"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[MarkGrace]

I wonder if is symantics with me then if we're considering Deron Williams a borderline All-Star. The guy has been the best PG in the entire league at points in his career, so if we're saying not enough fans might vote for Irving than maybe that is the case since he's a Dookie.

Of course it's semantics. Deron is an all-NBA caliber player and widely regarded as a top 10-12 player in the league. To me AS = quality of the player, not who China decides they're going to vote for.

[Jacob]

Did they release all the numbers from Eurocamp yet?

Of all the guys mentioned in conjunction with the Jazz, Valanciunas somehow hasn't been in the mix. That makes him the guy to keep your eye on.

DX says they'll have them posted today or tomorrow. Of note:

Bismack Biyombo – 6'8”, 6'9” w/ shoes, 9'4” standing reach, 7'6” wingspan.


From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/article/...#ixzz1PBk9W1zQ
http://www.draftexpress.com

But we already knew that.

[Surfah]

How would Jazz fans feel if Jimmer blows up as a pro and they passed on him? Would it be any different than any other player they pass on that becomes an All-Star?

[Jacob]

Of course it's semantics. Deron is an all-NBA caliber player and widely regarded as a top 10-12 player in the league. To me AS = quality of the player, not who China decides they're going to vote for.

Top 10-12 is a bit high, but yeah, I agree. Still, with as many top flight PGs as are in the league, it'll be tough for Irving to break into the top 5 or so PGs.

I don't understand how everybody can believe Irving is the clear #1, but that he's not one of the most likely All-Stars. Especially considering he's among the youngest.

[Jacob]

How would Jazz fans feel if Jimmer blows up as a pro and they passed on him? Would it be any different than any other player they pass on that becomes an All-Star?

We Mormons would be even more upset if it were Jimmer. Justifiably so.

[Surfah]

We Mormons would be even more upset if it were Jimmer. Justifiably so.

This was my argument to a friend. He insisted otherwise.

[Jacob]

This was my argument to a friend. He insisted otherwise.

For a lot of Jazz fans, he's already "ours" and we are already fans. So, I'd think the regret would be even worse if he turns out great and we didn't get him.

[Jacob]

I'm not a Mark Jackson fan, but I'm glad he's coaching the Warriors, as long as he can keep them out of the bottom 7 next year. I'm confident he won't get them anywhere near the playoffs.

[MarkGrace]

We Mormons would be even more upset if it were Jimmer. Justifiably so.

I think there are a lot of Mormons that wouldn't cary any more than if it was just another player. I'm in that group.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Each year since 2001 I've watched the NBA draft with my brother-in-law (now ex-BIL). Last year as the draft was on and it was nearing the Jazz pick we were talking about who we wanted Utah to end up with. As the picks ahead of Utah were made I was hoping to hear Ed Davis' name called out, or Cole Aldrich, or maybe Xavier Henry. But as David Stern walked to the podium the last thing I said was, "Just please don't say Gordon Hayward."

Oops. Glad KOC appears to have been right on the pick (though I still think Davis will have a solid career).

So would be that guy for you this year at #3 and #12?

#3 - It doesn't look like his stock is high enough any more, but a big workout could change it. Of any possible reaches at 3 I hope it isn't Walker. I'd rather hear them call out Vesely or Biyombo.

#12 - No idea. So many guys I'd be okay with, almost zero I'd be ecstatic about having them taken over someone else. But I guess the name that seems a realistic chance at 12 that I'd be the most displeased with would be Singleton. I don't care if he came back from an injury early to play in a tournament game, Mr. Gottlieb.

[smokymountainrain]

Each year since 2001 I've watched the NBA draft with my brother-in-law (now ex-BIL). Last year as the draft was on and it was nearing the Jazz pick we were talking about who we wanted Utah to end up with. As the picks ahead of Utah were made I was hoping to hear Ed Davis' name called out, or Cole Aldrich, or maybe Xavier Henry. But as David Stern walked to the podium the last thing I said was, "Just please don't say Gordon Hayward."

Oops. Glad KOC appears to have been right on the pick (though I still think Davis will have a solid career).

So would be that guy for you this year at #3 and #12?

#3 - It doesn't look like his stock is high enough any more, but a big workout could change it. Of any possible reaches at 3 I hope it isn't Walker. I'd rather hear them call out Vesely or Biyombo.

#12 - No idea. So many guys I'd be okay with, almost zero I'd be ecstatic about having them taken over someone else. But I guess the name that seems a realistic chance at 12 that I'd be the most displeased with would be Singleton. I don't care if he came back from an injury early to play in a tournament game, Mr. Gottlieb.

I think I'm getting softer as I get older...I used to have 3 or 4 guys I loved and 3 or 4 who I hated and the rest fell mostly in the "hated" category because the guys I loved, I was certain about.

This year, I'm wary about Kanter, Walker, Williams and Vesely at #3, but none of them fall into Hayward or Raul Lopez type status where I'd be pissed if they took him. At 12, Singleton is probably closest to being that guy.

[Jacob]

At 12, I'd be ecstatic with Biyombo or Leonard. I'd be displeased with a Morris twin. I'd be happy with Jimmer, Burks, Vesely.

At 3, I'd be ticked with anyone not named Williams, Valanciunas, Knight, or Kanter

[MarkGrace]

I think I'm getting softer as I get older...I used to have 3 or 4 guys I loved and 3 or 4 who I hated and the rest fell mostly in the "hated" category because the guys I loved, I was certain about.

I'm far less committed to my opinions about players, but it's less about getting soft and more about the realization that none of us -- including scouts, GM's, etc., -- having a f@#$%#$ clue what's going to happen with most of these kids when the ball goes up. There have been players I was certain would be impact guys and missed, and there have been the reverse. There were guys I thought didn't have the athleticim to be a factor in the league and became good players, and there were players whose athleticism + at least some skill made me certain they would be decent players and they didn't survive hardly a day in the NBA.

I guess I'm just embracing the fact that this thing is a huge crapshoot. When someone tells me they knew a player was going to be good or knew a player was going to be bust, I usually just laugh -- we're all clueless.

[MarkGrace]

At 12, I'd be ecstatic with Biyombo or Leonard. I'd be displeased with a Morris twin. I'd be happy with Jimmer, Burks, Vesely.

At 3, I'd be ticked with anyone not named Williams, Valanciunas, Knight, or Kanter

Kemba and the Morris twins are among the handful of players that I just can't get excited about.

[smokymountainrain]

I'm far less committed to my opinions about players, but it's less about getting soft and more about the realization that none of us -- including scouts, GM's, etc., -- having a f@#$%#$ clue what's going to happen with most of these kids when the ball goes up. There have been players I was certain would be impact guys and missed, and there have been the reverse. There were guys I thought didn't have the athleticim to be a factor in the league and became good players, and there were players whose athleticism + at least some skill made me certain they would be decent players and they didn't survive hardly a day in the NBA.

I guess I'm just embracing the fact that this thing is a huge crapshoot. When someone tells me they knew a player was going to be good or knew a player was going to be bust, I usually just laugh -- we're all clueless.

Amen. Agree 100%. I think Hayward did more to teach me this than any other player the Jazz have drafted. I really think he has a chance to be special, yet he was the one guy I was 100% against the Jazz drafting last year.