Thank You, Ryan Smith, for Avoiding the Mistakes of Your Peers

The state of Utah and the Jazz fanbase had quite the shock back in 2020. The Jazz were turning the corner in their rebuild and had a promising future. Suddenly, after 35 years of ownership, the Larry H. and Gail Miller family decided to move on and sell the team to Utah native Ryan Smith. This was sure to dramatically change the trajectory of the Utah Jazz franchise, for better or worse.

I wanted to take a minute to express appreciation for Ryan Smith’s first few years on the job.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with everything that’s been done. The #PurpleIsBack black and yellow rebrand, for instance, was a massive flop. In fact, there are rumblings that the Jazz are looking to trash the rebrand earlier than typically allowed and go back to their roots. I’m also not at all a fan of publicly funding stadiums, which feels inevitable after bringing an NHL team to Utah as well.

But as far as basketball decisions go? I believe the Utah Jazz are in good hands because Smith avoided the early mistakes commonly made by his peers. New owners want to put their own stamp on things. It seems that they think throwing enough money or assets around can essentially ‘buy’ them a title right away. And I can’t say I blame them. If I just spent a kajillion dollars to purchase something, I’d likely want the satisfaction and results sooner rather than later as well.

Brooklyn Nets

This is the classic example and I don’t need to provide much detail here. Mikhail Prokhorov bought the Nets in 2009 and after seeing his team struggle for a couple years, he decided it was time to spend his way to relevance.

We all know how that ended. In one of the worst trades in NBA history, they gave up 3 unprotected first round picks and a pick swap for aging stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. They proceeded to finish 44-38 and it only got worse from there. So much so that Prokhorov sold the team by 2014.

Brooklyn Nets 2.0

This one is not nearly as severe as the prior story, but is still a relevant example of new ownership spending. Joseph Tsai became a minority owner of the Nets in 2017 and then the sole owner of the Nets in 2019. He got a head start on his tenure as sole owner when Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant signed free agent deals in the summer of 2019.

Then they went all in on James Harden in 2021, which required trading 3 first round picks and 4 first swaps. None of those players were on the Nets just 3 years later, and while they recuperated some of those assets (more on this from the Suns), they don’t control any of their picks until 2027. Rebuilding a team when you don’t control the destiny of your own draft picks for 5+ years has got to be difficult. Not to mention having to take on an albatross contract like Ben Simmons’ deal.

Los Angeles Clippers

I have no doubt that Clippers fans are generally thrilled with Steve Ballmer since he purchased the team in 2014. They’ve gone from perennial basement dwellers to playoff competitors. (Also their newest rebrand was on point!) But some recent all in moves might have them increasingly nervous about the future. This feels like an all or nothing season for the Clippers.

Kawhi Leonard signed as a free agent in 2019 and brought Paul George with him. The PG13 trade required the Clippers to give up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander along with 5 firsts and 2 swaps. Then they invested the rest of their available assets into a James Harden trade by moving some good depth, a 2028 unprotected first rounder, and a 2029 first round swap. If this core doesn’t pan out, they’re in a tough spot for a long time. Oh and Paul George’s free agency looms this summer.

Minnesota Timberwolves

At the moment, going all in on their current core looks like the right move. Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Mike Conley are clicking and just swept the preseason favorites out of the West. I’d be willing to bet most Timberwolves fans would still go back and make the same moves that got them to this point. That was their first playoff series win since 2004, so at some point it’s worth it to accomplish something even if the price is high.

But the rent on their moves will be due eventually. The Anthony Edwards extension kicks in next year. Towns is due a ridiculous amount of money through 2028. Gobert and Conley aren’t getting any younger. Minnesota is going to feel the squeeze of the new CBA. Add all that to the ongoing spat between ownership groups and the sale, and this could get ugly.

Phoenix Suns

Oh boy. After an NBA finals appearance and then 2 straight conference semifinal bounces, Matt Ishbia became owner of the Suns in 2022. And he didn’t take long to aggressively spend everything they had. Now, when Kevin Durant wants to play for your team, you should probably do what it takes to bring him to your franchise. But that trade set them back Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four unprotected first round picks, and a pick swap. Again, understandable.

Now they’ve mortgaged everything with the Bradley Beal trade. They gave up more picks and have absolutely no cap space to work with. They control essentially NO picks through 2030. They have no avenue to improve the team and they just got swept in the first round. So they are looking at a coaching change after giving Frank Vogel just 1 year as a way to make identifiable change.

Milwaukee Bucks

Ownership of the Bucks changed hands again in the spring of 2023. And when you have a perennial MVP candidate in his prime, you’re in a pretty good spot. Milwaukee won the title in 2021 but haven’t been back to the Finals since.

While still paying the price for acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Bucks thought Damian Lillard would be a better fit instead. They’ve also thrown 2nd rounders out like parade candy for their role players, which leaves them as a team well over the cap and basically no tradeable assets left. Like the Suns, they don’t control a single one of their first round picks through 2030. What if Giannis decides he wants to look for greener pastures?

Utah Jazz

Let’s bring this back to the Utah Jazz and Ryan Smith. He took over in the Fall of 2020. He had legitimate stars in Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert that took the Jazz to the number 1 seed in the West that next season. It could have been easy to get greedy and burn all of the remaining assets. They could’ve emptied the war chest to improve the edges of the roster and make one last push. And some of you probably would’ve preferred that, which is fine!

But me? I’m glad he didn’t follow the example of most of his billionaire friends by thinking he could spend his way to contention within the first few years of owning the team. Had that route been taken, the future of the Jazz could be particularly bleak right now. No flexibility, no options to improve, no cap space to work with, and no assets to speak of. And the probability of a disgruntled star complicating things behind the scenes.

So thank you, Ryan Smith, for having some patience. For taking ownership of a team and making what I’m sure was a difficult decision to trade your stars. And the summer before the All Star game was coming to Salt Lake City nonetheless! Thank you for not mortgaging the future pursuing immediate gratification as a new owner.

The benefits of that patience may not pay off for another 2-3 years. But it’s better than a decade of purgatory following rash decision making. I’m excited to see how that long term vision plays out!

(side note: the Charlotte Hornets and Dallas Mavericks have the newest ownership groups. You better believe Justin Zanik and Danny Ainge are eager to get involved should those teams decide to make bold, new-ownership decisions)