The Jazz just had one of the most fortunate bounces of the ping-pong ball in NBA Draft history, landing the #3 pick and #12 pick in the draft. The Jazz drafted Enes Kanter # 3 out of Turkey and Alec Burks #12 out of Colorado. The reason for picking Kanter 3rd was ultimately because of his back to the basket phyiscal play that the Jazz lack in the middle. The Jazz need somebody who can play center, and Kanter seems capable of doing that for the Jazz. He's tough, physical, rebounds really well, and among other things, he has a reliable mid range game. Nothing like Okur, but still an offensive game that shows a lot of potential and capability. Certainly not a liability on the offensive end like Fesenko is. Kevin O'Connor said of Kanter:
"If you were to look at him as football player, he's a north-south guy. He's not gonna dazzle you with footwork, but he's gonna try to run over you. He's gonna give us some length. Is he a leaper and shot blocker? No, but to go along with what we've got inside, I think he gives Coach Corbin some options.Remember he's 19... But he's a willing worker and I think that's the key. He's a kid who didn't play last year and had a 5.9 % body fat and did as good as anybody on the treadmill. When you do the treadmill you are only allowed to go a certain amount of minutes and I think there were only 5 or 6 guys who did that and he was one of them. He was the best player available at 3 and he adds toughness to our team."
About the #12 pick Alec Burks, Kevin O'Connor said:
"We liked him for his Versatility. He's improved his shooting. We had him in the other day, and he shot the ball well. He's not a knock down three point shooter, but in this league, in today's day in age, when you can't put your hands on somebody, guys that are slashers and guys that get to the ball, get to the foul line and get layups. He might be able to play a little point guard. He's got good skills with the ball and he's 19 and he's got a chip on his shoulder. He wasn't highly recruited, he came in to Colorado and had a terrific freshman year and improved in every area in his sophomore year. He's 6'6 and big for his position. We were very comfortable with him at 12, and we had no interest in making any trades. "
All in all, it sounds like Kevin O'Connor and the rest of the Jazz organization are very happy with their draft picks. Both guys seem like they can make a difference for the Jazz next season. The reason why Kanter was picked was more obvious to Utah fans. The need for a good center is needed in Utah if the Jazz want to contend for a title. As for Burks, a little more of a mystery how he will fit in. Especially with CJ Miles, Gordon Hayward, and Raja Bell. But I think this means that either Raja Bell or CJ Miles is gone. Probably Bell, but we shall see. Also with Kanter being picked, it's likely that Fesenko and or/Elson is out of town as well. Interesting to see what the final roster looks like. 16 guys are on the roster as of now. 15 is the Max. I see Elson out of town, possibly Fesenko, and maybe even Raja Bell. Tho I see those guys going in that order of most likely to go. Elson because he's older, a journeyman, and doens't have the upshot of Fesenko. Fesenko because he's not developing offensively at a rate that the Jazz would hope, and Bell because his shooting sucked. Miles may be gone too. I see Price and Watson sticking because the Jazz need a couple of back up Point Guards to Devin Harris. Anyways, interesting moves await the Jazz as they try to see what they can do to develop a more balanced roster.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Final NBA Draft Preview
The NBA Draft is in a little over an hour and every NBA fan in America is drooling over where Jimmer Fredette, Kemba Walker, Derrick Williams, and Kyrie Irving will go in the draft. It's basically a forgone conclusion that the Cavs will draft Kyrie Irving of Duke University, and Arizona's Derrick Williams will go #2 to Minnesota, or whoever Minnesota deals the pick to. As far as players who I think are the most intriguing, I think Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker are your most obvious choices. Sacramento seems to be the first team to likely go for one of the two players as some sort of sidekick to the 6 foot 6 Tyreke Evans. I think the odds of the Kings picking one of these two guys is a possibility, but I also think that the Kings have other needs as well that they may fill such as a small forward or even a good true Center.
The Jazz seem to be leaning towards Turkish big man Enes Kanter at #3, who is a 6 foot 11 inch scoring threat down low. The only real concern about Kanter are his knees, and so I am very leery of the Jazz picking him for that reason. Utah picking at #12 later on seems to have a good shot at either Jimmer or Kemba. I personally think that they should take Jimmer only if they feel like he's a better player or better suited for their team. Shouldn't take him because he's a hometown product. I don't think that will be too much of a factor, but it could be. If Kemba and Jimmer are both available, I think Utah should go with Kemba because he's a better defender, a good shooter, and more versatile. However, Jimmer's shooting ability is so ridiculous, that Utah may want him just for that alone. I think if it comes down to it, Utah takes Jimmer only because it's a coin-toss situation. Either one could outdo the other, and Jimmer would boost sales. So I guess that the homegrown element will be more of a factor than I previously stated. Another factor for Utah is the development of Ante Tomic in Spain. If he comes over soon, then Kanter won't go to the Jazz. But, if Tomic isn't coming over soon, or they are unsure about him, then Kanter would make sense, since Utah does need a good center really bad. I'm still all for Kawhi Leonard though he's had some injury problems. He's a raw athlete and seems to be able to replace Andrei Kirilenko maybe. Also, Kenneth Faried of Morehead State is a player the Jazz should consider. He's a 6 foot 7 inch Freakshow with similar attributes to Paul Millsap. A hard working kid that can grab boards and add size to the front court. Not an immediate need for the Jazz as they have Derrick Favors, but hey, they could use more size nonetheless.
I think another interesting player who's name is starting to bubble up is Marshon Brooks of Providence. Dynamic scorer at 6 foot 5. He dropped 53 on Notre Dame and has had multiple games over 30 points during his senior season. He's a great scoring threat and will be an asset wherever he lands. He was second in the nation in scoring behind Jimmer Fredette and has shown that he can put the ball in the hole.
There's a lot that's going to happen in the draft and a lot of proposed trades. Most of which sound ridiculous. Minnesota dealing Kevin Love to the Lakers for Pau Gasol, and giving up the #2 pick, etc. All crazy deals of which make no sense to me. Monta Ellis and Andre Iguodala are major trade bait like they've done something horribly wrong. Both are great players, and I don't get why their respective teams want them to go. Especially Ellis. Golden State needs other players around Monta Ellis. Trading him is not the answer. The deal of trading Lamar Odom and Ron Artest to Philly for Andre Iguodala is absurd and shouldn't be considered by Philly. The Wolves are also looking at deals, but I think they should draft Enes Kanter at #2. They need a Center and with Rubio coming in, they don't need to draft another PG. However, Rubio has sucked recently, and so they still might need a PG, but not through the draft. Rubio has been treated like Manna from Heaven, and that to me is a joke. He hasn't proven enough to be viewed as such a hot commodity. Wolves should also dump Darko Milicic like a bag of bricks. He's going nowhere in the NBA.
Overall, draft day should be exciting. I'm very curious to see what trades are made, what picks are made, etc. Especially since this is such a weak/wide open draft.
The Jazz seem to be leaning towards Turkish big man Enes Kanter at #3, who is a 6 foot 11 inch scoring threat down low. The only real concern about Kanter are his knees, and so I am very leery of the Jazz picking him for that reason. Utah picking at #12 later on seems to have a good shot at either Jimmer or Kemba. I personally think that they should take Jimmer only if they feel like he's a better player or better suited for their team. Shouldn't take him because he's a hometown product. I don't think that will be too much of a factor, but it could be. If Kemba and Jimmer are both available, I think Utah should go with Kemba because he's a better defender, a good shooter, and more versatile. However, Jimmer's shooting ability is so ridiculous, that Utah may want him just for that alone. I think if it comes down to it, Utah takes Jimmer only because it's a coin-toss situation. Either one could outdo the other, and Jimmer would boost sales. So I guess that the homegrown element will be more of a factor than I previously stated. Another factor for Utah is the development of Ante Tomic in Spain. If he comes over soon, then Kanter won't go to the Jazz. But, if Tomic isn't coming over soon, or they are unsure about him, then Kanter would make sense, since Utah does need a good center really bad. I'm still all for Kawhi Leonard though he's had some injury problems. He's a raw athlete and seems to be able to replace Andrei Kirilenko maybe. Also, Kenneth Faried of Morehead State is a player the Jazz should consider. He's a 6 foot 7 inch Freakshow with similar attributes to Paul Millsap. A hard working kid that can grab boards and add size to the front court. Not an immediate need for the Jazz as they have Derrick Favors, but hey, they could use more size nonetheless.
I think another interesting player who's name is starting to bubble up is Marshon Brooks of Providence. Dynamic scorer at 6 foot 5. He dropped 53 on Notre Dame and has had multiple games over 30 points during his senior season. He's a great scoring threat and will be an asset wherever he lands. He was second in the nation in scoring behind Jimmer Fredette and has shown that he can put the ball in the hole.
There's a lot that's going to happen in the draft and a lot of proposed trades. Most of which sound ridiculous. Minnesota dealing Kevin Love to the Lakers for Pau Gasol, and giving up the #2 pick, etc. All crazy deals of which make no sense to me. Monta Ellis and Andre Iguodala are major trade bait like they've done something horribly wrong. Both are great players, and I don't get why their respective teams want them to go. Especially Ellis. Golden State needs other players around Monta Ellis. Trading him is not the answer. The deal of trading Lamar Odom and Ron Artest to Philly for Andre Iguodala is absurd and shouldn't be considered by Philly. The Wolves are also looking at deals, but I think they should draft Enes Kanter at #2. They need a Center and with Rubio coming in, they don't need to draft another PG. However, Rubio has sucked recently, and so they still might need a PG, but not through the draft. Rubio has been treated like Manna from Heaven, and that to me is a joke. He hasn't proven enough to be viewed as such a hot commodity. Wolves should also dump Darko Milicic like a bag of bricks. He's going nowhere in the NBA.
Overall, draft day should be exciting. I'm very curious to see what trades are made, what picks are made, etc. Especially since this is such a weak/wide open draft.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
2011 Utah Jazz NBA Draft Preview: To Jimmer or Not to Jimmer That is the Question
The Biggest Winners of the NBA Draft Lottery were the Cleveland Cavaliers getting the #1 and #4 Draft Picks, the Minnesota Timberwolves getting the #2 pick, and the Utah Jazz, who are getting little press despite landing the #3 and #12 pick. Thanks to the New Jersey Nets, the Jazz get the # 3 pick in the 2011 NBA draft, with their #12 pick coming from their record in the 2010-2011 season. The Jazz sitting at # 3 are highly unlikely to land Point Guard Kyrie Irving of Duke or Power Forward Derrick Williams of Arizona. It's almost a forgone conclusion that the Cavs will pick Irving at #1 overall and the Timberwolves will pick Derrick Williams at #2 overall. The chances of the Cleveland Cavaliers picking Williams over Irving I'd say are at 35% given the fact that they could go Williams #1 and pick Point Guard Brandon Knight #4 getting an all star power forward and all star point guard as well. It depends how much Irving impresses them. If he really impresses them, they'll pick him first, and the Wolves will pick Derrick Williams. That is what I think will happen.
However, if teams were smart, the Cavs would pick Derrick Williams first, get their Power Forward and also a solid Point Guard at #4 in Brandon Knight. The Wolves if they were smart would draft a Point Guard regardless of what the Cavs do. The Wolves desperately need a point guard and drafting Kyrie Irving or Brandon Knight with their pick would be smart since they need somebody to replace Luke Ridnour, who really should be a back up Point Guard. The other option Minnesota could do is trade the # 2 pick for a more established veteran like Danny Granger or Andre Iguodala. One of those two decisions would be smart. The third option for Minnesota would be to gamble on Enes Kanter of Turkey. A young Center that could replace Darko Milicic and establish a deadly Minnesota front court.
Now you are probably wondering why I'm talking about Minnesota and Cleveland first. For two reasons, (A) even though I am a loyal Utah Jazz fan, I have an attachment to Minnesota since I served my 2 year LDS mission there, and I would like to see the Minnesota Timberwolves get their act together. I watched the Wolves/ Celtics game at the Target Center this past year on a trip back to visit Minnesota. The thing that struck me with as I watched the Timberwolves was that Luke Ridnour shouldn't be a starting point guard in the NBA. He should be a back up. Wolves need a point guard, and if they don't wanna go that route, then they should trade the number two pick for an all star caliber player like Granger or Iguodala. They could also draft a Center that could replace Darko Milicic, who was referred to as "Manna from Heaven" by their idiotic GM David Kahn. I wonder what that makes Kevin Love???? Anyways, that's my two cents on the Wolves. Draft a PG, or trade the pick for an all star, or draft a Center. Any of those 3 decisions would make sense. Drafting Derrick Williams wouldn't be as smart because they already have Kevin Love and Mike Beasley. Too much at that same position. However, I like Derrick Williams and I think he's going to be a great player.
The second reason I'm bringing up Cleveland and Minnesota, is their decisions will affect what Utah does in the draft. Utah has to plan for all these different scenarios in place. What if the Cavs select Derrick Williams and the Wolves go with Kanter; should the Jazz pick Kyrie Irving? What if the the Cavs get Irving and the Wolves draft a Point Guard; should the Jazz draft Derrick Williams? Should the Jazz draft a point guard? Should they draft a big man? Should the Jazz shop and trade the number 3 pick? Should they draft a small forward? Should the Jazz draft Jimmer Fredette at #12 assuming he doesn't get picked earlier? Should they draft by need or by who's the best overall player? These are questions that the Jazz need to answer and that I will help to try to sift through and answer to the best of my ability.
The first question I will answer is should the Jazz draft a Point Guard at # 3? Looking at this, the Jazz need to ask themselves if Devin Harris is going to stay with them long term. If they feel confident that he will, then they should pass on a point guard and draft a small forward/power forward type guy. However, if they don't feel like Devin Harris is going to stay, then the Jazz should draft the best point guard available in the draft (i.e. Brandon Knight). The second key question is should the Jazz draft a Center at # 3? The real question is do you roll the dice with Enes Kanter? Kanter, is a 19 year old Turkish big man who is said to be a "bigman with excellent size, strength, and polish" (courtesy of nbadraft.net). This sounds like exactly what the Utah Jazz need, and it is. So what is the hangup on Kanter? A couple of things really.
(A) Kanter has had knee injury problems. We all remember what happened with Greg Oden. I heard that Kanter claims he's healthy, but if there is any risk of Knee problems, I'd say pass. (B) The Jazz have drafted big men recently in the past. The Jazz drafted Kosta Koufous, traded for Kyrylo Fesenko, and also drafted a young kid named Ante Tomic in '08. The problem with Koufous, was they traded him. The problem with Fesenko is he doesn't know how to put the ball in the hole. The problem with Tomic, is the Jazz don't know when he'll come over from Spain to join the team. Do the Jazz want to gamble on another Center? They have plenty of big men on file with Fesenko, Okur, Tomic, Favors, Jefferson, Millsap, Evans, etc. They could use the # 3 pick to fill in other needs.
In regards to Ante Tomic, he signed a 3 and a half year deal with a pro team in Spain, and this Summer, the Jazz could buy out his contract and have him in uniform for next season. The reason this would be huge, is Tomic is developing quite nicely and to quote deseretnews.com "He is Jazz NBA property, and he's being compared to Los Angeles Lakers Star Pau Gasol". deseretnews.com also reprorted: According to a FIBA.com report this week, "Tomic has been so prolific since his arrival ... he's been likened in Spain to their national team star, 2006 FIBA World Championship MVP Pau Gasol" — but it's "not a comparison he welcomes." (here's a link to the rest of the article: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700027149/Utah-Jazz-draftee-Ante-Tomic-making-name-for-himself-overseas.html)
If it is all indeed true that the Utah Jazz have their 23 year old replacement for Mehmet Okur waiting in the wing to come over soon, then why draft another center? If Tomic is coming over this year, or soon after, then I'd say pass on Enes Kanter. As of right now, I'd advise Utah to pass on Enes Kanter. He's got knee problems, and they already have a quality center coming over from the pros in Europe.
Now I've just dismissed the Point Guard position and the Center position for the draft, two key spots the Jazz need. If the Jazz decide to pick # 3 and don't feel the need for a point guard because Harris is committed, then draft a small forward type player. If Derrick Williams is available, I'd say draft him, but I doubt he will be. The reason they should get Derrick Williams is he seems versatile enough to me to be able to play the small forward position, and so they could really go big with Williams, Millsap, and Jefferson or Okur, or whoever they want to throw out there at Center. Williams isn't a traditional back to the basket power forward, and his versatility should be enough of a reason for Utah to draft him. But assuming that Williams is gone, that leaves Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State to be the best option for the Jazz. He's a 6 foot 7 inch monster with a lot of upside. He's a very athletic and versatile player. He can score, rebound, play defense on the perimeter, etc. He's exactly what the Jazz need, and can replace an aging Andrei Kirilenko. He seems to be a player who could be a great steal in the draft. The danger of him according to NBA Draft.net is that he's not very offensively polished and he gambles a lot on defense. But he seems to have the skills to be a great defender in the NBA and do a little bit of everything for you. The Jazz need athleticism on the perimeter and they don't need a shooting guard since they drafted Gordon Hayward. They could draft a point guard, but if Devin Harris is going to be in Utah for a while, why waste an early pick on a Point Guard? Draft Leonard out of need for an athletic small forward that has a different dynamic than CJ Miles and Gordon Hayward. He won't be fighting for a job with those guys. Leonard will be competing with Andrei Kirilenko, and we all know that the Jazz need to replace him as he is getting older, weaker, and more injury prone every year. Leonard could fit in quite nicely and fill in that void.
Now to the question that I titled my article with: To Jimmer or Not to Jimmer, that is the Question. Even though I have a distaste for BYU sports, I wish Jimmer Fredette success, good luck, and a great career in the NBA. I also have come to the conclusion that if Jimmer Fredette is available (which is likely), the Jazz should draft him at #12. For a couple of reasons. (A) the Jazz have point guard needs. Above I said they didn't only because I was talking about the # 3 pick. Picking Jimmer # 3 would be stupid as they could pick him at #12. Why pick him at # 3 if they feel like he'll be available at # 12? The Jazz need for a point guard isn't really large, but large enough that getting Jimmer at #12 would be an insurance pick in case Devin Harris bails. Also, the Jazz need somebody to score off the bench. If CJ Miles wasn't scoring for the Jazz off the bench, nobody was. Who else scores for the Jazz off the bench? Ronnie Price, Earl Watson, Fesenko, Francisco Elson, etc. None of those guys could score. Hayward could, but I'm penciling him in as our starting shooting guard in 3 years. Jimmer's offensive capabilities could be enough of a reason to pick him as a bench scorer. I see him as a Derek Fisher player worse case, and a Deron Williams type best case. Fisher was a key part of Utah's run to the Western Conference Finals in 07, and since then, Utah has seen Kyle Korver and Derek Fisher bolt.
The Jazz need somebody to fill their shoes and replace their bench production. Plus, Fredette could turn out to be better than Fish and Korver. He could be a Point Guard who dishes, scores, attacks the rim, and stretches the defense. He could be what Utah is looking for at a #12 pick. No other player that late in the draft really impresses me. It's a weak field, and Jimmer stands out for his long shooting range and ability to creat his own shot. The only knock on him is defense, something that I'm sure he can improve on. If Utah drafts a point guard at #3, I'd still say draft Jimmer at # 12 anyways because of his potential to be a Deron Williams/Chauncey Billups and also be a scoring machine off the bench even if he doesn't become a starter. The Jazz need a shooter and that is exactly what we all know Jimmer does well. In a nutshell, I say draft Jimmer because he can score, fill in at point, and the draft field is weak enough that "Gambling" on Jimmer isn't reall a gamble. If Tomic is coming over, Harris is staying long term, then draft Leonard, and grab Jimmer as a wild card. See what he can do at the next level. The only reason to not draft Jimmer in my mind is because he may not want to play in Utah. He may not want to have to deal with the pressure of playing in front of his home BYU fans at the next level. But if he says he'd like to go to the Jazz, then grab him. He will boost ticket sales as well as help Utah's offensively depleted bench.
Now what if things don't shake out exactly as I've outlined: What if Derrick Williams isn't available, Devin Harris wants out, Tomic isn't coming over for a while, and the sky is falling? Well then take Brandon Knight at # 3. That is a very safe pick for Utah. He is supposed to be a great young PG talent and that would ease the concern of Harris. Plus, we don't know if Harris is the right guy for the Jazz anyways. If Knight is good, and can replace Harris, trade Harris for another piece of a championship puzzle. I still say draft Jimmer anyways just because there isn't much left. Other names the Jazz could roll with are Kemba Walker at # 3. Maybe he's a better fit than Bradon Knight anyways.
Another crazy idea is draft Kawai Leonard at # 3 and then draft a kid named Donatas Motiejunas at #12. Motiejunas is a 7 foot Lithuanian who is like Ante Tomic. He shows great offensive ability and is able to play center. Maybe he's the answer. But like I said this is a crazy idea. If the Jazz really wanted to rock the boat, they'd draft Jimmer at #3, and then draft Donatas Motiejunas at #12. That would answer the Point Guard position, the Center problem and force Tomic to make up his mind about coming over. Maybe trade away one of the two or have a frightening front court. But they don't need two guys that are 7 foot Euros with similar games. But if Tomic ain't joining the Jazz, then maybe this Motiejunas kid is the answer.
The most ideal/realistic situation however for the Jazz is to draft Leonard in my mind at #3 , and then draft Jimmer at # 12 for all the reasons I previously mentioned. But I wouldn't sleep on Brandon Knight, Motiejunas, or Kemba Walker. Those are guys the Jazz should consider. Kanter is an option too, but the knee problems to me is a red flag. The other thing too, is they have Derrek Favors as last years # 3 pick at power forward. The Jazz do have a meaty front court with Jefferson, Millsap, Favors, Fesenko, Elson, and Jeremy Evans all at Power Forward/Center. My opinion, is Elson is gone next year, and Okur is on his last leg. Jefferson, Millsap, Favors, and Evans are all Power Forwards at their heart. The Jazz do need a true center. Ideally, Tomic comes over soon, and they answer their center problem. But if he isn't coming over soon, then taking a center would be a smart decision. Draft Kawai Leonard at # 3 and Donatas Motiejunas at #12 to fill the center void. But assuming Tomic is coming over, I say draft Leonard at # 3 and Jimmer at # 12. This being based on the assumption that Derrick Williams is taken. Drafting Jimmer is also smart because he is a point guard, and he's not really going to compete with a 6 foot 9 inch Gordon Hayward in terms of playing the same role. Jimmer is 6 foot 2. He has to play point guard in the NBA.
The last possibility the Jazz should look at is shopping the 3rd pick. Perhaps somebody really wants it. Rumors about the Wolves dealing the # 2 pick for Danny Granger should interest Utah who could offer something similar. Maybe they trade the 3rd pick for a more established pro. But the only way Utah should trade the # 3 pick, is if they get an all-star in return. Which i consider Granger to be. Unless you get a really nice piece back, I'd say draft smart and help build the Jazz into another Oklahoma City type team.
Hopefully I've shed some light on the NBA draft, what the Utah Jazz should do, and what to expect. In my honest opinion, the Jazz in my mind probably draft Brandon Knight and the Jimmer decision is a 50/50 call. On NBA draft.net Klay Thompson from Washington State is listed at #12 to Utah. He's a 6 foot 6 shooting guard. But I've heard more about Jimmer than Klay Thompson, and so I'd say draft Jimmer instead. It'll be interesting to see where Utah goes in the draft and what choices they make with their very high lottery picks.
However, if teams were smart, the Cavs would pick Derrick Williams first, get their Power Forward and also a solid Point Guard at #4 in Brandon Knight. The Wolves if they were smart would draft a Point Guard regardless of what the Cavs do. The Wolves desperately need a point guard and drafting Kyrie Irving or Brandon Knight with their pick would be smart since they need somebody to replace Luke Ridnour, who really should be a back up Point Guard. The other option Minnesota could do is trade the # 2 pick for a more established veteran like Danny Granger or Andre Iguodala. One of those two decisions would be smart. The third option for Minnesota would be to gamble on Enes Kanter of Turkey. A young Center that could replace Darko Milicic and establish a deadly Minnesota front court.
Now you are probably wondering why I'm talking about Minnesota and Cleveland first. For two reasons, (A) even though I am a loyal Utah Jazz fan, I have an attachment to Minnesota since I served my 2 year LDS mission there, and I would like to see the Minnesota Timberwolves get their act together. I watched the Wolves/ Celtics game at the Target Center this past year on a trip back to visit Minnesota. The thing that struck me with as I watched the Timberwolves was that Luke Ridnour shouldn't be a starting point guard in the NBA. He should be a back up. Wolves need a point guard, and if they don't wanna go that route, then they should trade the number two pick for an all star caliber player like Granger or Iguodala. They could also draft a Center that could replace Darko Milicic, who was referred to as "Manna from Heaven" by their idiotic GM David Kahn. I wonder what that makes Kevin Love???? Anyways, that's my two cents on the Wolves. Draft a PG, or trade the pick for an all star, or draft a Center. Any of those 3 decisions would make sense. Drafting Derrick Williams wouldn't be as smart because they already have Kevin Love and Mike Beasley. Too much at that same position. However, I like Derrick Williams and I think he's going to be a great player.
The second reason I'm bringing up Cleveland and Minnesota, is their decisions will affect what Utah does in the draft. Utah has to plan for all these different scenarios in place. What if the Cavs select Derrick Williams and the Wolves go with Kanter; should the Jazz pick Kyrie Irving? What if the the Cavs get Irving and the Wolves draft a Point Guard; should the Jazz draft Derrick Williams? Should the Jazz draft a point guard? Should they draft a big man? Should the Jazz shop and trade the number 3 pick? Should they draft a small forward? Should the Jazz draft Jimmer Fredette at #12 assuming he doesn't get picked earlier? Should they draft by need or by who's the best overall player? These are questions that the Jazz need to answer and that I will help to try to sift through and answer to the best of my ability.
The first question I will answer is should the Jazz draft a Point Guard at # 3? Looking at this, the Jazz need to ask themselves if Devin Harris is going to stay with them long term. If they feel confident that he will, then they should pass on a point guard and draft a small forward/power forward type guy. However, if they don't feel like Devin Harris is going to stay, then the Jazz should draft the best point guard available in the draft (i.e. Brandon Knight). The second key question is should the Jazz draft a Center at # 3? The real question is do you roll the dice with Enes Kanter? Kanter, is a 19 year old Turkish big man who is said to be a "bigman with excellent size, strength, and polish" (courtesy of nbadraft.net). This sounds like exactly what the Utah Jazz need, and it is. So what is the hangup on Kanter? A couple of things really.
(A) Kanter has had knee injury problems. We all remember what happened with Greg Oden. I heard that Kanter claims he's healthy, but if there is any risk of Knee problems, I'd say pass. (B) The Jazz have drafted big men recently in the past. The Jazz drafted Kosta Koufous, traded for Kyrylo Fesenko, and also drafted a young kid named Ante Tomic in '08. The problem with Koufous, was they traded him. The problem with Fesenko is he doesn't know how to put the ball in the hole. The problem with Tomic, is the Jazz don't know when he'll come over from Spain to join the team. Do the Jazz want to gamble on another Center? They have plenty of big men on file with Fesenko, Okur, Tomic, Favors, Jefferson, Millsap, Evans, etc. They could use the # 3 pick to fill in other needs.
In regards to Ante Tomic, he signed a 3 and a half year deal with a pro team in Spain, and this Summer, the Jazz could buy out his contract and have him in uniform for next season. The reason this would be huge, is Tomic is developing quite nicely and to quote deseretnews.com "He is Jazz NBA property, and he's being compared to Los Angeles Lakers Star Pau Gasol". deseretnews.com also reprorted: According to a FIBA.com report this week, "Tomic has been so prolific since his arrival ... he's been likened in Spain to their national team star, 2006 FIBA World Championship MVP Pau Gasol" — but it's "not a comparison he welcomes." (here's a link to the rest of the article: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700027149/Utah-Jazz-draftee-Ante-Tomic-making-name-for-himself-overseas.html)
If it is all indeed true that the Utah Jazz have their 23 year old replacement for Mehmet Okur waiting in the wing to come over soon, then why draft another center? If Tomic is coming over this year, or soon after, then I'd say pass on Enes Kanter. As of right now, I'd advise Utah to pass on Enes Kanter. He's got knee problems, and they already have a quality center coming over from the pros in Europe.
Now I've just dismissed the Point Guard position and the Center position for the draft, two key spots the Jazz need. If the Jazz decide to pick # 3 and don't feel the need for a point guard because Harris is committed, then draft a small forward type player. If Derrick Williams is available, I'd say draft him, but I doubt he will be. The reason they should get Derrick Williams is he seems versatile enough to me to be able to play the small forward position, and so they could really go big with Williams, Millsap, and Jefferson or Okur, or whoever they want to throw out there at Center. Williams isn't a traditional back to the basket power forward, and his versatility should be enough of a reason for Utah to draft him. But assuming that Williams is gone, that leaves Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State to be the best option for the Jazz. He's a 6 foot 7 inch monster with a lot of upside. He's a very athletic and versatile player. He can score, rebound, play defense on the perimeter, etc. He's exactly what the Jazz need, and can replace an aging Andrei Kirilenko. He seems to be a player who could be a great steal in the draft. The danger of him according to NBA Draft.net is that he's not very offensively polished and he gambles a lot on defense. But he seems to have the skills to be a great defender in the NBA and do a little bit of everything for you. The Jazz need athleticism on the perimeter and they don't need a shooting guard since they drafted Gordon Hayward. They could draft a point guard, but if Devin Harris is going to be in Utah for a while, why waste an early pick on a Point Guard? Draft Leonard out of need for an athletic small forward that has a different dynamic than CJ Miles and Gordon Hayward. He won't be fighting for a job with those guys. Leonard will be competing with Andrei Kirilenko, and we all know that the Jazz need to replace him as he is getting older, weaker, and more injury prone every year. Leonard could fit in quite nicely and fill in that void.
Now to the question that I titled my article with: To Jimmer or Not to Jimmer, that is the Question. Even though I have a distaste for BYU sports, I wish Jimmer Fredette success, good luck, and a great career in the NBA. I also have come to the conclusion that if Jimmer Fredette is available (which is likely), the Jazz should draft him at #12. For a couple of reasons. (A) the Jazz have point guard needs. Above I said they didn't only because I was talking about the # 3 pick. Picking Jimmer # 3 would be stupid as they could pick him at #12. Why pick him at # 3 if they feel like he'll be available at # 12? The Jazz need for a point guard isn't really large, but large enough that getting Jimmer at #12 would be an insurance pick in case Devin Harris bails. Also, the Jazz need somebody to score off the bench. If CJ Miles wasn't scoring for the Jazz off the bench, nobody was. Who else scores for the Jazz off the bench? Ronnie Price, Earl Watson, Fesenko, Francisco Elson, etc. None of those guys could score. Hayward could, but I'm penciling him in as our starting shooting guard in 3 years. Jimmer's offensive capabilities could be enough of a reason to pick him as a bench scorer. I see him as a Derek Fisher player worse case, and a Deron Williams type best case. Fisher was a key part of Utah's run to the Western Conference Finals in 07, and since then, Utah has seen Kyle Korver and Derek Fisher bolt.
The Jazz need somebody to fill their shoes and replace their bench production. Plus, Fredette could turn out to be better than Fish and Korver. He could be a Point Guard who dishes, scores, attacks the rim, and stretches the defense. He could be what Utah is looking for at a #12 pick. No other player that late in the draft really impresses me. It's a weak field, and Jimmer stands out for his long shooting range and ability to creat his own shot. The only knock on him is defense, something that I'm sure he can improve on. If Utah drafts a point guard at #3, I'd still say draft Jimmer at # 12 anyways because of his potential to be a Deron Williams/Chauncey Billups and also be a scoring machine off the bench even if he doesn't become a starter. The Jazz need a shooter and that is exactly what we all know Jimmer does well. In a nutshell, I say draft Jimmer because he can score, fill in at point, and the draft field is weak enough that "Gambling" on Jimmer isn't reall a gamble. If Tomic is coming over, Harris is staying long term, then draft Leonard, and grab Jimmer as a wild card. See what he can do at the next level. The only reason to not draft Jimmer in my mind is because he may not want to play in Utah. He may not want to have to deal with the pressure of playing in front of his home BYU fans at the next level. But if he says he'd like to go to the Jazz, then grab him. He will boost ticket sales as well as help Utah's offensively depleted bench.
Now what if things don't shake out exactly as I've outlined: What if Derrick Williams isn't available, Devin Harris wants out, Tomic isn't coming over for a while, and the sky is falling? Well then take Brandon Knight at # 3. That is a very safe pick for Utah. He is supposed to be a great young PG talent and that would ease the concern of Harris. Plus, we don't know if Harris is the right guy for the Jazz anyways. If Knight is good, and can replace Harris, trade Harris for another piece of a championship puzzle. I still say draft Jimmer anyways just because there isn't much left. Other names the Jazz could roll with are Kemba Walker at # 3. Maybe he's a better fit than Bradon Knight anyways.
Another crazy idea is draft Kawai Leonard at # 3 and then draft a kid named Donatas Motiejunas at #12. Motiejunas is a 7 foot Lithuanian who is like Ante Tomic. He shows great offensive ability and is able to play center. Maybe he's the answer. But like I said this is a crazy idea. If the Jazz really wanted to rock the boat, they'd draft Jimmer at #3, and then draft Donatas Motiejunas at #12. That would answer the Point Guard position, the Center problem and force Tomic to make up his mind about coming over. Maybe trade away one of the two or have a frightening front court. But they don't need two guys that are 7 foot Euros with similar games. But if Tomic ain't joining the Jazz, then maybe this Motiejunas kid is the answer.
The most ideal/realistic situation however for the Jazz is to draft Leonard in my mind at #3 , and then draft Jimmer at # 12 for all the reasons I previously mentioned. But I wouldn't sleep on Brandon Knight, Motiejunas, or Kemba Walker. Those are guys the Jazz should consider. Kanter is an option too, but the knee problems to me is a red flag. The other thing too, is they have Derrek Favors as last years # 3 pick at power forward. The Jazz do have a meaty front court with Jefferson, Millsap, Favors, Fesenko, Elson, and Jeremy Evans all at Power Forward/Center. My opinion, is Elson is gone next year, and Okur is on his last leg. Jefferson, Millsap, Favors, and Evans are all Power Forwards at their heart. The Jazz do need a true center. Ideally, Tomic comes over soon, and they answer their center problem. But if he isn't coming over soon, then taking a center would be a smart decision. Draft Kawai Leonard at # 3 and Donatas Motiejunas at #12 to fill the center void. But assuming Tomic is coming over, I say draft Leonard at # 3 and Jimmer at # 12. This being based on the assumption that Derrick Williams is taken. Drafting Jimmer is also smart because he is a point guard, and he's not really going to compete with a 6 foot 9 inch Gordon Hayward in terms of playing the same role. Jimmer is 6 foot 2. He has to play point guard in the NBA.
The last possibility the Jazz should look at is shopping the 3rd pick. Perhaps somebody really wants it. Rumors about the Wolves dealing the # 2 pick for Danny Granger should interest Utah who could offer something similar. Maybe they trade the 3rd pick for a more established pro. But the only way Utah should trade the # 3 pick, is if they get an all-star in return. Which i consider Granger to be. Unless you get a really nice piece back, I'd say draft smart and help build the Jazz into another Oklahoma City type team.
Hopefully I've shed some light on the NBA draft, what the Utah Jazz should do, and what to expect. In my honest opinion, the Jazz in my mind probably draft Brandon Knight and the Jimmer decision is a 50/50 call. On NBA draft.net Klay Thompson from Washington State is listed at #12 to Utah. He's a 6 foot 6 shooting guard. But I've heard more about Jimmer than Klay Thompson, and so I'd say draft Jimmer instead. It'll be interesting to see where Utah goes in the draft and what choices they make with their very high lottery picks.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Jazz Win In Staples against the Lakers
Lightning struck twice last tuesday night as my beloved Minnesota Twins won in Yankee Stadium, and my beloved Utah Jazz won in the Staples Center against the Lakers. The Utah win was even more impressive as it was the first time in 17 tries and the Lakers were playing for playoff positioning. The real highlight of the game was the outstanding play of the Utah Jazz rookies. Gordon Hayward went for 22 points against the World Champions, and Derrick Favors went for 14 points and 11 rebounds. The game was pretty ugly in the first half, but in the fourth quarter, Gordon Hayward starting to show why he was picked # 9 in last year's draft. He did a great job of penetrating and attacking the basket, finding the open man, etc. His 3 point shot was going well for him as well. As for Favors, he showed why he was the 3rd pick in last years draft, playing great interior defense, getting rebounds, and scoring inside. If Favors continues to develop, the Jazz should have really good depth at the Power Forward position, and if Hayward does the same, the Jazz could have the shooting guard that they've been needing to contend for a championship. What the Jazz really showed Tuesday night was that they have the pieces to be very very good in the coming years. The third rookie that I didn't mention was Jeremy Evans. Evans didn't have much of a game in terms of scoring, since he only had 2 points, but he shows promise in his ability to rebound, play defense, and elevate. Nobody on the Utah Jazz jumps higher than Jeremy Evans, and he has earned the nickname as the "Human Pogo Stick" for good reason. With him and Favors working together, the Jazz show signs of what could be a very active defense in the middle. Combine that with a healthy Kirilenko, and you have a very pesky defense to go against.
As far as the game itself went, the game ended on Hayward hitting a free throw to give Utah a 1 point lead with 6 seconds to go. The Lakers got the ball to Kobe to finish off the game, and the ball slipped out of Kobe's hands as Hayward defended him. It was a great moment to see Hayward stop Kobe Bryant and lead the Jazz to their first win against the Lakers in the Staples Center in 17 tries. Even though the Jazz aren't going to the playoffs beating the Lakers on the road has to give them confidence going into next season. The Jazz showed why they are going to be very good in the coming years. Perhaps the most impressive part of the win was that they did it without Okur, Kirilenko, and Harris who were all sidlined with various injuries. Earl Watson started at PG and had a very good performance with 11 points. Al Jefferson had only 11 points, and seemed to have a real struggle against the Lakers front court. What made the win so impressive was it was the young guys who carried the team and brought the win for the team. Gordon Hayward looked like the shooting guard that everybody hoped he would be. The left handed slam down the middle was the exclamation point of Hayward's night, and as a whole the Jazz should use this win as positive motivation in the Summer. Go Jazz!
As far as the game itself went, the game ended on Hayward hitting a free throw to give Utah a 1 point lead with 6 seconds to go. The Lakers got the ball to Kobe to finish off the game, and the ball slipped out of Kobe's hands as Hayward defended him. It was a great moment to see Hayward stop Kobe Bryant and lead the Jazz to their first win against the Lakers in the Staples Center in 17 tries. Even though the Jazz aren't going to the playoffs beating the Lakers on the road has to give them confidence going into next season. The Jazz showed why they are going to be very good in the coming years. Perhaps the most impressive part of the win was that they did it without Okur, Kirilenko, and Harris who were all sidlined with various injuries. Earl Watson started at PG and had a very good performance with 11 points. Al Jefferson had only 11 points, and seemed to have a real struggle against the Lakers front court. What made the win so impressive was it was the young guys who carried the team and brought the win for the team. Gordon Hayward looked like the shooting guard that everybody hoped he would be. The left handed slam down the middle was the exclamation point of Hayward's night, and as a whole the Jazz should use this win as positive motivation in the Summer. Go Jazz!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Jazz Season In Review: The After Math Of A Very Strange Year
The Jazz are about to face their first losing season in 5 years, and only their second since the dismal 1982-1983 campaign. Since then they've only had a losing season in the year 2004-2005 when they went 26-56. This year will likely be their second losing season as they are 36-41 with 5 games to go. But what has made this year so bizarre is that they started off 15-5, showed all the signs of a strong competitive team, only to fizzle out like an open can of soda. The strangest thing about this season doesn't involve the on court problems as it does the off-court issues which affected the court.
First off, the resignation of long time coach Jerry Sloan who had been aboard the Jazz team as their coach for the last 23 seasons. The news of this was like an earthquake that shook Salt Lake City, and the entire NBA nation. Then, like some sort of after math of everything, the Jazz then trade their star PG Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets for Devin Harris and Derrick Favors. A good trade for the Jazz, but one that would shake the team even more. The question on everybody's mind is what is there to take from this horrid/weird season.
In my mind, the Jazz have a future that shouldn't be of concern. Al Jefferson has showed the people in Utah that he can not only play, but that he's a better player than Carlos Boozer. So that's number one. Number two, the Jazz have a lot of youth. Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, and Jeremy Evans are all promising young rookies, and with 2 lottery picks plus the third that they will get for missing the playoffs, the Jazz have the chance to really build through the draft and get more pieces to put together a competitive team. The key question entering this season have been answered already, which concerned Al Jefferson replacing Boozer.
The biggest problem this year in my opinion was health. Mehmet Okur was never healthy and Andrei Kirilenko wasn't really able to keep things together either. Not to mention the problems surrounding Raja Bell and Ronnie Price. The Jazz bench turned into a hospital with Mehmet Okur representing a patient with a deadly disease. His Achilles injury never healed and the constant pushing back of his return distracted the team. He played only in a handful of games and never established a rhythm. Even Paul Millsap got hurt for a little bit as did Devin Harris. By this point the whole team was hurt basically. The only rock for the Jazz this year was Big Al Jefferson who shouldn't take any blame for how the Jazz season has gone. He's been the only real solid player for them this year along with Paul Millsap.
But what makes this season so weird is the polarizing aspects of it. On the one side is all this negativity and confusion, and on the other are those great comebacks against Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Charlotte all in the same road trip. They looked really tough and started to show that they could play on the road. Which was really neat because the Jazz have never been a good road team. But they also started to lose uncharacteristic games at home. It was as if they forgot their identity. They stopped playing any sort of defense. And slowly crumbled into oblivion and appeared to totally give up on their season over them month of march. It has been a strange and saddening season.
What the Jazz really need is to regroup, go into the off season as a unit and stay constant. Not only that, but they need to get rid of Andrei Kirilenko, or sign him to a lot less money. I'm okay having him on the team, but he can't be eating away at Utah's checkbook either. The highest paid player for the Jazz in Andrei Kirilenko and he only plays half the games at best. The draft will be key for Utah. Will they draft Jimmer Fredette? I personally think it's possible since they'll have a couple of picks to use. They may want to take a gamble on Jimmer and see if he can mold himself into a good point guard. It could be a wasted pick or the pick of the decade. It's a hard call. They have their big man in Favors who's young, but they still need a reliable center. In my mind, the Jazz should get rid of Okur and find a new Center. Also, they should consider dealing Fesenko. He's not been good enough offensively to be reliable, and his defense isn't great either. I like his potential, but if they can get a good offer for him, they should take it. Gordon Hayward is the shooting guard of the future and I expect him to be fine in a couple of years. If they draft Jimmer and he pans out, they can deal Devin Harris. Overall, the Jazz need to find a Center and Shooting Guard to be contenders. If Hayward evolves into a Jeff Hornacek type, they will have the Shooting Guard position covered to an extent. They still need a swingman that did what Bryon Russell did for them. A guy that can hit the 3, attack the hole, and play defense. The Jazz need to build around the pieces that they have and fill in the holes that they don't have. #1 being a Center and #2 being a Shooting Guard. CJ Miles has shown flashes of being that guy, but not enough to really convince me that they can rely on him.
Overall, the Jazz need to get back to what they've always done, which is play defense. They need to be a defense first type team. Find guys that d it up and go from their. If they do that, they'll be fine. They are offensively fine, but defensively an utter joke. I hope the Jazz get things going on the right track for next season, because this year was a disappointment.
First off, the resignation of long time coach Jerry Sloan who had been aboard the Jazz team as their coach for the last 23 seasons. The news of this was like an earthquake that shook Salt Lake City, and the entire NBA nation. Then, like some sort of after math of everything, the Jazz then trade their star PG Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets for Devin Harris and Derrick Favors. A good trade for the Jazz, but one that would shake the team even more. The question on everybody's mind is what is there to take from this horrid/weird season.
In my mind, the Jazz have a future that shouldn't be of concern. Al Jefferson has showed the people in Utah that he can not only play, but that he's a better player than Carlos Boozer. So that's number one. Number two, the Jazz have a lot of youth. Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, and Jeremy Evans are all promising young rookies, and with 2 lottery picks plus the third that they will get for missing the playoffs, the Jazz have the chance to really build through the draft and get more pieces to put together a competitive team. The key question entering this season have been answered already, which concerned Al Jefferson replacing Boozer.
The biggest problem this year in my opinion was health. Mehmet Okur was never healthy and Andrei Kirilenko wasn't really able to keep things together either. Not to mention the problems surrounding Raja Bell and Ronnie Price. The Jazz bench turned into a hospital with Mehmet Okur representing a patient with a deadly disease. His Achilles injury never healed and the constant pushing back of his return distracted the team. He played only in a handful of games and never established a rhythm. Even Paul Millsap got hurt for a little bit as did Devin Harris. By this point the whole team was hurt basically. The only rock for the Jazz this year was Big Al Jefferson who shouldn't take any blame for how the Jazz season has gone. He's been the only real solid player for them this year along with Paul Millsap.
But what makes this season so weird is the polarizing aspects of it. On the one side is all this negativity and confusion, and on the other are those great comebacks against Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Charlotte all in the same road trip. They looked really tough and started to show that they could play on the road. Which was really neat because the Jazz have never been a good road team. But they also started to lose uncharacteristic games at home. It was as if they forgot their identity. They stopped playing any sort of defense. And slowly crumbled into oblivion and appeared to totally give up on their season over them month of march. It has been a strange and saddening season.
What the Jazz really need is to regroup, go into the off season as a unit and stay constant. Not only that, but they need to get rid of Andrei Kirilenko, or sign him to a lot less money. I'm okay having him on the team, but he can't be eating away at Utah's checkbook either. The highest paid player for the Jazz in Andrei Kirilenko and he only plays half the games at best. The draft will be key for Utah. Will they draft Jimmer Fredette? I personally think it's possible since they'll have a couple of picks to use. They may want to take a gamble on Jimmer and see if he can mold himself into a good point guard. It could be a wasted pick or the pick of the decade. It's a hard call. They have their big man in Favors who's young, but they still need a reliable center. In my mind, the Jazz should get rid of Okur and find a new Center. Also, they should consider dealing Fesenko. He's not been good enough offensively to be reliable, and his defense isn't great either. I like his potential, but if they can get a good offer for him, they should take it. Gordon Hayward is the shooting guard of the future and I expect him to be fine in a couple of years. If they draft Jimmer and he pans out, they can deal Devin Harris. Overall, the Jazz need to find a Center and Shooting Guard to be contenders. If Hayward evolves into a Jeff Hornacek type, they will have the Shooting Guard position covered to an extent. They still need a swingman that did what Bryon Russell did for them. A guy that can hit the 3, attack the hole, and play defense. The Jazz need to build around the pieces that they have and fill in the holes that they don't have. #1 being a Center and #2 being a Shooting Guard. CJ Miles has shown flashes of being that guy, but not enough to really convince me that they can rely on him.
Overall, the Jazz need to get back to what they've always done, which is play defense. They need to be a defense first type team. Find guys that d it up and go from their. If they do that, they'll be fine. They are offensively fine, but defensively an utter joke. I hope the Jazz get things going on the right track for next season, because this year was a disappointment.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Jerry Sloan Resigns and Deron Williams Traded to the Nets: What the future has in store
Big changes have happened in Utah over the past 2 weeks. Jerry Sloan has resigned from coaching the team, and Ty Corbin has stepped in to take his place. Then, the Jazz have traded away their franchise player to the Nets who desperately wanted to make a big splash in the NBA trade frenzy after getting the cold shoulder from Carmello AnthoNY. But what does this all mean for the Jazz?
Well first off, lets talk about the Sloan deal. Coach Sloan's bizarre end to an illustrious career is perplexing, confusing, and strange. Very odd for him to leave the team mid season during a tight race out west. The theory that Deron Williams was the reason seemed unlikely at the time since Sloan has coached for so many years and has "seen it all" so to speak. But then when everybody wakes up to find Deron Williams traded to the Nets for Devin Harris and Derrick Favors plus two first round picks (one from New Jersey in 2011 and the other from Golden State in 2012) everybody has to step back and ask more seriously if D-Will was the reason Sloan left. Perhaps Sloan returns now that Williams is gone. I doubt that, but who knows.
As far as what the trade does for Utah on the basketball court it actually isn't that bad a deal. If Williams was going out anyways, then the deal is a good one. Get a good solid replacement PG in Devin Harris, and get a rookie Power Forward with a lot of upside and potential. Jazz were in need of drafting another big body, and this might do the trick. If Harris plays better in Utah than he did in New Jersey (which I expect him to do because Utah has a better system), then the trade may not affect Utah at all, and if anything benefit them. Still, the deal is a stunner. Who saw this coming? This was like an atomic bomb was dropped in the NBA trading frenzy.
Nobody, I mean nobody saw this coming. Talk about coming out of left field. I found out about this in my college classroom. I was checking my phone and the trade popped up, and I was stunned. Couldn't believe it. I thought Utah would right the ship and keep going. I thought a trade was possible, but nothing like this. Honestly, when you think about it, the trade isn't a bad one. Get a PG that is almost as good, and also get a Power Forward that has a lot of potential to grow. It could be a blessing in disguise. I can see what Utah likes out of the deal, and what New Jersey likes out of the deal except for the fact that if New Jersey doesn't convince Deron Williams that they will and can succeed in the future, then Williams will leave and the Nets could be left with nothing. Remember, D-Will is a free agent at the end of the 2011-2012 season. If he doesn't like New Jersey at the end of next season, he won't re-sign. I guarantee it. New Jersey made a very risky move here. If they don't get better quickly, they will lose Harris, Favors, and then Williams. Leaving them with nothing. Very risky move by the Nets. It could pay off though if they are aggressive in making more moves.
What does this mean for Utah this season? I think the Jazz are in trouble for the rest of this year. Harris will have to learn the system on the fly, as will Favors. Luckily, Denver is depleted, Memphis has lost Rudy Gay for a month and they have a ridiculously hard schedule (Memphis has Sacramento, San Antonio, @ San Antonio, New Orleans, @ Dallas, Oklahoma City, New York, @ Miami, LA Clippers, @ New York, Indiana, UTAH, @ Boston, @ Chicago, San Antonio) all in a row! Those are tough games, and I expect the Grizz to fall apart at fade away. The Nuggets probably struggle too without 'Melo and so, they could fall apart as well. The Jazz are not as hurt by their deal as the Nuggets are, and aren't as hurt as the Grizzlies. The Jazz in my mind end up in the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed. Maybe even a 6 or a 5. They can make the playoffs, and maybe get a decent seed. All in all, the Jazz aren't in a bad spot considering what is happening in Denver and Memphis. They should leap frog both those guys to 7 and maybe even creep up to the 5 spot. It's all possible. In my honest opinion, Utah will get the 7 seed,and get bounced out by the Mavs in 6 games. That is my call, but knowing how Dallas plays in the playoffs, Utah may have them beat in the mental department. Who knows. Let's hope the Jazz don't totally fall apart and are able to get things together to get a playoff spot and get some mo going into next season. Go Jazz!
Well first off, lets talk about the Sloan deal. Coach Sloan's bizarre end to an illustrious career is perplexing, confusing, and strange. Very odd for him to leave the team mid season during a tight race out west. The theory that Deron Williams was the reason seemed unlikely at the time since Sloan has coached for so many years and has "seen it all" so to speak. But then when everybody wakes up to find Deron Williams traded to the Nets for Devin Harris and Derrick Favors plus two first round picks (one from New Jersey in 2011 and the other from Golden State in 2012) everybody has to step back and ask more seriously if D-Will was the reason Sloan left. Perhaps Sloan returns now that Williams is gone. I doubt that, but who knows.
As far as what the trade does for Utah on the basketball court it actually isn't that bad a deal. If Williams was going out anyways, then the deal is a good one. Get a good solid replacement PG in Devin Harris, and get a rookie Power Forward with a lot of upside and potential. Jazz were in need of drafting another big body, and this might do the trick. If Harris plays better in Utah than he did in New Jersey (which I expect him to do because Utah has a better system), then the trade may not affect Utah at all, and if anything benefit them. Still, the deal is a stunner. Who saw this coming? This was like an atomic bomb was dropped in the NBA trading frenzy.
Nobody, I mean nobody saw this coming. Talk about coming out of left field. I found out about this in my college classroom. I was checking my phone and the trade popped up, and I was stunned. Couldn't believe it. I thought Utah would right the ship and keep going. I thought a trade was possible, but nothing like this. Honestly, when you think about it, the trade isn't a bad one. Get a PG that is almost as good, and also get a Power Forward that has a lot of potential to grow. It could be a blessing in disguise. I can see what Utah likes out of the deal, and what New Jersey likes out of the deal except for the fact that if New Jersey doesn't convince Deron Williams that they will and can succeed in the future, then Williams will leave and the Nets could be left with nothing. Remember, D-Will is a free agent at the end of the 2011-2012 season. If he doesn't like New Jersey at the end of next season, he won't re-sign. I guarantee it. New Jersey made a very risky move here. If they don't get better quickly, they will lose Harris, Favors, and then Williams. Leaving them with nothing. Very risky move by the Nets. It could pay off though if they are aggressive in making more moves.
What does this mean for Utah this season? I think the Jazz are in trouble for the rest of this year. Harris will have to learn the system on the fly, as will Favors. Luckily, Denver is depleted, Memphis has lost Rudy Gay for a month and they have a ridiculously hard schedule (Memphis has Sacramento, San Antonio, @ San Antonio, New Orleans, @ Dallas, Oklahoma City, New York, @ Miami, LA Clippers, @ New York, Indiana, UTAH, @ Boston, @ Chicago, San Antonio) all in a row! Those are tough games, and I expect the Grizz to fall apart at fade away. The Nuggets probably struggle too without 'Melo and so, they could fall apart as well. The Jazz are not as hurt by their deal as the Nuggets are, and aren't as hurt as the Grizzlies. The Jazz in my mind end up in the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed. Maybe even a 6 or a 5. They can make the playoffs, and maybe get a decent seed. All in all, the Jazz aren't in a bad spot considering what is happening in Denver and Memphis. They should leap frog both those guys to 7 and maybe even creep up to the 5 spot. It's all possible. In my honest opinion, Utah will get the 7 seed,and get bounced out by the Mavs in 6 games. That is my call, but knowing how Dallas plays in the playoffs, Utah may have them beat in the mental department. Who knows. Let's hope the Jazz don't totally fall apart and are able to get things together to get a playoff spot and get some mo going into next season. Go Jazz!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Utah Jazz All Star Break Report: All-Star Break Couldn't Have Come At A More Convenient Time
Everybody in Utah is freaking out about the Jazz, but I want to inform Jazz nation that it is Way, Way, Way to early to press the panic button! The Jazz are only 1.5 games back of the #5 seed in the Western Conference. They won a series last year as the #5 seed. Sloan resigns, AK-47 has a sprained ankle, Bell and Price haven't played. I'm viewing this as a blessing for the Jazz that the All-Star break has arrived. If you look at the schedule, the Jazz have several winnable games after the break. Denver at home twice, the Pistons, and Pacers (on the road, but they should win those). Minnesota twice, Sacramento twice, @ Houston and @ Memphis who they should beat, etc. They got the Wizards and the Sixers coming into Utah as well, so they should win those games. Portland comes to Salt Lake the very end of the year, the Lakers at home (who are having problems of their own), and they have the low-life Toronto Raptors (on the road) whom they should destroy. That is 15 games that they should win. Plus, they got games against teams that they are competing with, so they can do double damage on multiple wins by giving themselves a W and their Western Conference foes an L. The Jazz don't have to play the Warriors or Phoenix for the rest of the year, which is nice. They don't have Orlando or Miami. They do have Boston, but that is a home game, and they can win that. As tight as everything is right now, the Jazz can still get a top 5 seed, and even a top 4 seed if things go really well. Williams needs to play better, but what they really need is health. They got a week to rest, get healthy, and regroup. It's hard for Ty Corbin to win when he's only dressing 8 players! Look at the schedule and the standings before you call the season over. They are 6 games back of the Thunder for the #4 seed and that will be a challenge to sniff, but the Thunder open with the Clippers, Spurs, Magic, and Lakers to start off the break. Easily could lose 3 of those 4 games because they are @ San Antonio and @ Orlando. The Thunder also haven't traveled to Miami yet this year. They got Atlanta on the road as well, and the Wizards and Sixers so who know if they win those. The Thunder are capable of going into a dive as well. But there is still one third of the NBA season left to play and plenty of ball left. The Jazz control their own destiny and if they play like we all know they are capable and able to do, they can right the ship. So everybody in Utah Jazz Nation just CHILL OUT!!!!!!!!!!!! Just count your blessings that the All-Star Break is here. The Jazz are tied for the 8th spot right now, but you gotta think they are gonna pick things up and be able to pass the McNuggets (who may be without 'Melo in a week), the Hornets (who don't know where they are going to re-locate) and the Blazers (who are injury prone and soft). They are 1.5 games back of Portland for the #5 spot. Those people who are calling the season over need to re-think their lives and stop living life in the moment. Take a look back at the whole picture and realize things are not out of your control. Jazz aren't going to win the NBA finals this year anyways, so if they could win a series with this new group that would be great. If they get a # 5 seed, they could do that. So just CHILL OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
CJ Miles: The X-Factor
The Jazz right now are coming out of their most horrid slumps in recent memory. An East Coast road trip that we'd all like to forget in Jazz Nation. We all remember that great road trip early in the year in which Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Charlotte were all dispatched and destroyed by the Utah Jazz. The Jazz then were playing the best basketball that they've played in years, and certainly had the best road trip in franchise history. But now they've recently lost to the likes of Washington, New Jersey, and Philadelphia on the road. A disgusting trip for sure 2 weeks ago, and certainly one that they'd like to forget about. But with all that being said they are 29-20, still safe for a playoff spot and only 2 games back of the northwest division leading Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite playing like dog vomit over the past 2 weeks they are still in prime position to get a top 3 seed out West. The Lakers are having problems of their own right now. Right now, the Lakeshow are trying to get Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, and every Laker not named Kobe Bryant to stop playing like slothful over-paid cry babies.
The Jazz have a chance to get ahead of Dallas, LA and OKC and get the 2 seed. It's not out of reach by any means. But there are things that the Jazz need to do to get that 2 spot (I've given up on the one seed, the Spurs are spanking everybody right now, and are a lock to end up first in the West). The Jazz need Deron Williams (once he's back on the court) to play at his all-star level every night. He needs to be scoring around 20 points and dishing out 10 assists every night.
Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap need to continue to dominate the paint. They need to both be able score around the basket and not settle for outside jumpers. Andrei Kirilenko and his "Go-Go Gaget Arms" as Matt Harpring likes to put it, needs to continue to wreak havoc like a Russian Spy. Raja Bell needs to develop a more consistent offensive game. I want to see Raja Bell scoring around 12 points per game. That's what I want out of Raja Bell, a consistent 12 points every game. Mehmet Okur needs to return to his usual self, hitting 3's, stretching out the defense, and cutting to the basket like he did last year. So far he's been close to a non-factor. I expect the other bench players like Gordon Hayward, Earl "The Squirrel" Watson, Ronnie Price, Francisco Elson, Jeremy Evans, and Kyrylo Fesenko to come in and provide energy, and keep the ship afloat while the starters rest.
I've mentioned 12 of their 13 players. The one player I haven't yet mentioned is the player who I have labeled the "X-Factor" of the Utah Jazz. That would be CJ Miles. CJ Miles has had some games where he's on fire, hitting 3's, scoring at will, and really changing the whole dynamic of the game from an offensive stand point. He's also had games where he's gone quiet, only scoring in the single-digits and not contributing much to the offense and honestly being a detriment at times because his shot isn't falling and his missed shots lead to fast breaks and free points for the other team. The Golden Stat for the Utah Jazz is the following: The Utah Jazz are 12-0 when CJ Miles scores 19 or more points this year. 12 of their 29 wins have come with CJ's 19 + points. The other 17 have come when he has less than 19 points. That means that the Jazz are a sub .500 team when CJ Miles has less than 19 points. 17-20 to be exact. In games where CJ gets 10 points to 18 points, they are 11-9, a little better than .500 and a crappy 6-11 when he has less than 10 points. This is a huge tell tale stat about how important CJ Miles is to this team. When he's playing at a high level, the Jazz are unbeatable, and when he's not, they are sub.500.
Why is CJ Miles so important to the Utah Jazz? Because he can provide three key things for the Jazz. #1 He provides scoring off of the bench. The rest of the Jazz bench is pretty flaky when it comes to scoring. Fesenko, Evans, Elson, Price, Watson, and even Hayward are rarely good for more than 8 points each. Hayward has had the highest scoring game of the bunch with the 17 point game that he notched against the Clippers. Hayward has the potential to become a Jeff Hornacek type guy. But back to CJ, he is by far the best scoring option off the bench. 12 times he has posted 19 points or more and every time he does that, the Jazz win. When CJ Miles doesn't score points off the bench, the rest of the bench is hard pressed to even match 20 points as a collective unit without CJ. CJ is Utah's bench from a scoring perspective. This isn't to knock the other bench players, because they all have different strengths, but it is true that CJ Miles is the only really good scoring weapon that comes off the bench for Jerry Sloan.
#2. CJ Miles stretches the floor in games where he's effective. When CJ Miles is scoring points, and that often is from the outside, the defense stretches out and gives more room for the Jazz to get the ball into guys like Jefferson and Millsap. If Miles is not playing well and is off the floor, the defense can play better interior defense because the long ball isn't a big threat. But if CJ is on the court, and he's playing well, then the defense has to guard him and give up more space in the painted area which creates more options for the low post players of Utah. Deron Williams can drive to the hole, get to the line, and create more for the team. If the defense isn't stretched out, a lot of those great cuts and attacks to the basket that the Utah Jazz do isn't happening as easily. CJ Miles gives the defense a reason to get out of the paint. It has a Randy Moss effect to it. Randy Moss is a great Wide out because he stretches the field and opens things up. CJ Miles does the same thing for Utah.
#3. CJ Miles takes pressure off the starters when he's hitting his shot. I think that this is the best aspect of CJ getting his 19 points or more. When he's scoring in bunches, Williams, Millsap, and Jefferson don't have to do as much. There isn't as much pressure on them. If they have a 2 guard that is scoring a lot of points, that means that there is now a fourth guy to share the scoring load with them. That is huge. If he is putting up massive amounts of points, then the whole offense clicks a lot better. The Jazz are a championship caliber team when CJ gets his 19+ points. The Jazz are one elite player away from a championship, and the position needed is shooting guard/small forward. A shooting guard that gets 20 points is just what the doctor ordered when it comes to prescribing a remedy or an answer to what the Jazz need to do to contend. Think about the Jazz teams that went to the Finals. They had reliable shooting guards. Jeff Hornacek and Bryon Russell were perfect complimentary players to John Stockton and Karl Malone. CJ Miles can be the same for Deron Williams and Al Jefferson. The real scary part of all this is that he comes off the bench no less. Having a 6th man that scores like that is a rare luxury that not many coaches have.
All in all, if you had to give me one player that dictates how the Jazz do, it's CJ Miles. The numbers don't lie. Williams, Jefferson, and Millsap have to play well and do their part, but when CJ Miles comes in and shares the spotlight, the Jazz are a scary team to watch. CJ gives them more points, more rest/relief, and more space on the court to work with. I always check to see if CJ Miles "Gets his 20" (I could say 19, but 20 sounds better). If he "Gets his 20" look out, because the Utah Jazz are a championship caliber team. What can the Jazz do to help CJ "Get his 20"? This is the hard part to figure out. I think a lot of has to do with CJ himself. It really is up to CJ. Some nights he just doesn't have it. He's clanging shots, he's missing 3s and in the process giving up long rebounds to help the opposition get in transition and score fastbreak points. Not a whole lot you can do to help a guy get out of a shooting rut. You don't want to go to him if he's cold. But the one thing that the Jazz can/need to do is to get CJ shots early in the game. Get him touches. Design plays to get him an easy layup or a dunk so that he can get rolling. As a fellow basketball player, I always find that my shot goes down more readily when I've hit a couple of quick little close shots. Getting even a layup in the hole can fix a shooting slump, and prevent one from ever happening. If they design plays to get his motor running they will be much more successful as a team. CJ Miles is "The X-Factor".
The Jazz have a chance to get ahead of Dallas, LA and OKC and get the 2 seed. It's not out of reach by any means. But there are things that the Jazz need to do to get that 2 spot (I've given up on the one seed, the Spurs are spanking everybody right now, and are a lock to end up first in the West). The Jazz need Deron Williams (once he's back on the court) to play at his all-star level every night. He needs to be scoring around 20 points and dishing out 10 assists every night.
Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap need to continue to dominate the paint. They need to both be able score around the basket and not settle for outside jumpers. Andrei Kirilenko and his "Go-Go Gaget Arms" as Matt Harpring likes to put it, needs to continue to wreak havoc like a Russian Spy. Raja Bell needs to develop a more consistent offensive game. I want to see Raja Bell scoring around 12 points per game. That's what I want out of Raja Bell, a consistent 12 points every game. Mehmet Okur needs to return to his usual self, hitting 3's, stretching out the defense, and cutting to the basket like he did last year. So far he's been close to a non-factor. I expect the other bench players like Gordon Hayward, Earl "The Squirrel" Watson, Ronnie Price, Francisco Elson, Jeremy Evans, and Kyrylo Fesenko to come in and provide energy, and keep the ship afloat while the starters rest.
I've mentioned 12 of their 13 players. The one player I haven't yet mentioned is the player who I have labeled the "X-Factor" of the Utah Jazz. That would be CJ Miles. CJ Miles has had some games where he's on fire, hitting 3's, scoring at will, and really changing the whole dynamic of the game from an offensive stand point. He's also had games where he's gone quiet, only scoring in the single-digits and not contributing much to the offense and honestly being a detriment at times because his shot isn't falling and his missed shots lead to fast breaks and free points for the other team. The Golden Stat for the Utah Jazz is the following: The Utah Jazz are 12-0 when CJ Miles scores 19 or more points this year. 12 of their 29 wins have come with CJ's 19 + points. The other 17 have come when he has less than 19 points. That means that the Jazz are a sub .500 team when CJ Miles has less than 19 points. 17-20 to be exact. In games where CJ gets 10 points to 18 points, they are 11-9, a little better than .500 and a crappy 6-11 when he has less than 10 points. This is a huge tell tale stat about how important CJ Miles is to this team. When he's playing at a high level, the Jazz are unbeatable, and when he's not, they are sub.500.
Why is CJ Miles so important to the Utah Jazz? Because he can provide three key things for the Jazz. #1 He provides scoring off of the bench. The rest of the Jazz bench is pretty flaky when it comes to scoring. Fesenko, Evans, Elson, Price, Watson, and even Hayward are rarely good for more than 8 points each. Hayward has had the highest scoring game of the bunch with the 17 point game that he notched against the Clippers. Hayward has the potential to become a Jeff Hornacek type guy. But back to CJ, he is by far the best scoring option off the bench. 12 times he has posted 19 points or more and every time he does that, the Jazz win. When CJ Miles doesn't score points off the bench, the rest of the bench is hard pressed to even match 20 points as a collective unit without CJ. CJ is Utah's bench from a scoring perspective. This isn't to knock the other bench players, because they all have different strengths, but it is true that CJ Miles is the only really good scoring weapon that comes off the bench for Jerry Sloan.
#2. CJ Miles stretches the floor in games where he's effective. When CJ Miles is scoring points, and that often is from the outside, the defense stretches out and gives more room for the Jazz to get the ball into guys like Jefferson and Millsap. If Miles is not playing well and is off the floor, the defense can play better interior defense because the long ball isn't a big threat. But if CJ is on the court, and he's playing well, then the defense has to guard him and give up more space in the painted area which creates more options for the low post players of Utah. Deron Williams can drive to the hole, get to the line, and create more for the team. If the defense isn't stretched out, a lot of those great cuts and attacks to the basket that the Utah Jazz do isn't happening as easily. CJ Miles gives the defense a reason to get out of the paint. It has a Randy Moss effect to it. Randy Moss is a great Wide out because he stretches the field and opens things up. CJ Miles does the same thing for Utah.
#3. CJ Miles takes pressure off the starters when he's hitting his shot. I think that this is the best aspect of CJ getting his 19 points or more. When he's scoring in bunches, Williams, Millsap, and Jefferson don't have to do as much. There isn't as much pressure on them. If they have a 2 guard that is scoring a lot of points, that means that there is now a fourth guy to share the scoring load with them. That is huge. If he is putting up massive amounts of points, then the whole offense clicks a lot better. The Jazz are a championship caliber team when CJ gets his 19+ points. The Jazz are one elite player away from a championship, and the position needed is shooting guard/small forward. A shooting guard that gets 20 points is just what the doctor ordered when it comes to prescribing a remedy or an answer to what the Jazz need to do to contend. Think about the Jazz teams that went to the Finals. They had reliable shooting guards. Jeff Hornacek and Bryon Russell were perfect complimentary players to John Stockton and Karl Malone. CJ Miles can be the same for Deron Williams and Al Jefferson. The real scary part of all this is that he comes off the bench no less. Having a 6th man that scores like that is a rare luxury that not many coaches have.
All in all, if you had to give me one player that dictates how the Jazz do, it's CJ Miles. The numbers don't lie. Williams, Jefferson, and Millsap have to play well and do their part, but when CJ Miles comes in and shares the spotlight, the Jazz are a scary team to watch. CJ gives them more points, more rest/relief, and more space on the court to work with. I always check to see if CJ Miles "Gets his 20" (I could say 19, but 20 sounds better). If he "Gets his 20" look out, because the Utah Jazz are a championship caliber team. What can the Jazz do to help CJ "Get his 20"? This is the hard part to figure out. I think a lot of has to do with CJ himself. It really is up to CJ. Some nights he just doesn't have it. He's clanging shots, he's missing 3s and in the process giving up long rebounds to help the opposition get in transition and score fastbreak points. Not a whole lot you can do to help a guy get out of a shooting rut. You don't want to go to him if he's cold. But the one thing that the Jazz can/need to do is to get CJ shots early in the game. Get him touches. Design plays to get him an easy layup or a dunk so that he can get rolling. As a fellow basketball player, I always find that my shot goes down more readily when I've hit a couple of quick little close shots. Getting even a layup in the hole can fix a shooting slump, and prevent one from ever happening. If they design plays to get his motor running they will be much more successful as a team. CJ Miles is "The X-Factor".
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