Utah Jazz 2018-2019 Preseason Press Conference

[digiskunk]

Utah Jazz 2018-2019 Preseason Presser

Digiskunk: Welcome everybody, and thank you for joining us today. Unlike previous seasons, there will not be any cinematic introductions for today's festivities; instead, it will be business as usual for the Utah Jazz. I'm fortunate enough to be seated next to the newest member of our young core of prospects, "Juicy" James Gebhart, who will also be answering questions. But before we get to that, let's kickstart this press conference with a real quick rundown of what the hell happened last season and during the offseason.

Last season was rough for our team, but not all was lost. Although we only managed to win a handful of games, we were able to get a glimpse into the near future. Robert Neeley, Joseph Kight, and DeSean Hawkins were all pleasant surprises — though I think the biggest surprise was most definitely Joseph Kight, who won the Rookie Of The Year award despite being juggled between two positions. We were really impressed with what Robert Neeley brought to the table in regards to playmaking, and as for DeSean Hawkins, we still have absolutely no clue what to expect out of him. Still, those three prospects made the best out of the situation and put themselves into a position to improve drastically over the offseason. Joseph Kight had a great training camp, and is expected to overtake DeSean Hawkins as our small forward of the future. So that's good I guess.

Although we were only able to capture 16 wins last season, we were able to secure the #4 overall pick in the draft, which we used to select "Juicy" James Gebhart. We saw an elite athlete in James, who we hope will develop into a defensive force in the years to come. He should slot perfectly alongside Neeley, and will make up for Neeley's lack of perimeter offense and defense. I guess that is why they call him "Juicy" James, because his game is so fluid and versatile, it's on the verge of juicy.

But still, we have a lot of work to do. We decided against making a splash in free agency because we knew that we simply weren't ready yet; we still needed time to develop this young core. So rather than signing some big stars who would've taken minutes away from them, we chose to give some young, overlooked prospects an opportunity to play instead. So far, everything has been going according to plan.

Next season should be a fun adventure for everybody involved. And with that said... Juicy James & I will now be taking questions!

[NOLa.]

How long will this current rebuild last before you believe you will be a playoff contender? You’re assembling some nice pieces, but they are so raw. Are you looking at another 2 or more seasons of rebuilding?


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[digiskunk]

How long will this current rebuild last before you believe you will be a playoff contender? You’re assembling some nice pieces, but they are so raw. Are you looking at another 2 or more seasons of rebuilding?

Good question! I've never done this before so I'm hoping that the rebuild will only take another season or two. When I decide to make some free agent signings, I want my prospects to be fairly-well developed — this way our pieces can compliment one another and nobody has to feel left out on the bench. As much as I'd love to build from within/through the draft, I understand how vital free agency is for assembling a team, so I'm going to take it one year at a time. I'm in no rush, but at the same time I'm sorta eager as well. So we'll see!

[false9]

You have $56 million in cap space. Will you be aggressive in taking contracts from teams seeking cap relief?

[digiskunk]

You have $56 million in cap space. Will you be aggressive in taking contracts from teams seeking cap relief?

Damn right! I'll gladly take on expiring contracts (or short-term contracts) as long as there are assets involved.

[WigNosy]

An underrated offseason pickup - and undersized - was Russell Arciniega. With his ferocious rebounding do you see a future for him with the Jazz?

[Darth Vegito]

Tell me, how juicy is it really???

[digiskunk]

An underrated offseason pickup - and undersized - was Russell Arciniega. With his ferocious rebounding do you see a future for him with the Jazz?

I really hope so! His rebounding abilities is what attracted me to him, honestly. I hope there's room for him to develop further but if somebody offers me something for him, I may take it, as he's unlikely to be in my long-term plans unless he performs above and beyond.

[digiskunk]

Tell me, how juicy is it really???

I'll let James answer this question!

"Juicy" James: Quite juicy. My game is sweet and juicy, quite like a watermelon.

[trillotto]

How bad are you willing to let the losing get, as the young pieces develop? Is there a danger of creating a culture of losing that ultimately stunts the development of key pieces, or alienates a fanbase that, while typically loyal, is relatively small?

[digiskunk]

How bad are you willing to let the losing get, as the young pieces develop? Is there a danger of creating a culture of losing that ultimately stunts the development of key pieces, or alienates a fanbase that, while typically loyal, is relatively small?

Nah, not really. Here in Utah, we pride ourselves on being losers — that's essentially what Utah is all about. (Just look up the history of the failed state of Deseret!) We're anticipating another losing season, but that's okay, we'll survive. What's most important is that these rookies get as much playing time as possible so I can cash in on those yummy free rookie training points!

[garbageman]

Do you plan on keeping DeSean Hawkins as an undersized 4 in the regular season, or will he be coming off the bench behind Joseph Kight in a 6th man role?

[digiskunk]

Do you plan on keeping DeSean Hawkins as an undersized 4 in the regular season, or will he be coming off the bench behind Joseph Kight in a 6th man role?

Very good question, that's something I haven't really decided yet. Kight really surprised us last season; we didn't expect him to outperform Hawkins the way that he did. This season, expect to see Hawkins in the starting lineup still — but perhaps at the 3 instead of the 4, where his weaknesses won't be exploited as much. We aren't going to bench Hawkins just yet because we reaaally want those free rookie training camp points, so we're hoping he'll find ways to succeed in his natural position. But if he doesn't pan out after this season, don't be surprised if we do something drastic... Mwahaha.