"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[Blueintheface]

With Minnesota signing Ridnour to 4 years, $16 M, I guess I'm mildly surprised the Jazz and Wolves didn't work something out to get Sessions to SLC along with Jefferson. It certainly would have addressed a big need for Utah, getting a quality back-up behind Deron. His salary isn't really that outrageous, and his game suits the Jazz system perfectly. I don't know if Minny has something else lined up for him already, but no way are they keeping him around along with Flynn and Ridnour.

Trade could have been expanded to send Price's $1.3 M salary to Minnesota, with the Jazz taking back Session's 3 years, $13 M and not having to give up one of the first round picks that went out.

Very possible they intended to but Minny may have had a rare moment of clarity and didn't want Price while giving up a more valuable piece. I agree though, Sessions won't be with Minn by Oct

[smokymountainrain]

Shannon Brown sucks. Bring back Brew. or even Rasual Butler.

[MarkGrace]

During this entire offseason I've had the thought that the Jazz are operating like they might get him over for next season. I know that is highly unlikely but just a weird feeling something might shake loose and allow Tomic to come over for next season. And if I'm Tomic, I want to do it now. If he struggles this year or the new CBA next year he could be leaving a lot of cash on the table.

The Jazz supposedly passed on a big in the draft because they like Tomic better than anyone left on the board. Who knows if that's accurate, and it makes you wonder why not still take a big, but that was a rumor right after the draft.

The Jazz could bring him over after next season (the first year he becomes eligible for a buyout), but it would be expensive. It will be interesting to see what they do.

[Sizzle]

Adios Matthews. Hello... Raja Bell???

[MarkGrace]

Adios Matthews. Hello... Raja Bell???

Who's ready to ring the Bell? I'm not.

Stein saying Jazz have offered 3 years 10mm.

[Sizzle]

Who's ready to ring the Bell? I'm not.

Stein saying Jazz have offered 3 years 10mm.

He's not Shannon Brown, but he is a good defender, shoots 40% from the 3, and... uh, google Raja clotheslines Kobe.

[MarkGrace]

This contract will take him to 36.

[MarkGrace]

Al Jefferson took part in 87 pick and rolls this last season as the roll man, according to Synergy Sports. Today I watched all of them and broke down his efficiency in pick and roll situations.

Last season the Timberwolves starting running the Triangle offense under Head Coach Kurt Rambis. This eliminated most of the pick and roll from the offense.

The Jazz don’t run the pick and roll nearly as much as people believe. However, I was pleased to see that Al Jefferson is a very effective pick and roll player. In many ways, better than I anticipated.

This is the chart breaking down all of the possessions

Summary

Overall, Jefferson is far better in the pick and roll than I anticipated. The pocket pass that Deron has thrown to Boozer is going to be filthy and unstoppable when they learn each other. Jefferson plays the pick and roll differently than Boozer, he rolls to the basket much more. He is unstoppable (see the numbers literally unstoppable) at the rim. He has an array of moves and he does two things I didn’t realize. He has a better straight up jumper and a decent drive game off a ball fake.
Specific Observations

Jefferson was much better after the new year. He tore his ACL in Feb of 2009 and after Feb 1 or even Jan 1 of 2010 he was a noticeably more active player.


He is amazing near the rim. When he catches going to the basket he is nifty with his footwork and is able to get a shooting window. Post Jan 1 he got the ball at the rim 22 times, he was 10 of 10 shooting, fouled 7 times and had 5 turnovers. Prior to Jan 1 he was 3 of 7 shooting and only fouled once.


Take note of the above after Jan 1 he never missed a shot when on the pick and roll he got to the rim.


His jumper is also much better than I thought it was. When he popped on the pick and roll and got his feet set he was a decent shooter. I didn’t anticipate that. Overall he was just 12 of 28 on his jumper but again post Jan 1 he was 6 of 13 on the jumper and prior to Jan 1 he was 6 of 15. More specifically, post Dec 10 he was 8 of 17 shooting and prior to that he was 4 of 11.


He is a post player. Other than the game against Orlando and Dwight Howard he was never bothered by any size.


A lot of this evaluation is hard to do because the Minnesota point guards are terrible. He never gets the ball in the shooting pocket, he rarely got the ball at the right moment and he often was reaching for the pass. Ohh how his world is about to change.


He is a terrific target in the paint due to his size.


He rolls 62% to the rim 63% of the time on the pick and roll. This is a significant change from what Carlos Boozer has done. Boozer popped out for the jumper more often than not. This will change how the floor looks for the Utah Jazz. Jefferson will roll to the basket and with Deron’s vision and great ball movers like AK and Hayward guys are going to get really good looks even when Jefferson doesn’t get the ball.


The 38% of the time he pops out on the pick and roll he really just flairs or moves toward the basket but stops in an open space. He and Deron will have to get an understanding of this because he will need to pop or flair sometimes so Deron has room to penetrate. His success rate on pick and pops was 47% for the season and if you don’t count the first month of the season when he was adjusting to the new offense and recovering from his ACL it was 55% which is very high.


Jefferson has a fabulous ball fake. He uses it around the rim to get space for a shooting pocket. He also uses it at 15 feet to get a defender off balance and drive by him. I didn’t know he had this as part of his game.


He has a nifty little floater in the lane when he is rolling on the pick and roll and is in traffic, he hit 6 of 10 during the season


He does have a little travelling issue under the rim, 5 times during the season is not a lot and having a point guard that gives the ball in the right spot will help.

http://www.nba.com/jazz/features/locked_on_jazz.html

[MarkGrace]

Jazz have notified Matthews they won't re-sign him.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Jazz have notified Matthews they won't re-sign him.

Shit.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

3 years, $10 M...that can't be serious...right? Please?!

That has to be a deal where the last two years aren't guaranteed. No way they give a soon to be 34 year old SG coming off a year where he played 6 games that contract without some contingencies involved...right?!?!

[MartyFunkhouser]

3 years, $10 M...that can't be serious...right? Please?!

That has to be a deal where the last two years aren't guaranteed. No way they give a soon to be 34 year old SG coming off a year where he played 6 games that contract without some contingencies involved...right?!?!

3-years guaranteed would be crazy. Not Wes Matthews for 5 years-34 million, but crazy none the less.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

The absurdity of the contract is all about context. The team is already at the tax threshold, with a few more spots to fill on the roster. It makes no sense to give $3 M to a 34 yo guard coming off a 6 game season in that situation, let alone to give him a 3 year deal.

[Non Sequitur]

The absurdity of the contract is all about context. The team is already at the tax threshold, with a few more spots to fill on the roster. It makes no sense to give $3 M to a 34 yo guard coming off a 6 game season in that situation, let alone to give him a 3 year deal.

Dollar for dollar it's a good move. Matthews isn't three times as good as Bell.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

The comparison isn't between Bell and Matthews. The Blazers over spending for Matthews shouldn't in any form or fashion establish a market for Bell. But I'd take Matthews at 5/32 over Bell at 3/10 at this point in their careers...though I'd take neither of those deals with the current roster and cap situation.