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Back to the future (plan)
Posted by: ST Spalding on February 11th, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.Love the Jazz, even from the heart of Ohio. Was very excited about the start of the season, team played hard and showed promise. But it’s time to get back to the PLAN. Lots of chatter about why KOC would sign the Junkyard Dog while young talent DNP. Either a trade is in the works (not likely – options are better in the off season), or we are sending youth to DLeague.
With the Jazz out of town for most of March, it’s time that Burks and Evans go to Idaho. Evans needs to prove his game is more than dunking (can he shoot and defend) and more importantly and the whole purpose of this move is to take our best athelete and see if he can play the POINT. Why not take the chance and see if Burks can become a beast and top defender (it’s all up side). He arrived at Colorado has a combo guard and grew into the SG role, but if you watched his game he was at his best with the ball in transition. Hayward can expand into the point forward role to give diversity to the offense facilitation. We can’t stand pat and allow PGs to shell us for 20+ a night.
The trade exception and Harris can wait till next year (unless we can acquire more draft chips now).
Thoughts ??
Replies: 9
Views: 402
9 Responses
I like your thinking. I do believe Burks has the talent to be an off-the-bench point guard who doubles as a sg at the same time. He is good in transition and has proven he has the ability to consistently get to the free throw line and make shots. I agree it’s all upside for him. Either send him to the development league with Evans or start giving both guys a minimum 10 minutes on the court a night, particularly if Utah gets behind early in a lot of these future road games. Even though things may not pan out well for Utah in this latter half of the season, it may serve as a great opportunity for Utah’s young rising stars, as in Favors, Kanter, Burks, Hayward, Evans, and Miles. Let these guys start getting more experience, develop their skills and leadership roles, and start taking ownership. I think Burks, Hayward, Miles, Favors, and Kanter could be a great future lineup. If Burks could prove that he could handle the point in the future, then a Watson-type backup player would be perfect, particularly as a backcourt combo.
I have said that for years. They say they learn from being on the bench. Hooie!! They will learn more playing thirty minutes with some pretty skilled players. With the new guy they just signed someone has to sit out anyway. D- league is for training not for punishment. Send them one at a time to keep a full roster. At least a two week stint for each of them is just what the doctor ordered..
I’m FAR from convinced that Alec Burks should play point guard in the NBA. I see him as a shooting guard. He doesn’t have the right mentality to run a team. That wouldn’t be playing to his strength, which his ability to create for himself. I want Burks on the court as bad as anyone, but not as a point guard.
I also don’t believe that sending a guy to the D-League is going to make them a better player. The coaches see these guys play against one another every time they practice. Burks and Evans are going to learn more by playing against Raja Bell, or Paul Millsap in scrimmage, then by playing with John Doe in the D-league. If anything, they will probably pick up bad habits by playing against lesser competition. I think Morris Almond is a classic example.
I’m fully aware of the expression “be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it” but right now I wouldn’t mind seeing Devin Harris and Josh Howard having to miss a few weeks with “nagging” injuries.
There, I said it (arms folded). Let’s see what happens now.
The supposed plan for Burks was to split time at the Point and Shooting Guard Positions. I think he needs time on the floor and the D-League would be good for him, as well as us to see more of him.
@jason – if the schedule allowed for practice with the kids then sure keep them in SLC, but we are on the road almost the whole month. There will be NO practice time. So send them down to play, prime JHoward for trade value and let Tinsley take some minutes.
Good to have you on the forum, Spalding. I think you’re absolutely right. Jeremy Evans and Alec Burks need playing time to develop, and they aren’t getting it in the NBA.
@Jason, I have to disagree with you buddy. Playing time is playing time. There are quirks and inconsistencies that can be smoothed out playing in the D League. Passing, shooting, dribbling, screens, tempo, conditioning and team play can all be learned in the D League (it’s called the DEVELOPMENT league for a reason). And Morris Almond was never an NBA caliber player, whereas Jeremy Evans and Alec Burks are.
Last year, we sent Jeremy Evans to the Utah Flash, and he played great, and came back to the Jazz a remarkably improved player (Sloan said so, himself. And Sloan has been recorded as saying he believes the dleague is a good way for players to learn).
Jeremy Evans has proven that he is capable of hitting shots from the perimeter. He’s knocked down several this season. In My mind, jeremy Evans shouldn’t be playing in the Dleague. he should playing in the NBA, even if it’s garbage minutes.
Alec Burks is full of potential, but he could learn several things about team play in the D-league. The D-league is much more competitive than practice scrimmages. There’s only so much guys can TELL you to do. Sooner or later, you have to DO them yourself. And since that’s not happening on the Jazz, let the guys work on their games in the meantime.
I didn’t want to suggest that the D-League doesn’t have any value, because it most certainly does. But, I don’t like the idea of sending the 12th pick in the draft down. For me, the D-League is a place for projects, and border line NBA types. I just don’t like the idea of sending “lottery” caliber players to the minors. I feel like those guys should already be seeing significant minutes on the floor, from the teams that drafted them. Just wanted to make sure I clarified my previous comment. That’s just me though. Most might disagree. When I think of all the top notch players in the league, I can’t remember any of them having spent anytime in the D-League (or the CBA, as it used to be called).
Im not sure that trade exception can wait… does anyone know the expiration date of that exception?