Remember, The Utah Jazz suck at the NBA Lottery
For the hardcore who have followed the Utah Jazz from Stockton and Malone, Tinsley and Jeremy Evans, to Mitchell and Gobert, you likely have a base understanding of two things.
First: Jordan Pushed off.
Second: The NBA hates the Jazz and will never allow them to move up in the draft.
Ok, maybe the NBA doesn’t hate us, but the Jazz sure have some presence that has rooted itself in between the franchise and the ability to get a better draft selection.
This unexplained conundrum is likely a large reason of why Jazz fans were anti-tank three years ago and why most Jazz fans still have that mindset.
In the rare circumstances that Utah tears it down, shuttles away superstars, intentionally loses games and focuses solely on the youth and draft capital, the Jazz have still struggled to truly tank.
Until this year.
They’ve tanked so hard this year to ensure a bottom feeder record, that the NBA had to step in and fine them 100,000 dollars for Lauri Markkanen sitting out against the Wizards.
Even against that tanking opposition however, Utah has still found a way to have the 2nd worst record in the NBA with only 16 games remaining.
The end goal is within reach with Utah only a .5 game better than the league worst Wizards.
Yet with all the dreams of Cooper Flagg in those purple mountain majesty’s, Jazz fans still need be wary.
Even with a current 52.1 percent chance of at least a top 4 selection, lottery history is not on Utah’s side.
Look at last year’s shenanigans for a prime example of that.
The Atlanta Hawks, who had a 3 percent chance at the #1 overall pick compared to Utah’s 6 % chance, ended up with the very first pick in the draft.
Utah fell two spots from their original projected 8th overall selection to 10th overall.
The Hawks won 5 more games than Utah that year and appeared in the NBA play-in game for a playoff spot.
Utah explicitly plummeted at the end of the year playing some of the worst ball you’ve ever seen in your Jazz fandom (at that point) by losing 20 of their last 25 games.
Despite the Hawks dysfunction, it was clear these teams were on two different wave lengths.
And….. it didn’t matter. Atlanta selected 9 spots higher than the Jazz.
The Brooklyn Nets selection, which went to the Rockets, had a 4.5 percent chance at #1, and despite them not getting that, they still jumped Utah and nabbed the third pick overall, 7 choices above.
Jazz nation has been given a winning product much more often than not, but this isn’t about the rebuild working or not working right now.
This is about the Jazz being cursed.
Ever since the draft lottery was created in 1985 to “prevent” deliberate tanking, the Jazz have shown up only ten times, soon to be 11.
In those 10 instances, the Jazz have never moved up, not once, not a single time.
In those 10 instances, the Jazz have lost positions three times or 30 percent of the time.
Last season’s two spot plummet was the worst in Utah’s short lottery history.
Ironically enough, Utah entered the 2024 lottery with their second highest shot at selecting the #1 overall pick in team history
In 2005 they had an almost 9 percent chance, this year it was a 6 % shot.
Fans weren’t expecting the first pick, but with an almost 25 percent chance to move into the top four, there was a great chance Utah finally moved up the ladder.
10 years of trying, ten years of breaking even or losing out.
With the draft talent elite as it is this season, Jazz fans will be begging for a bone in an area they haven’t been able to catch a break.
Sure, some teams still find ways to draft superstars at pick #10 or pick #13. Its not the end of the world.
Until you consider who Utah has selected with their lottery awarded draft selections.
Excluding Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams and their to be determined future, the Jazz have yet to land anyone close to resembling a “star.”
It started with Kris Humphries in 2004 and has created a list composed of: Martell Webster (Traded on draft night), Ronnie Brewer, Alec Burks, Shabazz Muhammad (Traded on draft night), Dante Exum, Trey Lyles and Taurean Prince (traded on draft night.)
While some of these players carved out respectable NBA careers, few did so with Utah, and those who did didn’t live up to the label of “lottery” selection.
The draft is hit and miss. More failures than successes. I understand.
The franchises first ever #1 overall pick would do wonders for not only the team but the fanbase as a whole.
The luck could turn, the curse could be broken, maybe the Jazz are about to strike gold, but fans sure aren’t enjoying waiting.
All eyes are now on May 12th and may the ping pong balls be forever in your favor.
More From Sports Radio 97.7
