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Be Your Own Jazz GM
Posted by: Danny Hansen on June 21st, 2011
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.
Every June, I want an official Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time. Well, I want that figuratively, that is because every June is a second Christmas for me. The NBA draft gets me more pumped than almost anything Jazz related. It is months of speculating, dreaming, hoping, and rumoring finally paying off.
One of the best ways to handle your NBA Draft addiction is to become your own Jazz GM and see if the Jazz are getting exactly who you wanted. That way you can be totally pumped for the Jazz’s picks or completely distraught. It is more fun that way. There are some basic rules to follow to be your own GM.
The Rules
1. Rank the players up to the last Jazz pick. In this case it will be 12.
2. You must use passion, or blue-goggles, or red goggles, or invoke any sort of kool-aid you might be drinking.
3. You must tell yourself that you want the best player available.
4. Rank the players on how badly you want them on the Jazz, regardless of position
5. Your list must be in writing.
And then it is simple from there. When a player’s name is called you simply cross him off of your list. Whoever is at the top of your list when the Jazz pick, that is the guy you want the Jazz to pick. You should rejoice if they pick him, or slightly happy if the guy is second on your list. If the guy isn’t even close on your list (like Gordon Hayward wasn’t even on my list last year. I have been wrong before) than you can be disgusted.
So here is my list, based on the rules for the 2011 NBA Draft:
- Kyrie Irving
- Derrick Williams
- Enes Kanter
- Brandon Knight
- Jan Vesely
- Kemba Walker
- Klay Thompson
- Alec Burks
- Bismack Biyombo
- Jonas Valanciunas
- Chris Singleton
- Jimmer Fredette
The Jimmer Issue
Now, I am not saying that I want Jimmer Fredette. What I am saying is that if the eleven guys ahead of him on my list are gone, I would take Jimmer. It just so happened that he ended up 12 on my list while the Jazz are picking 12 in the same draft. I can see Marcus Morris being taken in the top 10, thus not allowing Jimmer to top my list when the Jazz pick. Here what the list of a BYU fan may look like:
- Kyrie Irving
- Jimmer Fredette
- Derrick Williams
- Brandon Knight
- Jimmer Fredette
- Enes Kanter
- Kemba Walker
- Alec Burks
- Jan Vesely
- Jackson Emery
- Bismack Biyombo
- Jimmer Fredette
- Anybody but Kawhi Leonard.
Why Best Player and Not Position
Go talk to any Portland Trailblazer fan and ask them how they feel about Sam Bowie and Greg Oden vs. Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant. That makes sense. However, in this draft it is a little more tough, for me personally. I like Brandon Knight a lot, but I really like Devin Harris. Before I could put Kanter above Knight, I had to convince myself that I want him more than I want Knight. I have been impressed with Kanter’s ball skills and size more than I like Knight’s shooting and leadership. Hopefully, I am not the only Jazz fan with that internal battle.
So put together your lists, print them out, and cross them out as the draft goes on. I want to hear your lists of your preferences. Remember to have passion, because you want to be passionate about the pick. You need some excitement. After all, after the draft there isn’t a lot of basketball to look forward to.
Replies: 32
Views: 1345
32 Responses
1. Derrick Williams
2. Brandon Knight
3. Kyrie Irving (overrated IMO)
4. Ends Kanter (I hope he’s not a bust if we take him)
5. Kemba Walker (underrated IMO)
6. Jan Vesely (if he is indeed the 2nd coming of AK)
7. Kawhi Leonard (will be a great role player, just wait)
8. Jimmer Fredette (best scorer in the world, check KD’s twitter)
9, Alec Burks
10. Klay Thompson
11. JuJuan Johnson (will become a very good player) great backup to Favors if Millsap gets moved
12. Chris Singleton
Favorite post draft trade prospects (in no particular order) Would LOVE to see one of these guys added to our roster via trade or free agency
Shane Battier
Trevor Ariza
Andre Igoudala
Danny Granger
Wes Matthews
Shannon Brown
DeAndre Jordan
1. Kanter
2. Knight
3. Williams
4. Irving
5. Leonard
6. Singleton
7. Burks
8. Harris
9. Hamilton
10. Fredette
11. Walker
12. Brooks
My list of players for the Jazz. Are there better players out there, yes, but I am the GM and I can choose my list.. LOL Great post.
1. Irving
2. Knight
3. Kanter
4. Walker
5. Williams
6. Marcus Morris
7. Thompson
8. Burks
9. Hamilton
10. Vesely
11. Valanciunas
12. Malcolm Lee
1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Knight
4. Valanciunas (based solely on ability, I don’t know about his euro contract)
5. Kanter
6. Jimmer
7. Kemba
8. Vesely
9. Biyombo
10. Alec Burks
11. Chris Singleton
12. Klay Thompson
(Kawhi would have been the next guy on my list, I think his hands are too big for him to ever develop a good outside shot so I like the other wings better than him. Rondo has the same problem shooting-wise)
For me Knight and Jimmer have just about the same potential and Jimmer is actually more NBA ready, so if I was the GM I would trade down from #3 to #6 or #7 and pick up Jimmer and hopefully get a nice asset while I was at it.
Sounds like people are split on Kanter and Knight. Tough decision IMO. Remember BYU fans, Cosmo is not eligible in this draft.
I really don’t care about the others, but if the Timberwolves are not stupid than they won’t Derrick Williams, at which point he ends up in the hands of the Utah Jazz.
The anticipation is killing me! I’m not sure I like the attitudes of Kanter or Knight. Kanter’s refusal to work out for the Jazz and Knight’s vocalized plans to leave Utah after a “couple of years,” really !@#$% me off. I want to NOT draft them out of spite, which is why I’m not the General Manager lol.
When I consider that Michael Jordan was the #3 pick and some guy named Sam Bowie went before him at #2, or that both Kobe and Karl Malone were #13 picks, it really makes me question the “best player available” strategy.
So often, it ends up that the best players are not the ones forecast to be the best by the draft analysts (Kyrie Irving). I think the egos of these players are much bigger than their talent.
Never thought I would say this. Really NEVER thought I would say this: Trade down for Jimmer!!!!!! The guy can shoot!!!
1. Williams
2. Kanter
3. Knight
4. Irving
5. Walker
6. Vesely
7. Burks
8. Thompson
9. Leonard
10. Biyombo
11. Morris
12. Singelton
Irving isnt the best player in this draft, but hes top 5.
@Nick Knows All-Knight said that??? wow… i still want him though
Danny: Cosmo might be eligible for a scholarship though, coach kry could really upgrade his roster with that transfer : )
Nickknowssquat, if your going to quote things, either post links, or quote them as they were said. Knight said he would like to come her for a few yrs. He said nothing about leaving and was never asked about that. Poor Journalism, slip of words? Probably so. I bet if he was asked if he planned to leave in a couple yrs, he would have made things a bit more clear. Jimmer fans, used this as a scare tactic to get people on the Jimmer bus. Jimmer may have more polish, may be he is more NBA ready tomorrow, but if we are looking down the road, Knight is your guy. Higher ceiling and we already have one starting PG. Theres the link, check it out yourself.
http://www.nba.com/jazz/news/2011_jazz_predraft_workout_day_4.html
Kanters stance was also made ugly. He never refused to work out for the Jazz. He worked out for them in Chicago. Might as well say that the Euros snubbed us too. Sheesh, Nick. You know that people take everything said on here literally, so stop freaking people out over nothing, or making mountains out of mole hills.
http://www.nba.com/jazz/video/2011/06/20/corbin062011MP4-1739535/index.html Talks about how they worked Kanter out. How Kanter said he wanted to visit Utah, but due to agents and scheduling they couldnt get him here. But they did work him out. There was another comment made somewhere else, how when they worked him out in Chicago it was a great timing thing, since it fell in line with the road trip to Erurope.
I think Kyrie will be a lot like Chris Paul. Really talented and good, but very injury prone.
Everyone seems to be getting a little edgie. And KOC thinks that they are going to have a long hard day in the war room. This past two months have been like a carnival where everyone wants you to come to their booth. The Jazz brass will do what they feel is the best for the team. Win lose or draw we will all have to face the music come Friday. Then there will be another week of possible trades going on. The talks sound like each side is giving a little bit each way. Let;s face it no lockout would be better than most anything that could happen.
1. Williams
2. Jimmer
3. Irving
4. Walker
5. Knight
6. Burks
7. Singleton
8. Thompson
9. Biyombo
10. Leonard
11. Morris
12. Hamilton
I’m gonna create my list, but I first wanted to call you out big time for being a biased little anti-BYU twerp. That was a low blow. We love our Jimmer, but those of us that are BYU and Jazz fans also love our Jazz and want them to make the right pick. The majority of BYU-Jazz fans don’t want the Jazz to take Jimmer with the 3rd pick. There’s even a huge percentage of us that don’t want Jimmer with the 12th pick either (I’m not in that last category personally, but many people here are).
So please, stop the BYU hating or else you’re grounded
1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Knight
4. Burks
5. Leonard
6. Walker
7. Kanter
8. Thompson(Klay)
9. Singleton
10. Valanciunas
11. Fredette
12. Hamilton
Now that I got that rant out, here’s my list that I just created:
1- Kyrie Irving
2- Enes Kanter
3- Derrick Williams
4- Jan Vesley
5- Kemba Walker
6- Brandon Knight
7- Kawhi Leonard
8- Jimmer Fredette
9- Klay Thompson
10- Jonas Valanciunas
11- Chris Singleton
12- Alec Burks
I didnt know that Valanciunas played for BYU. Boo boo booo. Let me slam BYU again. No Euros, boo boo. *winks*
1.williams
2.irving
3.Kanter
4.walker
5.knight
6.vesly
7. klay thompson
8.Burks
9.jimmer
10.singleton
11. Hamilton
12.brooks
The whole kanter blowing us off thing is driving me nuts is was a simple miss communication with his agent he has worked out for us twice now. It was nothing it is nothing and I don’t want to hear about it again
Cool idea Danny, will be fun to see how our own personal lists compare to the Jazz picks.
1. Derrick Williams
2. Enes Kanter
3. Kyrie Irving (how you can have a guy who is coming off injury and only played 11 games as a #1 lock is beyond me. He’s lucky to be my #3)
4. Brandon Knight
5. Jan Vesely
6. Jonas Valanciunas
7. Kawhi Leonard
8. Alec Burks
9. Kemba Walker
10. Tristan Thompson
11. Klay Thompson
12. Jimmer Fredette
The talent drop off after #4 is SIGNIFICANT. That said I really do like Vesely, I think he’s a longer AK in the making (hopefully without the injury problems and a better shot). At #12 we will most likely need a perimeter shooter, and I don’t really mind if that’s Thompson or Jimmer or anyone else.
Really wish we had a 2nd round pick in this draft
1. Derrick Williams (IMHO the best player in the draft and fills a giant need for the Jazz at the 3. I think that he will be an All-Star within 4 years.)
2. Enes Kanter (A talented big like Kanter isn’t to common. And at 6′ 11 1/2″ he is a legit Center – I like our front court, but in the top 5 I definitely agree with the strategy of picking the best player.)
3. Jimmer (Jimmer dominated the college level, is proving to be quicker than everyone gave him credit for and can shoot lights out. We have a need at the backup point guard position, and if we keep Harris for a year or two, then Jimmer should have developed and beat him out of the position.)
4. Knight (I think he will be very good, but not everyone can take the next step)
5. Irving (obvious talent but way to many questions for me to take him at the #1)
6-7. Tristan Thompson, Klay Thompson (Both great shooters at roughly 40% from 3pt (Tristan a bit better %, Klay better points per game), Klay is also an above average rebounding guard at over 5 per game. Getting more perimeter shooting will help out our bigs down low.)
8 Jordan Hamilton – Good shooter for a 3 at ~38%. Good rebounding for a SF at over 7 per game. Probably a backup 2-3 in the NBA, but his athleticism could vault him into being a solid starter.
9. Kenneth Faried – Incredible rebounder and decent scorer as a backup 4. We could then trade Millsap to fill a different hole in our lineup with little drop off in the backup 4 spot.
10. Nikola Vucevic – A very good rebounding center at over 10 per game, and a decent on defense and mediocre on offense. He would easily outshine Fesenko, and be a solid upgrade as a backup Center.
Beyond that I would really work to trade the pick.
Guys I wouldn’t draft:
Jan Vesely – He has height and athleticism, but a poor shooter (less than 50% from the Free throw line) and he wont get the dunks he is getting in Europe in the NBA. I really don’t like drafting European players. The risks are much higher than the rewards and they tend to get over-hyped because we haven’t seen them play.
Kawhi Leonard & Chris Singleton – We don’t need a defensive 3 with no shot (anyone remember Ronnie Brewer?)
Kemba Walker – He is short and a poor shooter. The shots that he does make wont be available in the NBA. He really needs to develop a killer floater.
Patrick- you just made me dream of how awesome things would’ve been if BYU had Valanciunas. thanks!
Oh and by the way, my first comment was directed towards Danny Hansen if there was any confusion on that.
1. Williams
2. Kanter
3. Knight
4. Jimmer
5. Walker
6. Irving
7. Vesely
8. Burks
9. Biyombo
10. Leonard
11. Montiejunas
12. Klay Thompson
This is my order according to how much I think the player would help the Jazz team. Not necessarily ‘best player available’ as I think that phrase coincides too often with ‘most hyped player’ or ‘most popular player’. To me, the player who will most help your team IS the ‘best player available’.
A lot of the reason why it will bug me if Jimmer is drafted is that whordes of Jimmermaniacs will be bandwagon Jazz fans. If Jimmer will affect your status as a Jazz fan, I hate to break it to you, you are not a Jazz fan. I am not accusing anybody. I dont know why but it bugs me to see Jimmer ahead of players that are no doubt superior on these lists. I think Jimmer is overrated on this website. I wont say Jimmer will not succeed in the NBA because he is a talented kid and has a lot of fight. He has an extremely steep uphill climb to succeed in the NBA and coming to the Jazz will only make it worse for him. For every fan he has in utah I am sure there is a comparable number of people that do not like him and will be bitter about drafting him. If he fails to make it he will be Utah’s biggest joke. If he succeeds, well, we might just move the team to provo to get closer to the fan base
anyways, just my angry rant for the day.
1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Knight
4. Kanter
5. Walker
6. Fredette
7. Kawhi Leonard
8. Jan Vesely
9. Bismack Biyombo
10. Singleton
11. Valanciunas
12. Motiejunas
It will be cool for anybody that the Jazz actually draft the best-available player on his list. Will see if that person is me!
Adam, was just funning with ya.
Jan Vesely, how can someone say that he is another AK. The guy has no hands. AK, has hands, can pass and handle the ball quite well.
We dont need a defensive guy who can play the perimeter? Maybe we already forgot that last season, we got eaten up at the arc by the worst teams in the league. You were a Boozer fan too correct? yep, Jimmer at 3rd on your list. Offense doesnt win games, putting up more points than the other team does. We need perimeter defense. Not saying Singleton is the pick, but anyone saying we shouldnt get him is just confunded. LOL Boozer should have shown you that it doesnt matter how many points you put up, if you play no defense, you will still get beaten.
As many reports say the Cavs will go with Irving first the report out of Hoopsworld this morning says they will make up their mind in a thurs morning meeting. Says also the Wolves are leaning towards Kanter. Which would be great. If the Jazz can get a Williams Burks draft would be the thing to so. I like Jimmer but I think there would be too much pressure on everyone. He likes the Knicks let him get there somehow..
JRN: If a Jazz fan is bitter about Jimmer being drafted does that make them a bandwagon jazz fan too? I don’t mind seeing the Jazz receive a large influx of cash because of an increased fan base. I think it will help the team, and there’s nothing wrong with more people becoming fans of the game of basketball.
A friend of mine is a higher up at Energy Solutions Inc and he saw the Jimmer-Kemba workout. He said that Jimmer was the better player of the two. He said it didn’t show in the speed and agility drills, but once they started playing ball Jimmer was better than the 4th highest player on your draft board. So I don’t think he is being placed ahead of players that are “no doubt superior” on these lists.
@Lance
Why would it make somebody a bandwagon Jazz fan to be mad about a draft pick? Have you cheered every pick that we have ever made? Does a single workout really gauge the total sum of a basketball player? Even if Jimmer really performed better that day it does not mean he is better. He is a single dimension player and those are the easiest ones to shut down. I can guarantee that NBA players will play tougher, faster, and more physical D than anybody on U of U or any other college roster. Again I am not prepared to say that he is a fluke, however I do not feel that he will be a dominating player in the NBA. Can I ask if your friend at ESA is a Jimmer fan? I have been told by plenty of Jimmer fans that the media said that Jimmer dominated Kemba where the only thing I read is that Jimmer held his own. I don’t really trust them when it comes to “the Mighty and Awe Inspiring Jimmer.”
Before I get to my draft picks I think that what matters most is heart and championship mentality. That of course starts with the coach. I feel our dear Jerry Sloan was awesome, but he got us 50-55 wins per season with the old pack your lunch pale and go to work mentality… In other words he was really good, but it didn’t make us great. I think back with the John, Karl and Horny, they became coaches on the floor and obviously were no slouches being the best guard and forward the game has seen in my opinion, but we still didn’t get the job done even then. So I think no matter what the talent level you have it doesn’t mean championships, that was proven with Miami this year although it was just their first year, but also look at what a difference the Lakers were when they mentally were just not there, I mean Gasol was a nobody where as in years before he was an all-star! That to me had to be a complete mental lapse and breakdown. Give me winners that’s what I want, people that don’t just go out and try hard they get it figured out.
So, now to my draft picks… Drum roll please……
1. Williams – I think we need to get bigger at each position and Williams gives us that at the 3. He shoots well from outside and has a great ability to get the ball and move quick towards the basket with some kind of move. He has good leaping ability and wants to dominate. He has made it clear his intentions are to be the rookie of the year. He showed a little attitude on the court and also towards those interviewing him. He has good size and strength and looks to be NBA ready. I would say his defense needs to be stepped up a lot especially for his abilities and does leave some room for my concern of making sure players have heart and championship mentalities which defense is always a big indicator. Harris is a great point guard and isn’t old or anything and we’re forced to hold on to him regardless of even if we did pick up a guard with our 3rd pick, so if we need to hold on to him I would say let’s go with someone who can contribute right away. This would mean not great news for Millsap I think simply because we would have a true hybrid in Williams. Love my Millsap but it would be a concern.
2. Kanter – This guy is good and has a well-rounded game. He can do everything you need a big man to do and just needs to go out there and focus on getting better and not think like a rookie. He has skills that we need with having the ability to post, shoot the mid-range jumper, stretch the floor and hit the 3, rebound great, play multiple positions. He’s a good replacement for Okur since his days seem to be limited or even done. I hope not and hope Okur can make a comeback, but the back problems and an Achilles pull? Don’t know about that. I see another Harpring situation possibly coming together, again I hope not and hope Okur comes back to be MONEY and would love it if he does, but he just missed a whole season and isn’t getting any younger, he also isn’t known for being a tuff guy nor buiding his body to help preserve his youth so not looking so good. Kanter has the same size more strength good range and great rebounding. That’s a good talent and after he stuck with Kentucky and school after being told he wasn’t eligible I think that shows he has heart and after the Deron and Boozer fiasco I think someone showing loyalty goes a long ways when you have a league full of Lebron players willing to kick their beloved fans to the curb and jump ship rather than get things figured out with the team you’re on.
I know most people would select Irving over Knight which I think he might have shown a little more that knight, but I have doubts simply because I don’t care how talented you are if you injured you can’t help your team and after the Boozer thing I don’t do injuries, the other part of the debate between Irving and knight is they share about the same stats from last year’s season but Knight averaged that for a whole year and showed a lot of clutch ability that has to be taken into consideration but either of them would be great, but I pick Knight because I doubt Cavs will pass on Irving. If they do then with Rubio playing for Minnesota now the Timberwolves wouldn’t likely take another top guard, I could be wrong, no one knows what Kahn will do in that kind of situation.
3. Knight – Solid pick, comes from a school that has displayed amazing talent and ability to pick good talent like Wall, Rose and Evans. Suitor for our more long term aspect at the point although Harris is still great and I would only take Knight over Fredette (THAT’S RIGHT I SAID THAT and thats coming from someone who wasn’t a Jimmer-mannia person at all. Look Knight was good and is a safe bet but we have a good guard and don’t see the need for another guard right this second and to be honest I think that we get Knight only if we are planning on trading Harris for future picks which may not be a bad move. However I see Fradette as a good accent piece to Harris right now better than I do Knight. I like Knight, I’m not upset that we pick him before Fredette and I see the benefits of having him which is why I put him at 3 and not Fredette
4. Fredette – All other players we can talk about like Singleton and Thompson, Burks blah blah blah… The fact is Fredette was the scoring leader for college last year and that makes him dang good. Guess what we need a shooter, someone to stretch the floor, someone who can help at 1 and 2, a spark off the bench, a person that can create their own offense on a second squad when we have a lot of young talent like we do and they break down and don’t run the offense well… Oh know what do we do? The shot clock is down to 7, I know give it to Jimmer and let him create. It’s just that easy. One of the reasons starters don’t get the rest they need is because they can’t sit on the bench long enough to get a breather because the second squad just lets everything fall apart. I will say this, when our second squad with Watson and sometimes Price played hard defense that transitioned to quick offense and we actually saw our second squad run the game up, but that wasn’t often. No Doubt there are concerns with his defense, and I love that people are saying cause he’s white or not Black either or… it’s kind of funny to see white people as the minority… especially when there were terrible athletes like John Stockton who was as white as they come and I don’t think any color of skin is going to touch some of his records, oh also the fact that Jimmer was the scoring leader and still white, anyway that stuff is just silly to me… but he’ll make the adjustments he needs to win and that means a defensive mentality as well. But let’s remember that many scorers are not big defenders simply because they exert themselves offensively and try to conserve energy and catch their wind a bit on defense, I’m not saying it’s ok, just saying Fredette isn’t the only one that has done that especially in college with a lot of zone defense where you can afford to be lazy which is one of the reasons he was so good offensively.
Anything past these players and I really don’t know. It’s a crap shoot. The Jazz have been known to grab some garbage but they have found some amazing talent later in the draft and most of them turned out to be that way because of heart and so I would say that’s what you look for after this talent is grabbed up, or in other words I don’t really care who we get after that. They all have their strengths and weaknesses but none that over power me to be pushing for them over another just fill the needs we have for the team and grab those that have heart. I will say that Burks is athletic and tempting, but after forgetting Tyrone Corbin was the head coach and looking like he had ADD in front of the cameras kind of like Miles did early in his career I don’t know that you want someone like that. Just a thought and yes that is kind of judging the book by its cover but I’ve seen other books like them and don’t want to waste time reading them.
Anyway I hope I ruffled some feathers and get some debates going on, it’s just way more fun that way. Oh Also I like Fesenko and I think we just need a big man coach that can actually teach him how to play and get him in the gym like Howard. The guy is huge and has quick feet has the foundation just needs a coach to get in his head and flip the switch. It’s in there I promise you it’s in there somewhere.
1- Derrick Williams
2- Kyrie Irving
3- Enes Kanter
4- Brandon Knight
5- Jonas Valanciunas
6- Kawhi Leonard
7- Jan Vesely
8- Jimmer Fredette
9- Kemba Walker
10- Kenneth Faried
11- Chris Singleton
12- Bismack Biyombo
@Jake. i started reading your comment, but it just got too hard and long. i dont read.