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Making the Right Move
Posted by: Brian McCann on January 3rd, 2011
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.Over the Christmas break I had a lot of time to think about the current Jazz roster and the moves I would or would not make if I were in KOC’s position. This team has been very inconsistent over the last three weeks or so, and a large part of that can be attributed to jelling, so if the Jazz do make a move, it could further the problem in the short-term. Another new face in a difficult offense might extend some of the problems this team has experienced thus far. Still, personally, I feel that this team is one major piece away from being able to seriously contend, and I wonder if O’Connor will pull the trigger before the trade deadline to bring in another new face that will help add offensive firepower and overall depth to this team.
AK is not contributing as much as I had hoped coming into this season in a contract year, and watching him ride the pine on Saturday as Gordon Hayward began to flourish furthered my perception of Andrei’s expendability. Like I have said many times before, when AK is focused, he is a really important part of this team-problem is, he rarely seems focused these days, and his enormous contract is looking better and better as a valuable trading piece. Right now, I would love to see the Jazz trade AK for Andre Iguodala or Gerald Wallace, and wouldn’t mind trades for Stephen Jackson or Kevin Martin as well. All four of those guys are rumored to be on the market, and all four would improve our team in certain aspects. In the cases of Iggy, Jax and Wallace, the Jazz could probably swing deals that would save them a lot of money this year and in the immediate future, although they would have to take on long-term contracts. But they need to win now, and they need to make moves with that in mind. Yes, you want to secure your long-term viability, but our core is still very young, so they have already done that to some extent. The key now is to identify what it will take to get you to that next level, and, personally, I don’t feel the money AK is getting is best served allocated to his contract.
This team is young, but Deron needs to see progress now, not next season or a couple of years from now. It is important to find the right fit, but when it comes down to it, KOC needs to be willing to pull the trigger if the right fit comes along. Question is who is the right fit? Do we stick with AK, or do we trade him for a more explosive player with a more economical contract?
Replies: 18
Views: 942
18 Responses
I agree with you Brian, we have to make another move. AK is far below the famous breakout year that we were all expecting him to show. So I would vote for a trade asap. Wallace seems to be on the decline, and Stephen Jackson – Jerry Sloan relationships could be explosive. I am OK with Igudala and Kevin Martin, with a preference for the latter. The rockets also have to make a move and they were interested in Fes if I remember well. He could be part of a package in a multi-team trade … maybe we have to wait for the solution of the Melo issue, and all the rest will fall like this summer’s giant domino initiated by LBJ.
I used to be on the Iggy bandwagon until I saw how much he is due to make next year. $13,531,750 next year, $14,718,250 the next, and a player option of $15,904,750 the third year. This would put the Jazz at $67 mill already committed next year, and we would still need to sign or replace Price, Watson, Elson & Fez. That leaves 4 Mill till we hit the tax, and those four are making roughly $4.2 mill combined this year. With the uncertainty surrounding the new CBA next year, I just don’t see the Jazz making this move. It would be fun & exciting & sexy, but we all know it’s not the way the Jazz do things. Gerald Wallace or Steven Jackson make a little more sense, while Martin is up closer to Iggy’s salary next year. I honestly don’t know how trade exceptions work, but I think that if we picked up Wallace or Jackson we’d probably need to take on another salary in a package deal. I honestly am glad I’m not KOC, cause I have no idea what I’d do in his position. All I know is in a league that is hungry for expiring contracts, and with D-Will playing in his prime, the Jazz need to be Title contender right now, and not in 2 years. I do know that we need a consistent shooting guard, and Raja needs to move to the bench. Hope they pull off some magic. GO JAZZ!!!
Check out http://hoopshype.com/ for salary info if you are curious.
AK’s expiring contract is very valuable to Utah, for the reasons Yaggi listed. The Jazz have some players to lock up. Kirilenko is also well versed in the offense and makes a large impact defensively although it is not always easy to see.
What Utah is waiting for right now is Heyward and Okur to come into their own a little more. When that occurs I don’t see much of a weakness in the team.
Having been on the Wallace wagon previously I gotta say I jumped ship a week or two ago, and now especially with GH improving I’d say no go.
I was able to go the the game last saturday against the Grizzles. Where i saw Andrei play very mediocre much like he has all season, highlighted with good games. I feel letting Andrei Go would only benefit the jazz and there future. If we could get Kevin Martin that would be great, that would give us a another legitamet scorer and shooter.
If the Jazz were able to resign AK for what he’s worth he is definately worth hanging onto purely for his defensive capabilities.
i think the Jazz will probably try to do this. AK wants to stay, he said he’ll sign for cheaper. if they can do it….then do it. Noone can play defense like that. Doing that gives us a crap load of money to work with.
Wallace is Hurt way to much!! Not worth it..
Colby, the only thing is, does he want to come back next year? We know the Nets GM is a Russian friend of AK and has expressed openly about wanting him. I believe he’ll strike next year and then we paid AK $17 million to play mediocre for one year and don’t get anything in return.
I don’t think Wallace is hurt that much. The last five years haven’t been too bad and playing for a winning team most likely will get him off the pine.
@Adam either way we will get a sign and trade.
I’d do Kevin Martin in a second. The kid scored over 50 with the Kings. He is a legit offensive threat. I am not sure about defense, I havn’t paid enough attention to be honest.
AK is definitly expendable. Its a business decision, what will you guys think if he decides not to sign with us next year? It was worth the risk? No thank you.
We have Tomic next year so Fez in a trade could work.
@Colby I hope your right. Lets hope for the trade, but if we do resign him, make sure its under $6 million a year! @Matt I agree with you. Martin is insane scorer and could help our 1st quarter woes without a second thought. Trade AK and get someone for sure; we don’t want him leaving after we just paid him $17 million. I kinda like the Fes and Elson combination in our second lineup, but with a healthy Okur and like you said Ante Tomic, he’ll probably be wrapped up in a trade with AK (cross your fingers and say your prayers).
I still haven’t heard for sure if Ante Tomic is coming over or not, has anyone else? If I understand it right, he doesn’t EVER have to come play in the NBA just because the Jazz own his draft rights.
hello brian!
I agree with you and had already expressed my opinion that the next step is to monetize the end of Kirilenko’s contract.
The team moved up well early in the season, now are the right opportunity to move to the next level.
Iggy, wallace and Kevin Martin pleases me.
What do you say about a trade involving the Rockets with K. Martin and S. Battier?
In exchange for Kirilenko and another player.
do you think this trade is possible?
Jack-
If the Rockets were willing to do that deal, yes, i would do it. I ran it through ESPN’s trade machine, and AK for Martin and Battier straight up works. Hollinger’s analysis says that this deal would equal 8 more wins for the Jazz. That is kind of hard to believe, but I do think you would see a marked improvement. Martin is somewhat of a volume scorer, but he would help us from the outside and give us another legitimate scorer. His D is weak, but Battier is a stud on the defensive end, and the Jazz have been rummored to want him for years. Shane plays Jazz basketball by second nature, and those kind of guys are hard to find.
Houston would have to want to go into toatal rebuilding mode for this to go down, and I am not sure they are there yet…maybe. They are in the thick of the playoff hunt, but they also have a HUGE payroll for a team that is performing sub-par, so, as the trade deadline approaches, I imagine they will get more hungry if things don’t change.
just a thought, buuuut. If we give up AK, who do we expect to guard LeBron, and Durant?
Can Stephen Jackson, Iggy, or Martin fit the bill? Doubt it. Wallace is definetly the best defender out of the group, but really, if we want a ring I’m sure we’ll have to beat Durant in playoffs and Lebron in finals (not saying Miami goes to finals this year, but they have a BRIGHT future the way they’re playing)
wouldn’t be surprised if rockets try to package Martin with Yao in a deal.
Kyle- First we need to get to the Finals before we worry about who is going to guard LeBron (and so do the Heat for that matter). Is AK going to get us to the Finals? Or would one of the aforementioned players give us a better shot? That is the question that needs to be answered. AK can’t guard LBJ or Kevin Durrant anyway (look at their career numbers against the Jazz). I want to know who is going to be able to guard us is we get our offense going and then add a guy like Kevin Martin or Iggy? And don’t forget, Iggy is arguably a better defender than AK (look at the advanced stats of the guys he has been guarding; no one has big games against Iguodala. Not kobe, not Wade, or anybody else on a consistant basis).
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along.
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