GM Justin Zanik sits down and talks TRADE DEADLINE moves 📝 | #RoundballRoundup

GM Justin Zanik sits down and talks TRADE DEADLINE moves 📝 | #RoundballRoundup

Post trade deadline with the general manager of the Utah Jazz Justin zanic on round ball Roundup on Utah jazz.com always appreciate you taking the time let’s start with these trades and seeing three rotation players go out what got them across the Finish Line to make these deals possible so as we’ve talked

Before JP the trade deadline is um you know the culmination of a lot of work over 6 months 12 months um coach Hardy and and our coaches and staff have done such a great job of continuing to develop our players as we try to open up a championship window and you know

Throughout the year as um we started our season and continued to go on we we were receiving a lot of calls on a lot of our players and our job in the front office is to listen and see if there is anything that can be in the best interest of the Utah

Jazz long term as part of our plan to open up a championship window um that’s always been our plan and part of that plan is recognizing opportunities um even if sometimes they can be um a little emotional Simone Kelly and oai were you know three guys that came here when we rebooted the

Franchise um from an ownership level to foundational player level a new coach um and they were part of the beginning of that and uh Simone’s growth over these this year and a half and Kelly’s continued production um of a long and really great career and you know ochai

Coming in the Donovan Mitchell trade and him continue to grow as a young player uh all three of those guys contributed to our team but also our job in the front office and you know where the organization going forward Bo our job is to build a team that can go deep in the

Playoffs and we have many developmental plans going on and this was an opportunity to acquire liquid draft Capital at a at a really you know we’re very happy with the return that we got that allows us to have currency going into free agency um the trade uh I’m sorry the

Draft uh time and and trades for that to see what we can do to continually improve the team in addition um one of the strengths of our team this year has been the depth of our team uh feel like we have 12 13 rotational NBA players and

There was a time where we needed to see um what everybody can do uh the development plan for Taylor Hendricks the development plan for Bryce sensah two players along with some of our two-ways and extended minutes maybe for players that already contributing of on our young core um to see if they

Can be part of the core that we have and contribute going forward as we try again to build a team that can make a Deep Run in the playoffs I want to give you an opportunity to speak on those guys who were traded individually because they were gravitated towards fans fans loved

What they brought to the team Kelly oen won a game for you in New Orleans with the ugliest game winner I’ve ever seen uh game is so unique um what did he do for this program and how he was able to establish himself across two years so

When we traded for him originally um you know Danny had had him in Boston and obviously we had followed him for a long time he’s had a long career and that unique game he’s been very consistent throughout his career um but what we really felt when we brought him here was

That he could really help connect our group which was going to be a you know last year as you know it was um a little bit of a big upheaval and we had a lot of players coming from lots of different teams that had never worn a jazz uniform

Or been part of our group here along with a new coach uh who were trying to establish a culture and Kelly instantly was able to connect and help connect the different parts of the group he’s a guy that got along with everyone um no matter if you’re older or younger or and

Just the way he played you know he always thought pass first and so I think he was integral in helping develop um a mindset of what coach wants uh here with our program is play hard and pass the ball and he really helped set a foundation for that and I think

What we were able to do for Kelly as well um Kelly’s a a Hooper he would play every day you know you guys come and see him here before practice or after practice he always wants to play ones he always he loves the game loves to play

And I think we were able to put him in a position um where he helped us and we helped him to be able to continue his career and to be able to do that again with a A young group in Toronto um really happy with his contri

Contributions and I wish him the best oai is also going to Toronto somebody that was a young player and showed so much athleticism in his first two years what did he contribute oi’s just overall demeanor character athleticism as you’ve mentioned um he’s a young player that I think he had a

Chance to get experience here and develop and oai was the only one under contract that we traded at the deadline uh Simone and Kelly were also going to be free agents um sometimes in deals at the deadline um you know there’s there can be a saying that if if both teams are

Upset about the deal then it’s usually a good one and a fair one cuz to get the assets that we wanted um sometimes you have to give up something that can be hard to give up and where we are as a team um both just in our developmental

Curve to open up that Championship window um oi was somebody that Toronto really wanted to add to their young group um and I think he should get a nice Runway there to continue to develop his career but unbelievable person uh worker um you know hate to see him go

But you know in the best interests I think of both I think it it’ll be a good spot for oai Tech has a good spot in Detroit with him getting an opportunity to continue to show that he’s a rotation player he even won a game last season against the Golden State Warriors with

His dunk at the end but he really established himself this year showing that he can play day in day out this league yeah I’m really proud of Simone um you know as you know in my my background before I started working with with the Jazz was I was an agent I

Specialized in bringing European players to the NBA so I’m very familiar with that process um I give guys who are coming from overseas to go start a new life um in a whole new league move their families uh continually speak in a second language um where the grocery

Store is you know how to deal with traffic all of those things are nav and then the new rules and everything else so usually it takes about a year for international players to adjust and I’m so happy Simone’s like mental fortitude and study and a credit to our coaches

Too to get him one really comfortable and two then put in a role that he could really produce and show that he is an NBA rotational player and Detroit really really wanted him they paid a price for him that simply as a steward for the Utah Jazz and the

Organization that I I couldn’t turn down we um it ended up being a deal where Simone goes to a place where they really value him his early bird rights um even though Detroit has cap room it’s something that they think can help connect that group much like Kelly did with ours

And part of our jobs in the NBA will and I talk about a lot is here with the Utah Jazz we want every player to have a great experience mhm however short or however long that is and part of that is our goal with players too is that they all want to

Play 10 years and so how can we help them in their stage of their career to either establish a reputation so they can go on and play 10 years or a seventh or eighth or ninth or 10th year player and help them continue their career um with some Simone Simone’s work

And you know our coaching staff and ability to put him in a role and develop him has secured an NBA future for him maybe 12 months ago where he might have been questioning like hey should I done this he gave up a very lucrative career

In Italy but to build a new life for himself his family and reputation he’s done that and I’m so proud of him he was a Pros Pro Tyra Lewis Jr coming back on the other side for this trade he’s about to be introduced to the media today what does he provide

Something that I remember just from my first draft covering on this side for the team was speed was the big thing that stood out with his game yeah I think sometimes you know when Kyrie was drafted I agree with you you know the speed was what popped off the charts

When he was coming out of school um sometimes you end up in situations where you don’t get a chance because of how the team’s built or people in front of you he also was got injured and has kind of you know had a couple different teams

That he’s played for I think what we want to do with Kyra is get him in here um have him understand our player development program he’s about to be a free agent um so seeing and getting to know him and seeing if um that could be

A fit for us or him going forward and really have a chance these next three months to get to know him and and see how he does in our building how did the way that this team played in January factor into your decisions heading into the deadline in January I I was really

Happy with look our our coaching staff and and Danny myself everybody up and down the organization were extremely competitive um and competing and trying to get the best version of of what this team is out I think we’ve seen flashes of that um from the early struggles at

The beginning of the year to you know things starting to click and guys understanding each other that’s just one you know one extra step in our long-term plan to be Championship competitive um our goals are to continue to develop our players put them in a competitive environment um have them experience

Playing meaningful games games that mean something and eventually and I I won’t put a timeline on it but the goal is is not to just play competitive games that’s probably the goal this year but eventually is to have a team that has a chance to go deep in the

Playoffs uh and in a western conference that is just brutal yes absolutely I mean you look at the top eight every single team is really really good really and top eight doesn’t even guarantee you a playoff spot for those bottom two you’re in the playing you’re in the play

You could be bounced out how much did the OKC pick conveying factor into the calculus so just like setting particular goals of conveying a pick or not conveying a pick or making a play in or not making a play in what we really care about is the

Process of what our coaches and our players and our development are doing so you know at the end of the day we need to know as I said before we need to know some of the younger guys that have been in our developmental program

What they can do on an NBA level so we know where their path needs to grow additionally as we as we move through the months so those guys getting an opportunity to play um and play in meaningful games this 30 game stretch is a meaningful

Stretch of games for them to be in uh I want that to continue and that process will give us more information of how we can continue to add to this core group of players I think what’s important you know for fans and and people that are listening to this about the deadline is

The three players that we traded you know all valuable as I’ve said like you know gave great parts of the you know of themselves to the Jazz but we were able to you know acquire assets that allow to you know add to our core none of our our

Core remains intact of of the main players that we have and and then having to see who else can added to that core with Taylor Hendrick and Bryce and all the all the guys um that we’re going to get a look at so that at the end of the year we know our

Team so making the play in I want I want the coaches and players to try and win every game um it’s an important part of experience and doing that and seeing if you know our younger players can contribute in that way which they’ve it’s not like we just acquired these

Guys last week we’ve we had Taylor and Bryce starting in the summer um their development paths were a little bit delayed because they were both hurt during the summer so summer league that experience and the g league has been really really valueable for them and we’ve seen Market progress both

Physically and on a skill level with both of them and it’s the right time in their development path to have them play some meaningful minutes here with the Jazz the last 30 games what have you seen those early indicators from their performances in the g- league because

This is quite the opportunity for Taylor Hendrick you look at the game against Phoenix where he’s blocking Kevin Durant on one end and then he’s getting crossed up on the other that’s going to be a part of his development failure is is a part of the thing correct and being able

To have meaningful video and the types of players I’m sure there’s a little bit you know he had not been with us in terms of meaningful minutes for a couple months and then you know coach puts him in he’s guarding Kevin Durant good luck welcome to the NBA yeah and so I think

What you’ve seen with Taylor and you you’ve seen it in the G League too is that the defensive instincts um his body has markedly improved um his ability to rebound out outside of his own area um you know his shot when his feet are set

Is good um he can be a natural ball mover but having him be in NBA speed NBA sets uh even though we run virtually identical things in the G league but where he’s supposed to be and now there’s going to be an acclamation of instead of playing with Jason Preston

And Johnny juang and Micah um and Bryce now he’s got to learn how to play with keante and Lowry and Walker and nowhere to be on the court and how they like to do things and where he can come in and contribute and I think the first step of that is being on

The court knowing the defensive game plan moving the ball much like we tell every every other guy with with the Utah Jazz and then from those reps he’s going to naturally build comfort and understand he totally belongs and you know there yeah there’ll probably be some rough spots as it is with any

Rookie we’ve seen those rough spots and bright moments with keante we’ve seen that with Walker um it’s it’s normal for any young player so this is just the natural next step in this process and with Bryce you know Bryce was an accomplished score coming out of school I think what has been

Really impressive is the passing and how he sees so that may not with his role and what he what he’ll be doing for us and how many ever minutes that is or even the G League that’s not going to necessarily be reflected in like an assist turnover ratio or assist

Completed but he can see and he can pass and he can make reads so doing that at the NBA level along with the shooting that I believe translates at any level with how he shoots the ball and scores um than him getting acclimated on the defensive end and where he can

Provide and try to be a good team Defender I think that um will be his b biggest challenge uh in terms of getting reps what have you made of Keon’s first half of this season I like Keon’s I mean there’s a lot of things I love about Keon what I

What I’ve liked is when he’s faced some adversity it’s not like anybody’s always going to handle it perfectly whether you have a bad game or he’s so competitive and he wants to win it’s not about him but you know when he’s not making shots you can sometimes the early part see the

Frustration on his face or when he makes a mistake um which is going to happen but what I really appreciate about him is how he is a student of the game will look at film will understand recognize his body language want to correct it and really integrate himself in the group

And do what’s best for the team and he’s a quick learner of you know and that’s why I I do think he has a point guard mentality and being able to be a playmaker like realizing who he’s on the on the court with you know certain times

That he needs to defer certain times he needs to be more aggressive and those continued reps especially in games that matter um is going to be huge for him what did you see in college or in other scenarios that made you think that he could be a point guard because this isn’t exactly

What you saw when he was playing yeah from a statistical profile fine but I think the I think there’s always context and some of the context is you have to start going back and this is what we do during the draft um we’re following guys when they’re 15

Or 16 and this is the staff this is the Chuck yeah this is Chuck and Bart and stepen and Maris and Shane and you know Luca all of us Danny MH we’re we’re watching these guys since they were 15 or 16 years old um so if you go back and watch

Keante from that starting point you can start to understand a little bit more context rather than like six months at Baylor yeah and what you see is that he’s always played at a very very top level he’s always played against the best of the best and he was dominant in his age

Group you could see um his ability to make plays for himself and for others and so then he goes to Baylor and he’s playing with two senior guards or two upper classman guards they played a three guard lineup so nomally we don’t really do the numbers 1 2 3 four and

Five but he’s in a three guard lineup so you can say that whether he’s bringing the ball up sometimes not playing the three like there are opportunities where you can see flashes of it but he needed to do what the team needed him to do for their own success a Baylor and he

Willingly did that so that context versus what we think he could do is not just to Direct One to One translation well he did this at Baylor so he will do this in the NBA um there’s just much more to it and it’s a bet when you you

Bet on the character and the competitiveness and the Brain along with the athletic talent and skill um he’s been every bit of the person and student that I expected checking in on Walker kesler’s development such huge expectations put on his shoulders because he gets the

Team USA call and he has a stellar first year as a rookie what have you seen in his response this season so with players in the NBA especially very talented ones just like Walker development isn’t always linear part of development is having success then having some adversity how do you respond

To the adversity a couple of things that we’ve talked about earlier I think Walker in this last month has probably played his best stretch of basketball he has in these two seasons um on a consistent basis uh his body continues to grow um I think when you have success

Your first year there’s a level of expectations that you’re just going to take a huge leap and you know all of these young guys still need things that they need to work on and for Walker it’s his body it’s as rebounding as shot blocking is out of this world um

Understanding his opponent and the more reps he gets against some of there’s you know one day you’re playing as Joel embiid and then you’ve got nurkic and then you’ve got joic and then you’ve got you know a different type of Center in Nick Claxton and like how how you can

Function and help your team win um in different areas so Will’s done a great job of putting him in situations and playing different defenses and playing against different guys to give him the foundational parts that he needs to continue to work on he’s doing great the offseason trade of John Collins was the

Big Marquee move of the off season how do you think he’s adapted to the group so much like I said about International guys right and taking some time to adjust the other thing that we found is established players like John who started in Atlanta and extended in

Atlanta so he’d seen you know even if you have different coaches or but you’re in the same building for six seven years you have the majority of your teammates you know 50 60% of your teammates are the same and then you come to a new city

You come to a new facility you come with a new coach and a bunch of players that you know you know but you’ve never played with and that takes some time um figure out who plays well with too you know Will’s done an outstanding job of

That John continuing to work on you know doing the things and and rediscovering some of the things about his game that when will when he got here will want him to be a basketball player um not being put in a role and then taking some time

To kind of figure out what those roles were good for John and good for us uh to help us win and for him to continue to be productive and I think he’s starting to figure it out too I I would say the last couple months here um he’s playing some of his best

Basketball Mike went through the same thing mik did the same thing what a new places like he was completely identified with Memphis but still even there was a big transition the commute is much different here than Atlanta I would bet yes yes Colin seon as a starter I mean

That guy has been such a a joy to watch on the floor because of his intensity how have you seen him adjust to being a starter and taking on new roles I’m just so proud of Colin um so last year when we got him in our trade um he was coming

Off you know he was fully healthy but he he hadn’t really played in eight or nine months with with the knee surgery that he had and so last year we were also pretty conservative with him because just from a medical standpoint the farther you know if you can get on the

Court and play but you can um build some time between your return to the surgery and your return to the court um the chances of reinjury go down precipitously um after a year so again another acclamation um of getting acclimated to your to a new city and a and a new uh

Situation and Colin’s fire and intensity and energy is a huge boost for us but also he allows will to coach him hard and to Collins Credit Collins really tried to learn and adapt and understand and he’s still a young player and adding things to his game and so the opportunity he was ready

For when it was time for him to start um that his game is grown you know that people thought that he was just a scorer and he’s not that he’s he gives energy on every single play he is passing the ball he’s a very good shooter um at three levels

And I I think and he’s such a positive person around here uh his teammates love him and you know he’s been the guy that brings energy every single game whether you want it or not that’s you know that’s one switch for Colin it’s on but

Uh he’s also been able to adapted a few different speeds now uh during the game and and been really really productive I’m just really really proud of him does will surprise you because I don’t know if uh I expected this record heading into the year for this team and I don’t

Know if I expected him to continue to be an offensive mind that I looked post December 22nd this is the third best offense in the NBA terms of rating I mean I I I don’t know how he does it but he’s getting offense out of this team he

Uh he’s very special um as a person as a coach um he’s been everything that I thought he would be um he he was ready for this opportunity and there’s so many things that I appreciate about will um the first thing is he’s insanely competitive and shoot the shot well yeah

When you’re comp yeah I think he’s lost one yeah yeah to Colin um I think the compe iess the intellect and then he is an he is a great teacher which is huge for our our young Club as we try to develop and so you combine those three

Things um he’s got a huge figure it out factor of like okay these are the these are the things that I have with my team how can I maximize it and sometimes that takes time um I think offensively you know figuring out who plays well together and getting everybody to sort

Of be on the same page our players have always been bought in but will guiding them and and using this data and and watching and figuring out where are the best combinations and then I think on the defensive end of the ball you know where we can be challenge

Defensively and so what will has done is had our players be adaptable to be able to play two three four different styles of Defense to you know even though we’re not a great defensive Club to Max maximize whatever our defensive potential is and that takes time for the

Players to be connected on the defensive end that we we’re not a team that can only play one way yet um and I think it’s much like a starting pitcher in baseball like with our defense and things that we we don’t just have one really good fastball we’re going to have

To you know have a couple different pitches to throw and it takes a little time and his commitment to that um and even when the results aren’t great sometimes that he continues to work at it think it’s the same thing on offense Colin followed Jaylen Brunson into the

Stands on a boxing one like they’re trying different things and sometimes they’re trying it that was fun they’re trying it to the extreme I guess the logical extreme would be follow Jaylen Brunson up the tunnel I mean you tell Colin you give Colin an assignment I mean that’s that’s 247 right there I

Don’t think anybody’s gotten you on the record on Jason Preston since the signing so I want to hear what your thoughts are with him on a two-way and gives me hope as someone who can see a basketball blogger become a play he did have measurables though too JP I’m a

Plus I’m a plus wingspan you told me yeah you’re like a plus one I’ll take it problem is you know need the height with it to we’re not calling it positional size um yeah Jason I think with our you know coach wjo uh with the Stars has a is a great

Teacher as well and um sometimes when you’re developing uh our players for the Jazz especially you know Bryce and Taylor and and our other two ways you need to have somebody that has a chance as well but is also a guy that really thinks for the group and I think when

The opportunity came to um that Jason was available we all looked at it as especially Maris Newman who made the recommendation and we all agreed as our GM of the stars is just somebody that can connect the group grou to make that environment better not only for Jason

For a chance to orchestrate a club and for us to get to know him because I do think he he can be an NBA player um but also help the rest of our group and get the best out of them whether it’s Johnny juing shooting and movement or it’s mic

A Potter being able to you know play with a a pass first point guard or helping Taylor get in the right spots and be able to you know pick and pop or help with reads and then you know obviously with Bryce to have you know another running mate in the in the back

Court or even when we play a three yard lineup that someone that can help organize and and do that he’s a very thoughtful guy very smart um he’s got good measurables and he does a lot of things I mean he’s he’s already had a triple double with us so um been very

Happy with his addition so far there are a lot of players who are podcasters too it is now it’s kind of a thing now so I’m just saying that skills are transferable I’m not sure it’s both ways general manager of the Utah Jaz Justin zanic on ramal Rand on utahjazz.com

Justin as always thank you thanks JP

JP Chunga sat down with General Manager Justin Zanik to explain the decisions at the trade deadline. Episode is available wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit Utah Jazz online: https://www.nba.com/jazz
Follow Utah Jazz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utahjazz/
Follow Utah Jazz on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@utahjazz
Follow Utah Jazz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/utahjazz
Find Utah Jazz on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/utahjazz/