This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Dennis Lindsey wants to argue. He wants to hear all sides.
He doesn't want canned answers or a party line. He doesn't want a discussion in a box. He doesn't want to hear what others think he wants to hear. He wants a solid dissenting view. He wants a hundred dissenting views. He wants ultimately to find consensus, or at least a clear course, but he indicated after Tuesday's draft lottery was set that he hopes for a dust-up, a brawl, a collision of varying ideas, and then, only after all of that, he wants to haul order out of chaos.
As for the draft, the possibility of trades or activity in the free-agent market, Lindsey said: "You want to do something dynamic."
How about this: What if the Jazz were to trade their best player and their 12th pick, and whatever else it would take, to, say, the Lakers for the second overall pick in the draft?
Is that chaotic or dynamic enough?
Word is, the Jazz have identified one of the top two projected picks — Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram — as a real difference-maker. If that's true, would it be worth making a move to get him, even a dramatic one, even if it fractured what they've previously done? Yes, yes it would.
Gordon Hayward is a very good player, as was displayed by his past season, during which he averaged 19.7 points, 3.7 assists and five rebounds per game. He's a conscientious two-way player, a pro's pro, who can make plays and defend. The Jazz have invested a lot of time and effort in bringing Hayward along, and in giving him opportunity to lead the way in their developmental project.
But there are two problems: First, as good as Hayward is, he's not anybody's superstar. Second, he can opt out of his contract as an unrestricted free agent after next season.
If the Jazz have designs on being an authentic contender, they will have to find/develop/trade for an authentic star. It's almost impossible to make the NBA Finals without one. There hasn't been an NBA Finals without LeBron or Kobe in it since the 2005-06 season. And that streak will continue this postseason.
At some point, those who glom onto the 2004 Pistons as their hope and their example of title by committee have to start to go a different way. The plain difficulty is only a small number of teams have a real superstar. But to even sniff a title, if you don't have LeBron or Kobe, you need a Steph Curry, a Tim Duncan, a Kevin Durant, a Dirk Nowitzki, a Dwyane Wade.
It would be a real risk for the Jazz to speculate about a young player coming into the draft who could eventually transform them into what they've said is their goal is, because that guy might flop. Moreover, are the Jazz, who already are the youngest team in the league, of such a disposition to get even younger, at the expense of what they're already developing?
Again, it depends on whether they want to be a less-risky good or a more-risky great. They already have some terrific players. How many great ones do they have?
Clouding the Jazz plan were the injuries of 2015-16, especially the loss of Dante Exum, who is on schedule to return to whatever it is he will become in 2016-17. It's no reach to say the Jazz already would have been a playoff team had they enjoyed a little better luck with a healthy Exum. Their misfortune delayed more conclusive judgments about what they have in the fold, and how high those players can climb individually and collectively. That predicament leaves them behind schedule, with incomplete information about how radical they should get this offseason.
But the fact is indisputable: They need a star, a difference-maker.
It's no knock on Hayward if he's not that guy, and even if he were that guy, he has the option to walk away from the Jazz with nothing in return a year from now. That's one of the reasons this coming season is one of the most important in franchise history.
It has to show marked progress.
Hayward is richer than a king, and he's going to get a stack of cash in his next deal higher than he can see. That part is taken care of. But he's also a competitor who takes losses as hard as anybody. If the Jazz stumble in 2016-17, will he want to stick around?
It is worth noting after this past season, Hayward said:
"I think I'm older. I'm not 20 years old, or a shy teenager. Having a baby does that a little bit, too. I've grown up here in Utah. I've grown up around this organization. They've treated me the right way, and it's been awesome. Having a support system like that at home allows you to go to work and enjoy it. It's pretty easy to be happy with everybody we have here. We have great people here — all the support staff, the coaching staff, the people here have been tremendous. I haven't necessarily been around the league, but I've talked with enough people to know it's not necessarily like that at other places. And so it makes it easy to be happy here."
That hardly seems like a man ready to run away in free agency, but risk is always something that runs, causing some concern.
So, what should the Jazz do? Stand pat or shoot for the moon? Go big and go home, or stay the course and be satisfied with the more predictable result, even if it is better than what's happened over the past fistful of seasons?
Whether such a deal is ever done or even possible — the Lakers, or any other potential trade partner, may not have any interest, although, the Lakers are in need of help — a serious discussion/argument along those lines, and other lines, too, should be had by Jazz powers.
"There's going to be real arguments," Lindsey said.
There should be. No scoffing, no fear, no conventional thinking, no shaking of heads.
And everything, every player, including the Jazz's best, should be on the bargaining table.
GORDON MONSON hosts "The Big Show" with Spence Checketts weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM The Zone. Twitter: @GordonMonson. —
Gordon Hayward file
Years with the Jazz • Six.
Career averages • 14.6 points, 4 rebounds, 3.4 assists.
2015-16 averages • 19.7 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists.
Contract status • Can opt out after 2016-17 season.
Next season's salary • $16.1 million.