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KOC has to have something up his sleeve
Posted by: Michael King on July 11th, 2010
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.With everything that’s happened so far this off-season, it’s left alot of Jazz fans frustrated, and wondering if we even try to do anything. Honestly, if we didn’t do anything, we wouldn’t have Deron as our point guard right now, and we wouldn’t have done a sign and trade with Boozer. Plus Millsap would have been a Trailblazer. Everyone who is frustrated with the front office, simply needs to chill out and relax. If KOC didn’t have something up his sleeve, he wouldn’t have drafted both Hayward and Evans. Do any of us know what will happen? No, and that’s realistically the main thing causing so many to complain. The Jazz are a very small market team, and there is precious little reported on us as is, so it’s more than likely that we don’t have any kind of idea who all we’ve been talking to, and what we’ve been trying for. I picture us re-signing Matthews, reguardless of the rather large contract he’s been offered. Though it might seem like a “toxic” one, much like Millsap’s did a year ago, it’s more than likely going to be a bargain later on. I’d gladly pay Wes 7 million a year plus a bonus up front, which is actually 1.2 million more per year than the offer given. Wes is already a fan favorite, and the effect of losing him would be far greater than that of paying him the contract. Let’s not forget that we ventured into the luxury tax last year, and may have to again this year. LA is constantly in the luxury tax, so why not us? After re-signing Matthews, out next priority as KOC and the rest of the organization knows is to get a big. Personally, I think the one they’ve been after the most is Al Jefferson. Let’s use our TE and what ever else necessary to bring him in. Would adding CJ along with the TE work? Possibly add a later second round pick with CJ+TE? The other options I’ve been hearing include waiting til next off-season when AK’s contract comes off the books and using that to get a big, or Ante Tomic who could be coming over in a year or 2. Though I don’t know much of anything about Tomic, apparently he could be the next Pau Gasol. Having a player of that caliber would be a massive boost to our team. I’d like to see a lineup similar to this next year:
PG Deron Williams, Ronnie Price, Sundiata Gaines
SG Wes Matthews, Gordon Hayward(can play 2 or 3), Otheus Jeffers
SF AK(can play 3 or 4), Gordon Hayward, Jeremy Evans
PF Paul Millsap, AK, Al Jefferson(4 or 5)
C Al Jefferson, Memo, Fes, Koufos
Replies: 9
Views: 379
9 Responses
If we get Al Jefferson I think our last hole will be plugged, if not, AK can play the 4 and Koufos can get a lot of experience this year at center…i’m not as worried as everyone else is. I’m excited to watch the Jazz play this fall. We’ll still make the playoffs. It will be harder, but you can’t just become a championship team in one free agency period…unless you have enough cap space to sign 3-max players. Miami will not win the championship, ousted in Eastern Conference Finals. Note it.
+1 to Nathan!
If we don’t sign anyone new such as Jefferson or Augustine than yes it will be tough. But signing a player just to fill a whole this season would be kind of dumb. Especially since Jefferson still has a rather large contract. I think filling it with young talent and more or less wait for next year.
Next year we’ll have the option of resigning AK to a smaller salary (if he agrees) and we’ll be able to seek out a Center or PF that is worth 7-9 Mill.
I think Koufos would benefit greatly from a season with a bunch of starts. I like the lineups you have listed. I think Ak backs up Millsap and Hayward backs up CJ. Evans can backup Mathews.
This could be an awesome year to build our team up and add some key pieces next year.
Sorry Andrew but it Nathan’lineup there is no CJ because he “traded” hime to have Al Jefferson. Personnaly, I do not see the interest of such a move, especially at a moment in which CJ is growing.
So, unless it is possible to trade for picks and/or a bag full of dollars, I think 2010-2011 is likely to be a transition year for the Jazz.
I have the impression that the plan is:
- to pay some minute in a classical configuration with SF / PF / C: Fes (or Koufos or Memo) + PM (or Evans) + CJ (or Hayward)
- to play most minutes with 2PF + 1 “tall SF”: AK (or Evans)+ PM + GH (or CJ)
The versatility of these players allows to play in such a way. My main doubt lays behind the arc.
Then wait one year for Tomic and group all the possible money to attract a big name (Melo ?).
So basically our next season will be an extension of our summer league. Just watching up and comers try and get minutes and get better. Would be a long and painful season to watch. I can’t see our coach and players not trying but their has to be a time in the season when they just are tired of losing. Cause we’re not winning a lot of games next year at this rate. For the fans and the players. We need to make at least one semi huge move just to show they’re trying. We need something good. This offeseason is so bleak.
@ Andrew
I noticed you’d have Hayward backing up CJ and Evans at the 2 backing up Wes. I don’t mind having Hayward backing up our 3, but Evans simply doesn’t fit as a 2 guard for several reasons. 1-he doesn’t have the ball handling ability of your typical guard..though granted neither did Korver, 2-his jump shot just isn’t as good as you’d want your shooting guards to be. I’d much rather see Gordon Hayward back up the 2, and Evans back up the 3 or possibly the 4 if he bulks up. Gordon has the ball handling desired for a guard, and he’s got the jump shot to go along with it.
@Henri
The only reason I had CJ getting traded for Al is because Andrei is a far better defender and he can play the 4. We have the wings set as long as we keep Wes, our main problem is having a good center who can rebound and defend. We could also use an extra guy to come in at the 4 to help out if AK gets injured(quite likely). CJ as much as I like him and his improvement simply isn’t capable of playing the 4. I’d have rather done a sign and trade with Korver for Al and kept CJ, but with how our roster is now, he’s the next best piece to trade unless they’d go for a Koufos.
I agree just dont trade CJ. Trade Fes or Sundiata Gaines. Minnesota needs a point gaurd and I bet they’d love to have Gaines.
Yeah, I agree with you on that one Kelton. I didn’t even think of the idea of trading Gaines.
gaines is going to be back in the developmental league. morris almond, should have kept him
How can the Jazz afford to send Gaines back to the D-league when we may not even have Matthews here? We may be forced to play Deron at the 2 and Ronnie as our point.