Meet
Training Camp Invitees
Posted by: Patrick on September 27th, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.With the invitees there are 19 players coming to battle it out and play for a spot for this upcoming seasoon. Some would say why? 15 under contract, why would anyone come? Many of you say that there is nothing going to happen but its playing out like something very well could happen. Let set the stage. Below will be listed players who can play each position.
PG’s Williams, Watson, Tinsley, Foye, Burks, Hayward, Murphy
SG’s Hayward, Burks, Murphy, Foye, Williams, Bell, Gilder
SF’s Sap, Marvin, Hayward, Carol, Evans, Murphy, Gilder
PF’s Sap, Favors, Wiliams, Kanter, Al, Evans, Butch
Centers Favors, Al, Kanter, Evans, Butch
In this post, though we invited 4 guys to camp I feel only two need be mentioned. Trey Gilder and Brian Butch. The other two are just fill in pieces. Gilder and Butch, if they prove they can play in the top league, are guys who can fill bench rolls at a fair price and a compeditive rate.
We have two guys on the team in Millsap and Jefferson who will become free agents this year. Do we let them play out their season in hopes that they will come back at bargain prices? Do we sign them on and trade them later as our your guys become bigger and better? Or do they get traded for Valuable pieces we feel will compliment our core?
Who actually is the core of the future? Will our young guys top out at last years performance? Do we keep solid pieces to solidify our core. Again, why do we need 19 guys going into camp, 2 of which could very well be solid bench players if they come prepared as I am sure they will?
Most of you say get rid of Sap, or Al, but are you so sure thats what need to be done. Maybe they were the guys we should have built around. Maybe we keep one toss one, and do that with the youth as well. With so many talented players listed above, are you so sure that there isnt a trade on the horizon? If not then why is Bells contract still with the Jazz?
I think the part of this season we should pay a lot of attention to should be this training camp, and the pre season. What you see there may shape the events to unfold this season. No matter how you slice it, I am exited for it to get under way, because there are a whole slew of questions to be answered.
Will the additions prove to be what was needed to take us up a level? I think it was, we may have finally found the balance between our perimeter and the paint. Are we finally getting closer to a core group of more than a half dozen players who will move on for a few years to come, and who will they be? Are we really as deep as we seem, or do we just have a bunch of good bench players who fight each night? Will our youth mature and grow? I think so. But I also think you have to find some continuity or how will they ever gel into what you want them to be? We cannot keep going though players and wishing on an All Star, especially if we have a couple in the making. Lots of questions, very few answers, but lots of opinions.
I am so excited for the season to begin that I cant remember a time since Stockton to Malone that I was this amped up for a season to begin. But lets get a little look at what we invited to camp.. I dont think you will be dissapointed.
Butch http://www.nba.com/dleague/playerfile/brian_butch/
Gilder http://www.nba.com/dleague/playerfile/index.jsp?player=trey_gilder
Those of you who dont believe we have guys with heart, should start rooting for another team now, so we dont have to listen to you cry each time we reach a new hurdle to overcome. But listen to this and you will see that with our additions, we are in for one heck of a season.
http://weareutahjazz.com/lockedonjazz/2012/09/27/podcast-4-minutes-and-11-seconds-to-fire-you-up-for-the-season/
Replies: 3
Views: 585
3 Responses
I watched Trey Gilder play a season with the Sydney Kings in Australias NBL 2 years ago. At that stage he was not an elite NBL player and therefore I doubt he’d make a bench spot in the NBA
Also remember Patrick a guy named Matthews was a camp invitee.
Lineups are going to be harder to manage this year than last year in the post. It is going to be a very tough job to keep every vet happy and still give enough playing time to young talent. Al and Millsap are a hot topic because their mentallity about contracts does effect their play and the rest of the team. Things change quick. Did anyone predict Raja turning into a Diva last season? He was supposed to be our “tough” defender that gaurds the Kobe’s in the league.
We have some good character on the roster and I think our guys will handle the uncertainty of contracts better than alot of teams. But it is unrealistic to think that contracts and playing time wont be a factor.
It really comes down to coaching in my opinion. we arent desperate for a trade. but we are desperate to make our existing lineup effective. Kanter did not get any use of his shooting range outside of the paint last year. No pick and roll play calling for Favors. Hayward is our best playmaker, he is surgical on offense. He will get the ball to the right person every time and he needs to be the first option or get the first touch to initiate offensive sets.