Meet
Possible lineups
Posted by: Jake on June 8th, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.Given the fact that I know its been a sensitive subject regarding AK I’ll tread lightly and simply say if he did return to Utah what we would have.
Without doing a lot of adding and changing we could have a lineup like this…
Jefferson, Favors, AK, Hayward & Harris….
Not bad if coached the right way. Harris proved to be able to drop the 3 ball as can Hayward and AK. None are amazing I agree, but you get 3 very good defenders on the court in Favors, AK and Hayward. Harris has to look at the intensity of San Antonio and Thunder and see that need to get much more nasty and stop being a nice guy. Harris has a lot going for him he just doesn’t have a coach thats bringing it out of him, but he’s not bad. We’d better but thats going to be really tuff to find and even more difficult to afford unless we draft it in through trading for picks which means we’re still building for the future.
At a certain point we do need to decide if we’re going to go with the OKC model or not. If we do we’re still 2-3 years out from being where they are is what it looks like. Anyway I’m getting off point.
As a second lineup we could play…
Kanter, Milsap, Caroll, Burks and Watson/Tinsley or whoever… (I know we’ll see more new faces so things will change big time I’m sure)
But… If we do keep Big Al and Milsap then I think we’d be better off bringing Milsap in off the bench as a primary screr against second squads. Not that he can’t get it done against the first squad, and not that he won’t see big minutes against all-star talent, it’s just a balance thing. Favors is the better defender for sure so putting him against other starting PF will stop the other teams fire power is needs be, but once the second squad comes in Milsap can defend plenty well but easily out play bench players since he can outplay most starters as well. I just see it as a beter balance, and like Harden on OKC he comes in to do damage and create life. I see Milsap as someone that could provide that. He can carry a second squad. Just a thought.
Replies: 20
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20 Responses
Maybe Jefferson should move to the bench since the numbers show the times he does best are against weaker opponents. Not the Howard,Bynum,Chandler,Pekovic,Duncan,heck even Pryzbilla and Hickson handled him. Not to mention Perkins, and Garnett. Those are all the people we are going to see in the playoffs for the next however many years. So if we are going to keep him make him come off the bench.
That way you also take Jefferson out of having to play P&R against the best PG in the league.
It’s impossible for the Jazz or any other team to follow the OKC model, because players like Durant just don’t come along that often. The Thunder were extremely lucky, and just happened to have the right draft pick, in the right draft.
Apparently the Bobcats are really shopping the 2nd pick in the draft. Latest report was a rumor concerning Rudy Gay. Certainly, Al Jefferson is in the same category of player as Gay. I really think the Jazz should offer Jefferson or Millsap for the 2nd pick, and be willing to take on the contract of Tyrus Thomas to make the deal work. I want MKG.
Would you be willing to get rid of the GS pick AND our pick next year for MKG??
We seriously just need to trade Jefferson for a real point guard, for instance Kyle Lowry, and then Harris will be the sixth man, a role he’s been very good at in the past since he’s a reasonable option at either guard position but not meant to be a starting PG. Then we resign AK47 to give us some depth at SF. Favors plays some 4 and some 5, Kanter plays more minutes since his talent warrants them, and we maybe grab some low-level center to play 5 min a game.
Starting line-up would be Lowry, Hayward, Kanter at 1-2-5 and then some combination of Favors-Millsap-Kirilenko at the 3-4 spots with Harris and Kirilenko serving as our bench spark guys and getting 25-30 a game.
The team has 240 minutes to distribute, and those would go as follows:
Lowry 32
Hayward 34
Millsap 35
Favors 32
Kanter 30
Kirilenko 25
Harris 23
Burks 12
All others 18
So by position
1 – Lowry 32, Harris 13, Burks 3
2 – Hayward 29, Harris 10, Burks 9
3 – Millsap 18, Kirilenko 18, Hayward 5, Others 7
4 – Favors 18, Millsap 17, Kirilenko 7, Others 6
5 – Kanter 30, Favors 14, Others 4
Important note – for any line-up where Millsap and Kirilenko are on the floor at the same time, Millsap should be guarding the 3 and Kirilenko the 4. This best plays to their strengths, as Millsap’s lateral movement and on-man defense is better, and Kirilenko’s strengths are his help defense and his solid base.
The nice part of that trade and signing is that if our group improves and we’re in the playoffs again we can cut out all the minutes for the rest of the team and have a solid 8-man group (playing Hayward more minutes at the 3 to compensate for a somewhat guard-heavy rotation)
Do you want Evans as part of that mix??
I really like Evans, and think he could play his way in. If we’re giving Evans rotation minutes, it wouldn’t be hard to have more of Sap’s/Lenko’s minutes come at the 3 and give the “others” minutes at the 4 all to Evans.
I just think Evans is an energy player that every team needs. Do I think he needs 25 mins not unless he gets his jumper down but I do think he should get 10-15 a night. Every time he comes on the floor something good happens.
Dallan: If need be…yes. Those will be mid-range or lower picks in all likelihood.
People are so underestimating Jeremy Evan’s abilities. In that last game of the regular season against Portland, he was the best player on the floor for long stretches. He is capable of being a very effective role player in a teams regular rotation.
Millsap’s its not going on bench again, he dosent deserves it
Agree Guido. Jefferson would probably be more willing then Millsap to accept a bench role (though I don’t know for sure how I feel about making our highest paid player come off the bench).
Kanter can play the 4 or 5. Jefferson and Favors can also play the 4 or 5. Millsap can’t. This works against him a little bit as far as versatility. In some ways, he’s the odd man out, unless he plays the 3 spot.
@JMC, I am 100% with getting MKG. I really see it as instant Iggy, but cheaper and younger.
The Bobcats are desperate to be competitive, one rookie player wont help them that much. Jefferson can dominate the offense, id send Watson and GSW pick.
Wizards NEED to be competitive in order to keep Wall from wanting out. Millsap, Bell, and GSW pick. Millsap will have an easier time at PF in the east. There are not a lot of long PF like the West. Wizards would bite.
Nene, Millsap, Vessly, Crawford, Wall. Pretty good starting 5. That a top 8 team in the East.
I’m really starting to like the idea of trading for the 2nd or third pick. I think it would benefit both teams involved (whether it’d be the wizards or the bobcats).
@Guido No one deserves anything.. I do not care if you have been around for 10 years at the point you have someone better then you, you need to come off the bench or be done. Favors is better then Millsap and so he should be the one that is starting. If Millsap can not do that for the better of the team then bye. Same goes with any other player. You are not OWED anything in professional sports.
@Omar,JMC it sounds like Wizards are not willing to trade their pick. But it sounds like the Bobcats are. BUT they want a ton from whomever to get it. We are not going to be able to trade with them unless we give up one of the “core four” which I am not willing to do at this point.
@JMC I would be willing to throw them both in as well if they were willing to do something. Next years draft is weak and would rather get MKG because in all honesty he may not be a go to offensive animal but I think he would fit along side our all ready great core!! I agree completely about Evans as well!!
@Jason:Thomas is still owed over 21 Million.Still willing??
Definately LK that is how Thunder built and got their players. Take on bad contracts to get draft picks.
@Dallan, I totally with. The Core Four are untouchable.
Id take a bad contract, trade the next 2 years picks, and offer,
Bell
Al,
Watson
Millsap
Harris
To improve the team. Trading any of the core four is a step back.
When Thomas was picked by the Bulls I thought he was going to go a long ways. Maybe on a good team it would breathe new life into him. But that is a lot of money to take back. But then his contract would expire at the same time as Hayward/Favors. I do think Gilchrist is going to make a great difference on a team. And with a young core he would fit right in. Also it would be nice to see Evans blossom. Because he is not one of the top ranked UFA’s might be a blessing for the Jazz to resign him.
A lot of times Milsap isn’t even being used with Al on the court. Milasp has to be a clean up player not a go to guy with Al on the court. If they mastered a high low between Milsap and Al that could change things, but Milsap coming off the bench is simply part of winning. It also gives Favors and Kanter the minutes they both need.
With AK in the mix or another strong SF Favors can play center Milsap can play PF and also change it up with Milsap playing 3 at times… Its a thought. I hope we get more jump shooters though. We need more outside shooting for sure. Watching OKC close out games with jump shots killed San Antonio which is not like the typical power teams that close out games pounding the paint. Just goes to show how hard it is to beat teams that can make shots.
Ilysova (however you spell it would be a much better 3 than milsap for jump shooting while still giving sive and rebounding. His outside shooting is excellent and could really be a very har 3 to gueard since he still can play on the post.
Batum is the other I like at a 3 so ditching CJ is the easiest thing ever along with Bell. The 2 of them were paid over 7 million combined which would give us 1 very good offer on ilysova/batum or AK and far better player than both. We also should be considering some more spot shooters for kickout shooting like Korver and Novak.
We still need so much more from our PG position though.. but if we brought on more wing players that can hit jumpers I’d almost wonder if Hayward can play the point as well? Just a thought? Not that Hayward is a Magic Johnson or anything like that, but he is someone that can go off the dribble and passes well. I don’t know but we need someone that can really lead and run the offense (a take over guy leader)Hayward has played the point so thats kind of something to think about… What kind of linup could be played with Hayward at point?
@Jake with Hayward as a Point Forward you would not run it all game BUT you could run it at periods and then put a combo guard on the floor that scores. Think Jimmer, not that I am advocating to get Jimmer but Sacramento do not use Jimmer correctly. But they can not really use him when they have Thomas on the floor it leaves them terribly under-sized. That was one of the reasons I wanted Damian Lilliard because he could handle the ball or play off the ball which would be awesome and it gives the other teams a wrinkle that people usually do not have the ability to do.