Last week was a bit of a tough one for the Utah Jazz, as Gordon Hayward chose to leave the team behind for a chance to reunite with his old college coach, Brad Stevens, in Boston.
With another notable player moving on from Utah, there has been much discussion about players’ lack of desire to suit up for the Jazz. Now former Jazz player Trey Burke is sure making that perception seem like a reality.
With some Jazz fans trying to reason with the situation on Twitter, one random tweet from a Jazz podcast caught the eye of Burke a few days later. In his response, Burke played into the idea that nobody wants to play in Utah.
I don't blame Trey Lyles. Jazz traded him.
I don't blame Trey Burke. He just wasn't talented enough.
I don't blame all the guys we let walk.— Jedi??Jerms (@jediandjerms) July 6, 2017
Lol no I'm just afraid no one wants to play there my guy ??
— Trey Burke (@TreyBurke) July 9, 2017
When confronted by one member of the podcast over his response, Burke stood his ground.
lol what I said was a fact .. get over it
— Trey Burke (@TreyBurke) July 9, 2017
So, was it a fact or an alternative fact?
No, it's an opinion. A fact is your defensive rating. ??? https://t.co/ZxC2rrEGnS
— Dev. (@TornByDevin) July 9, 2017
Another person on Twitter came to the defense of the Jazz fans as he tried to pinpoint exactly why Burke said what he did. Burke just pointed out Jazz fans burning jerseys, as if that is unique to Utah fans (when really all it is is a silly way to gain some brief attention on social media platforms).
Genuinely curious why you think no one wants to play in Utah? Does seem like a trend. Bad organization, too white, too Mormon, night life?
— Garrett Kite (@garrettkite) July 10, 2017
They just burned there All stars jersey I mean cmon??♂️
— Trey Burke (@TreyBurke) July 10, 2017
Wherever you fall on this one, Burke’s Twitter behavior is not all that uncommon from the world of professional athletes. Yet, it still baffles some why a player like Burke would engage in something like this.
The disconnect between how Trey Burke acts to media vs how he randomly lashes out at the weirdest times on Twitter has always baffled me.
— Ben Dowsett (@Ben_Dowsett) July 10, 2017
Burke was drafted with the ninth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and traded immediately to Utah, where he picked up NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in his rookie season. However, since then, Burke struggled to meet the expectations that typically come with being a top-10 draft pick, and the Jazz ended up trading him to Washington last summer in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2021.
Does Burke have a point, or is he a disgruntled former player taking an easy shot at his former franchise? It could be some of both.