Minnesota: We lost that lovin feeling....

  This summer in the NBA is a pretty special one.  Starting Thursday we have a rematch of last years finals With the Spurs versus the Heat. Which proved to be a great series.  This will be the first time since the 97-98 season in which we have had the same two teams return to the finals.  The last teams to do so were the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls.  Kind of ironic, considering these two teams are fashioned similar to the Jazz and Bulls of the 90's.  Should make for another great series.

  Then in a few weeks we have the most coveted draft since Lebron James came in to the league.  A draft deep on talent with the top 3-4 players considered franchise building/cornerstone type players.  Four days following the draft, free agency begins with big names like James, Wade, Bosh, Nowitzki, Anthony all having the ability to find a new home if they so choose.

  But the biggest name being talked about is not a draft pick, not a free agent to be, but a player that is under contract next season.  A player that seemingly holds all the power in their hands due to an early out clause in his contract that could make him a free agent in the summer of 14-15, that being Kevin Love.

  Love has been been a Timberwolf  his entire career having been drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies and traded on draft day 2008 to Minnesota.  In his six years in Minnesota, the Timberwolves are yet to make the playoffs much to the dismay of Love.  So much so that there was a rumor at the beginning of last season that Love had requested to be traded.  The rumor was denied by both love and the franchise but the foundation had been laid.  Love was not happy and Minnesota need to appease him by adding quality teammates or lose him in free agency.  Minnesota chose to call Love's bluff and did not trade him before the deadline last season.

Bringing us to present day.....

  Love and his camp have officially lobbied for a trade now and are no longer denying their desire to move on.  As for Minnesota, they seem to want to believe it is all a bad dream.  They continue to hold to the fact that Love is under contract for the next season and that they fully expect him to play for the Timberwolves.  There have been hints and rumors that Minnesota is softening its stance on trading Love as they know they can not let him walk or lose him for nothing.

And that is where things get difficult.

  With Love having an early termination clause on his contract and technically only being under contract for the following season, he has all the power or control over where he gets traded.  At this point no team seems to be willing to role the dice on Love without the assurance that he will sign an extension.  The one team that might would be the Los Angles Lakers who did so with Dwight Howard who in turn left money on the table and left the lights of L.A. for greener pastures in Houston Texas.

  But this is different, as the Lakers are supposedly a preferred destination for Kevin Love.  It would be unlikely that the Lakers would need that assurance from Love, as he is a west coast guy, a southern California guy having been born in Santa Monica.   Last year Love was asked about playing for the Lakers and said that he was not sure the Lakers were a better situation than he was currently in in Minnesota.  He went as far as to say the Timberwolves were the better team.  True at the time.....

  But are we to believe that Love doesn't really want to play for the Lakers?  I believe that if he could choose and all things were equal, there is no way he turns down the Lakers.

  So what other options are there?  Cleveland did just win the #1 pick in this summers draft.  They are said to be in a "win now" situation and seem to be likely suitors for Love.  What about the Phoenix Suns?  They have multiple first round picks as well as a couple of young assets they could move.  The Suns first round picks include 14,18 and 27.  Is the combination of those picks and Gerald Green appealing?  What about the Chicago Bulls?  They have picks 16 and 19 the expiring contract of Carlos Boozer.  Maybe Jimmy Butler, Tony Snell.  Its unlikely they give up Taj Gibson....Or the Golden State Warriors.  They have no pick this year, but have young players like Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes.  Many Jazz fans have clamored to get in the Love sweepstakes and the Jazz do have both picks and assets to do so, but I find it hard to believe the Jazz could get the assurance that Love would sign and extension.

Now we have the Flavor of the Month, the Boston Celtics.

  This weekend was a hot weekend for Love and Celtics rumors.  As Love took in a Red Sox game at Fenway.  It was also reported that Rajon Rondo happen to be at the same game.  There was also the this tweet from Red Sox DH David Ortiz, #cityofchampions.  As well as the rumored communication with Celtics legend Bill Walton.  Again, do the Celtics have the pieces to make this happen?  First off, they have a relationship with Minnesota thanks to a trade years ago in which a very similar situation was transpiring with then Timber wolf Kevin Garnett.  The Celtics also have picks 6 and 17 in this years draft.  They actually have 17 first round picks stockpiled in the next 10 years!  So picks, they have the assets.  What about players?  They have a good young small forward in Jeff Green, a young power forward in Jared Sullinger, big man Kelly Olynyk and veteran Gerald Wallace.  If the Celtics look to make the deal it is unlikely that they add Rajan Rondo, who too has been rumored to be on the trading block.  So clearly the Celtics have the assets.

  This may be the best situation for Love.  He would get the big market he so desires.  Would have the opportunity to play with a great point guard in Rajon Rondo and the Celtics will likely have picks and the flexibility to add a few other pieces to their two studs.  Personally, if Love is going to go somewhere, this is one place that I would like to see him.  One, it keeps him from the Lakers and two he is on the east coast.  I would like to see a little more balance in the conferences and this would help move towards that.

  Its only a matter of time at at this point.  Love has said he wants to be traded before the season and with the teams in play its likely that a trade gets done in the next couple of weeks.  Where ever Mr.Love ends up, I hope that he is able to get back "that loving feeling" again....

Intrigue at the NBA draft Combine

  The NBA held its annul Draft Combine on May 15th and 16th last week.  There wasn't much hype going in to the combine due to the number of high level players pulling out.  Players such as Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid did not participate.  There were also a number of them that were in attendance that only performed the athletic testing.  Some of those players were Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon and Dante Exum.

  Going in the the combine Exum was the player most fans and teams wanted to see perform.  He participated in the measurements and testing and he was one of a handful of intriguing prospects.  Others included, Zach LaVine of UCLA, Arizona's Aaron Gordon, Wichita State's Cleanthony Early, Florida's Patrick Young and Michigan's Glen Robinson III.  Lets take a quick look....

Dante Exum-

31.5" no step vertical jump
34.5" max vertical jump
10.75 lane agility
Measured at 6'6" in shoes
6'9" wing span
196 lbs

  While not the elite athlete some thought he might be, Exum tested very well.  He was run through the athletic testing with the shooting guards.  He actually tested the highest over all of all the shooting guards.  Exum considers himself a point guard and with his measurables and athleticism he has the potential to be an elite level point guard in the league.

Zach LaVine-

33.5" no step vertical jump
41.5" max vertical jump
10.42 lane agility
Measured 6'5.75" in shoes
6'8.75" wing wpan
180 lbs

  LaVine stole the show at the combine.  He was clearly the best athlete of anyone tested.  What makes it even more interesting, he was interviewed by ESPN's Andy Katz. and was asked by Katz what position he sees himself playing.  He answered the point guard, but was willing to play the shooting guard or small forward, what ever the coach needed.  If LaVine turns out to be a Point Guard he has all the same measurements as Exum, but also has elite level athleticism.  He also participated with the point guards in the on court drills and was a standout.  LaVine also has a decent shot that does not appear broken.  All in all, he may have more to work with than Exum, you just might have to wait a little longer.

Aaron Gordon-

32.5" no step vertical jump
39.5" max vertical jump
10.81 lane agility
Measured 6'8.75" in shoes
6'11.75" wing span

  Coming in most people knew Aaron Gordon was a freak athlete.  He did not disappoint.  For a player at basically 6'9" and to have a sub 11 second agility drill is impressive.  Even more impressive is having nearly 40" vertical!  After the vertical testing was complete, Andy Katz spoke with Gordon and asked him what he thought, Gordon said that he was a little disappointed with his vertical, said that his highest test ever was 42"!
That is unreal for a player of his size.  While Gordon did not participate in any of the on court drills he did mention that he has been working on his shot and his free throws, the two biggest concerns for teams in regards to Gordon.  He mentioned there was a disconnect between his jumper and how he shot it at the line and that he had worked on that and corrected it.

Cleanthony Early-

34" no step vertical jump
40" max vertical jump
11.15 lane agility
Measured 6'7.25" in shoes
6'10.75" wing span

  Cleanthony Early went from being undrafted to second round pick and now possibly solidifying himself as a first round pick.  Early participated in both the on court drills as well as the testing for the small forwards and was very successful.  Early had a great run in the NCAA tournament and put up some big numbers versus Kentucky and their star studded lineup.  This is where most people started to take notice.  Early shot the ball really well in drills and clearly was putting in work.  I think the thing that stood out the most to people, was his athletic testing numbers.  He showed good quickness with his agility testing, but he had elite athleticism with his vertical jump.  With Wiggins and Parker as the top two small forward studs there is plenty of room for a player of Early's caliber to end up on a team with a need at small forward....(Utah Jazz)

Patrick Young-

32" no step vertical jump
37" max vertical jump
11.18 lane agility
25 bench reps
Measure 6'10" in shoes
7'1.75" wing span
246 lbs

  If you are looking for a physical monster, you found it in Florida's Patrick Young.  At 246 lbs and still having a 37" vertical leap!  Who is going to want to challenge this guy?  He also showed great lateral quickness for a man his size, making him valuable in both rim protection and the pick and roll.  Young at one time was considered a late second rounder, but with these kind of numbers teams that made the playoffs that maybe  looking to add depth or a rotation big, Young would be the perfect fit.  There is a lot to like about this kid although he may not have the potential or upside that some of these other younger players may have.

Glen Robinson III-

36.5" no step vertical jump
41.5" max vertical jump
11.22 lane agility
Measure 6'6.75" in shoes
6'10" wing span
211 lbs

  Glen Robinson III has the pedigree.  His dad was a fantastic pro.  GR3 had a better than expected freshman year but then followed in up with what many consider to be a sub-par sophomore season.  Robinson, in my opinion is going to one of those players that is a better NBA pro than college player.  While he is a bit of a tweener (SG/SF) he has the athleticism and quickness to guard either position.  While he may lack elite length, he makes up for with strength and I have to give him something for the pedigree.  Having a father that played in the league goes a long way for these kids and can help them prepare for the rigors of the NBA.  I believe Robinson is one of those players.  He is going to be a nice piece that someone is going to get late first round early second.

Wiggins rumored to be between 42-44"

  While this years combine may not have had the big names people were hoping to see it still had plenty of intriguing performance that are going to give NBA front offices a lot to think about.

http://stats.nba.com/draftCombine.html

NBA Playoff's have been great. Except....

  The first round of the 2014 NBA playoffs have been absolutely fantastic!  The games have been what every NBA fan could hope for.  And to be completely honest the games should be the story, but unfortunately they are not.  The league is mired in controversy thanks to the ignorance of one "entitled billionaire"  While I have my opinion and share the opinion as many others, I am not going to let this buffoon ruin my love for the NBA or the Playoffs.  Adam Silver will handle his business and I will wait for his decision.

  So lets move on.....

  Lets talk about how great the Playoffs have been thus far.  There have been 7 overtime games already!  There have only been a couple of blowouts and only one series that has been dominated by one team.  There has been drama and excitement in every series.  This is why I watch playoff basketball.  Lets run down the series.

Dallas Maverick vs. San Antonio Spurs-

  This is the best series no one is watching.  For the basketball purist, this series has been a lot of fun.  These two team are the two "old men" teams at the Y or the Rec center that have played together since the dinosaurs walked the earth!  The execute you to death, play good defense and can flat out shoot.  At one point in game two, I watch Jose Calederon hit 4 straight jumpers from the left elbow, all pure.  But that was to be overshadowed by Vince Carter turning back the clock and hitting an unbelievable 3 in the corner for the win.  Right after Manu Ginobli had given the Spurs the lead on a great drive to the basket.  Fantastic series!

Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers-

  This is a bad match-up for the Pacers.  The Hawks penetration and kick game has been unstoppable.  Jeff Teague has shown his superior speed and quickness and has given Indiana fits.  The Pacers Roy Hibbert is having a complete melt down and Lance Stephenson just wants to dribble the ball for the entire 24 seconds on the shot clock.  To be honest the Pacers are such a mess I find myself pulling for the Hawks and the upset to see how "Larrry Legend" handles things and if he blows up that team.

Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors-

  This one is going to come down to will....period!  The series is tied 2-2 with both teams having one a road game.  These teams don't like each other and it has been chippy at times.  Paul Pierce did what Paul Pierce does in the playoffs, he closed out game one for the Nets in Toronto.  This series has a bit of a "David vs Goliath" feel to it and Toronto is giving Brooklyn everything they can handle.  Deron Williams really has been a non-factor in the series thus far.  Game four he was held to 10 pts.  If the Nets want to move on Williams will have to be much better and play up to the contract that he received.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder-

  This series has been interesting.  The series is ties 2-2 but could very well be 3-1 for either team.  There have been a number of 4 point plays in this series and some really boneheaded plays to close out games by Tony Allen.  Luckily for him, the Grizz have been able to hold on.  3 of the 4 games in this series alone have gone to overtime!  Gotta love bonus basketball!  Now we have a 3 game series and if it is anything like the first 4, you would be wise to tune in.

Los Angles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors-

  This series is tied at two games a piece but would likely be 3-1 for the Clips had Sterling joined the 21st century.  I can't even call him an owner or Mr. he does not deserve even that consideration.  No one can tell me that this won't be a major distraction for the Clippers the remainder of the playoffs, regardless of Adam Silver's investigation.  Here is a team that had a legitimate chance of making the finals and now who knows where their heads will be.  This will be the ultimate test for Doc Rivers and his staff to get these kids refocused on the task at hand.  Best of luck to the Clips.

Charlotte Bobcats vs. Miami Heat-

  Gotta be honest here, I had hoped that the Cats could give Miami a little better series.  But with Big Al's injury that just wasn't going to happen.  Give it to the big fella, he is out there battling, but he is not 100% and that is what it was going to take to give Miami a series.  Lebron is doing what Lebron does, leading his team.  Dwayne Wade looks relatively healthy but time will tell.  This was the best first round match-up for the Heat as they won't have to overextend anyone and can continue to nurse their bumps and bruises.

Portland Trailblazers vs. Houston Rockets-

  In my opinion, this has been the most entertaining series thus far.  LaMarcus Aldrige has been amazing scoring 46,43,23 and 29 respectively!  The Rockets have had no answer for him.  James Harden has been ineffective and inefficient in the series.  Game 3 had a game winner by a rookie Troy Daniels playing in his first playoff game! Game 4 was all about grit and toughness.  It went to overtime where the Blazers pulled out a win 123-120.  The series is 3-1 Portland with the Blazers looking to close it out in Houston on Wednesday.

Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls-

  Can't say I saw this one coming!  This series has been all Wiz and their team balance.  The Bulls are known as a defensive juggernaut but they simply can not score.  Mike Dunleavy had an outburst in game 3 scoring 35 pts hitting eight 3 pointers and giving the Bulls their only win of the series.  The Wiz will look to close it out on Tuesday in Chicago.

  This is why we watch.  To watch these incredible athletes compete and give it everything physically possible to give their team a chance.  I love this time of year and am not going to let one moron be the focus of this great game and these great series.

The Blueprints: What the Utah Jazz are trying to build

  So far we have taken a look at the foundation of the Utah Jazz and also some of the "Raw Materials" that they have to work with.  As stated previously, I feel optimistic with the pieces the Jazz have and what they feel should be the foundation for the organization going forward.

  Now lets take a look at the "blueprints" for the Utah Jazz.  First off, we should define "blueprints"  I would consider the blueprints to be the design or concepts to building this franchise.  The blueprints could include certain "materials" and dimensions of "materials" needed to build the structure the Jazz are looking for.  It could also provide some instruction and definition as to how those materials and concepts are to be used.

  Now that we have an understanding as to what the "blueprints" could or should contain, lets begin to draw the "blueprints" for the Utah Jazz franchise.

  To begin, there must be a concept.  Everything that this franchise does or will do will be predicated off of a concept.  So there are a handful of different concepts out there that the Utah Jazz can look at or adopt.  The Jazz can look to be a defensive elite team, a balanced team, an offensive juggernaut and I would say one wild card, that being the superstar conglomerate.  There are also subsets to each of these concepts that can give the franchise a more detailed picture or "blueprint"  We can classify teams right now that are running each of these concepts.  Defensive elites consist of the Chicago Bulls, Indian Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies.  The well balanced teams look to be the Golden State Warriors, Portland Trailblazers, Toronto Raptors and everyone's favorite the San Antonio Spurs.  Offensive juggernauts look like the Houston Rockets, Los Angles Clippers and believe it or not the Washington Wizards .  Then we have our superstar conglomerates consisting of the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and the Knicks tried but failed miserably.

  So what concept is the best for the Utah Jazz?  While we would all love to be a superstar conglomerate, we know that the market of Utah and the stigma attached will likely never allow for that.  So lets just toss that one out now.  That leaves us with our 3 main categories.  Dennis Lindsey wants defense.  Hardcore Jazz fans and those with a knowledge of the game also want defense.  The casual fan needs to be entertained so the likely lean towards the offensive side of things.  Granted you are never going to make everyone happy but what if you go with a well balanced team?  For the Jazz, you end up as the San Antonio Spurs and no one wants to watch you because your boring, slow and do the same thing over and over.  The Spurs have been in the playoffs for the the last 17 years!  They have competed for championships in better than half of those 17 years.  Is that such a bad thing?

  Also, look at what is taking place in the playoffs as we speak, the #1 seed Indiana Pacers are down 2-1 to the #8 seed Atlanta Hawks.  Indiana is an defensive elite team that can not score the ball!  The Houston Rockets, an offensive juggernaut the #4 seed are down 2-0 to the well balanced #5 seed Portland Trailblazers.  Teams that are one extreme or the other perform well during the regular season and can stack up wins.  When it comes to the playoffs teams have more time to game plan.  A balanced team can adjust and change some of their subsets to the concepts that they run and exploit their opponents weaknesses.  It is much harder for a team that is offensive or defensive heavy to make those adjustment late in the season or on the fly in a series.

  Now where would this concept and the subsets come from?  I am going to say two places, the "Engineer and the Foreman"  The "Engineer" I would tab as Dennis Lindsey.  The "Foreman" would be the coach and staff that are brought in to develop these concepts.  What type of foremen is Lindsey looking for?  There have been a number of names and possible candidates out there but the hiring process has yet to begin.  Also President Randy Rigby mentioned that this will not simply be a Dennis Lindsey hire.  He stated that Dennis is looking for input from all parts of the organization.  I believe that will be to the benefit of the entire franchise as they narrow down the search.  Once the decision is made on who that "foreman" is going to be, will we have a better idea of what direction and what concepts the Utah Jazz are looking to use.

  With that said that and the "raw materials" the Utah Jazz have it makes complete sense to choose the concept of a balanced team.  The Jazz have defenders in Favors and Gobert.  They have offensive spark plugs like Alec Burks Enes Kanter.  The also have well balanced players like Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke.  I believe if you add that one "superstar" and the correct  "foreman" you have the design for a structure that can be extremely successful.

 

Raw Materials: What the Utah Jazz have to work with

  A few days ago we began the discussion of building a foundation for the Utah Jazz.  Some of the "keys" that were discussed was the need for a "foundation" or principals and concepts.  We know that Dennis Lindsey has said that he wants a great defensive team, that likely being the number one principal that Lindsey is looking for.  Another principal that I believe that Lindsey is looking for is a "2 big" system.  His quotes as of the last couple games of the season and since, seem to insist on Kanter and Favors playing together.  That brings us to the "Cornerstone" Derrick Favors.  He is the key to the defensive principals and concepts that Lindsey appears to have in mind.  He is also a key figure in what appears to be a 2 big system.

  With those things in mind, lets take a look at the "Raw Materials" the Jazz have to work with in building this foundation for a successful franchise for years to come.  I wanted to look at some of the numbers for the Jazz young core coming in to the league.  I was able to pull players NBA Draft Combine numbers from Draft Express  http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre-draft-measurements/  It is likely that some of these numbers have actually increased for some of the players with all the work they do at P3 in the off season.  This should give us a decent baseline for some of the physical characteristics as well as some of their athleticism numbers.  These numbers should give us an idea of potential for the young core, if they are put in a system that takes advantage of these attributes and allows them to be successful.

  Trey Burke-

Wingspan 6'5"
Agility 11.20
Sprint 3.16

  I was surprised to find that Trey's wingspan was actually an inch longer than thought going in to the combine.  He shows good lateral quickness with the agility drill and his sprint time is good.  For comparison, Mike Conley Jr is often the comparison for Trey.  Conley agility time was 11.63 and his wingspan is equal at 6'5.75".  With the tools Trey has to work with he should be a better defender than he was this season.  Granted he was a rookie and is learning the pro game and the physicality of it, but Trey has all the tools to be an above average defender.  He has considerable length and could learn to play the passing lanes similar to Conley.

Alec Burks-

Wingspan 6'10"
Agility 10.96
Sprint 3.17

  To say I was surprised by Trey's wingspan, I was shocked by Alec's.  Here is a player with the tools to be an elite defender in my opinion.  He has incredible length for his size, has decent lateral quickness and has a burst that not many have at his size.  Alec's weakest point may be that lateral quickness.  It shows in game, as he struggles to get over screens.  Alec is good straight up, but when that screen comes it throws him off his game.  This is where he should be taking advantage of the great length he has and over playing to push away from the screen.  Alec has some of the best numbers but may lack some understanding to the concepts that were taught.  Given the right concept Alec should be able to wreak havoc in the passing lanes, as well as a help side shot blocker.  Not to mention his ability to stay in front of his man straight up.

Gordon Hayward-

Wingspan 6'7.75"
Agility 11.73
Sprint 3.22

  What Gordon lacks in mind-blowing numbers he makes up for with surprisingly high athletic numbers and smarts.  Gordon's no step vertical jump actually comes out at 30.5".  That is an inch less than Gerald Green of the Phoenix Suns, and we all know what type of athlete he is.  Gordon's max vertical jump is 34.5"  For comparison sake, Gordon's lateral quickness is actually better than Jimmy Butler of Chicago, who is widely consider to be a good defender.  Gordon is a good team defender and does a great job fighting over the tops of screens.  I think what really helps Gordon defensively, is he does his "homework" early.  He knows where his opponent wants to get to and fights them early and tries to push them off their spots.

Derrick Favors-

Wingspan 7'4"
Agility 11.74
Sprint 3.25

  We all know that Derrick has incredible length and athleticism.  Little needs to be discussed as far as his "tools" go.  What may be lacking from Derrick is that knowledge of defense, concepts and positioning.  I guess it could be simplified down to basketball IQ.  I believe that time on the court and in the film room will be the keys to his development.  He needs to do that "homework" that was discussed with Gordon.  He needs to understand personnel and put in the work early to push them off their spots.

Enes Kanter-

Wingspan 7'1.5"
Agility 11.30
Sprint 3.26

  This is where things get very interesting.  Enes has some unreal numbers for a guy his size and position.  The most surprising is the lateral quickness.  Enes has the foot speed that he should be able to defend a hard hedge on the pick and roll and still have the quicks to get back to his man.  As we all know all to well, that does not seem to be the case.  So why is that? The numbers say that he should be able to do that.  I think Enes has the same issue that Derrick does.  Lack of court and film time.  Defensive instincts are natural for some players like Rudy Gobert.  Others, like Enes need to be taught.  Defense is a concept that I feel can be taught to any player.  It is a concept of effort more often than the tools that a player has.  Enes has the "tools" but lacks the knowledge and understanding of the game.  The question is how long do you want to wait for those attributes to develop?

Rudy Gobert-

Wingspan 7'8.5"
Agility 12.85
Sprint 3.57

  Rudy's physical size is amazing!  He is so long and has huge hands.  Rudy does not have the lateral quickness which is a given, but that length is very effective in the pick and roll situation, forcing the guard to have to swing out wider than they would like.  It also makes the pass extremely difficult on the pick and pop.  While the lateral quickness and sprint seem a bit slow to me, I can safely say that I have seen improvement through out the season in Rudy's quickness.  As great as the physical numbers are for Rudy, you can't overstate his natural defensive instincts and his will to be a GREAT defender.  He understands where is his bread is buttered.

  These players are the "raw materials" the Jazz have to work with.  They have other pieces that are currently on the roster that will help build this team.  Guys like Jeremy Evans and Diante Garrett both have great length for their size.  Jeremy has other-worldly athleticism and Diante does a good job laterally and playing the passing lanes.  I look at these players and the numbers therein and find myself optimistic.  Given the right concepts, development and coaching I feel these players could be the core of a top 10 defensive team.

  Going  forward, I will discuss some concepts both offensively and defensively that could be used to make these players successful and continue to build upon the foundation. I will also try to touch on possible coaching candidates and how they might fit with this young group.  Again Jazz fans, there is a lot to be excited about!

GO JAZZ!

The Foundation: Utah Jazz

The 2013-2014 NBA season is now over for the Utah Jazz, and if you are completely honest with yourself, its exactly what was expected.  The Jazz went 25-57.  If I remember right that is exactly where Vegas had them.  There were ups and downs, Missing Trey for the first 14 games of the season really put the team in a hole and stunted the growth as a team and for players individually.  But its basketball and those are the breaks.  The Jazz had other significant injuries to the likes of Derrick Favors, Marvin Williams, Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans.  Missing any of those players on a team that has very little depth can be costly. The Jazz battled all season and we were able to see some tremendous growth.  I was quite pleased with the offensive strides of both Derrick and Jeremy.  Alec Burks was unbelievable all season and became one of the leagues more valuable 6th men.  Lastly, Trey Burkes progression as team leader and point guard.  The Development was slow and methodical, but it was clear the last 15 games of the season that the game was slowing down for him.  His vision was better, and he saw more opportunities not only for himself but also for his teammates.  Most importantly, he learned how to push the basketball and to be agressive.  This dynamic makes this young team so much better, as they are long and very athletic, giving them a chance to use those talents and make early, easy buckets.

Now on to the offseason....

With so many questions on the horizon, its clear the Jazz need to develop a "foundation"  It was pretty clear when Dennis Lindsay took over the majority of the duties last summer what that foundation would be, Defense.  The words came from the horses mouth. he wants an upper echelon defensive team.  He does not want a middle of the pack, adequate, defensive team.  He sees this as a key to building a contender and let his actions speak that by locking up arugably the Jazz best defender and defensive "corner stone", Derrick Favors, to a 4yr contract extention.
 
  But no stucture is complete with just a corner stone.  As is the Story with the Utah Jazz.  This summer the Jazz will be tasked with finding and developing those additional materials need to complete the structure that Dennis Lindsay has laid out before them.  I believe that starts with defensive schemes or concepts.  Now whether dennis is going to leave that up to the coaching staff or if he is going to use his powers of persuasion to assert a system is yet to be seen.  I believe that is of the utmost importantance this summer for the Jazz to find that concept.  In doing so, I believe there is a great deal of research that needs to be done to determine what concepts or schemes would be best suited for the players that are currently on this roster and are likely to be here for some time.  I believe the Jazz will go this route as opposed to finding the concept and then bringing in players to fit that concept, simply because at this point the Jazz do not have an identity as a defense and it is much easier to work with the pieces that you have as opposed to trying to secure new pieces for your scheme or concept. 

  Over the next couple of weeks I am going to try to "walk Through it" as a front office might.  The next segment in this small series will consist of some of that research in to the pieces that the Jazz currently have, some of their strengths, and unfortunately, their glaring weaknesses. 

  So stay tuned Jazz fans. this is going to be one of the most entertaining offseasons in Jazz History!

(P.S. The top 3 sounds really nice!)

Need good Karma, GO Jazz!

Just some thoughts....

As a Jazz Fan....

  Over the last couple of weeks I have been asking myself a number of questions as a Jazz fan.  Somethings that left me a bit perplexed and others that down right frustrated me.  It left me wondering if I am the only one seeing and feeling these things.  So I am going to put it out there, what are your thoughts?

  Offensive concepts....the Jazz run the FLEX as much if not more than the pick and roll.  They seem to run the FLEX to exhaustion.  They don't seem to take advantage of the first good shot available.  We know how the Jazz suffer with pace of play and this could help alleviate some of that.  Versus the Warriors, there were a number of opportunities for Kanter, Favors and Evans to shoot that 17 footer, the Warriors just packed it in.  The Jazz never eve looked at the shot as an option.  You have to take it to make it and even if you don't make it the team has to honor that shot as an option and will then open up the floor.

  I think the casual fan could tell that Alec Burks is ELITE with the ball in his hands attacking the basket. Really has been since he has come in to the league. Granted there has been some development in that process, but why has it taken 2 1/2 years for this staff to put him in position to succeed or be a force?

  I think the same can be said with all of our bigs. Favors and Kanter demand double teams simply because of their size, but the Jazz are content to let guys CHUCK JUMPERS! It is the staffs responsibility to teach these young players and make the game easier for them. If you want to chuck jumpers fine, but at least make it easier for those shooting the jumpers. That starts inside out. Make teams double the bigs, teach the bigs to kick it out for the OPEN jumper.  While all of this sounds nice, I am not so sure the Jazz have the shot makers to make this happen?

  I have been watching Trey really closely in the P & R not sure why his first instinct isn't to attack the basket! WHY? If Trey attacks it puts pressure on the D, rotations need to be made, players are caught out of position and our offense gets easier. I have been so obsessed with this that I have been trying to chase down Trey's college shot chart to see where the majority of his offense came from in college. I was surprised to find out that Trey's 2pt attempts to 3 pt attempts was better than 2/1. I also found that on average Trey went to the free-throw line 4.3 times a game. If you look at these #'s (and they are an inexact science) Trey has regressed in this offense. He shoots primarily 3's (what the offense seems to give him) and he never, and I mean NEVER goes to the line! This is disconcerting.

If the Jazz continue on this path for the next X amount of time, they will be the Atlanta hawks, "always the bridesmaid, never the bride" mired in mediocrity for years to come and playoff fodder.....

Coming to grips with change, Utah Jazz Edition....

  Wow, its been far too long!  The Utah Jazz have 5 games left in this "season of discovery" and to be honest I don't think those last 5 games can come soon enough!  As the season comes to a close, I am not going to look back at what is or what could have been but want to look forward to the future.  In doing so, Jazz fans (myself included) are going to have to accept change.

  Change is never easy and can be down right painful at times.  With that said, change is a necessity that must occur for this team fulfill its lofty expectations.  Change must occur for this franchise to reclaim its position as a model franchise in the NBA.  Change must happen and I am coming to grips with that.

  As the season has progressed I have watched every single game.  I have endured beat downs, like the one Golden State gave them yesterday.  I have enjoyed seeing this team pull off wins that they weren't supposed to get.  I have watched them pull out close games at the end that they tried to give away.  But at the end of the day, its just not good enough.  This team is not good enough.  This coaching staff is not good enough.

  Moving in to the off-season, there will be a number of "rip the band-aid off" moments.  Ty Corbin, a great guy, a good player development guy, may not be back with this ball club, and I am okay with that. There are a number of Jazz fans that feel Ty should be back and can be anchor or stabilizing force going forward.  If that is the decision that the front office makes, I am okay with that also.

 The hardest thing for me to swallow will be the loss of players that I feel will be good NBA player or valuable pieces to this squad, but will likely not be back.  This goes from top to bottom, vets like Richard Jefferson and Marvin Williams.  Two guys who's value to this team can not be overstated.  They have been the consummate professionals and have taught young players like Gordon and Alec what it takes to be successful.  Both players at seasons end are unrestricted free-agents and have every right to look for "greener pastures"  I wish them the best.


  This also includes players that were considered to be the "young core" or the core going forward.  Gordon Hayward will be a restricted free-agent and will likely see plenty of money thrown his way.  Alec Burks and Enes Kanter will both be up for extensions to their rookie deals.  Neither guaranteed to get an extension.  Guys like Ian Clark, Malcom Thomas, Diante Garrett, some of whom never seemed to get a shot to show what they could do, all with a team option that may not be picked up.


  All of these possible changes and really only one guarantee, Derrick Favors.  The lone center piece and building block that this team likely will not see changed.  I have been pleased with Favors progress on the offensive side of the ball.  He has put in a lot of work there and still has a considerable amount of room to grow.  I would like to have seen more intensity and better rebounding numbers from Derrick but I think those will increase with time and understanding of the game.

  Lastly,  I would also like to have seen Derrick and Enes develop more together as a pair.  I have been a strong believer that these two could play together and could be a force in the front court for years to come.  Now I am starting to wonder if that will ever happen.  I also am wondering if in fact, it should happen.  Maybe this team would be better with someone else paired along side Derrick.  Maybe this team would be better with Favors and Gobert as the young front court of the future, I don't know....

  What I do know is changes are sure to come this off-season.  Players and coaches will come and go.  This team may actually be worse next year than they have been this year.  All these possibilities will be hard to swallow, but they are all a necessary step in restoring one of the NBA's model franchises.

Impose your will....or not....

  Okay Jazz fans, I want you to scan your memory banks.  Look hard.  You may need to take a look in the way back machine, but here is the question, when was the last time a Jazz team imposed their will on an opponent? I am not talking about for a game or a stretch, but where a team knows that they are going to be in for a fight.  Figure it out yet?  Exactly....its been a long time, a really long time.  Dare I say back to the Jerry Sloan days?  Think about that, if I am being kind, I would say maybe the year that Jazz made a Western Conference Finals run with Deron and Booz.  But that is being generous.

  The last time the Jazz had a team that imposed their will upon an opponent would be the days of Stockton and Malone.  Those teams did what they wanted night in and night out.  You knew they were going to run the pick and roll with John and Karl.  You knew they were going to run the FLEX with Hornacek coming of a pick to hit that elbow jumper.  You knew that if you took the ball to the hoop Malone or Ostertag were going to foul you hard.  You were going to earn those points.

Fast Forward....

  For the past 5 years this Jazz team has been imposed upon.  5 years!  In a "season of discovery" and an opportunity to discover what assets, if any, the Jazz continue to play to their opponent.  We can look at this a number of ways.  From match-ups, to offensive and defensive game plans.  The Jazz never say this is who we are, or this is what we are going to do, now stop it.  Granted the Jazz can beat themselves at this with poor execution, bad personnel match-ups etc.  But this team has not said, this is who we are and we are going to battle with this win or lose.

  This can also be said of the players.  For example, both Gordon and Trey are slumping.  Their offense is lackluster and does not exhibit any confidence.  Advantage defense.  There is all this talk of "getting in the gym" or "getting shots up before and after practice".  But I think the fast way out of a so-called slump is to be the aggressor.  To IMPOSE YOUR WILL!  It would serve both these players well to come into the game and make sure that their first shots are going to the basket, being aggressive and putting the oh-nus on the officials.  Yeah its going to get you some bumps and bruises and you are not going to get calls at times, but it says to your opponent, this is what I am going to do STOP ME!

  The same can be said about the Jazz lineup decisions and rotations.  We have 3 very talented bigs, that need time and development together, not substituting for each other.  This is where we need to say, Kanter and Favors, Gobert and Favors, Gobert and Kanter, this is who and what we are going to run, STOP US!  This season is unlike any other, where the option to run these kinds of lineups and the ramifications of running them do not hurt the over all numbers.  They give the staff opportunities to teach and develop, to make these players the kind of players the front office believes they can be, for the future.

  Lastly, its the kind of mentality that needs to be developed on this young team.  That they know that the staff believes that they CAN succeed.  That they CAN impose their will on their opponent.  That the opponent has to game plan for the Utah Jazz, not the Utah Jazz game planing for the rest of the league.

Utah Jazz Time Machine....lets take a look.....

   February 6 2013, the Utah Jazz were coming of a win 100-86 versus the Milwaukee Bucks, giving the Jazz a record of 28-22, 6 games above .500.  The Jazz started a line up of Paul Milsap, Al Jefferson, Marvin Williams, Randy Foye and Jamal Tinsley.  Milsap and Jefferson both had 19 pts a piece.  Jefferson had 11 rebs and Milsap had 6.  Of the bench, Enes Kanter had 17 pts and 9 rebs, Derrick Favors had 9 pts and 11 rebs.

  Here is where is gets interesting, last season there was a lot of clamoring to play the young guys.  To let them develop, that they were the better players.  People wanted to see Kanter and Favors.  I can't deny that I was among those that wanted to see the young guys play more.

  Fast forward to February 6, 2014, the Utah Jazz are coming of a 79-94 loss to the Toronto Raptors, giving the Jazz a record of 16-32, 16 games below .500.  Now I am not going to say that I am disappointed with this Jazz team.  That is far from the truth.  Actually I am thrilled with this Jazz team.  I have seen development from all the young players at one time or another throughout the season.  I also realize with a young team, the most difficulty thing for them is going to be consistency.  But I am pleased with the direction of the team.

  But the time machine had me thinking, what if we had decided to hold on to Paul and Al?  While I can not prognosticate where this team would be with wins and losses, I thought I would be interesting to think about.  Changes would have been needed.  But what?  What personnel moves would have been made?  Would there be a philosophy change offensively/defensively?

  I think we can safely say that the defensive philosophy would be completely changed.  The defense last year was terrible.  I would guess that the Jazz would run something similar to what they are this year in regards to the pick and roll.  Allowing Al Jefferson to sag back into the lane and attempt to protect the rim.

  As for personnel, I don't want to pretend to be Dennis Lindsey, but I think we could expect to see something similar to the way Charlotte has handled Big Al.  I would expect the team to attempt to sign more floor spacers, spot up shooters.  If I remember right, the Jazz tried to sign current Bobcat and floor spreader Anthony Toliver.  There was also the strong rumor of Kyle Korver coming back to Utah.  I don't think its much of a coincidence that Milsap signed with Atlanta and Korver chose to resign with the Hawks.

  Again there is no way to know how much, if at all, these moves would have improved the Jazz.  I also believe that there would have had to be a fundamental change in the offensive philosophy and Ty's reluctance to allow bigs to shoot the 3.  Milsap has shown he can be effective from the 3.  Think about that, had Paul been given the green light, the kind of space that Big Al would be afforded down low.  The double teams, that Al would have seen, giving wide open looks to Korver, Milsap and other spot up shooters.  Granted Al was a bit of a "black hole" so those shots may never have come.

  With that said, it would have been interesting to see how Dennis Lindsey and the front office would have gone about shaking up this roster.  What changes would have have made in order to improve the team with a goal of being better than .500 and being competitive in the playoffs?

  Glad I have a Flux Capacitor.....

So many questions....Not a lot of answers.

  The last 2 weeks have had their ups and downs for the Utah Jazz.  There have been wins, there have been losses.  Good games by Enes Kanter, Alec Burks.  Struggles for Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke, and injuries to the cornerstone Derrick Favors as well as Jeremy Evans.  The vets Richard Jefferson and Marvin Williams continue to battle through their own nicks and dings.  But one question remains, who are the Utah Jazz?

  We are better than half way through the season and I rack my brain game after game, trying to identify what this Jazz team hangs their hat on.  General Manager Dennis Lindsey stated at the first of the season and he wanted to see this young team develop, see what pieces he had to build with.  He also mentioned the need to build a top caliber defense.  At this point, can Dennis Lindsey say that the Jazz have accomplished either of these goals?  Only he can answer that question....

  As I watch the Jazz, I can't put my finger on one thing that this team is.  Are they a post team?  A transition team?  A 3pt shooting team?  A defensive team?  Night in and night out the Jazz have been any of these, but they are never consistently one.  And there in lies the problem....

  This is a young team that needs direction, guidelines and roles.  Just saying that we are going to compete every night is great, but young players need something to focus on, a role, something that the are going to focus on and execute.

  So what are those roles?  Do the players have them?  Do they know and understand what they are?  How were those roles chosen and do they put the player or players in the best position to be successful?  While I am not at practice and don't know what Coach Corbin and the staff go over with the players, watching the games leaves me wondering if the players know their roles.

  David Locke, radio voice for the Utah Jazz, made mention on his Tipoff podcast the fact that Alec Burks has an elite skill as an attacker/penatrator and score and the fact that that is a building block for a player and an offense.  This has lead me to think about the young core and their skills or things that are valuable or valued on this team.  What are they?  How can the Jazz build off of them?  Lets take a look....

  Derrick Favors, in my opinion, his elite skill would be a defender or rim protector.  Enes Kanter, would have to be an offensive rebounder.  Rudy Gobert, very similar to Favors as a defender and rim protector.  Trey Burke, his elite skill would have to be the mid-range game, a lost art in the NBA game.  Four players that have elite skills or talents.

  Are they being put in a position to use those skills and be successful?  I am not so sure.  For all the talk of Kanter and Favors can or can't play together (depends on which side of the fence you are on) I believe they can.  Both players have elite skills that offset each other.  While Kanter struggles on defense and his rotations he is a much better offensive rebounder than Favors.  Because the Jazz have change their philosophy on defense and the fact that they want to stop transition, they are missing out on second chance points and thus negating Kanters skill.  So why not play Favors and Kanter together?  Make Kanters role that of an offensive rebounder and hitting the offensive glass hard.  Make Derrick Favors the rim protector and defender.  He has the responsibility to get back in transition and protect the basket.  The same philosophy could be used with Gobert instead of Favors.  Or if you are going to play Favors and Gobert together, have Derrick crash the boards.  The options are there and they should be looked at a lot more than they are,


  So that leaves us with Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans.  What are their elite skills or talents?  While Jeremy Evans will never be a starter in the league and likely not a 6th man in the league, he can be a valuable contributor off the bench.  If you were to ask me what Jeremy's elite skill COULD be, I would tell you that I believe he could be an elite weak-side/help defender.  Jeremy is long and extremely athletic.  The prefect combination for a help defender.  I hate to say it but I don't think this skill has been developed very well for Jeremy.  One other aspect Jeremy's game that is over-looked is his energy/motor.  He plays hard all the time.  Sports Illustrated Seth Davis wrote a fantastic piece about talent in college basket ball and the need for a new definition for players other than just measurables.  If you haven't read it I would strongly suggest it, here is the link  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20140203/hoop-thoughts-talent/?eref=sihp

  So what is Gordon Hayward's elite skill?  He is a good passer, a good defender, a good shooter, good from 3pt range, an average rebounder.  What is Gordon's elite skill?  While Gordon is good in a lot of areas and valuable because of this, I am not sure he has an elite skill.  He is not a great 3pt shooter.  He is good in the pick and roll but his handle tends to be loose from time to time and can be turnover prone.  The skill that I would say would be closest to elite would be defense.  He has good lateral quickness, sneaky athletic and is long.  He has the ability to defend multiple positions as well as being a good help defender.  With that being said, is Gordon focusing too much on his offense?  Has he been put in a position to enhance that skill?

You decide...

  For the Jazz, the All-star break is just around the corner.  I would hope the Jazz get some good rest, come back healthy, refreshed and focused.  I hope they have a renewed interest and effort in finding out their elite skills and identity as a team.

Can the Bigs Keep Rolling?

  Tonight the Utah Jazz taking on the Ailing Sacramento Kings.  The Jazz are coming off a big win against The Washington Wizards Saturday Night.  The Jazz played with a lot of energy and closed out the game with the young core of Burke, Burks, Hayward, Favors and Kanter.  Enes Kanter and Alec Burks had big games for the Jazz. Kanter finished with 24 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts and only 1 turnover.  Alec Finished with 15 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts and no turnovers.  These are the kind of games that the Jazz need from these two players.  While Alec has been consistant for the last 2 months this was another bounce back game for Kanter. 

  The best part of this game was the fact that Kanter and Favors got some extended run together.  This is exactly what the Front office is needing to see from these to young players.  While it is a small sample size, the two seemed to work well together.  This morning on David Locke's Tip off podcast, there was the discussion of playing the 2 bigs together.  David brought up the point (which I have mentioned in the past as well) that if you are going to play 2 bigs together that one of them needs to be a good passer.  Exapmles of which could be, the Spurs, the Griz, the Pacers, the Blazers, all have very good passing bigs.  While this is something that still needs to be developed by Kanter and Favors I believe it is possible.

  Tonight will be interesting to see if the Jazz attempt to play the two of them together again.  The Kings may run two bigs with the likes of Aaron Gray, Jason Thompson, Quincy Acy and Carl Landry.  If the Kings deploy one of these front lines, look for the Jazz to give it a shot.  This is what we need to find out, for the future, if Kanter and Favors can play together.  Looks like the Jazz are on the way to finding out if that is possible.  GO JAZZ! 

MOTIVATION!....Derrick Favors snubbed by USA basketball

  Yesterday USA basketball announced their pool of players for this summers World Cup of Basketball and 2016 Summer Games.  The list has the usual suspects, but there was one name that was left off that I found very interesting, Derrick Favors.  The list looks like this...

Carmelo Anthony
Tyson Chandler
Stephen Curry
Anthony Davis
Kevin Durrant
James Harden
Dwight Howard
Andre Iguodala
Lebron James
Kevin Love
Chris Paul
Derrick Rose
Russel Westbrook
Deron Williams
LaMarcus Aldridge
Bradley Beal
DeMarcus Cousins
Andre Drummond
Kenneth Faried
Paul George
Blake Griffin
Gordon Hayward
Kyrie Irving
Kyle Korver
David Lee
Kawhi Leonard
Damian Lillard
Klay Thompson

  Taking a look at this list of players leaves me scratching my head a bit.  I know certain players like Kyle Korver are chosen for a specific purpose or skill they bring to the table.  But I think I have more questions than answers when it comes to the Favors snub.  Just looking at it, I would be happy to replace Cousins, Drummond, Faried with Favors.  Comparing Favors and Faried, Favs is shooting 52% to Faried 54%.  Favs is almost 2 rebounds more a game and a full block more.  Bur Faried got the nod.  DeMarcus Cousin, simply put is a bad teammate is put on this team.  I think if you look at the stats, Cousin are inflated due to the number of possessions the guy uses.  Drummond has had a great season, but he sure laid an egg going up against Favs last week.  Not sure if playing against a terrible eastern conference is helping his stats as well.

  I could sit here and pick a part this list and the player that I think Mr. Favors could and should easily replace, but I would be wasting my time.  So I am going to look at this from a glass half full perspective.  If the Derrick Favors that we have seen this season, is the guy who we think he is, this will motivate him.  He will feel that he has something to prove every time he goes up against another player on this list.  I believe it will fuel him to work on his craft and to become a better player.  I believe that he will be out to prove to himself and USA Basketball that they made MISTAKE!

Some things learned....

  The Utah Jazz fell hard again last night, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-97.  This one was hard to watch.  I fully expected the Jazz to come out with more intensity.  This was not the case.  The Jazz started the usual starters minus Derrick Favors who was out with a strained abductor. Enes Kanter was plugged in and was ineffective.

  Last nights game showed a couple of things.  First the value of Derrick Favors.  I think the Jazz should be extremely happy with the contract extension and the development of the young Mr. Favors.  He is a game changer in so many ways.  On defense, the other team is always conscious of where he is.  He may not block every shot in the paint but I guarantee you he effects every shot in the paint.  Offensively he demands a double team simply because of his size.  If he catches the ball deep in the post there are very few people in the league who are going to deter Favors.  Last night really shows how important Derrick is for the future of the Jazz.

  To go along with the Derrick Favors and his value to the Jazz, we need to take a close look at the value of a rim protector.  Rudy Gobert played 27 mins, went 4-5 from the field scoring 8 points, had 6 rebounds and 3 blocks.  The stats may look a little pedestrian but Rudy's effect on the game was not.  The Timberwolves were very conscious of where Rudy was at all times on the floor. At one point he made JJ Barea shot a runner earlier than he would like.  You could see that it was totally out of rhythm and was a floater a long way from the hoop (unfortunately some how it went in).  It was great to see Rudy get some extended run.

  Gordon Hayward did return to the lineup and played well.  No rust for Gordon.  He and Alec were really the only offensive bright spots for the team.  Hayward finished 10-17 from the field, 2-5 from 3pt for 27 pts.  Alec finished 6-14 from the field, 1-1 from 3pt for 18 pts.  The Jazz just did not get much else from anyone else offensively.

  One of the most frustrating parts of the game was the inconsistency in the calls by the officials.  I try not to bring the officials in to the game or anything that I write, but last night it could not be ignored.  So much so that even Coach Corbin made a comment or two about the way the game was officiated.  Looking at it, the Timberwolves shot 24 free-throws to the Jazz 12.  Its not very often that the home team is doubled up on the free-throw attempts.  Ty did mention early on that Minnesota was the aggressor, but I did not feel that it was that big of a discrepancy.  The Jazz also lost the rebound battle 42-41 and the turnover battle 9-14.  As far as the boards go, the Jazz did a much better job as a team in comparison to the previous game.  That was good to see.

  With the way this season has developed we can safely say that Trey Burke and Derrick Favors are the Jazz most important/valuable players.  This team flounders when missing one of these two players.  While I love Gordon and what he brings to the team, those things were filled by the other players on the team for the 2 weeks that Gordon was out.  If anything this may help the Jazz with their negotiations with Gordon this summer and will also help the front office decide how important he is to this team.

"A finesse game"

  So just came across a great piece on ESPN aka The Mothership, that I thought was so good that everyone should check it out.  Its an interview done with Kobe Bryant, and while I don't personally like him, I have to give credit to what he does on the court and the type of basketball player he is.  Check out the article here....

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/10325177/kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lakers-calls-nba-finesse

  He makes some great points about the direction of the league, the players today and defense!

Jazz looking for revenge tonight!

  The Utah Jazz are coming off a 3 game road trip, having gone 1-2 with a win in Detroit.  The first game of the trip, the Jazz took the Spurs to the wire, but ultimately came up short.  Game 2 of the trip, they dominated the Detroit Pistons.  This wasn't even a game.  Game 3 the roles were reversed.  As the Minnesota Timber Wolves had their way with the Jazz.  The Wolves front court of Pekovic and Love combined for 45 points and 27 rebounds.  The Jazz had no answer.  This was the second game of a back to back and I would have guessed the Jazz would have had more energy than they did, considering the outcome in Detroit.

  Tonight the Jazz are back in the comforts of the ESA and look to return the favor.  It will be interesting to see how the Jazz come out tonight.  Gordon Hayward did practice with the team yesterday but is a game time decision for tonight's game.

  Versus the Wolves, the Jazz lost the 3 key statistical categories.  They were out rebounded 60-42, free-throws 34 attempts to the Jazz 29 and turnovers 15-16.  You can't win games if you lose all 3 of these categories.

  The Wolves were the aggressor from the tip.  They got both Trey and Alec in early foul trouble and it was all down hill from there.  The level of play dips drastically when Trey is off the court.  When Alec has to go to the bench, the Jazz lose their best penetrator and creator.  Alec's December and January have been the best 2 months of his career.  He seems to be in a great rhythm and understands his role with the team.  The best part about Alec's play has been the consistency.  He has been able to string together good games and has been effective in other facets of the game beside scoring.  Alec was the only Jazz player in double figures versus the Wolves and that was after the foul trouble.  The Jazz will need that kind of effort again tonight especially if Hayward is a no-go.

  Look for the Jazz front court to take this game personally.  Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter and Marvin Williams overwhelmed by Love and Pekovic.  Prior to the game at Minnesota, both Favors and Kanter had been using a quick offensive move that was very effective for both players.  Kanter spoke of this change in the post game at San Antonio.  He mentioned that Andres Biedrins and mentioned to him that the Spurs were loading up on him when he caught the ball in the post and advised Kanter to go early.  Make a move on the catch.  I have noticed this being used by both young bigs since the Spurs game.  Look for both Kanter and Favors to make quick moves in the post, trying to catch Pek and Love off guard.

  Lastly,  I have to give credit to Ty Corbin and the staff.  Since Trey's return to the line up the Jazz, as a collective, have really developed.  Favors offense, Alec Burks progression, Kanter coming out of his slump all this plus the kind of effort the staff has been able to get from this team every night has been remarkable.  I can't remember the last time I watched a Jazz team compete and compete for a full 48 minutes regardless of score.  This young team is headed in the right direction.  I really feel, baring a major injury or trades, the Jazz will play .500 basketball from here on out.  With that being said, the piece the Jazz get in this summers draft, regardless of position may just be the piece to get this team back to the playoffs.  Its good to be a Jazz fan!

GO JAZZ

http://www.nba.com/gamenotes/timberwolves.pdf
http://www.nba.com/gamenotes/jazz.pdf
 

How much is too much?

  Been a while Jazz Fans, but I will say, I have not missed a game since the last post.  The Jazz are playing some really good basketball right now (minus Minnesota) and I have a tendency to believe the Jazz will play .500 basketball from here on out baring a major injury.  That leads me to believe the Jazz will fall somewhere between the 5th to the 8th pick in this summers draft.  Jazz Fans are going to need the ping pong balls to work in their favor if they want a top 3 pick!

  So that brings the thought, the Jazz will need to think very long an hard about keeping the assets they currently have.  Teams with a top 10 pick in this summers draft are not going to move that pick unless it returns them a star.

  So where does that leave the Jazz?  Looking at the roster the Jazz have at least one young player that could be a core player going forward.  Lets take a look....

At the Power Forward/Center positions the Jazz have Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Jeremy Evans, Rudy Gobert.  At the Small Forward/Shooting Guard positions the Jazz have Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks.  Point guard is clearly Trey Burke, Raul Neto....and the Jazz may bring back Diante Garrett.

  Of this list of young building blocks, only one is signed to a long term extension, that being Derrick Favors.  Favors was able to sign an extension this summer that will pay him over $11 million dollars a season for 4 years.  With Favors offensive improvement so far this season and his ability to be an anchor on the defensive end, make this a great deal for the Jazz.

  So now the question becomes, where do the rest of the puzzle pieces fit?  Of the young core is there any of them that should make more than the teams defensive corner stone?  In my opinion, I don't believe, at this point, there is a player on this roster that deserves to make more than Derrick Favors.  So let's try to put this puzzle together....

Gordon Hayward was unable to come to an agreement this summer.  The rumored number was $12 million plus.  The question you have to ask yourself is, is Gordon worth that kind of money?  Having had numerous discussions and countless references, I tend to think that number is a little high.  Market value says $8-$10 million a year.  There is also the very likely possibility that a team will offer him that $12 million plus that he is looking for, that brings the question of whether or not you match?  While Gordon is a very valuable piece to the puzzle, I think the last 5 games have shown that with or without Gordon the Jazz are capable of .500 ball.

  So that leaves us with Alec Burks and Enes Kanter next on the extension list.  I feel pretty confident in the market value for Alec Burks.  Whether starting or being that elite 6th man, Alec's market value falls in at $5.5 million a season.  His comps being Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford.  Both explosive offensive players and the type of player that every franchise want to have.  Enes Kanter is a different story.  Bigs simply get paid!  Kanter is a resource the Jazz have yet to fully tap and that may be to their favor.  But because of the lack of quality bigs, Kanter is going to get something in the range of $8-$11 million.

  That leaves the Jazz with Trey Burke and Rudy Gobert on rookie contracts for the next 3-4 season and rookie contracts are always favorable to an organization.

So quick recap....

Favors- $11.5..... DONE
Burks- $5.5.....?
Kanter- $10....?

              $26 million for those 3....add Hayward.....

Hayward- $12....$

              Puts the Jazz at $38 million for those 4 players.

This seasons salary cap is $58.69 million.  Personally I feel these are all reasonable numbers for each player according to market value.  It will be interesting to see the front office approach this summer with the contracts of Hayward, Burks and Kanter.  Not to mention the draft and all the possibilities there.  Not a better time to be a Jazz Fan.....PERIOD!

http://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/UTA.html

Expanded Look.....picks 7-32 2014 NBA Draft

 Back for part 2!  Here is a quick look for Jazz fans or NBA fans of some intriguing names to consider with these picks.  The purpose for the expanded look, the Jazz are winning!  They are winning more games than expected and the are hitting a soft stretch in the schedule through the month of January.  So I figure Jazz fans ought to be aware of some of the possible picks at the tail end of the lottery.  Lets take a look....

Noah Vonleh- 6'10" 242 lbs 7'4" wing span Freshman Center

  I have watched a couple of Indiana games and the one thing I noticed was how long they are.  If that is the only thing that stood out to me, that is exactly what the scouts are saying about Noah.  He has all the tools to be an absolute star, but is still trying to find himself.  He seems to be a quiet shy kid who likes to play basketball.  So far this season, he is averaging 12.3 pts 9.5 rebs 1stl 1blk a game.  His last game against Illinois he posted 16 pts 9 rebs 4 blks 2 stls and was 2-3 from 3.  You have to love his length and ability to defend multiple positions.  When this kid realizes how good he is, he should have a problem filling that expectation of star.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Noah-Vonleh-6471/
http://www.nbadraft.net/players/noah-vonleh 

Rodney Hood- 6'8" 201 lbs Sophomore Small Forward

  Batman has Robin....Jabari Parker has Rodney Hood.  Rodney Hood has been the perfect fit along side Duke's phenomenal freshman.  Hood is a "do it all" small forward.  He has a good handle, great athleticism, a solid shooting stroke.  But the thing that may be the most overlooked is his ability to defend.  He has the lateral quickness to guard most shooting guards and the size and strength to guard the small forwards.  On the season, Hood is averaging 17.2 pts 5 rebs 2 ast.  He has also had five 20+ point games this season.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Rodney-Hood-5723/
http://www.nbadraft.net/players/rodney-hood

Wayne Selden- 6'6" 223 lbs 6'10 wing span Freshman Shooting Guard

  Wayne Selden is another star freshman on the Kansas Jayhawk squad full of super freshman.  Selden is the most overlooked of the bunch, but according to Coach Self, has been the most impressive of the bunch in practice and the hardest worker.  Yeah its practice, so he needs to perform in real games.  Selden is a physical specimen for a freshman.  He is a man!  He has excellent athleticism and length.  He is a southpaw which does give him a bit of an advantage.  On the season, Selden is averaging 8.7 pts 2.9 rebs 2.3 ast.  Looking at Selden, his size athleticism and game, may be better suited for the pro game.  Strange hunch tells me he will be a better pro than college player.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Wayne-Selden-6473/
http://www.nbadraft.net/players/wayne-selden

  Looking at these 3 prospects Noah Vonleh has the most potential or highest ceiling.  If Vonleh does not fulfill that potential, Selden may then be the best prospect of the 3.  Picking an of these 3 will not hurt your team as all will be solid peices/NBA rotation players.  Stay tuned....Will highlight more prospect soon!

Jazz take on the Bucks tonight...who really wants to win?

  The 10-24 Utah Jazz take on the 7-24 Milwaukee Bucks.  The Jazz are coming of an 83-80 victory over the Charlotte Hornets Monday night at the ESA.  The Jazz got good performances from Trey Burke 21 pts, 5 rebs, Alec Burks 14 pts, 6 rebs 2 stl and Derrick Favors 13 pts, 4 rebs, 2 stl, 3 blks.  Derrick Favors was instrumental in holding Al Jefferson to a 8-23 from the field.  Favors always made it difficult for Big Al and limited him to getting to his spots.  Great individual defensive effort from Favors.

  Tonight the Jazz take on a Milwaukee team that is in the same position as the Jazz.  Both teams are developing young players with the hopes of a bright future.  Tonight's game may not be about who wins but more about who loses.

  There was a great discussion over the holiday about the Utah Jazz and the direction of the season.  The "meat" of the discussion is whether the Jazz should continue to play veterans Marvin Williams and Richard Jefferson or start playing the "youth".  With the strides the Jazz seem to be making of late, playing the vets could be a costly decision for the franchise long-term.

  The Jazz have been just better than .500 the last 15 games or so.  That record was through a very difficult stretch in the Jazz schedule.  The Jazz have now hit a stretch in their schedule that is pretty soft and forgiving.  Through January the Jazz have only 4 road games, 9 games versus teams that are .500 or worse!  Looking at this month the Jazz very easily could go 7-5 or better.

  Now here is where the dilemma comes in.  Do you want the Jazz to be 2 games better than .500 through this stretch?  There is a number of Jazz fans that are happy with playing the vets and continuing on the path that the team and franchise is currently on.  If the Jazz finish the season with 30+ wins this season they are looking at no better than a #10 pick in this summers "Super draft".

  While this summers draft is consider to be the deepest draft since 2003 the 10 pick or worse may not provide the Jazz a "franchise changer".  Is it possible that that player could be?  Yes, but chance would be slim.  So moving forward, the Jazz can continue to play .500 or slightly better ball, play the vets, Kanter Gobert and Evans continue to get limited minutes, the team beats the sub .500 teams in the league (which thanks to the eastern conference is a lot) and end up with a #10 pick, a pick in the 20's and the one of the first few picks in the 2nd round.

OR.....

  The Jazz can start now!  Develop Kanter, Evans and Gobert.  See what 5-man units are effective with the young players and which are not.  Look at the opportunities to improve in the areas that those units and players individually can develop and start building now.  The Jazz need to find out what these pieces they currently have can help them going forward.  The Jazz know what Marvin and Richard bring to the table, "They are who we thought they were".  If the Jazz still win with the young guys they have double their reward in all honesty.  They have had the chance to develop those pieces, they have an idea of what they can do and regardless of where the pick in the draft they have a better understand of the piece or pieces that they will need to bring this franchise back to relevance.

  Now I have my opinion and I have shared it in the past.  I am not a fence sitter, I believe that option 2 is the best option for this team to get back to relevance as quickly as possible.  Now that is not to say that the Jazz don't possibly have pieces now that can do that as well.  Derrick Favors improvement this is has been remarkable.  We all knew he could defend, but there was a lot of question about his offensive game and the lack of a so call "go to" move.  From what I have seen, I'm not worried about his offense.  The Jazz also have a point guard in Trey Burke that I feel is a budding star.  He has elite quickness, does not turn the ball over, has the long forgotten mid-range game and is not afraid of the big stage or big moment.  I also think the Jazz have one of the top 6th men in Alec Burks.  He fills a roll very similar to Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams.  The kid is a flat out scorer.

  I love this team, and have enjoyed watching them this season.  In a dream sequence I wish the draft was now and that the Jazz had secured a top 5 pick and then acquired Marvin and Jefferson.  Only in a perfect world right?  GO JAZZ!

http://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bucks.pdf
http://www.nba.com/gamenotes/jazz.pdf