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NBA Transaction Flowcharts
Posted by: Andy-Larsen on February 10th, 2010
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.
Last week, this guy named Wyn Douglas created and published NBA transaction flowcharts. These flowcharts allow you to see how each NBA team acquired each player currently on their roster. This is informative because you can see each team’s approach to acquiring talent and winning games.
Let’s look at Utah’s, for example, which can be found here. Most of our player transactions are really simple: we either drafted a player with our draft pick, or signed a free agent. There are only a few exceptions:
- The pick used to draft Andrei Kirilenko was acquired in a 1996 trade.
- We traded 3 picks to get the Deron Williams pick in 2005.
- We traded Giricek and a pick for Korver,
- We saved Philly from the luxury tax (Alan Henderson, I believe?) for the rights to switch 2nd round picks (which we used to draft Fesenko).
That’s it, and its not a very extensive list. Portland, for example, has used a whole lot more creative transaction processing to get their current roster.
As you can see, Portland’s flowchart is a whole lot more complicated. Trades lead to goods then used in other transactions, which eventually lead to the current players on their roster. Portland deserves a lot of credit for what they’ve done to build their team, and Kevin Pritchard has received lots of praise for his rebuilding efforts. The reason for this is simple: Portland engages in a lot of transactions, so there is more of an opportunity to evaluate their decisions. Most of them have been positive, so when Pritchard makes a move, he stays in the public eye in a positive light.
The Jazz, however, take a different approach, built on stability rather than acquisition. This has caused a lot of criticism within the fan base, fans call the front office stagnant and afraid to make a move that would improve the team. Some of that might be true, but it’s a style that has lead the Jazz to a lot of success.
(I think I should defend this statement, because many fans would say the Jazz have been a failure, never been a success, because we’ve never won a championship. I disagree. The continued existence, stability, and level of winning that this team has had is nothing short of remarkable. The Utah Jazz play in the smallest market in professional sports (by population), and yet we have survived, and thrived. To risk everything with an all-or-nothing type of trade would be short-sighted.)
But what do you think? Should the Jazz seek to make more personnel moves in a (somewhat risky) effort to improve the team, or should we stay focused on stability in our situation?
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The idea that a trade “risks everything” is total BS. Making a trade that breaks badly may be the end of the road for a GM, but it is not the end of the road for a franchise. It is no more risky than signing your own players to big deals. Look at Ostertag’s contract – In my opinion the biggest mistake in Jazz franchise history. According to your logic, we didn’t take a risk, yet his contract prevented us from getting another solid piece to match with John and Karl. Look at AK’s contract – likely the 2nd worst mistake by the Jazz franchise. It will prevent us from being a player in the biggest free agent market in the history of the NBA. These mistakes are made by your “play it safe” Jazz front office. They make plenty of mistakes.
Also, all of the talk of stability is total horse crap. What has stability got us? Each year we make an enjoyable run from January – March, then fumble our way into the playoffs. The front office is not committed to bringing a championship to Utah, they are committed to fielding a semi-watchable product. They are decent businessmen, but anyone with a real love of professional sports is willing to take risks to put together the best team in the world. We don’t do that. We have a good team, and that is all we will ever have as long as the Jazz ownership and front office is too timid to persue greatness.
I can’t agree with you more jared, first or second round maybe conf final is just another loosing year….. Risk win Ring……
Interesting info. Thanks Andy. Oh and I was at the FIFA 2010 tournament as well but I didn’t get signed up to play in time so I thought I’d show and get some autographs and see if there were any no shows. Congrats on the gift card.
I’d rather watch an NBA team who consistently wins (regardless of championships) than a team that wins a championship 1 year and then is a cellar dweller for 5-10 more. I think what this franchise has accomplished is awesome, even without a championship. They’ll get there some day, probably sooner than a lof of us think. Just my opinion.
Jared……..You are entitled to your opinion but I certainly disagree!!
@Linda – what part of my opinion did you disagree with?
Jared…..Mainly disagree with your comments about the Jazz front office. They too want a championship but they have a different opinion than you do about how to get it. None of it is bull crap. I take it that there are only a couple teams who’s front office you agree with. Look at some of them who did big shake ups and fell flat. It makes a year much more enjoyable if you trust those at the head and enjoy the good it brings. You hurt with them when they hurt and rejoice with them when there is reason. Life is too short (as you will learn as you get old) to spend so much time being bitter and wanting people to do it your way. Once again, you are entitled to think as you want since we live where we do.
@Jared – first off, we share names so that is awkward. but …
I agree, and disagree with your statement. I agree with the AK contract, though at the time of it’s signing it was thought around the league that it was a great move – hindsight it appears IS 20/20.
Ostertag – he carried us through the playoffs with his defense, how could we not sign him? unfortunately back then it was more about players that DID NOT want to play in Utah vs. players we could actually get to play here (RONY SEIKALY anyone?)
Finally, the product on the floor – Lest we forget our surprise run to the conference finals, we are but 2 years removed from that product, this team is really good, we do lack a true VETERAN presence in a leadership role however, and IMO that is our downfall in many games where you sit there wondering what the crap the team is doing on offense/defense.
I’d share more about market size and ticket sales vs. revenue, but I feel I’ve said enough for the time; that is a whole ‘nother blog on it’s own.