"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[smokymountainrain]

A local kid, Stephen Gray (from Gonzaga and Bainbridge Island HS) is playing for Latvia, I believe. I am happy to see the young guys getting SOME kind of playing experience while the NBA gets their shiz together.

Gray was a great scorer in HS - led the state in scoring his senior season, IIRC, but couldn't seem to ever find his groove at Gonzaga for whatever reason.

[smokymountainrain]

Sounds like Hayward and Burks will be playing in a Pro-Am league in Indiana later this month and into August. Not sure if there will be any video.

Burks played last night - led his team with 17 points in a 86-71 win.

[MarkGrace]

Burks played last night - led his team with 17 points in a 86-71 win.

What about g-hay? Or are they not playing on the same team?

[smokymountainrain]

What about g-hay? Or are they not playing on the same team?

Not sure if they're on the same team or not - it sounds like Hayward has committed to play, but rolled his ankle. From what I can gather, he plans to play, but isn't going to risk anything.

[smokymountainrain]

Burks scored 33 tonight, including 5 threes. According to the guy reporting this, he was being defended primarily by Shelvin Mack and Daquean Cook.

He's not on the same team as Hayward. Sounds like Hayward is always there, but has been in street clothes.

[smokymountainrain]

Good to know Burks and Elder Hayward getting along off the court during this lockout...

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/52...-jazz.html.csp

Improve every day — a workaholic’s dedication to the basketball court — Burks has quickly picked up Hayward’s driven routine. The rookie dropped in 34 points Thursday during a Pro Am game, building off two weeks of drills that have focused on shooting, agility, strength and core training. And the newest Jazzman not named Enes Kanter now has a workout companion — not to mention an NBA teammate whose work ethic he’s learned to admire and respect before training camp has even begun.

[MarkGrace]

Just watched Brian Smith's interview with Kirkland from last night. Nothing terribly exciting, just mentioned some stuff we already knew and talked about the Burks-Hayward thing again. He said G-Hay is 21 years old and setting the tone on this team in terms of how hard they should be working. No wonder Kobe wants him in LA.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

I wonder if playing in this pro-am might actually be counter productive. But the stroke looks effortless and has reportedly been going in a lot.

[YOUTUBE]V8wetLlqHg0[/YOUTUBE]

[MarkGrace]

Kid's got some hops. But yeah, that looks like the equivalent of street ball.

[MartyFunkhouser]

It may not be rational, but I'm really excited about Burks.

[Blueintheface]

It may not be rational, but I'm really excited about Burks.

If he can combine the positive skills of Ronny Brewer and Morris Almond I'll be very excited.

[Blueintheface]

AK to take his 87th level skills back to Mother Russia?

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsja...ssian.html.csp

[MarkGrace]

Kanter talking about playing in China.

Jazz rookie center Enes Kanter is considering playing professional ball in China next season if the NBA lockout persists.
Kanter's agent, Max Ergul, told The Salt Lake Tribune on Friday that his client has official offers from two Chinese teams. Ergul does not want Kanter to miss another year of basketball, and he will seriously weigh the offers if the lockout stretches into late September.
"It's very interesting stuff," said Ergul, who said he could not reveal the names of the clubs because details of the negotiations are still confidential. "We'll be entertaining those ideas as well as the lockout progresses. He's a ballplayer — he has to play."

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsja...-jazz.html.csp

[Blueintheface]

Kanter talking about playing in China.


http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsja...-jazz.html.csp

Anyone know what the pay is like in China? Is he going to China because Europe is now saturated with NBA players? Seems odd that he wouldn't choose to play in Turkey or elsewhere.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Hayward plays for the first time, his team loses, and the author spells his name wrong in the article.

http://www.fox59.com/sports/wxin-201...0,969205.story