HOUR 1 | Lauri Markkanen Watch | How Should Utah Jazz Rebuild? | More NHL Talk
hey this is JJ and Alex be as you wrap up your day it’s time to get your fix of the teams you live for and the sports you love this is JJ and Alex presented by G2G bars on 975 the KSL Sports Zone [Music] what’s up everybody welcome on in it is JJ and Alex 975 KSL Sport Zone Alex Cy Jeremiah Jensen out this week so we thought we would the guy who’s uh helping fill in for uh JJ on the TV side of things although this is no normal Wednesday for you you come in you’re not doing radio on Wednesdays but Wednesday’s a TV workday for you typically yeah so this is like I just don’t have to worry about my appearance as much well for this part for this part says the guy who came here because he’s like oh I’ll be running a little bit late I was getting my hair adjusted it’s not even a haircut it’s like Alex I’m having it adjusted I need to that makes uh Buffy could you tell JJ and Alex whoever it is that’s running that show today you tell them I’ll be running a little bit late I’m having my hair readjusted hey my hair is real no it’s real now listen that that did make it sound like uh that did make it sound like it was a a Dave Letterman thing no no David Letterman at one point just leaned into the fact that he had that front hairpiece oh right just like boom because I remember him writing some some bit where he was like Spring’s in the air in in Central Park and I I really know it’s in the air when the squirrels try to mate with my hairpiece I thought that is that is uh that’s some self-awareness right there hey Sam Farnsworth KSL 5 television what’s up hey guys what’s happening yeah man hey tell you what’s happening you know what I that that drop came from when I was in Vegas once for oh for one of the media days yeah uh appropriate since we’re uh since we’re right on top of it that’s right hey uh we’ve got tons to chat about with all the media days that are coming up but just like f first blush reaction because you and I haven’t been able to chat about it the Utah State stuff like in the short term yeah how does that get handled like for the media Day stuff like you send the interim head coach there and you have the players go and then what there just must be a massive download to the sports information from the sports information directors to the players and to the interim coach to go we are sticking to football yeah and that’s because that’s the only thing one we’re allowed to talk about and two it’s the only thing we really know that’s the only one thing we can talk about with some with some clarity right I’ve been to every Mountain West Conference media day since I’ve been back here in Utah since 2019 19 and I’ll tell you what this just went from 0 to 1,000 like that right when Once once that release came out that that Blake Anderson was no longer going to be coaching the team and then more and more information came out all of the reasons why uh yeah whoever they are sending to Las Vegas to represent the school usually it’s a coach and two players usually the head coach which in this instance I’ll be interested to see if it’s the interum the defensive coordinator who will be going out or not and then which two players you better be picking uh two very well spoken 50 seniors 100% these are guys you you like I don’t know what the transfer portal issue is going to be bring the backup punter if he’s a fifth year senior just make it a backup like a fifth year guy like an Isaac Larson or something you can’t take him right I I don’t know unless he’s unless he’s 100% committed to sticking around Utah State I look I’m throwing hypotheticals out there but when a coach leaves the portal open but how would you be able to leave at this point and we were talking about this with a player like Isaac Larson though would have a new home pretty quick I no I know and and this is saywhere no we saying like a Jaylen Royals probably the same thing where you’d be immediately plugged in because you’re you’re you’re actually an NFL type caliber talent and so you there are teams that would like you immediately but the problem is is that they the the portal probably won’t open for those players until the firing is complete and that because the the intent to terminate legal stuff the intent to terminate would apparently be up as of like the 16th or so right if it’s going to be that two we time frame and then you’ve got 30 days and if they go into the transfer portal then and then you start to go back and forth is it like NFL free agency where they’re like okay 716 of 2024 as soon as it hits 1201 eastern time then they go oh I’m with my new team uh here out in at USC you know what I mean like because that would be the only way and then of course there would be like some level of tampering there but I I just you feel for the kids you feel for the coaching staff they all got CAU flat footed with this thing and it’s uh you know or we think they did so I I it’s just it’s a tough spot to be in and Utah State football has come so far I me it’s taken strides I I think these last couple years maybe it hasn’t taken the strides you would have expected especi after year one with Blake Anderson right but they’ve got the talent this is the it was kind of built this roster was kind of built to be kind of like that first year with Blake Anderson where you’re like okay this is that team that could compete for the mountainwest championship again they’ve got the talent all over the field um but man this cloud is going to follow them through the entire season no matter how good or bad they are this is going to be the story that follows them all the way through and yes like you said going back to your original question Mount West media days whoever it is they sending which in in my initial thought I was like well they’ll send Ike Larsson and Jaylen Royals well I don’t know that they do that now who knows but whoever they send you’re right they are sitting down with these guys they’re already practicing uh press conferences peppering them with questions because not just the Utah media that’s out there but you’ve got media from every single Market that the Mountain West is in they’re going to be asking Utah State players and coaches the exact same questions Sam you’re going to be hammering them you know what I mean you’re going to make him sweat out there in in Vegas you got to we have to ask the questions yeah so uh and and at the at the same time you know how these SIDS are too they’ll walk them over and go yeah uh try to coach them up and they’ll say here the coaching players by the way we’re not answering anything that’s not football related yeah they’ll they’ll probably roll that out and then your job is to go like how married did that that’ll be the very first thing they say when they sit down at the microphone hey just before we get started I’m only talking about football okay that’s the only thing that’s actually exists right now in Logan just football Hey look it’s just it is such a bizarre situation they’ll say I can’t from a legal standpoint I’m not allowed to say right they’ll they’ll they’ll hide behind that yeah you’re going to make me break the law if you ask me those questions and then I’ll get fired and then you’ll feel bad won’t you Sam geez what a I just I just keep thinking of of Utah State fan what a tough situation this is It’s a brutal one and you know Utah’s going to come into the Maverick Center or into the into Maverick Stadium this this year and they’re just going to be smelling blood oh man they will have no mercy they will not care because they’re going we already didn’t want to play this game up in up in Logan and to smell that blood in the water and go we’re going to pounce on this thing they’re going to do it all right our program is brought to you by G2G bars all natural ingredients and no preservatives make the G2G bar perfect for anybody who needs a quick tasty nutritious and protein packed boost uh so go check them out Costco holiday oil Maverick Associated Foods popping up in grocery at your local groceries and the refrigerated section so that’s where we’re going to start things off is with the cut not with Utah State but with some NBA free agency and some things that are still moving around I think everybody kind of crossing their fingers that uh Lowry Mark and doesn’t get doesn’t get poach maybe they’re hoping that he does maybe you’re one of those big time tear it all down and let’s really get the rebuild going but I I don’t know we’ll see let’s where the cut starts right here let’s get going it’s time for the biggest story of the day this is what made the cut with JJ and Alex on 975 the KSL Sports Zone ah here we go only one way to start this know there’s there really is the teses hey by the way this uh this portion of the cut brought to you by traun wealth your local trusted Financial fiduciaries 801 899 7600 or their website tra and wealth.com uh yes NBA free agency I haven’t been able to chat with you about it Sam let’s talk a little bit about what uh because Lowry marken’s name keeps coming up and in fact the Warriors seem more and more desperate to plug that Gap that Klay Thompson will leave with the team you do not want to see production fall off that much and for you to fall out of that conversation uh is it time for us to put a fork in that in that Golden State run that they’ve had for so long they got that they got the most recent title that was kind of a a bonus a bonus title when they weren’t in the midst of being the best one of the best teams ever in the NBA but um I don’t know could could you could you plug that one uh can the Jazz get a similar deal for Larry marinan that the male Bridges deal brought uh when he was what what was he worth four or five picks in the in five four or five first- round draft picks so five first round picks would that be worth it for you I think Danny a that would be worth it for sure because he loves that kind of a deal and there’s not somebody who would be above that I think but trading Larry marinan we we like we just never even touched that idea at all and it was like that’s an Untouchable name Walker kler is an Untouchable name and we’ve heard both of those names just Flo around as possible rumors nobody’s safe in a Danny in a Danny a rebuild well look I I don’t think anything’s Untouchable with the right price especially with Danny a that’s why you set the price High we are happy with this I’m speaking on behalf of the Jazz right on behalf Danny we are happy to have lri Markin we are happy to make him a part a central part of our rebuild one of the faces of the Utah Jazz brand as we rebuild as we add pieces around him we will build around Lowry make him R1 or 1B or r two in this rebuild and uh and open up this window that we want to open this competitive window to reach a potential Championship we’re happy with that we have no need to move him however if you’re going to throw a bunch of picks at us and maybe a star player or two or a rising star or two along the way we’ll listen and they should they really should right because in a rebuild you can’t close the door on anything when when you don’t have a legit start Lowry’s he’s close but he’s not he’s not like a number one legit star out there I don’t think right so you got to add those pieces he’s close but you got to add those pieces around so if speaking on the behalf of Golden State you still have step you gotta you’ve got to add youth to him though youth star power I think Lowry fits that bill I was gon to say he’s pretty young still exactly that fits the bill that golden state is looking for the Jazz still have a big enough window to build around Lowry over the next couple years so there’s no need to just be like well we need to get him to a contender because he’s only got a few years left no he’s got plenty of tread on those tires the Jazz have an opportunity to build around him still but look don’t say no to especially five first round picks how many did Rudy get wasn’t it about five for Rudy if you’re giving five first round picks for Lowry too you have to listen to that because it will pay off in the long run it just may not be when Jazz fans want I wonder too if you’re the Warriors and and you think that this could be worth it for you you because Lowry would immediately be because his window for them would actually probably be because I think we’re kind of getting into Prime Lowry right now right yeah I think so kind of front end of that because you’re GNA be like between because he’s 27 years old I think isn’t that does that sound right uh he’s still pretty pretty young I just don’t know if like let’s say yeah he’s 27 and he’s going to he just turned 27 the month and a half ago so if you’re lry marinin how long how long how much longer do you have is it 32 years old is that kind of like where you start to kind of get into the sort of time frame so if you’ve got five good years if you’re the Jazz and you’re rebuilding you might not get you’ll get the tail end of that maybe with Lowry right it might be more worth it for the for the for the Warriors who are like let’s sign him up right now let’s get this thing going now with him because he’s entering Peak he’s already an All-Star level player he’s a 20 something points he’s uh he’s kill you know he could he could kill you from outside he’s got tremendous length obviously and so they would probably just plug him in right to that spot where clay was B basically right and so and have him play that role and his game would open up quite a bit when you’ve got Steph Curry who’s at the top of that uh key you know and kind of commanding all that and he would be a guy who could close out on defense too and so that and I would see all the reason in the world why the Warriors would love it um but I don’t and and by the way Chris Paul like what a blessing that they don’t have to deal with Chris Paul anymore right but that I don’t know I mean like if you’re the Warriors you got to kind of do something right now if you’re desperate which they should be because the Draymond Green era has been actually two or three years too old way past it surprises me that he’s still around right so you’ve got to take advantage of the fact that you still have one of the best shooting guards in the history of the game if not the best shooting guard in the history of the game on on your roster and then surrounded by some temporary talent that could maybe take you and just see how how far you can get with that talent and so Larry marinan is of more value to the Warriors than he probably is for the Utah Jazz when it comes to being a long-term uh fit the question is what will the Warriors give up because then they could sign up for not having a good team for a long time in the future if they give up too much for him I mean look the Jazz price is going to be high and I think Danny uh we’ve learned from experience get Barrel just seeing what he’s done the last couple years don’t budge he kind of sets his bar he sets his price and then he leaves it there and he says call says not yeah you got to reach this and he’s won twice right the Rudy deal the Donovan deal he got what he was what he was looking for 100% he has zero reason to back down from whatever it is he’s asking from the Warriors if the Warriors are that desperate because their window is much smaller right Steph’s 36 I reason to believe Steph’s going to be good for another three four more years still right but maybe two but yeah but that’s right that’s that’s the realistic window is when now two years that’s the realistic window they need Lowry now more than the Jazz need Lowry Now you kind of mentioned that so that’s why Dany has all the muscle in this deal set your price don’t even budge don’t even back away because the Jazz are just fine with Lowry to continue their build in the in the direction they’re going but they’re also fine with hey if you’re going to give us this much then we’ll take it um so hey anything is anything is possible in in the NBA with Danny y but I still feel like I still feel like when all is said and done Low’s going to be wearing a jazz uniform in October uh and and the Jazz are going to continue in the path in the direction that they’re headed with their current rebuild uh now this is funny too because uh as of about 40 minutes ago Joe Engles found himself on a new team not just any new team he is reunited and it feels so good with my connley and the J oh and Rudy gobert that make Jazz fans go nuts uh Timberwolves are going to bring in Joe Eng Les Joe Engles continues to interesting get these one-year deals man good for him all the Jazz fans that are Timberwolves fans now right I’m curious to know how many look my daughter she’s only 11 but she became the biggest Timberwolves fan in the world once once the uh the Rudy and and Mike Conley trades went down she’s like she’s got Timberwolves gear everything so having Joe Engles there too would only make her that much more thrilled but you it kind of seems right it seems like Mike Conley Joe Engles and Rudy were that Trio that they they just worked really well together when the Jazz had that number one seed back then uh Joe was that locker room guy that kind of kind of EAS things it felt like Joe Engles understood Rudy gobear as a person right the one of the most mysterious NBA guys out there you know he makes all these posts about about uh the the the power that gems and Rock gener you know I get it I get it there’s people that are into that I have friends who are into that I get it whatever Rudy’s one of those guys I don’t understand friends like that huh I know I know people that are like that yes you’re not friends with Kyrie are you look some people like a flat world I can’t BL no I’m just kidding um no but what I’m saying is like Joe understand does unlock your sinuses though quite well I did a little Googling exactly and that’s what it tells you about amethyst absolutely look Joe understand Rudy he understands Rudy as a as just for whatever reason he gets Rudy and I think that’s a super great move for the Timberwolves um to to add him just you know what he’s probably only going to play like 10 minutes a game at this point 12 15 maybe I think it’s a good fit did you 12 or 15 might be generous it might be uh I’m wondering okay let’s look at the LeBron stuff I didn’t want to go full on oh but I will say that sacrif ice that LeBron James has given for his team list is the Lakers suck yesterday they suck again today that’s for sure Chuck absolutely my favorite thing about all this is that LeBron still signs up for a max deal it’s a two-year max deal uh 50 and a half right isn’t that what we’re looking at he’s saving them $1 million so generous of I think it’s nice that’s five look $500,000 per you kick that ride over into bronnie uh Brony james’ uh oh my gosh you know guaranteed four years that he got we’ll get to that in a second but LeBron James signing a two-year deal for 50 and a half uh per so I think that’s uh 100 oh no it’s uh is it 104 or is it 100.4 either way it’s either 52 or 50 it’s over $50 million but LeBron is getting up there man and it’s the and he’s got the second year is a players option right come on come on like is he going to pick up that option yeah you know why because his son Brony James signed a 4-year are you listening right now guaranteed deal how many 55th picks overall have ever gotten by the way most I know maybe there is the normal rookie contract the the normal rookie scale contract is a two-year third year option for the for the team obviously and that’s the normal rookie that’s the normal yeah and I’m saying if you’re like dton connect for examp rounde dton connect their first their 17th pick overall yeah his scale numbers are he only gets two years of guaranteed dollars yep and they don’t equal the N the 8 million that brony’s going to be getting over the four years now he’s going to get paid more in those first two years than bronny would be making over the next two years but he’s the 17th overall pick and scored 22 points a game in college and and they’re expecting him to come in and be an impact guy and that’s why these guys get the automatic rookie scale number because they’re first their first uh they’re that they’re that uh first round draft pick bronny James now look if you’re here’s the thing I’m not going to hate on LeBron for this we would all do this for our kid if we had the ability to be able to pull these types of strings we would get a guaranteed work situation mhm for our kid yeah sure but I and I will say this somebody brought up and and it’s and it’s true he actually as a college nil eligible player was worth more than this than he was than he is right now and so if you’re bringing value to the team in terms of ticket sales uh gimmicky uh promotional gear then maybe that’s going to be exactly the the the route that they go so for me I’m like from a business standpoint it makes money sense as a marketing ploy to make this happen but don’t stand on the he earned his spot on this team type of talk because that’s not the case not even close look for as long as LeBron James is the general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers his son’s going to have a job with the team right and and uh you know when LeBron put in the call for that draft pick and when he uh finalized the contract with BR yeah exactly right I mean we we all know why Brony got a 4-year 7.9 million guaranteed contract just like you said we all know it’s because his dad’s there LeBron he signed a similar deal that we’ve seen him sign in the past where it’s a two-year the second-year player option that way he can opt out and up for another Max contract or whatever I’m sure he’ll pick it up this time because uh he is getting a little older even though he’s still phenomenal look LeBron James is still the world’s best or top three best basketball players out there which is just Bonkers that he’s defying um you know history and age and all that but bronnie look the video that got everyone pumped and excited do you remember that that combine video of him shooting threes and yeah making them all every single shot search do some Googling search uh go go look for that for the video from the combine of Zach Ed oh almost identical okay almost identical made all these three point and we’re talking like the 7 foot2 whatever it’s tall 300b guy from Purdue just draining threes all over the court why because that’s what these guys do everyone shoots a thousand shots a day without anyone in your face this is what you do so seeing a video of someone make that many shots in a row doesn’t surprise me if it’s bronnie if it’s Zach if it’s me or whoever I don’t care so all I’m saying is I I just have multiple people like yeah did you see that video I’m like stop I love when they show it they’re like he’s he’s dunking yeah Zach Wilson’s video Pro Day BYU go back to the numbers the numbers that you quoted 20 whatever games 4.8 points per game no freshman in the history of college basketball ever gets drafted with those numbers uh except bronnie well yeah I mean look good him like I said from a business standpoint a great move maybe he shuts us all up yeah and I’m sure he’s going to read all the press and he and and he knows he’s hearing the sound he’s hearing the noise Lakers took steps backwards that’s all I’m saying okay all right anyway Brony James fouryear guaranteed deal uh so good for him yeah more to go around the corner 975d KSL Sports Zone when TV and radio cly love it this is what you got you’re listening to JJ and Alex presented by G2G bars don’t touch that D on 975 the KSL Sports [Music] so all right welcome back everybody JJ and Alex on a 4th of July Eve is that what we call it you’ve never called it that I do it’s not July 3r it’s July Independence Eve it is Independence Eve I saw some I saw some oh there’s your fireworks although we were those are decidedly Korean fireworks we decided whoa they are wow all right so yeah cuz that’s what they uh that’s how they celebrate what were they doing it’s basically any sporting event they just have that was great every fire just like any excuse to have fireworks do you remember yeah do you remember uh the Delta Center back in the 90s with jazz Carone John stock Larry Miller obviously was probably the architect behind it but it was inside the Delta Center was oh yeah yeah absolutely that’s what that’s what had Phil Jackson and the Bulls wearing earplugs yeah they were so mad about it people like oh the Delta Center’s so loud which it is the fans make that place loud but the reason why they were putting the earplugs in was because of the fireworks not because of the loud fans I’m just saying um I just think you know this is I did see one that said have fun at work tomorrow England that was one of the posts that I saw on uh on Instagram or something like that have fun at work tomorrow England yeah although jokes on us I think a lot of Europe is just like I’m going to take the rest of the the rest of the summer off you’re like all right Kidd fine you guys can have it uh Sam farer joining me today in place of JJ uh Jeremiah’s offer uh some welld deserved couple days off before we really get going into everything and next week of course is going to be all the the coverage you can handle across the board you’ve got Monday summer league I think we’re going to be outside Delta Center for our broadcast uh then I hop on a plane uh right after I don’t know when you go down to Vegas do you go down later in the week uh for Mountain West I’m going Monday evening so you’re going to go when are you uh when time you fly out the latest flight I could find 10 1050 you got to you got my day off look Monday and Tuesday are my days off so next week I’m not getting any days off but so I’m I’m just trying to milk as much time as I can so leaving right after the show and I’m going to go over there so we’ll be we’ll be in Monday night late and then I leave Wednesday night late from Vegas as well and then we’ll be doing the show back again Thursday we have the sports bash on Friday so all of the coverage you can handle across the board you’re going to get it right here this July has been amazing like we were saying yesterday there’s no there’s no July 2nd that we’ve ever had like yesterday never the end of June the beginning of July yeah just like what the addition of the hockey team what that has brought from our perspective for a job yeah it’s been amazing wild and and then the union of by and Utah back to the same oh here’s your NHL on ESPN sound doesn’t that sound good and this first when they play that this graphic and this uh sound and these and this music is going to be going off for the very first home is October 8th between the Utah Hockey Club and your Chicago Blackhawks feels like this is the same music they play for baseball too though I I’m just saying not to poo on the parade here but D don’t poo on anything come on it’s a family it’s a family show uh but yes Tuesday October look Tuesday is my day off I just mentioned that I already told the guys look I don’t if you don’t need me that’s fine I get it but I’m still GNA be at that game there’s no way I’m missing that game do a live shot just in case from inside right as well uh here’s how it goes speaking of Utah Hockey Club and the hockey club talk has been Furious and amazing and fun yeah uh and it’s just as from all the things that we’ve seen and and uh I think John Marino ended up having another defenseman that they signed is going to be already had his media availability yeah just uh at the top of this hour and so we’ll get to that at some point and we rolled on it we’ll make sure and bring it to you um by the way nominate your Youth Sports volunteer that you know for the Hercules hereo of the week submit that nomination just go to k sports.com contest and you can listen every Thursday in this case today we’re going to be rolling out uh at 4:30 our Hercules here of the week so we’ll do that today help us celebrate the efforts of your uh Youth Sports Volunteers in your area to make an impact with the Hercules here of the week it’s sponsored by Hercules Credit Union and beehive meals to get prizes from both of them and so you can nominate your uh your local person that is doing a phenomenal job with those with those youth sports volunteers that we have that do so much in your neighborhood KSL sports.com contest to nominate the Hercules sh of the week all right so what’s been the most interesting thing so far for me the draft was the most most eye openening and educational 6 and a half hours that I’ve ever had in my life I mean for hockey reasons and and I’ve watched a lot of hockey in my day but understanding like we just don’t we don’t dive into it during the draft understanding what the draft is compared to like what the NBA draft is what the NFL draft is what major league baseball draft is and just kind of seeing that whole process and how these general managers and and and and front office brass for these different hockey teams approach things how long windows stay open if Utah’s window is close to being open at some point yeah is that going to be the case I don’t know yet but uh we’re finding out all of these things and so for you what’s been the thing that’s been the most exciting so far with this team I mean what hasn’t been it seems like every news drop it’s like oh all right another new exciting uh addition I got a hoodie to the whole when was the last time you bought you got a hoodie I know when you bought one yeah yeah when was the last time you got gear for like a local team that you’re like I’m going to sport this around we do that it’s we don’t really do that but this is I was one I was like I got to get this one yeah did you see the the the sweaters that they’ve been wearing up at this development camp and they’re not selling those I know but I want one property of Utah Hockey Club give me that now um look there’s been a lot of exciting things I just to kind of piggyback on what you’re saying about the draft yeah I mean I watched my fair share of of NHL drafts over the years covering the Avalanche I I wouldn’t stay that deep into the rounds because the way the NHL works is you’re drafting a bunch of guys very similar to Major League Baseball think of it that way you’re drafting a bunch of young guys that are still going to go through some sort of development process before they actually put on the team’s uniform right and that’s the way it usually works in hockey I mean TJ ginla number six great pick the kid’s 17 turns 18 in August yeah he’s young he’s not going to be on the NHL ice next year unless he just like blows the socks off everyone in one more year of De I mean he had a kind and it’s a kind of thing where you’d see him maybe in a handful of games toward the end of the regular season right like that they’re not going to be like what a great Camp you’re on the opening day roster you’re going to be on that second line that’s not how it works yeah you’ve only you’re looking at maybe the top three or four picks in the NHL draft that’ll see the ice that first year you know maybe there’s a few more than that but like I I go back to I think of back in uh 2019 my last year in Colorado and the ABS were in the playoffs I was there when kale ma their star defenseman made his NHL debut had just finished his season with the the Denver Pioneers in the uh Stanley Cup uh or he would he didn’t play for Denver did he I I can’t remember he was in he was in the Frozen Four for college hockey though um and uh and then the ABS insert him his NHL debut in the playoffs that’s fun he gets on the ice the place is going nuts he scores a goal that roof just blows off right and so that that’s kind of the exception here but you you’ve got a process with all these guys that are being developed for me the most exciting part though was totally expecting them to go defense with that sixth pick and then they pick a forward and you’re like well okay why later moments later they make a blockbuster deal to get one of the best defensemen in the NHL they had a plan here and now you start to see these layers peeling back of Bill Armstrong the general manager of his plan of his building process right of what he’s doing everything is very strategic everything is well thought out they took tease with that pick because he was their top rated available uh forward that’s the guy they wanted why because they already had almost all the pieces in for this deal to get done to trade for these two great uh players so uh just seeing the process unfold seeing the way Bill Armstrong is managing this this thing with total confidence like every time he steps to the microphone he’s not going to sugarcoat anything either like he’s like look you guys are going to have to be patient because we’re not going to like just jump right into the playoffs and Stanley Cup contention you got to just have patience with this process it’s similar to The Jazz you know he’s not sugar coating anything but it seems like every movie makes you’re like okay I see why he did that I get he did that but it also seems like has so much more freedom to do 100% stuff that he wanted to do probably down in Arizona but had to tiptoe around you know the owner the ownership group you know the duns of of the guy running The Showdown there no offense all offense he looks he looks super comfortable like like there’s nothing holding him back Ryan Smith and Company have just been like go for it we trust you do it and here he is and it’s fun to watch uh it’s it is fun uh now that being said Ryan Smith is like just do it we’ll trust what you do and then he’s like but can I be there for every step of the way yeah exactly can I be like right alongside you when you’re making those and you know he’s trying to learn too and hey I give him credit for that go for as an owner understand what you’re doing what do you think the most so what do you think a reality is just based off of what we’ve seen so far what do you think the reality is for uh a team next year like really kind of bring a fan kind of what they should expect for this team and what the ceiling is versus what the floor is for expectations for the fan base next year so maybe I’ve got a little too much of a silver lining maybe I’m a little too much of an optimist here you’ve got a uh what’s the color of blue that they use it snow ice blue you got ice blue goggles on no no no I I have salt white goggles okay perfect no it’s look here’s the thing look at what they did last year in in Arizona right their last year in Arizona amidst all of the the rumor and speculation and the ineptitude of the ownership and everything that was going on down there they still were in a great spot for a long stretch uh they had a very long uh unbeaten streak uh prior to when all this news came out right around the All-Star break you know but then all the news came out at the All-Star break you remember that like when uh bman commissioner bman is doing his All-Star break presser and all all that’s happening is he’s being peppered with questions because Ryan Smith like a day before said we want a franchise team and suddenly all these rumors start to swirl and well to their credit there’s a lot of cities who want uh franchises not just Utah that’s pretty good h no Houston houon yeah uh H 16 UD 16 Houston yeah so like look and and and Andre trany when we were down there in Arizona for their final home game he admitted even at that press conference that yeah they’ve been through a lot they’ve had to put all these distractions aside that it was a big deal the players admitted it actually was something because like from my perspective I’m like why would rumors bother the players when they just know that they got to go out and play hockey and you know they can’t control that but apparently it was a big issue and you kind of saw them slide look at this the statistical standings um Arizona was in the bottom third for goals allowed they were in the bottom third for for power play kill you know they weren’t great there I think just adding the the some of the additions they’ve made this year put you in the at least to the to the halfway range maybe the the top half that alone might get you the 10 more points that you need to get into the playoffs are they going to the playoffs this first year in Utah I don’t know but I think they’re going to be close a lot closer than a lot of people think uh yeah and there won’t be that like you know gut punch in the last third of the Season too where they’re going to have to like stand around and go I guess nobody wants us anymore wur that’s really that’s really where they were at every one of them and and I think who do we have on the other day sha dery who was already on the team last year and then they resigned him again yeah uh to a four-year deal he was like I’ll be honest it it sucked yeah like that it sucked to be a part of that and then they all came here while everything was in the the suckiest part of anything that sucked right of like where they were at and they were supposed to put a brave face on and go we’re so excited to be here and the reality was is they started to really start to feel it then yeah and then they were like oh the owner actually wants to spend money yeah oh Smith Entertainment Group is like they’re on board Y and they are Beyond excited and they want to operate in good faith they want to negotiate in good faith legitimate contracts that guys deserve in the NHL they’re not going to try to get to the Le to the to the uh to the cap floor right they didn’t want to spend the least amount of money that they could to try to get by uh it was it it’s it’s just a so much a better situation it’s been so fun to watch all right and don’t underestimate home ICE real quick don’t underestimate home ICE that place will be buzzing oh yeah it will be hey uh Jeremy when we come back some breaking hot dog news oh yeah I’ve got an update about Nathan’s Hot Dog E contest stay with us more to go right on the corner s was joining me today on a Independence Eve version of the show so stay with us 975d KSL Sport Zone listen everybody real life hypothetical to get your brain churning as JJ and Alex ask would you rather hey everybody welcome on in JJ and Alex 975 V KSL Sport Zone uh Sam Farnsworth filling in for JJ today you for JJ on TV on radio come on man look I I I get why I’m here why it’s Independence weekend it’s of July and my name is Sam look today through the rest of the week everyone out there listening I’m your Uncle Sam okay there you go except you don’t have to pay me taxes that’s uh perfect but if you do I’ll give out his uh I’ll give out his venmo details a little bit he yeah yeah please do if you do want to tip your Uncle Sam there go uh by the way I have kids they’re oh yes we have some uh breaking hot dog news from the hot dog breaking news desk it’s official Joey Chestnut will not be participating in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest an agreement could not be reached between big meat and uh big fake meat oh my God two industries that have clashed for years I’ve told and I don’t like you tell what tell you what listen Nathan’s Hot Dogs are pretty good the Hebrew Nationals the number one I like Hebrew Nationals that’s the number one dog and part of it is I so when I I worked at Husky Stadium in Washington okay selling hot dogs when I was in high school um and they had Hebrew Nationals yeah that was the dog of the sadium right and at the end of the day and don’t think that I didn’t throw and don’t think that I didn’t throw in and we boiled them by the way we boiled them boiled hot dogs talk to Jeremiah someday about boiled hot dogs one of my jokes with him Bo we boiled them and uh and it was tough cuz you’re just because it was an inside like concession stand situation it wasn’t like we had a grill you know I mean they’ll do it now but like this was just like Washington concession it wasn’t like Mike’s Hot Dogs you know what I mean so we had boiled Hebrew National dogs and I would throw 20 extra ones into that murky water yeah just so I knew that we could walk home with 12 extras yeah because they’d be like I got some extra hot dogs anybody want to take them home like I mean you’re G to throw them out or whatever they always look at the they always look at the fat kid they’re all anybody want to take some of these home I’m all if you got some new if you got some for you there you go uh all right amazing would you rather have a boiled hot dog on Independence Day no would you rather have more draft picks for Larry Markin and start to rebuild over or with Lowry and start building around with another group of guys or with the same with a building around Lowry I would rather stick with Lowry right now okay I don’t think adding more draft picks does anything to help accelerate the rebuild as is in fact it may decelerate it a little um I think what the Jazz have done even in this draft and with how many assets they still have from Rudy and Donovan’s trades I think the Jazz are just fine okay all right I agree I from a from a just selfish standpoint I want to I want I want Larry to stay here yeah because I just I don’t know if I can stomach bad bad bad basketball on top of the bad basketball that we’ve seen like your stomach boiled hot dogs hey I’ll take a boiled hot dog all day you throw enough mustard on a hot dog especially an all beef hot dog like that oh man got yourself a stew all right uh
JJ & Alex have Sam Farnsworth filling in for Jeremiah Jensen. They get into Utah Jazz and NBA free agency. The big thing to look for is keeping an eye out for Lauri Markkanen who is being pursued by many teams, especially the Golden State Warriors.
Utah Hockey Club announced more moves and we are very excited.
