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Credit where credit is due
Posted by: Jeremy Hanks on July 16th, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.This is my first time writing in this format about the Utah Jazz. Hopefully, it is the first of many posts. The Jazz offseason so far has been better than than many expected (myself included). I think the moves for Mo and Ma williams were the perfect moves to make with what we had to work with. Those players will both be significantly better in their roles on this team than their previous roles’ with their former teams.
We as fans really need to voice our support for the job that KOC has done. He never panics, he always gets the best bang for his buck and never makes a move just to make a move. Too many fans try and point out the moves that we don’t make or the players that don’t pan out, without providing evidence that their trade-machine moves will actually pan out. The NBA wouldn’t be the NBA if every move that every GM made, panned out…rarely do trades turn out great for both parties involved.
Don’t get me wrong, a huge part of being a fan is in fact being a back yard or back seat GM. The only difference is that we don’t have our jobs on the line with every trade proposal that we put out there. Which is why I am grateful that Kevin O’Connor strikes like a black panther always seemingly out of the blue which in today’s day an age is an astonishing accomplishment considering social media and the loose lips of many execs around the league. I certainly would not want to play poker against
KOC, let alone question his uncanny ability to completely blindside other GM’s around the league. You have to realize that Kevin O Connor is well respected among his peers for a reason, besides the fact that he is one of the old guard being one the leagues longest tenured GM’s, he always seems to find that Gem in the second round, or make something of his assets (al J and mo will joined the team for mere trade exceptions).
This is why we must be patient with this offseason. I think the Jazz are still goin to make a move or two (Al Jefferson + raja bell for Iguodala and 2nd round pick(s), anyone?) but I am glad that we are not seeing many rumors about the Jazz out there, because that is usually when the panther attacks, when it is silent and least expected. I can’t wait to see what else KOC has in store for this offseason, the only thing I can assure you is the fact that it will be as solid a move as could be made given the circumstances. Why can I say that? The Jazz gm has at least earned that much respect in his time here, which is why we all must remember to give credit where credit is due. Go JAZZ!
Replies: 13
Views: 652
13 Responses
I completely agree with you, Jeremy. I don’t understand why so many Jazz fans have complained in the recent past about him. He really is in the upper echelon of GMs in the league. Especially with the perception that professional athletes have of Utah, I think KOC has done an excellent job and I think a lot of the players who do love it here (Watson, Mo Williams, Millsap, Jefferson, etc) have a confidence that KOC will take care of our team and that he’s a stand-up guy. GREAT POST! I love it when Jazz fans talk about our positives, rather than talking about all our negatives. I completely trust KOC to do what is best for our long-term future.
While I do believe KOC has made some good moves, let’s not act like he’s unfallible. Kris Humphries, Kirk Snyder, Pavlovic, Curtis Borchard, Morris Almond, Kosta Koufos, and Kanter (I feel we should’ve taken Knight) while passing on Batum, Ibaka, Afflalo, Kyle Lowry, Josh Smith, JR Smith, Al Jefferson, Tony Allen, Kevin Martin, Tayshaun Prince, Booz, Scola, Chris Paul (Yes, I think he’s better than Deron), Monta Ellis, and Rajon Rondo. I know hindsight is 20/20, but this is his job. He gets paid a lot to do it. He’s done a decent job, but I don’t think we need to sing his praises. How far has it gotten us in the playoffs? We got to the WCF only because Golden State had Dallas’ number that year.
NA NA NA. Every GM in the league has a list like the one you quoted of players that they should not have taken and players that they should have taken. Using that arguement you could pretty much discredit every GM in the league. Surely, not every GM in the league sucks, right? You have to look at a percentage of their moves that have worked out. Based solely on the tenure of his time with the Jazz (2nd longest tenure of GM’s in the league) I would say it is borderline ignorant to NOT give KOC props. You have to take into consideration what he has done with the tools at his disposal. The Jazz don’t naturally attract players like LA or Boston or Miami, our GM has to actually sell guys on coming into town, thus requiring a certain set of skills. To be able to switch hats from analyst to negotiator is a SKILL. ANd it definitely merits recognition and praise.
Deron Williams, Paul Millsap, most likely Hayward, Burks, and Kanter. Those are the draft picks he has had that will have worked. (now there may be more, I’m at work and am unable to research them all right now. Shhh, don’t tell.) He has done a good job of trading for talent, I will give him that. But I don’t feel that he or his scouts do a very good job of evaluating and drafting talent.
Just my .02 Take it or leave it. But this is part of the fun of being a fan right? Getting to play armchair GM and think that we know better than the pros.
I think KOC has done a fine job. I think it will be a breakout year for Ma Williams. Good idea to move Devin(Made Patrick smile).Mo Williams will be fine. A lot of other teams are spending a lot more bucks.. And the best part is it looks like he is leaving CJ and Howard and Bell out of the picture..Good move.
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7714701/how-annoy-fan-base-60-easy-steps
Since KOC has been here
1)The average time a draft pick spends on our team is about 2.5 years. Not great at all.
2) He never looks a couple years in advance and look at the contract situation and how to plan ahead. Just like the Knicks right now thinking about Lin even though he is loved by the fans it will screw them in years to come. So they have to look ahead. He does not do this well which leads to number 3
3) Because he does not look ahead we have had to get rid of good young players because of bad contracts. We lost Ronnie Brewer and Maynor because of salary dumps.
4) He made a VERY VERY rash trade by getting Al in here. KOC has always been given this great credit for putting people into Sloan system and finding the right players. How in the heck did he think Al fit? He has NEVER ran the P&R effectively his whole career. But lets put him into a P&R based offense. It was not by accident that when he showed up that D-Will assist fell by 3 assists a game
5) He always thinks he should win the trade. Sometimes you have to make a trade for the future. Once again looking forward. But instead of taking a so-so trade he waits and then we get hammered because of it.
6) We have only made the WCF once the whole time he has been here. He puts a lineup on the floor that can make the 5th-8th seeds in the West but not win a championship. That is the ultimate goal right?
I tend to go with Jeremy in that I believe in KOC. I DO think that he has a plan for the future. Getting something for Al, with his contract, is not going to be easy. That is where I will judge him as a GM. A couple more smart moves and I think that we will have pieces in line for a winner.
Dallan. Love the numbering of the points. Very important indeed. Dude the jazz of the past ran the flex motion Dick motta offense, the pick n roll was definitely part of it but the offense was not based on the p n r. The flex is (look familiar?) 1) screening, 2)ball movement 3) cutting based offense. They ran a fair amount of pn r’s due to personnel, period. Last year they ran a combo flex/iso offense and a revamped force baseline oriented d rather than force middle as in Sloan days’. Point is, they are smart enough to run a system based off of the players not vice versa, believe it or not the jazz adapt. By making the additions they did, rather than rely on certain plays or sets they chose this coming year to rely on one thing, toughness. Im down with that.
If KOC landed IGGY for Al and if we land a PG of the future in next years draft, I would say KOC has hit his groove and redeemed past mistakes. The DWill trade was epic by all standards. Favors and 2 lottery picks (Burkes was ranked #5 and slipped), possibly 3 lottery picks with GSW. Al jefferson was picked up for nothing. Koufos? for real. Al was picked up to sway DWill to stay in Utah.
Jeremy you are right they did run a system based of a PLAYER not players. What other players besides Al benefited from what we ran last year?
Those are some big if’s Jazzed.