in state funding, and then we're no.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

But it's not that they can't, it's not that they can't reissue the public funding. I mean, that's just the initial public funding that's currently approved is good till 2030.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

Yeah, I just think it's a little bit of putting the car before the horse here. Yeah. You know, let's make get I get that. Let's get a CBA, let's make sure there's gonna be baseball to be had.

SPEAKER_00 21:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

Let's see what that revenue sharing is gonna look like and what that all split's gonna look like before we talk about, you know, bringing in another team. Uh, which actually is a nice little pivot there, AJ. Yes. Brings us on over to our next subject. It sure does. Um, do you want to intro this one or do you want me to or Yeah, I know I can intro it yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Absolutely. So the CBA um Major League Baseball Players Association, they made their first official proposal in the new collective bargaining negotiations with Major League Baseball. So the union did not include a salary cap, which we are sure MLB owners are expected to push for heavily. Um MLB is reported reportedly preparing to formally propose a hard salary cap and salary floor system for the first time since the 94-95 strike era.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

And um which ha what happened during that year?

SPEAKER_00 22:31

I don't I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

I was like six. They canceled the World Series. In the 94-95 season? Yeah, there's no World Series that year.

SPEAKER_00 22:39

Really?

SPEAKER_01 22:40

Yeah. So that just kind of lets you know what's on the table when the management, when owners owners put up they want a salary cap.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

It just lets you know historically that's what happens. So this is kind of a bigger deal than people want to make at this point.

SPEAKER_00 22:57

Yeah, absolutely. Um but the MLBPA has proposed uh the MLB pro MLBPA proposal, it kind of focused on reducing financial disparities through revenue sharing changes instead of implementing a cap system.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

So yeah, and I really like how they put this because it makes me the enhancement revenue sharing includes addition adding protections to ensure clubs are prioritizing winning over profiteering. Yeah. Uh, which this proposal is going to take the salary, the CBT, the collective bargaining tax threshold, uh raise it from 244 million to 300 million, um, which will give every small market team initially guaranteed a minimum of 240 million in annual revenue. So if the players get what they want and this gets pushed forward, which is not going to happen, but if it did get pushed forward, that means every small market team starts their season with $240 million in profit before the game even starts, before they sell a ticket.

SPEAKER_00 23:58

Which is crazy.

SPEAKER_01 24:00

Yeah. So now again, people are payroll this, payroll that. Okay, let's say that you are at a minimum salary of $120 million, you're still sending $120 million net revenue, and this would be based off of TV deal money, not like in-game purchases like jerseys, hats, yeah, hot dogs. Everything that's sold. Yeah, absolutely. So yeah, every team would be making $240 million before the season even starts. That's that's I don't know. I don't think that's gonna do anything to curb profiteering. I still think the Bob Nunnings of the world.

SPEAKER_00 24:34

All these guys own all of these guys own MLB franchises for a reason.

SPEAKER_01 24:40

Yeah, if you're gonna tell me that the A's, like Fisher, Bob Nunning of the Pirates, you're telling me that you're just gonna increase the amount of money they make per year by a hundred million dollars, and you're not gonna force their hand to spend more money. Yeah, like they're like, cool, I just made an extra hundred million dollars. Like that was easy. What are you doing to curb profiteering? You're not doing anything there, yeah. Um, so again, like you mentioned, is the first official proposal. The MLB is about to make a con uh their first counter proposal, which will be uh expected to be tomorrow. And like you mentioned, they will be probably some type of salary cap and floor um provision in there. Yeah. So we'll see what happens there. I don't know, man. This is the first step to something that's very important. Like I think that's great that we're doing this way before our all-star break. Um, I am about 75% confident that there will be a work stoppage in Major League Baseball. Like the but they will lock out the players, whether it costs us games or not. I'm about 50-50 on that one. Yeah. I don't know what's gonna happen. But I don't think a salary cap is in the best interest of Major League Baseball. It doesn't seem to benefit in hockey, it doesn't seem to benefit in the NFL, and it doesn't seem to benefit in the NBA either.

SPEAKER_00 25:57

No, especially because I just created a tiered system where you can just pay luxury tax. I mean, all it does is make the league more money.

SPEAKER_01 26:04

Yeah, like in the NFL, like people say, oh, it's got the most parody in our league. I'm like, other than last year, there was a Mahomes or a Brady in every conference championship game for the last 18 years prior to that. That doesn't say scream league parody to me. Correct. You know? Yeah. Uh we almost had a three-peat by the by the Chiefs, you know. So why is setting a a salary? Where's the parody there? You know, we have teams like okay, we have teams like in the NBA, we have teams like um the Cavaliers who are over the threshold, and the Golden State Warriors who went way over the second apron for years, and they were on a dyna they weren't on a dynasty. They won like what five rings in six years or four rings in six years, something like that.

SPEAKER_00 26:46

It was four, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:47

Yeah, and so I mean, did that soft salary cap actually act as a salary cap at all? No. No, you know, like yeah, it doesn't seem to work there. Hockey, I'm a little less informed on that one, so you know, there might be some some uh validity there, but to me it just doesn't make any sense to implement that unless you have any evidence that it actually works.

SPEAKER_00 27:07

Yeah, and there's not enough there's not enough evidence around other professional sports that it is super effective. But I don't know. I mean, I think it'll it'll be interesting to see what the MLB comes back with. I mean, if if you if if if you think that that's gonna be the the hard stop on you know work essentially, like is the MLB willing to start losing money because the players aren't gonna go out there because of the salary cap?

SPEAKER_01 27:35

They've done it before. I know they will do it again.

SPEAKER_00 27:38

But but are they gonna do it in a pos where they're in a position right now where the sport is growing faster than ever? And you know what I mean? Like in in the 94-95 season where they stroke, I I'm again, I was pretty small at that point, but I'm willing to bet the league was not growing as fast and the sport of baseball was not growing as fast as it currently is.

SPEAKER_01 27:58

No, because it didn't need to. It was already still the number one sport in the country. But it was overtaken because of the strike.

SPEAKER_00 28:04

Because of the strike.

SPEAKER_01 28:05

So that's oh, you're saying they're gonna learn from their mistakes.

SPEAKER_00 28:08

Yeah, that's that's exactly what I'm saying. Yeah, it's like, are they willing to risk the the rapid rise that they're on and knowing that okay, this could this could set us back years if we don't get this right. And they've got a few months to figure this out, right? Like it what is it, December 12th?

SPEAKER_01 28:26

Yes, yeah, it's when this one ends, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:27

Yeah, it was December 6th, I can't remember.

SPEAKER_01 28:29

Yeah, it's basically the end of the year, a month after the year.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

End of the year, yeah. It's like, but it's got to be settled by then, otherwise, players don't report for work in January or whenever it is, right? Whenever spring ball starts.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

Yeah, pretty much January. February is when they report. But yeah, no, it's it's exactly what's gonna happen. We got some time, and I'm glad they're doing it now, and I'm glad they're both meeting in good faith. We'll see if it stays that way. There's been a lot of turmoil with the players' associations uh president uh having to step down because of uh inappropriate relationships. So they have now an intern inter in what's the word? Inter like interim president?

SPEAKER_00 29:05

Yeah, interim, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

Interim president uh handling the negotiations for this, which is oh sorry, I had it in my notes.

SPEAKER_00 29:11

It's December 1st.

SPEAKER_01 29:12

There you go. So yeah, there's a lot to be uh concerned about with this one, man. There's a good chance that we might lose some baseball. I don't like focusing on the doom and gloom of this because this is something that uh I like the channel to be more positive and and like to talk about that. But yeah, so that's why when I see that article about expansion, I'm just like, yeah, there's a big hurdle to get over before we talk about that.

SPEAKER_00 29:31

We gotta get the CBA fixed. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:33

Imagine how much money if the teams do lose money, how much money are they willing to lose? Because now it doesn't, it's not profitable to expand to 32 teams.

SPEAKER_00 29:40

Yeah. So and that that realistically changes everything at that point.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

Yeah, so we I don't know. I just I I'm glad that that's there. I'm I appreciate the proposal, what they did here. I like what they're doing as far as raising minimum salaries for the players. If there is, you know, with the shared revenue hits 240 million, the minimum salary for a player is like 1.2 million versus 800,000. I doubt anybody's gonna cry tears over those, but um, but yeah, uh good stuff, at least on the initial offering there from the players association. We'll see what MLB comes back with and report on that next week.

SPEAKER_00 30:11

Absolutely. Um, I got a question for you. Sure. What do you think of all the Tarek Scuball trade rumors?

SPEAKER_01 30:18

Oh my gosh, these are great.

SPEAKER_00 30:19

These are great, dude.

SPEAKER_01 30:20

These are so good.

SPEAKER_00 30:22

Like this guy is this guy is legitimately one of the best pitchers in baseball. Who's on a on an accelerated timeline to come back from his loose bodies? Check out our previous videos, um, you know, surgery to get repaired. And this is all scope. There is all kinds of trade speculation that he will not be with the tigers by the end of this season.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

Well, they uh they do have time to turn around. Uh so if there is any chance that, again, like you mentioned, they just their whole starting rotation is down. Yeah, like you know, I think Jack Flarity is the only pitcher they had at the beginning of the season that is still there.

SPEAKER_00 30:59

That's still pitching.

SPEAKER_01 31:00

Yeah, that they signed that it's gonna be there. Like that's and you know, he's definitely a fifth in your fifth spot rotation type play. Yeah, yeah. He's not all of you helped out with the 2024 World Series, man. So once a dodger, always a dodger. So but like that one, um, yeah, dude, like he's when he's like the one that's you're relying on, scooball comes back. If he shoves, I really would if I were him, I'd not push it, you know. I would be careful. But yeah, coming up to the trade deadline, again, you have to ask yourself, is it worth it? Like you're gonna have to trade the farm practically for this guy. Yeah, I mean, not as much as you would last year when they decide not to trade him, but a year of eligibility.

SPEAKER_00 31:38

And and the big thing is, is can you you know how soon do teams start approaching this? Because the the risk is much higher for a team where the value is a lot lower until he comes back. Once he comes back and throws six, seven innings, his his value just skyrocketed again. Right, like oh, six or seven starts you mean? Yeah, sorry, six or seven, you know, I mean throws six or seven games, like you know he's still terrible scuba. And and the chances are he still is. But I'm saying if you start if you start some of these trade conversations now while he's still recovering and he's only thrown 50, 60 pitches.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

I guarantee you there's not a chance that they trade him before like a week before the deadline.

SPEAKER_00 32:20

You think so, you think it'll you think it'll take all the way to that? I guarantee you.

SPEAKER_01 32:23

Why why would you not let them get into a bidding war against each other? Right.

SPEAKER_00 32:26

You know, which is a great point. I don't know. I just dude, I keep seeing the they're just all over every MLB app. And I'm just like, dude, I've gotta we've gotta talk about this.

SPEAKER_01 32:36

Like I love it, dude. I love it. And it's gonna come up to being like, okay, it's similar to the NBA, like you have to have good insurance uh assurance that this player will sign with your team, right?

SPEAKER_00 32:47

Otherwise, everything you just traded for is worthless.

SPEAKER_01 32:51

Yeah, I mean is he gonna stay? The Angels do that all the time, but yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:55

I mean, and the rumored teams are the standards, right?

SPEAKER_01 32:59

The Red Sox did it a bunch the last couple of years.

SPEAKER_00 33:02

Rumored teams, Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, Blue Jays.

SPEAKER_01 33:07

I would really like to hear an argument on how the Braves get Terri Skubal.

SPEAKER_00 33:11

I'm all in all in on the I would really love to I don't know. I I mean the Braves have the Braves have done that. That was straight out of the MLV article.

SPEAKER_01 33:19

I really would love to hear that pitch. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:22

Like I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 33:24

How good is their farm system? Are they top five?

SPEAKER_00 33:27

They've got some okay farm processes.

SPEAKER_01 33:30

The way your voice inflicted that much makes you not so confident.

SPEAKER_00 33:33

I don't know their farm system that well, would be my problem.

SPEAKER_01 33:36

Okay, fair enough. Yeah, but no, I just think, yeah, uh, the Yankees, I could see it. Um, they are actually underpaying comparatively to what you would think the Yankees would be paying if they're still top five in payroll. Um the Red Sox, did you say the Red Sox? I did not. Okay, so yeah, they're not on the list. Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, Blue Jays. Blue Jays, okay. I can I can see the Blue Jays doing something there.

SPEAKER_00 34:00

Oddly enough, I I weirdly picture Scuball as a Blue Jay.

SPEAKER_01 34:04

I can see it, but also on the same token, I cannot see it because they are drastically underperforming considering that they were in the World Series last year.

SPEAKER_00 34:11

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, um looked good in the World Series last year. Yeah. I mean, had every chance to win the World Series last year.

SPEAKER_01 34:18

Literally every chance. Literally every chance.

SPEAKER_00 34:21

You can't get more chances to win a game than that.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

Yeah, there is yeah, whole bunch of like bad base running errors. Bad ones, you know, just and then my favorite one was when they had uh their uh reliever, their key reliever, throw to Rojas three fastballs in a row, and he was late on every single one of them. So what they do is decide to throw a change up and throw it middle middle. Like I can't catch up to this fastball, so yeah, go ahead and throw a slower pitch.

SPEAKER_00 34:51

Definitely throw a slower pitch. Yeah, don't don't stay with the fastball he can't hit. Yeah, throw it a little bit slower where his timing's right on the money.

SPEAKER_01 34:59

Yeah, that one never made sense to me. And all those times where they just were out of not realizing where they're supposed to be running and get thrown out or backpicked, just how game six ended.

SPEAKER_00 35:07

Yeah, just weird stuff, dude.

SPEAKER_01 35:09

Yeah, ironically, I actually want to talk about that. Lauer, uh, he was uh pitcher for the Blue Jays. Um, he made his Dodger debut yesterday. Oh, really? Yeah, he pitched uh, I believe six innings, uh only gave up one earn run, struck out four. Um, yeah, had a great outing for the Dodgers. Great outing, yeah, for sure. The Dodgers put up uh 15 runs and run support for the guy. So yeah, that's always nice. What were those runs for Yamamoto when they lost two to one?

SPEAKER_00 35:38

So it's really hard to lose games when you score like 15.

SPEAKER_01 35:41

Yeah, so I just think it was really funny that the player, one of the starting pitchers for the Blue Jays in the World Series last year is now a starter for the Dodgers because we need so much help for pitching. I just think it's kind of funny. Um, but yeah, freaking Dodgers. Yeah, man. I'd love to see it. We want to hear from you folks. Let us know where your thoughts are in the comments down below. Where do you think scootball's gonna land? Um I can see him being a Dodger, man. They need a lot of help with starting pitchers. I can see them doing it. I can see them, you know, with the CBA coming up saying, you know what, screw it, let's go in for it. Let's see what we can do and what we come out the other end. And I can see them doing that. Yankees, they're not too far out of it, so I see them going for it. But the Blue Jays, I mean, hopefully they'd have some kind of maybe they're a wild card team. I don't know. I just but the Braves, that was that's an interesting one. I I would love to hear the article. Yeah, I'd love to hear that because I think that there's something there, but I just I would love to see.

SPEAKER_00 36:34

I'm all for scoob all to the Braves, right? But I don't I don't know enough about their farm system to see to s to see if it's worth it to give up enough pieces. And I mean I know they can pay the man, they they will. It's can they make it worth it? Will they though?

SPEAKER_01 36:51

Oh, they will they don't follow the Braves method of paying players.

SPEAKER_00 36:56

I mean, if he was 15 years younger, they'd pay him max contract for the rest of his life.

SPEAKER_01 37:00

Yeah, they'd buy out they'd buy out like all of his arbitration years when he was still just a young pup. I'm just kidding. It's it's smart, it's smart. Uh, we got a comment here from a channel, friend of the channel, Tammy Price. I think Braves are Dodgers. Yeah, I think that's the smart one there. Again, I can see it from the Dodgers. Uh again, Braves, because it's not like your input, Tammy.

SPEAKER_00 37:22

Let's go, Braves.

SPEAKER_01 37:23

Yeah, because it's not normal, right? Like that's not a normal name you throw up, so there's got to be a reason there. Um, but yeah, I want you know, uh channel favorite. I want to bring up a sop chop topic. Yes, soft chop topic, whatever I just said there. A topic in baseball. A favorite of the channel has returns to baseball, my friend. Made his debut for the Dodgers.

unknown 37:45

Mr.

SPEAKER_01 37:46

Kike Hernandez. Kike's back? The banana man himself. Dude. Back with a vengeance. First game back, hit a double uh single. Next game back, he hit a home run, another double. Third game back, he hit, I believe, Tabby Price, correct me if I'm wrong, another home run, another double, another single, and on the IL. Torin Oblique. He's out.

SPEAKER_00 38:08

Seriously, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:10

Kike Hernandez up and down. Teddy Price. And then yeah. So we needed Kike to come up uh because we needed the reinforcement on the lower half of the of the roster, and boom, he drops like literally two games away.

SPEAKER_00 38:27

And Kike down.

SPEAKER_01 38:28

Yeah. Luckily, Tommy Edman is gonna be doing his uh rehab start, starting, I believe today is when he starts his rehab assignment. So we'll see if we can get some reinforcements back then. Hopefully he lasts more than three games before he drops again. Uh, and let's just hope that Kike. Again, it's a pretty severe tear in the oblique, so he's probably gonna miss about a month.

SPEAKER_00 38:47

Oh, geez.

SPEAKER_01 38:48

Yeah, and the problem was he was tearing a cover off the ball before he lay he got hurt. It just really sucks.

SPEAKER_00 38:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:56

Yeah, it really sucks. Yeah. Yeah, this is a significant tear, they say. They say, yeah. Who is they? Who is they? And why are why are they why are they in here? Exactly. Exactly. We want to hear from you folks. Let us know where your thoughts are in the comments down below in regards to anything we talked about when it comes to Major League Baseball this week. Um, you got anything else?

SPEAKER_00 39:17

No, nope, that was it.

SPEAKER_01 39:19

All right, let's go ahead and switch on over and talk a little bit about your Utah Jazz.

SPEAKER_00 39:24

Let's do it. Before we get into the content, we'd like to encourage you to join the conversation in the comments down below. While you're down there, consider subscribing to Utah Jazz DNA. Smash that like button for your boy Darren.

SPEAKER_01 39:42

That's right. All right, man. Uh, so let's go ahead and talk about it. Let's go ahead and jump into it. We first of all, let's start off the episode by saying Go Jazz. That as well as we cannot thank everybody enough who has recently subscribed to this channel.

SPEAKER_00 40:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 40:01

Are we over the last like what two weeks, three weeks, we've probably tripled or quadrupled our subscriber count.

SPEAKER_00 40:07

You gained just about 600 subscribers.

SPEAKER_01 40:09

Yeah, so we're at sitting at 960 subscribers. Notice how it kind of leveled off there. It leveled right off today.

SPEAKER_00 40:16

Yeah, we it hasn't moved at all today.

SPEAKER_01 40:18

Yeah, so probably when we actually see the draft, that's probably well, yeah. But anyway, so we love we love the growth of the channel. Uh, everybody subscribing, everybody new, appreciate it. Thank you all very much for subscribing to the channel. Welcome. And to all your Utah Jazz DNA OGs, appreciate it. Thanks for tuning in every week. We love it. Um, continue uh chatting with us again. As a reminder, folks, this is a live stream, so make sure you jump into the chat if you're watching this on our live stream. We want to give a special shout out to everybody doing that, as well as anybody watching this uh after the fact on Utah Jazz DNA on YouTube or listening to the podcast. So appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 40:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 40:50

Um, all right, let's go ahead and get into the first subject we want to talk about here, which is actually the Jazz are bringing in um actually let's what am I doing? I'm stepping all over your fire here.

SPEAKER_00 41:00

Yeah, you are. That's so unnecessary. I'm just gonna let me just I'll just shut up. So um Kevin O'Connor reported via X that Mikel Brown Jr. Is he junior? Yes, okay, cool. I didn't put junior in there, but I remember Junior has been cleared from his back injury and uh the his back injury that he suffered at Louisville. So his first workout this week is with the Utah Jazz. Now, Brown is projected as a top 10 pick in this year's draft, but he's not even a top five selection, right? There's multiple players ahead of him. He's kind of projected in the six to seven range. Um and the jazz have kept their their draft workouts pretty close to the chest. Like they're they're not telling who's coming in, they're not telling when. This one happens to make it out via X. And I think it was in an interview with Mikel Brown where he had mentioned it. But what I want to know is why do you think the Jazz allowed this one to be said to go out to the media? And and then also, why would they work out somebody that's that's projected to go so much lower than where their current pick is?

SPEAKER_01 42:17

See, I love that. I'm gonna answer those questions in reverse. Okay, because I I I think the first question is is the nice one is the nail, is the nail in the coffin, as they say.

SPEAKER_02 42:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:27

But the second question is where all the meat is on that one. So yeah, we're definitely gonna do that. So okay, so first you got to ask yourselves why are they doing this, right? Yeah. So why are they bringing in uh Mikhail Brown Jr. in for this workout? Brown is expected to go anywhere from five to nine in this year's draft, according to uh tankathon.com. DC is going to be up picking either AJ or Darren, and then the Jazz are obviously gonna have the next pick likely uh to be whichever one DC doesn't take. That's the chalk line, right? That's what we are all expecting to have happen. Um, so unless you're considering to trade down in the draft, or at least appear that you might be trading down the draft, some may think that the Utah Jazz wouldn't even do this, and this is just posturing from the Ain's, right? Yeah. However, there is historical evidence in this in the past. In 2017, Danny Ainge did trade the number one overall pick uh in the 2017 draft to trade down to the number three pick in the draft. Yes. The 76ers got the number one overall pick and got the player that they just had to have, which is Mark L Foltz. How did that go? Well, he's not in the NBA anymore. Yeah, that ended up great. However, it worked out great for the Ainge and the Boston Celtics because they took number three, Jason Tatum, uh, which they held a private workout with, uh knowing that they can get uh more value by trading down, getting some future first picks. That first picks was another that future first round pick was uh Nothing Burger in 2019. I don't even remember the player's name. Um, don't even think he's in. The league anymore. But the point behind that was is that they saw the option to trade from one, the number one overall pick, who keep in mind, Mark Alfolks was the un was the unanimous number one overall pick that you're absolutely yeah. So they're like, we don't we don't like him, we like this Tatum kid. Let's go ahead and trade down, let's get some additional value for this guy, and that's exactly what they did. Um now that's the most known one. There are three other times that they've done this before as well that involved some other players that you know some of them you know, some of you don't. Um, but the question still stands like, what does it mean and why are they doing this? And why do they let the word I like the way you put it leak? Um, and why do they let this out? Well, this leak tells the other 29 other teams that not only is DC open for business, but the Jazz are too.

SPEAKER_00 44:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:48

It makes absolutely no sense. And this was an integrated in an interview that Austin Ainge did with DJ and PK. He said that none of these players are ready to go right out the gate, which I think is definitely positioning because there are about three to four players that are ready to go out of this draft. Yeah, absolutely. That are gonna be genuine Day one starters. Day one starters and contributors on an NBA level that we haven't seen in forever.

SPEAKER_00 45:11

Deepest draft since what 2003. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I guess 03 since the LeBron draft.

SPEAKER_01 45:19

Yeah, Dwayne Wade. Yep, Chris Bosch. Uh what's his name that's not in the league anymore, played for the Nuggets forever. Then went to the Knicks, then to the Cavs, then to LA.

SPEAKER_00 45:32

Gosh, he's gonna kill me. Kendrick Perkins.

SPEAKER_01 45:34

No, no. He was actually in one of those drafts, by the way, when they traded down, by the way.

SPEAKER_00 45:38

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 45:39

He was involved in one of those. Uh Carmelo Anthe, uh who it was.

SPEAKER_00 45:42

Oh, yeah, Carmelo Anthe. Wow, that was actually insulting that I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_01 45:45

Yeah, that was a long rock for the water there. Um, so okay. So we established that this could be just simply positioning um, or it could be that they do it because we showed historical evidence that they have, right? Yeah. So does it make sense to do this?

unknown 46:03

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 46:04

Does it make sense?

SPEAKER_01 46:05

Yes, it does.

SPEAKER_00 46:06

To move down?

SPEAKER_01 46:07

To trade down on the draft. Okay. There is a logical uh play here that the Jazz could make to move down in the draft. So you got let's break down this team that we have already, right? Keep in mind we just did a whole bit on it, how we never actually got to see this team play or try. Check out the video that we previously did somewhere.

SPEAKER_00 46:26

Last week.

SPEAKER_01 46:26

Yeah, I'll put it up there. Um, so here's the starting lineup. You got Keontae at one, Ace Bailey at two, Larry at three, triple J at four, and Kessler at five. That's your starting lineup that that team is gonna have. Completely stout. They have some development they've worked with together over the last couple of years, some team cohesion there. You might actually want to see what this team has, what this team can do and develop into, and then focus, move, move down further in the draft and take this uh Mikel Brown Jr. kid as as a backup piece, as a developmental piece, as a point guard behind uh Keontae, if you don't see Isaiah being the player you want to use going forward, right? Yeah, it just adds to that part of the team that's gonna be weaker in the back end, which is the guard position for the Utah Jazz. Absolutely. The team that's already starting to be.

SPEAKER_00 47:14

Especially if you have any doubt in Isaiah Collier.

SPEAKER_01 47:16

Right.

SPEAKER_00 47:17

You know what I mean? If there if there's any doubt that Isaiah Collier is not an NBA level player, even in a bench role, you know, with playing 18, 25 minutes a night, if you don't think Collier can fill those minutes effectively and take you into the playoffs and get, you know, rest for your bench guys, you absolutely look at doing this.

SPEAKER_01 47:36

Yeah, and that gives you gives you the opportunity to keep Bryce Sensibah. There's a whole bunch of different plays in here that works at it also allows you to kind of you know give you some more financial flexibility. So there's some logic there. Um now it also uh gives you a chance to improve your future draft capital with them flattening the draft odds, those picks that are like late lottery, early first round picks that the Jets have stacked over the last couple of years, those things become very, very valuable. And if you're gonna add to that by simply giving the number one, the number two picks.

SPEAKER_00 48:08

Because now it's a lot more random. All these teams that have been winning, all of a sudden those trade those picks that teams are in the mid-tier are a lot more valuable.

SPEAKER_01 48:17

Yeah, imagine how much you know the Lakers would want to trade up from five to two.

SPEAKER_02 48:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:23

You know, if it's if AJ Devance is the clear number one, you know, having Darren Peterson when they're gonna more likely lose Kawhi Leonard. If not, then you know the Clippers. What did I say?

SPEAKER_00 48:34

You said the Lakers.

SPEAKER_01 48:36

Sorry, the Clippers. Okay. Clippers have the number five pick. So you imagine if you trade down and and you know, so basically, so there is a way for there's a reason why they would do it, right? There's a reason why they there's history, historical evidence for why they do it.

SPEAKER_02 48:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:52

And there's logical sense for them making this because it solves a financial problem that we're actually going to be talking about a little later.

SPEAKER_02 48:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:58

So it checks all the boxes, man. This is definitely something that the Jazz could possibly do in training the number two pick to trade down in the draft. Take uh Mikhail Brown Jr. If they're basically pretty confident on the team they built so far, and actually stashed him as a as a potential development piece of the back end.

SPEAKER_00 49:16

Even what Keaton Wagler?

SPEAKER_01 49:18

I mean, we did a video on a whole video on him, too.

SPEAKER_00 49:20

Yeah, I mean, to take him at five, like that kid's a stud too. Yeah, you know, like when we when we were projecting that the Jazz get the fifth overall pick, he's right in there.

SPEAKER_01 49:30

And he's the he's he was our only choice. You and I both picked only him.

SPEAKER_00 49:33

We we we both picked him. I mean, he's six foot six guard that shoots 38% from three. Like, yeah, he's he's a great fit. He's more of a developmental piece. Like you said, if you get some future assets, he's not I mean, that's a great fit for this system, yeah. That you have time to develop and you know make somebody earn their spot in that starting lineup.

SPEAKER_01 49:56

Yeah, and Mikhail Brown Jr. is actually 6'5 according to David Locke, so which I heard on his podcast, it says 6'4 on basketball reference, but it does. Um, he has them at 6'5 because players are wearing shoes when they play basketball. That's correct. So what their regiment is in the combine doesn't count. That's a great point.

SPEAKER_00 50:11

You know, I'm just saying they're like he took his shoes off. You're like, yeah, he's not gonna play like that.

SPEAKER_01 50:16

He's not playing barefoot. Yeah, and nobody else is either. I wonder how much of the league would change if they did, though. That'd be weird.

SPEAKER_00 50:23

It depends on if they can wear grippy socks. Exactly. You know what I mean? Barefoot. It's gotta be barefoot. Just barefoot. So that might just be that might be a slippery mess.

SPEAKER_01 50:32

Yeah, well, yeah, well, regular socks definitely would be. Yeah, um, but yeah, so so what do you think? Do they do this?

SPEAKER_00 50:38

No, no, definitely not. Um as much as I can see the reasoning behind why they would. Um I think, and I said this last week, and I will say it again. If the Jazz get a chance to draft Darren Peterson at number two, they will do it.

SPEAKER_01 50:57

Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with you. In my opinion, I don't think Ryan Smith feels like he's going to make that big a gamble at this point.

SPEAKER_00 51:05

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 51:05

The Angels, it was worth it to them at the time because they had a whole slew of banners hanging up in the in the garden.

SPEAKER_00 51:11

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 51:12

Um, not the not the Yeah, they're the Boston Celtics.

SPEAKER_00 51:16

You don't have any issues recruiting. You can get players to come and play for you. Like they were, I mean, just a couple years later, going to be on the Gordon Hayward trail. Like they they had a plan for what they were going to do. I think that the Jazz's timeline for this rebuild has expired. I think they are in win now mode. I think they are going to get the best possible player they can get out of this draft and get the get the jazz into win now mode as soon as possible. You don't do that moving down in the draft.

SPEAKER_01 51:46

Yeah, absolutely not. And I like I said, in my opinion, I don't think it happens. And I think the sole reason is because of where the Jazz are versus where the Celtics were. I think that's the key driver there. Yeah. Now, do I think it's 100% uh conclusion they're not going to do it? No. I think that there's enough of a nugget here that you're basically going to try and call teams bluffs and try and see what happens and try to get them to flex on making some offers and seeing that they can do.

SPEAKER_00 52:11

And and I mean they got to give you a godfather type deal, right? It's too, it's too good to say no to.

SPEAKER_01 52:17

Yeah. I mean, is there that much difference between Aaron Peterson and the rest of the field in the top five? Yes. But outside of that, you know, the drop-off is still that's still a number one pick in any other draft.

SPEAKER_02 52:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:29

And there's a reason why um Cooper Flag recertified so he didn't have to be in this draft. Yeah. So he could be the number one pick last year. Yeah. So there's there's that whole story to that. And so, yeah, I'd love to see what the Jazz are gonna do, but honestly, I don't think that this them training down somebody, this is just them doing their due diligence. Mikhail Brown Jr., something comes their way and they want to draft something comes up, they want to make sure they're prepared for that godfather offer and have a few folks they would be interested in taking lower in the draft. I think that's all this is.

SPEAKER_00 52:59

Totally agree. Totally agree.

SPEAKER_01 53:02

All right, we want to hear from you folks. Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments down below from that. Um, and let's go ahead and jump into our next segment here. Um, so yeah, a few weeks back, AJ, we were discussing the top priorities for the jazz outside of the draft. Remember this? Yep. Do you remember what those two priorities were?

SPEAKER_00 53:21

I do. I do remember exactly that. I think one of them were re-sign Walker Kessler, and the other one was re-sign Keontae George.

SPEAKER_01 53:28

Yeah, extend Keontae, yeah. Extend Keontae. Yeah, we got to be literal because they'll let us know in the comments.

SPEAKER_00 53:33

So that's a great point. Yeah, someone's gonna be like, we technically Keontae's under contract. Yeah, exactly. I got it. I understand. He's through contract through 26-27.

SPEAKER_01 53:42

We get it. We get it. We get it. Yeah, so again, job one, resign Walker Kessler, restricted free agent. Job two, extend Qiontae. Those are the most important things for this team to do. Well, there is a problem with that, AJ.

SPEAKER_00 53:55

And what would that problem be, Darren?

SPEAKER_01 53:57

Well, uh, some of the Because these are both great players.

SPEAKER_00 53:59

Both great players. Great players that are the key, like you just named a starting five. Both of them are in both these guys are in there. Yeah, okay. So it's not like these guys aren't a hundred percent considered part of what this rebuild has been for the last time. Where this team is going. Yeah, they've invested a bunch of time, a bunch of training. These guys have been through some really tough seasons with really, really bad teams.

SPEAKER_01 54:22

Absolutely, absolutely. Um, so now fat followers of Utah Jazz DNA uh folks probably already know where I'm going with this one. So DNA OGs out there, uh, jump into the chat or in the comments and fire away because I think you know where I'm going. So, according to uh spottrack.com, the Utah Jazz have a $198.1 million dollar total allocation for the 2026-2027 season. So that means the active roster is 142 million, right? That's the active who we have under contract. Then we also have an additional 56 million in what they call um like uh cap hold, uh, which is actually just allocations that they are expecting in like a projection on payroll. Projection on the rest of it, like the unrestricted free agents and free agent signings and who we have to pay in the draft, right? Yep. Um, so now you and I actually looked at that number and we made some decisions on there. There are some of those that aren't right in that $56 million, but it actually uh equals the same amount when we actually work it through. Like we don't think the Jazz are gonna re-sign Caleb, sadly. Caleb's probably not what the team has to do.

SPEAKER_00 55:26

$8 million a year cap hold. Very unlikely the Jazz re-signed Kevin Love.

SPEAKER_01 55:30

8.7 is what they had projected to have, so almost nine.

SPEAKER_00 55:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 55:33

Right. And then you also have uh Oscar and Elijah contracts, which you know, you add those together.

SPEAKER_00 55:37

And and you flip those to two ways, or you do whatever you want to do. You like the players, you keep them on the roster on the tail end, and you pay them two million bucks a year. It's not going to drastically change anything in this discussion.

SPEAKER_01 55:48

Right. But what it does do is it does you take those three and you and you free up that, you take those three, you free up the money. That's going to be the 11 to 12 million dollars we're gonna have to pay to that number two overall draft pick. So that number of six uh 56 million is pretty pretty much spot on. So which will bring our total allocation, uh, like I mentioned, that 192. There's some other on there's like Yusuf Nurkic, and which we believe the Jazz have a handshake deal with. Um Utah Jazz Conspiracy. Good video. Yeah, I swear, no one else is talking about that one, man. Yeah, there's got to be a reason for why a guy sits out half a season for a deviated septum on a contract walk year. Yeah, like there's got to be something. They're like, we got you, Yusuf. Exactly. So um, anyway, so they say they have him getting paid like 30 million. Um I don't think it's that high. Right. And they got Kessler making 14 million. So and it's not that low. Yeah, so we're expecting those to probably flip, right?

SPEAKER_00 56:44

So probably flip Kessler in the $30 million range. I would say Yusuf probably in the roughly $20 million, $18 to $20 million a year range.

SPEAKER_01 56:53

So we would actually be pushing almost $60 million, correct? Based off what we're saying there. Yep. So because of that, that puts us $33 million under the um under, sorry, over the first apron. Now, if you look at the sport tracks, uh, sorry, spot tracks uh page there, you'll notice something on those uh first apron, second apron pieces. You'll notice that it only says total allocations of the actual salary.

SPEAKER_00 57:17

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 57:18

They don't show those other allocations that are in there. Um so spot track shows that jazz $66 million shy of the first apron max and $80 million shy of the second apron max. However, with that cap overhold, and like you mentioned, the additional couple money that Yusuf is going to get, that's probably closer to $60 million. So now we're now we're much, much closer to that month to that number. And you add that so now we're only like $10 million underneath the first salary cap, and we're only $23 million underneath the second apron.

SPEAKER_00 57:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 57:47

So Keontae's expected to make, according to um basketball reference, his I'm sorry, not basketball reference, spot track, uh, he's expected to make $31 million a year on a contract extension. So AJ, that would put us over the second apron.

SPEAKER_00 58:03

Yes. So over the first apron and that's before you sign Walker Kessler.

SPEAKER_01 58:07

No, that's with because remember, we're gonna give kind of Oh, oh, okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 58:10

I'm sorry, yep, you're right.

SPEAKER_01 58:12

So if we keep both Walker Kessler and Keontae George, what first year we're gonna be over the first apron, so we're gonna be paying those penalties. Yep. And then the next season, after next year, because again, if they just give him the six million or the eight million that he's gonna get this year, which I doubt they're gonna do something to incentivize him to do that, or else why would he wait, not wait till restricted free agency, right? If they don't do that, then what we're looking at is in year two, they're over the second apron. So that gives you one year to see what this team can do as current rosters where you're in the second apron and absorbing all the penalties that come out of that, risking all that future draft capital that we've built over the last five seasons and all those crap trades we've done. You're risking all of that because all those trades get knocked down because of those penalties. Yep. Is this team more importantly, do you think this team is willing to pay all those penalties for a team that literally hasn't done anything yet?

SPEAKER_00 59:12

So here's my thing. I I truly believe that this team was built around Walker Kessler's defense and length, his defensive ability, his length. You switch any big man in the league besides Rudy Gobert, you will fall off on defensive productivity. Okay. Right? So this team's been built around Walker Kessler, and you you go get Triple J, who's a defensive weapon. Can't have him outside a power four position. But you can't have him outside. So you've you've got to have a five that can anchor the center. And aside from Rudy Gobert, there's no one else in the league that can that can anchor the center like Walker Kessler. He blocks shot okay. I stand corrected. I just thought of Victor Wenbinyama, but um not a traditional big though. Not a traditional big, but he is a shot blocking weapon. He is, yeah. So um could have had him, but yeah, but I digress. Yeah, that's a whole different episode. Okay. We've done that video a couple times. Yeah, we have. Um but but you lose a ton of defensive productivity. Um, and especially with Walker starting to stretch out, he's shooting some more threes. Um, he gets absolutely deadly if he gets into that 35% shooting the three-point range. Offensively, he would be great defensively. He's an anchor. This team's built around Walker Kessler. Okay. Okay. I I think that's the whole design is let's get big at that the the whole front court is massive.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:43

Okay. Right? I think I think I see where you're building on this.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:48

Okay, so answer the answer my question first before you get there, though.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:54

Is the team do you think this team is willing to go into the second apron on this team already? I do. So you do? I do think so. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:03

Then go ahead and keep going with your okay. Um sorry to interrupt. No, no, you're good. You're good. Because my next point is is Keontae George is a star. Yes. He is a rising star. This guy has been playing and playing in his playing his own game on a team that's really bad. And his production, his individual production just keeps getting better. The moments that he's out there with players that are at or above his skill level, Keontae only gets better. So you put out five NBA caliber players on the court with Keonta George, we've seen it. He's grown before our eyes. He's not scared of any big moments, he can take the big shots. Keontae George is the guy you have to have running, whether it's one or two, however, you, whoever we draft, however you pick it, Keonta George is a guy that you absolutely have to invest in. And I think the Jazz will absolutely push into the second Apen. I think you sign everybody, you get your extensions out, you see how this team does in that first year. And if they even if they make the playoffs, even if they push their first series to seven games, you keep buying in. I I think that there's there's too much. You've got these guys under contract, they're not going to diminish their value enough out of these contracts, I don't believe, right? They've these guys have both earned these contracts for a reason. And I think Kessler's contract could come in a little bit lower because he has been so injury prone that they're going to try to get a deal on Walker Kessler. They're not gonna they're gonna try to not pay him $30 million a year. I know we're projecting that, but Walker Kessler hasn't been healthy for a full season. Whether it's you want to say it it's because that the injuries and you know the way that they've been formulating this team to lose for the last couple of years, whatever you want to call it, he still hasn't been healthy.

unknown 1:02:52

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:52

The same argument we have with Laurie Marketing. Exactly. Yeah. Right. The Laurie, the Laurie, but I think the Laurie argument is a little different because I don't think I think Laurie has been healthy, and I think his has been more let's make sure he's ready. I don't think Walker's been healthy. I think his shoulder was a full season long repair. You know what I mean? Like he he's got to get this done. They're hoping that he's gonna be ready and actually be healthy enough for a full season. But they've built this team around Walker Kessler because if you've got Walker Kessler, Triple J, Lori, Ace, KG3, and then whoever you pick up from this draft, this team will be very talented. They will be in the in a position, especially when you throw in some of the great pieces we have, like Cody Williams and Bryce Sensabot, and Isaiah Collier, and even even throw in flip. Some of these guys, you have some great depth pieces that you spent some valuable draft picks on that you've invested time in, that guys are getting better. And and we're watching these guys play with a team that was just not good. With players that were not NBA ready. Yes, my answer is yes. I think the Jazz could very easily push the second apron and and try to to try to go all in on Walker and KG3.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:12

Yeah, so the the basis behind all this was originally when you and I first brought up the subject is we saw something, and I wish I could find it, so I can link it in the comments down below where they mentioned the fact that KG3 could potentially be a draft piece. Yes, because a trade piece, absolutely, sorry, yeah, trade piece. Because he's his value has never been higher. Yeah, he's got a year of control, and you can easily extend him in a small market team, pretty much anywhere else in the NBA he'd want to go, probably would be, with the exception of a few teams, would probably be something where he would want to go, right? Yeah, absolutely. So his value has never been higher, and he's got the highest value on this team.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:50

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:50

Probably one of the highest valued contracts in the NBA right now, because he got one more year of control, and then he's and then he's a free agent. So then he's a restricted free agent, so you can always match, right? So that that's originally where this conversation came like, okay, well, we got to keep him, right? So we gotta extend him now, so we keep him happy. Like, well, then we can't afford to pay Walker Kessler because of everything we talked about, right? Yeah, and we really don't have a choice with Walker Kessler, he's a unrestricted free agent. Correct. If somebody offers him $30 million, guess what? You're matching. Yeah, you're not letting him walk.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:18

You know, he's a restricted free agent.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:21

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:22

So if someone offers him 30 million, you've got to match.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:24

You've got to match, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:25

And you're not gonna let him walk. There's no backup, like you mentioned, there's nobody that you can you need a traditional big to anchor the center position, or else there's no point trading for triple J. Uh, and there's you know, exactly to your point. Now, do you what do I think? Do I think they keep both and risk this? Um Yeah, yeah, I think they do. And do you know the reason why?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:49

Why?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:50

Same for the same reason why we go back to the other conversation we had just had, and it comes down to Ryan Smith.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:56

Ryan Smith is a passionate owner who's been a lifelong jazz fan.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:00

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:00

I think there's not a single owner out there on the planet that wants to win a ring more than Ryan Smith.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:06

I actually have that in mind. That's like how I closed out. That was how I was going to close out the exact same way, dude. I strongly believe that Ryan Smith wants to bring a championship to Utah, and he knows that the chances of doing it without one of these guys is significantly lower.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:23

Yeah, I think he does. I think he risks going in and facing the penalty of that second apron. I just don't see a way where you benefit not doing it.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:31

I don't know. We want to hear from you folks. Let us know where your thoughts are in the comments down below when it comes to this. Uh, this is just a subject we were thinking about when we realized that the jazz can't really pay everybody. Um, and I think that there is still some wiggle room, man, because you got some other contracts that are gonna be expiring in that. Yeah, you can there is you cannot extend flip when he becomes eligible. You cannot risk extend Bryce Sensiball when he becomes eligible.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:51

And there's always the front load contracts, backload contracts, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:06:54

Yeah, there's there's a lot of flexibility there.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:55

There's some flex, yeah, that keeps them maybe just on the edge of that second apron, right? Where they're maybe they're maxed out the first. And because I I I know that you can front load these contracts where we have a little bit of roster flexibility on the front side, you know, because Keonta is scheduled to make eight million this year, and if you offer him 25 or 30 million, whatever, realistically that's only 22,000 more than or sorry, 22 million more than he was gonna make.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:22

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:22

So it's not necessarily a full 30 million dollar cap hit this year, it's only a 22 million dollar cap hit because he was already scheduled to make eight million. Yeah. So there's a lot of things that I think the jazz go all in, man.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:34

Yeah, and I I'd have to agree with you, man. I just think again, it comes down to the ownership. I think that he's too passionate, and I think he's also just simply not willing to risk what he's he feels it just like we do, man. Yeah, you know, he saw the love and the appreciation and the fire that he got from the mammoth making it to the playoffs, pushing it to, you know, getting a couple home wins, you know.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:57

And and I think he loves this team, and I think he loves these players, and I think he wants to see this team succeed.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:05

I agree. Yeah, I agree. I think he's I he's due for ownership, he's due for uh basically a little bit of reward for that for that suffering as a jazz fan and as the person who has to sit in front of the Pat in front of Pat McIntyre and explain this every single year. Absolutely. So yeah, we want to hear from you folks. Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments down below. Uh that's just a conversation we thought that we needed to have because again, there's gonna be a lot of talks on this. And if I see one comment talking about that Larry Markin is expandable, we can just trade him. That contract is not tradable.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:36

Turn it around. Don't leave us a comment on that because we will fight you in the comments. We will get up earlier than you can now. You cannot trade Lori Markin's contract. Okay, the dude's 28 years old.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:49

And it's just it's too high. The price is too high. $40 million a year. It gets to $50.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:54

And I'm not saying I'm not saying he's not worth it to our team. He's just not worth it to another team.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:01

Exactly. That's just a huge in the modern CBA, there's just a huge caveat.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:05

And Laurie likes living here and he wants to play on this team, and he just went through a bunch of rough years, and he grew up with these guys, and he's trained these guys, and they're all on the same page when they get out on the floor. And if they go out there and they do all the things that I think they can do, this could be a really, really good year to be a Jazz fan.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:21

Yeah, and salary dumping to get rid of um, you know, all the prospects you've got to attach to that's not gonna be worth it.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:26

For what?

SPEAKER_01 1:09:27

It's not gonna be worth it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:28

Especially if you're in the second open where you got to match salaries going out.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:31

Yeah, yeah. Which actually you yeah, and you would and you lose your mid- and you also lose your mid-level exception with the Jazz Pass. Absolutely, yeah. So, yeah, there's a bunch of that stuff. But um We want to know what you guys think. Yeah, we want to hear from you. Let us know. Um dude, not a whole lot of chatter in the in the in the chat this week. No, appreciate it, Ted. Thanks for holding it down.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:50

Um, one thing we didn't want to talk about when it comes to the one more thing when it comes to the NBA, and it's talk about a former jazz man, and this is Donovan Mitchell. Uh, again, we gave uh his flowers to him last week when he made his first conference finals. And in a week's time. And just like that, it's over. Um, what's your take on his first conference finals, uh, even with the sweep? What's your take on it?

SPEAKER_00 1:10:12

I I think Donovan that Kev's team needs some help, man. I mean, you go out there and you get James Harden, you think this could be the guy to help him. And I understand James Harden's on the tail end of his career, you know, one rule change and all of a sudden he's not nearly as effective as he used to be. But Don just didn't have the help, man. I mean, James Harden scored 12 points in game four, went over six from three. Like he just he's such a good player, and and it, and it kind of hurts you. It it is it was good to see JC make it, you know, at knowing he's into the NBA finals. Yeah, so we're big JC fans in this area, but yeah, absolutely. Um yeah, to see Don go out that way, and especially knowing that he just he was forced to really carry that team.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:00

And he didn't have his best series either.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:02

He didn't, but he didn't play. I mean, his plus minuses like looked horrible on paper, but but I really think that it it's really it's it's really easy to get a negative plus-minus when you play 38 minutes in a game.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:17

Yeah. Well, here's kind of my take when it comes to the whole thing, man. Yes, Donovan Mitchell was swept out of his first series, uh, but it's definitely not his fault. Uh this team, first of all, um gosh, who's the Evan Mowgli? Is that the other guy? Mobley, yeah. Mobley, yeah. Yeah. Evan Mobley. Yeah, Evan Mobley. I've heard it both ways. Uh so Mobley, he didn't show up. Like that guy got paid, and then just this whole season just did not live up to what he was supposed to be when he got that fed contract. So he was missing he was MIA. And any team that signs James Harden has to understand that this guy is just disappears in the playoffs.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:54

He's a ghost, man.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:55

It doesn't matter what rule you call it, he always does. Well, again, unless it's a jazz, then he, you know, he's Michael Jordan. But when it comes to that, he always disappears in the playoffs, regardless of that rule change or not. He can look over every single year he's done this in the playoffs. And it's only going to get worse now. He's in his talents in a career. And they were saying the only reason why he accepted this trade from the Clippers to the Cavs is that they have a handshake deal saying that he would get an extension with the Cavaliers. So that's terrifying. Congratulations, Donovan Mitchell. You're hitched to the you know, James Harden train for the next couple of years. Yeah, which is brutal. So right now it's been reported that Donovan Mitchell's key thing is to win. Like he's made his all-star teams, he's made his money.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:38

He's made his all NBA teams, he's maxed out every single contract he's had.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:41

Like, got his endorsements, he wants to win. Yeah. And that's what he was hoping to get out of this trade when he got traded to the Cavs. He thought the team was strong enough and they were in the weak Western conference, so they're the conference was weak enough. Yeah. And then now you're gonna be your ride's gonna be hitched to him for at least a couple of years. Do you really see a chance with the team the way it's curly manufactured? That they're gonna get a chance.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:06

I don't. I mean, not without moving some more pieces. I mean, the defense was atrocious for that Cavs team. Um yeah, McKinley just commented that they kind of struggled against crappy, flawed East teams and then got crushed against the only good team. That is I I agree. They they struggled. Yeah, they weren't they weren't super dominating, but they were the better teams in those series, and the Knicks did look good.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:35

Yeah. Mitchell and the Cavs struggled against crappy flawed team East teams. Yeah, the fact that they had to go to seven games in every series was kind of a kind of a that's also really tough on your body, dude.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:45

Yeah, you know what I mean? To not win anything, like you're just beat down by the time you got to the Eastern Conference Finals.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:51

Yeah, no, I'd have to agree with you on that one, man. And it's just I think that what we're probably gonna see is we're gonna probably see Donovan Mitchell ask out of his contract, ask to be traded. Where could he go? Oh, I know where he's gonna go.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:03

The Knicks.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:04

No. Not the Knicks.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:06

The Lakers. Yes. I can see it.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:09

Who would you rather have Donovan Mitchell or Austin Reeves? Are you are you playing me right now? Like I would hands down every day, twice on Sunday, take Donovan Mitchell over Austin Reeves.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:26

I don't know. I mean Austin Reeves is on he's what two years younger than Donovan.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:32

Yeah, but you're not the the Lakers are trying to win now. They're not worried about it. Yeah, you know. And Donovan Mitchell's still in his prime.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:38

Still in his prime, for sure. Yeah. I mean, he's 25.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:41

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:41

I mean, he's got years of prime left, right? Like he's got three, four years of really, really good basketball left.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:47

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:48

We haven't even seen the best, but most likely.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:50

Well, I'd say we I think he's at it right now. I think this was probably the best regular season he's had in his career. Yeah. But no, I just to me, I just think that there's a good chance that he asks uh for a trade. And I think the team that has the best option to bring him in would be um would be the Lakers. I think that they're the either that or the Clippers, depending on what happens with uh Kawhi Leonard. So yeah, man, I think that's probably because if he wants to win, man, it's not gonna happen with the Cavs over the next couple years.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:15

Yeah, but teaming up with Luca could Yeah, definitely not they have James Harden on the team.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:19

The Cavs aren't going anywhere.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:21

Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:21

Yeah, teaming up with Luca, you know. That's a much different story. Yeah, much, much different story. Yeah. Want to hit more few of these comments here? I like this one from McKinley. I said it's funny how people call this Cavs team the Walmart 2021 Jazz team. Yeah, well, you know.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:35

I haven't heard that.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:36

Yeah, I think that's pretty funny. And yeah, I would say this, at least the Cavs made it to a conference finals. Uh that hurts. That does hurt right here. Yeah, it really does. The Jazz just did not play. Was it 2021? It was where they had the best record in the NBA and then got bounced in the first round. It was. Yeah. That team just was not. You know, he'll say on every wind horse interview that he didn't, but you know, you know, do some research and you'll see that he did ask for a trade. He did want out, and then he just obviously just phoned it in the rest of that year. So what the Jazz could have been would have been awesome. Uh, we got another comment here from McKinley saying, I think the Jazz keep Kessler and Keontae. It just depends on how long they want to keep them. Uh, if you can get them both on good contracts, I see them being a team for a long time. Yeah, that's the goal, right? Um, we don't have, we're not really in control of what happens with Kessler. We are in control of what happens with Keontae. Yeah. We can go in there and say, hey, look, we think you're worth, you know, $31 million a year is basically what you're projected to get. We'll buy out your last year of your wiki contract, and we'll pay you $25 or $27 a year throughout that entire year contract. That way the contract itself is worth more money.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:50

I can see them doing something like that, getting that one under control, but Walker Kessler, we really don't really have much.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:55

If yeah, you're gonna be in a force-to-match situation.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:57

Yeah, somebody might say his value would just force the situation. So we we'll have to see on that one. Uh, another one here is we got from McKinley says even Kessler gets a bigger contract, then we won't have to pay. Uh he won't pay you, probably still wait, I'm not reading that right.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:14

Even if Kessler gets a bigger contract than you want to pay, you probably still pay him that with the intention of using that salary as a trade filler. We don't have a lot of tradable contracts right now, which is a great point.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:27

Yeah, we don't. Um, but again, there's so much going on in the back end there. We don't know what that what that you use of Nurkic handshake deal looks like.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:36

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:36

Which it is a thing. I you stay I stand by that. It's either a sign and trade or they're gonna pay them, right? There's something there. Um, but yeah, I don't know. I just think it's really interesting to look at this of how this jazz team is gonna be a top five payroll team in the NBA a year after they were the second worst team in the NBA.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:55

That's just insane to me. That is insane. It's crazy to think about. We want to hear from you folks. Let us know where your thoughts are in the comments down below. Uh, for all those who are joining us uh on the live stream, we deeply appreciate it. Thanks for joining us. A special shout out to all those listening on the podcast afterwards. And if you watch this on YouTube on either Utah Jazz, DNA, um, or on the man chain main channel, we'd love to uh say thank you on that one.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:17

Absolutely. And if you're watching on YouTube on one of our short videos, just know this whole episode is available as a podcast at DNA Sports Recap wherever you get your audio.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:25

With all that said, my name is Darren. That is AJ, and this has been a DNA sports recap episode.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:35

Till next time. I totally forgot what I was supposed to say.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:38

I didn't say the right thing either.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:40

Yeah, I was like, I till next time, man.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:43

Exactly. Love you guys. Thanks for joining. See ya. Messed me up, man.