The Utah Jazz's standing still remains the same, but they will be a very different team this season after the moves they've made. While Austin Ainge promised that this season would go differently from last season, and they very well may be, the goal is pretty obvious for them: tank for a superstar.
The Athletic's Alex Speers outlined the Jazz's goal while discussing why he doesn't see the Jazz as a surprise team this season.
"They have a very clear direction that they are trying to go in. I think they let go of a lot of players in order to play these young guys, and young guys lose games. That's just a hard and fast rule in the NBA is that when you're playing young guys, especially young guys with as many question marks as the players on the Utah Jazz, you're gonna lose games."
That was their goal last season as well, and while they narrowly avoided disaster from their tanking strategy when they got their hands on Ace Bailey, the big difference is that the productive veterans from last season - John Collins, Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson - are no longer with the team, which paves the way for youngsters like Kyle Filipowski, Brice Sensabaugh, and Isaiah Collier, among others, to take their place.
Now, doing so will make Utah worse, but it should at least make them more fun to watch in the process. Losing won't be enjoyable, but losing with the excitement of young talent developing is more enjoyable.
And when all of it culminates in another high lottery pick, it's all worth it in the end. Even if Utah winds up with the No. 5 pick, there's enough young talent in this draft for them to be comfortable with who is available.
But when will Utah stop this strategy?
The Jazz will be bad this season, but they're doing so hoping that it will lead to getting a franchise pillar in the draft. That all makes sense, but with Lauri Markkanen signed to the team long-term, one can't help but wonder if the Jazz will stop tanking sooner rather than later.
While many would say that the best way to handle it would be to trade Markkanen, the Jazz have made it clear he's not going anywhere for now. If they hold true to their word, then this may be the last time they outright tank the season and start trying going forward.
Now, with the process they're going through, they'll probably continue to lose most of their games anyway, but will at least be trying not to when they do.