The Utah Jazz have shredded their roster of nearly every veteran this summer, and the real reason is now crystal clear. The Jazz have to tank into a superstar in 2026, because the 2027 NBA Draft is considered a disaster. One more year and Utah has to start climbing back up the ladder.
In the modern NBA, the incentives are clear: if you want to compete for championships, you probably need to be terrible for a few seasons, get lucky enough in the NBA Draft Lottery to gain a few high-end prospects, and then build out a supporting roster as those prospects grow into their primes.