SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith joined the Pat McAfee Show on Friday and addressed the team’s recent tanking fine, outlining the challenges rebuilding teams face in the NBA.
He used a racing analogy to paint the picture of the NBA standings. Sometimes teams need to reload in the pit, but getting back on the track is maybe harder than it should be.
“I think we’re gonna go into the offseason and fix some things in the NBA..
You’re gonna have 8-10 teams every year that are trying to rebuild it’s just the math..
There’s not one All-NBA free agent right now and trading is hard” ~ @RyanQualtrics #PMSLive https://t.co/hqqEKqFS2A pic.twitter.com/Pf6Xq2Uqpi
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 17, 2026
“You are going to have 8 to 10 teams every year that are going to have to pull into the pit, put new gas in the car, and change out the tires,” Smith started. “It’s just the math. How long do we want them in there for? Do we want them in there for four (or) five years? And what are their options to go get out of that pit?”
He then broke down the three routes that rebuilding teams can explore to improve their team: free agency, the trade market, and the draft.
Smith first spoke on free agency, saying, “There is not one All-NBA free agent right now.”
Which is true. Looking at the 2026 field, maybe the best option among the unrestricted pool is a 41-year-old LeBron James. Not to mention that Utah and other small-market teams have a historical disadvantage when it comes to signing free agents.
Ranking the Top 30 Potential 2026 NBA Free Agents 📝
23. Jonathan Kuminga 👀
19. John Collins 💪
14. Collin Gillespie 🎯
5. Norman Powell 🔥
1. LeBron James 👑
Read full rankings here: https://t.co/7Yd1esY349 pic.twitter.com/uGSFWNO6rg
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 18, 2026
He then spoke on making trades, explaining that it his much harder to make trades now than it was even 10 years ago.
This is also true, and much of the blame can be placed on the league’s ever-evolving Collective Bargaining Agreement. The current CBA ties the hands of teams with more money on their books and can make it almost impossible to make a deal if that team isn’t just salary dumping.
Even though that is the association’s reality, the Jazz were still proactive at the deadline and acquired former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis.
Last but not least, Smith spoke on the draft.
“If you’re a rebuilding team, and you’re saying, ‘How do I get out of this?” Smith explained. “It has put a lot of pressure on that draft. And then you have a world-class draft like you have this year, with arguably some marquee players.”
He then broke off to make Utah’s history in the draft lottery known.
“I’m also taking over a franchise that has never won the lottery (and) never moved up in the draft. At some point, the math has got to start mathing.”
“The Utah Jazz have never won the lottery and we’ve never moved up in the draft..
I trust Adam Silver and we’re gonna figure out a solution..
The rebuilding process is what we should be looking at” ~ @RyanQualtrics #PMSLive https://t.co/DBWn6yrt2Z pic.twitter.com/SVd56elUtw
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 17, 2026
Utah finished tied for the fourth-worst record in the NBA last season.
Heading into the draft lottery on Sunday, May 10, the franchise has a 45.2 percent chance of landing in the top four and an 11.5 percent chance of winning the lottery and claiming the No. 1 overall pick.
Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com. Follow Chandler on X for Utah Jazz updates.
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