"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[cougjunkie]

CJ, how's Splitter been? He's definitely not getting the minutes I thought he would. Does he look ok when he's out there?

Splitters offensive game looks very unrefined. Almost like one of those guys that scored points because he was bigger than everyone else so he never really developed many post moves. It is getting better but with Antonio Mcdyess being able to nail the 15 foot jumper consistently and the play of Dejuan Blair. He is really the 4th big so not a ton of minutes out there for him.

[cougjunkie]

Do we get a moral victory for this one?

Raja was downright Fisher-esque in his contributions tonight. In fact, this has to be the best line since Fisher's 34 minute doughnut hole. Dude just fouled out in 32 mins, and racked up 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 blk. Ho. Ly. Shit.

I thought Jeremy Evans gave the Jazz some good energy tonight. But you are right the Jazz are cutting in to the lead big time and Jerry puts CJ back on the bench who was red hot and goes back to Raja. What was up with that?

[Jacob]

Hollinger on Bell:

John Hollinger
He's not misfit - just old. BTW, he dressed and left within 5 min of gm ending. RT @billbsan I think the misfit is Raja Bell more than Al.

At least Raja is a great locker room presence. I'm sure that's why he's still starting and playing more than 30 mpg


That tweet was after Hollinger posted his article about Al being a bad fit for Utah:

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-110127/daily-dime

[Donuthole]

Bill Simmons' latest trade proposal (Jazz prominently involved):

[ame="http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4w964dc"]NBA Trade Machine - ESPN[/ame]

[MarkGrace]

I thought Jeremy Evans gave the Jazz some good energy tonight. But you are right the Jazz are cutting in to the lead big time and Jerry puts CJ back on the bench who was red hot and goes back to Raja. What was up with that?

Because he needed someone in there to foul Manu every time he touched the ball.

[cougjunkie]

Bill Simmons' latest trade proposal (Jazz prominently involved):

NBA Trade Machine - ESPN

I think that makes the Jazz better. But not sure by how much.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Hollinger on Bell:



At least Raja is a great locker room presence. I'm sure that's why he's still starting and playing more than 30 mpg


That tweet was after Hollinger posted his article about Al being a bad fit for Utah:

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/p...127/daily-dime

Bell left right after the game? I fully expect Ross Siler to tweet all day about how unprofessional Bell is.

[Donuthole]

I think that makes the Jazz better. But not sure by how much.

I'm not sure it makes them any better this season, but it allows them to get out from under Memo's contract a year early, to upgrade from Hayward to Mayo (who I think would be an awesome backcourt mate for Deron). However, the cost is giving up Al, which might be too much to pay unless you really buy that he can't fit in Utah's system. Personally, if it were Bell instead of Hayward in the trade, I think I'd really consider it.

[MarkGrace]

What is the trade? I can't see it.

Brock (SLC)


What is Sloan's fascination with continually using old, has been players in his starting lineup. Bell is the toast this year and years past we have had to live through the likes of Calbert Chaney and Matt Harpring.

John Hollinger (2:25 PM)


I agree that Utah needs to start Miles and AK on the wings and reduce Bell's role, but I don't see it as a cure-all either because CJ is going to get shredded on defense in that stopper role.

[MarkGrace]

Adam (Minneapolis)


John, I really liked your piece on Al Jefferson. It seems like some of these criticisms are the same ones we heard back in MN. No defense, slows the offense, ceiling is second best player on a great team. If he can't fit in with Utah or Minny, what situation is good for Al?

John Hollinger (2:10 PM)


Here's the deal -- he needs to have a good defensive big next to him, and he needs to be in a post-and-space offense. Both Minny (next to Love, lots of triangle last year) and Utah (next to Millsap, flex offense) fail on both counts.

We are constantly running into the same problem with our 4's. You could say the say about Jefferson, Booz, Sap, Memo, AK, if they were playing the 4. What just really need a 5.

[MarkGrace]

Cameron (Salt Lake International Airport)


What is more likely? The Jazz look to improve and trade AK for an All Star caliber player to team with D-Will or trade AK to NJ for Troy Murphy and fillers?

John Hollinger (2:07 PM)


The latter, for two reasons -- 1) AK isn't getting you an All-Star, and 2) the Jazz need to trim their luxury tax bill. I'd be very surprised if he finishes the season in Utah.

You're not getting anything for AK. This is just an expiring deal for an expiring deal, where Murphy's K happens to be a little less so you save some money.

[Sizzle]

I'm not sure it makes them any better this season, but it allows them to get out from under Memo's contract a year early, to upgrade from Hayward to Mayo (who I think would be an awesome backcourt mate for Deron). However, the cost is giving up Al, which might be too much to pay unless you really buy that he can't fit in Utah's system. Personally, if it were Bell instead of Hayward in the trade, I think I'd really consider it.

I actually put together a similar trade that involved a few of the same pieces for Utah/Memphis:

Utah sends:
AK
Millsap
Fesenko

Memphis sends:
Randolph
Mayo
Thabeet

Maybe Utah needs to include Hayward in the deal as well, or swap him with Fes. But it still gets Memphis back a starter caliber player on a very reasonable contract, they don't have to worry about paying Mayo or Randolph, and Fes is a project, but he is further along than Thabeet IMO who has a PER of 4 this year.

Utah gets help in the front court rebounding, and a dynamic 2 in Mayo, while shedding AK's deal.

Maybe if you tweak the deal so that Memphis gets Jeremy Evans and Raja instead of Fes and Utah gets back Tony Allen everybody wins.

[MarkGrace]

I like Mayo. Good shooter, stopper's mentality. He'd instantly be our best combo of shooting/defense at the 2 guard. Plus he handles it pretty well.

I'd also love to have Gasol, and move Jefferson back to the 4. He's probably tough to come by, though, as he has one of the best K's in the league relative to his production.

I'd put together a package based on Sap for either.

[Jacob]

Bill Simmons' latest trade proposal (Jazz prominently involved):

I see AK is the crown jewel of that trade according to Hollinger's numbers. NJ is the only team that improves.

It's essentially AK, Memo, Al, and Hayward for OJ Mayo and Thabeet as Murphy and Randolph have expiring deals.

I understand Thabeet is terrible, so really you are giving up Memo, Al and Hayward just for Mayo. It doesn't really make your team better this year or next, except it gets you way under the cap.

[cougjunkie]

I like Mayo. Good shooter, stopper's mentality. He'd instantly be our best combo of shooting/defense at the 2 guard. Plus he handles it pretty well.

I'd also love to have Gasol, and move Jefferson back to the 4. He's probably tough to come by, though, as he has one of the best K's in the league relative to his production.

I'd put together a package based on Sap for either.

Mayo gets a 10 game suspension for steroids. Might be able to get him cheap right now.