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The next OKC Thunder? The Utah Jazz.
Posted by: Riley Gisseman on June 24th, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.
It has now been five years since Kevin Durant’s name was announced as the second pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, that same young man has now made a finals appearance. The Utah Jazz are on the same course the Thunder were on not long ago, in fact they are just a few steps behind. Utah has created a very sturdy foundation the same way as the Thunder did just half a decade ago. The Thunder’s foundation was created off of: Kevin Durant, pick 2 in the 2007 NBA Draft, Russell Westbrook, pick 4 in the 2008 NBA Draft, Surge Ibaka, pick 24 in the 2008 NBA Draft, and James Harden, pick 3 in the 2009 NBA draft. The Jazz have now done the same thing with: Derrick Favors, pick 3 in the 2010 NBA Draft, Gordon Hayward, pick 9 in the 2010 NBA Draft, Enes Kanter, pick 3 in the 2011 NBA Draft, and Alec Burks, pick 12 in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Also for both teams the talent does not lie, who wouldn’t want to make their team from a group of lottery picks? You get the talent and the chemistry formed early. I also noticed that both teams started out of the playoffs, grew to make the playoffs, and if you look at what the Thunder have done, the Jazz are on track for the 4th seed then 2nd and then who knows where!
I read in an article that:
“Several analysts have explained that, even though the teams have had their struggles, the fan support in their respective cities is unparalleled. Their fan support is unparalleled because, rather simply, there’s no one else there to cheer for. Fans in the Salt Lake City and Oklahoma City (even collectively the Utah and Oklahoma) areas, can pledge their full allegiance to a single, hometown team. For example: when the Thunder’s record reflected a 3-29 start in their first season in OKC, the Chesapeake Energy Arena continued to sell tickets and fill seats. Again, when the Jazz traded Deron Williams and coach Jerry Sloan resigned in 2011, fans’ morale and encouragement never wavered. The devotion and unheralded support of fans is an undeniable similarity between the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s also a strong basis to build on.”
And that is exactly the basis that the Jazz need to become championship worthy.
It is Undoubted that the Utah Jazz with minor roster tweaks and chemistry strengthened, could, in a couple of years, be conteding for a title.
Replies: 10
Views: 680
10 Responses
Hayward and Favors ended the year pretty strong. Burks showed some glimpses too. I think we are built to be contenders in a few years.
Great quote. Where/who is it from?
Agree that Favors and Hayward are coming along VERY nicely. Kanter and Burks still need a lot of work.
If you guys want to check out more blogs or news about my opinions about the Jazz visit http://www.utahjazznewsnow.blogspot.com
With all my respect for all the Jazz players, there is no KD in this roster, and to be the next OKC you need a KD, and a KD, you see one of them once every 20 years………
Sorry to open the shower on your optimism, but we maybe are the next OKC, without KD…..
@Riley, I wish you the best with your writing career. Dont forget Green was the 5th pick. I totally agree with. In fact, I think the Jazz are ahead of schedule compared to OKC. OKC never had the trade assests the Jazz do; they can flip all that in one offseason, and be set for the next three years.
I still fantasize about the Super 6:
Kanter
Favors
MKG
Hayward
Lillard
Burks
Also, OKC drafted alot of perimeter players, Jazz are built the right way with perimeter players and paint players. And dont forget about Evans.
@ French dude: No we don’t have a KD, but we have a potential “Dwight” in Favors, who has almost identical physical features and put up similar number numbers to Dwight in his early years if you take into account Favors only played 20 minutes a night.
@ Millslapped & @ French Dude: You are both pretty spot on. Right now I see us developing into OKC without Durant. Our young stars match up well(this will become apparent with developmental strides) with Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka. Durant is a different player. That being said, if Favors develops into a Dwightesque player then we are set.
What if they develop into Dwight-light, Marc Gasol (Kanter….duh), a smarter Tyreke evans (Burks), and finally some mish mash of Ginobli/suuuuper poor man’s Lebron/Mike Dunleavy (Hayward).
Given my second scenario happening, could we match up with OKC?
@millslapped & @Matt, i sincerely hope Favors will be better than Dwight, because seriously, Dwight is not a good basketball player……… physically he is a giant in the middle of midgets, but when you talk about basketball, he is a midget in the middle of giants, his FT and shoot are nightmares, his attitude is sometimes pathetic, and he’s probably the only franchise player who never see the ball in the money time, his coach don’t trust him, his teammates don’t trust him, and basically everybody don’t think he can give them the win in the money time….
with hard work, and i hope Favors work hard, i want him to be a young Garnett, as good on the offense and the defense
OKC is gonna knock us around for the next few years…
If the Jazz can keep this core together for the long haul, 5 or 6 seasons I can see the Jazz being a power house.