"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[UteStar]

Howard is much more a 3 than a 2. Also, the Jazz need to dump Miles.

I would agree with that...but the Jazz have too many players at the 3. If the Jazz plug Milsap in there for 10 minutes a game...then you have Hayward and then you have Miles (like him or not, he will still see 15-20 mins a game), then you have a real logjam there. While there are minutes available at the 2 spot.

Now, if Miles is traded off, then that changes things up a bit. The 2 and 3 spots on the Jazz are somewhat flexible though...so I think we will see a bunch of the players float between both positions.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Interesting that you rarely hear really good things about Favors from anyone outside the Jazz. PJ Brown? Not what we are hoping for.
Thanks for posting those.

I tried to find what he was writing about Dwight after his rookie season, but I don't think he was doing these evaluations back then. Favors did have the advantage of a year of college, but they were about the same age as rooks.

But during Favor's 22 games in Utah, his nearly identical to Howard's (16.9 to 17.2), and Favors had the edge in eFG%, ast%, blk%, and TO%, with Howard holding slight edges in TS% and reb%.

Howard played 32 mpg as a rookie. Favors only played 17 mpg with Utah and played less than that when he was in NJ. I posted some during the season about Favors having significantly more success in games where he logged at least 20 minutes, but it is hard to determine if that was more due to him getting into a rhythm and developing confidence or if he stayed on the court more because he was playing well.

But I'm going to continue to be bullish on the big kid, especially with descriptions about how hard he worked this off-season and how hard he's competing in practice. Corbin pointed that out as one very big positive so far in camp.

[smokymountainrain]

Favors was drafted 3rd overall. Every team in the league would have taken him top 4. Teams obviously think very highly of him and much more than PJ Brown.

[UtahJazzFan88]

If we sign Howard, I would hope it's a 1 year deal worth 5 million, not getting my hopes up though on that.

He's been extremely injury prone lately. I'd rather have the Jazz invite that Paul Carter guy who many Jazz writers/media think he has a legit shot of making the roster, than signing Howard to a 3 year deal.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

I am trying to lay out how the team will look (AK not included) and lets say that Josh Howard does sign on, this is how I envision the lineup:

Point Guard: Harris and Watson
Shooting Guard: Howard, Bell and Burks
Small Forward: Miles and Hayward
Power Forward: Milsap, Favors and Evans
Center: Jefferson, Memo and Kanter

One of the things I find interesting about the lineup in camp right now is that Memo seems like a really solid piece to keep on the team (assuming he's healthy, and assuming the goal at this point is to win as many games as possible).

Favors, Jefferson, and Kanter are all legit bigs that will spend a lot of time on the block. Corbin and Jefferson have already referred to what a solid compliment Memo is to Jefferson when they play together. That wasn't the same when Okur was playing with Boozer because he wasn't on the block enough. And Okur + Boozer/Millsap was too small at the 4/5, a problem that won't be the case when Okur is on the floor with Favors or Jefferson.

Now that West is signed, and Bass has been dealt, I think it's time to see what Millsap could bring over. Maybe a trade brings in a scorer like Howard, but one with less baggage and not coming off an injury. Or maybe if they really want Howard they work out a S&T so they offset the addition by moving Millsap's contract, and get a pick or two in return. It'd be great to land another 2012 pick that could potentially added to the GS pick to move up.

[MarkGrace]

David Locke - Dec 12, 2011 5:32:38 PM

In Dallas, Avery Johnson called Devin Harris the best on ball defender in the NBA. Harris speed, quickness and anticipation made his a defensive game changer. In 2006-07 Harris ranked 2nd in the NBA with 77 offensive fouls drawn.
However, when Harris arrived last year in Utah he struggled miserably defensively. He looked lost. Harris would close out on a player and he would blow right by him and no help defensive would arrive.
So what happened to one of the best on ball defenders in the NBA? A change in system is how Harris explains it. With Avery Johnson in both Dallas and New Jersey they forced the ball handler to the baseline. Under Jerry Sloan, the Jazz were 1 of only 2 teams that forced the ball to the middle, the other being the Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard.
Harris says he never adjusted. “I would close out to the wrong shoulder out of instinct. It is all I had ever done in the NBA. I had been trained otherwise.”
The good news for Harris is he won’t have to learn a new system this year because the Jazz are make significant changes to how they play defensively and are joining the rest of the NBA in forcing the ball handler to the baseline.
With the proliferation of three point shooting in the NBA, forcing a ball handler middle still allows them a complete view of the floor and all of the shooter. By forcing baseline, the hope is you limit the passing option and make defensive rotations easier to complete.
For Harris and many of the Jazz players this makes who rotates and where they rotate to a much easier equation. Last year, the team had constant confusion on who was rotating where and how they were rotation. By forcing baseline, the rotations are shorter and more direct.
Harris still believes he can be a strong defender. It may not be in the same fashion, but it can still be productive. “I am smarter now. Not sure I can take the charges I used to, not sure my body can handle that. But it is angles and I am smarter. “
More importantly, it will be in a system that makes sense to his instincts.

http://tweetwee.devanco.com/share/gp...%2F5MtvGnG81xr

A change that should have happened after Eaton retired, and at worst after Tag was gone. Makes sense that the only team that can make this philosophy work is the team with the ultimate eraser. We've been forcing guys into Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. I'm shocked this hasn't been effective.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

http://tweetwee.devanco.com/share/gp...%2F5MtvGnG81xr

A change that should have happened after Eaton retired, and at worst after Tag was gone. Makes sense that the only team that can make this philosophy work is the team with the ultimate eraser. We've been forcing guys into Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. I'm shocked this hasn't been effective.

Heaven forbid you'd want to force guys to the sidelines and baselines. Don't want to employ the help of extra defenders that are free and never get out of position.

[Donuthole]

Heaven forbid you'd want to force guys to the sidelines and baselines. Don't want to employ the help of extra defenders that are free and never get out of position.

But they can't block shots!

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

But they can't block shots!

Or foul.

[UteStar]

http://tweetwee.devanco.com/share/gp...%2F5MtvGnG81xr

A change that should have happened after Eaton retired, and at worst after Tag was gone. Makes sense that the only team that can make this philosophy work is the team with the ultimate eraser. We've been forcing guys into Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. I'm shocked this hasn't been effective.

It is interesting to hear it laid out like that. I have always wondered why the players get to the middle relatively easy against the Jazz. I always questioned why our guards let that happen so much. Hearing that was the philosophy is a bit mind blowing. The Jazz haven't had a real shot blocker, as you mentioned in a decade or longer. Curious to see how that change plays out this year.

[Jacob]

Howard is much more a 3 than a 2. Also, the Jazz need to dump Miles.

I would agree with that...but the Jazz have too many players at the 3. If the Jazz plug Milsap in there for 10 minutes a game...then you have Hayward and then you have Miles (like him or not, he will still see 15-20 mins a game), then you have a real logjam there. While there are minutes available at the 2 spot.

Now, if Miles is traded off, then that changes things up a bit. The 2 and 3 spots on the Jazz are somewhat flexible though...so I think we will see a bunch of the players float between both positions.

SMR is right. Howard is a clear 3. Also Hayward is a 2, according to the Jazz and many others. So just swap those 2 and you don't have any logjam. In fact, you don't have to worry about a logjam at all. the 2 and 3 are the biggest holes on the team. You have a dearth of quality players rather than a logjam. I wouldn't count on Howard for much of anything until he proves it.

[Maximus]

So will the jazz even make an offer for AK? is he worth the 3 years/26 million he is asking?

[LiveCoug]

So will the jazz even make an offer for AK? is he worth the 3 years/26 million he is asking?

Yes, they will make an offer. No he is not worth 3 years/26 million.

[San Juan Sun]

SMR is right. Howard is a clear 3. Also Hayward is a 2, according to the Jazz and many others. So just swap those 2 and you don't have any logjam. In fact, you don't have to worry about a logjam at all. the 2 and 3 are the biggest holes on the team. You have a dearth of quality players rather than a logjam. I wouldn't count on Howard for much of anything until he proves it.

If we get Howard, would we see something like this?:

PG - Harris, Watson, Tinsley*
SG - Hayward, Burks, Bell*
SF - Miles, Howard, Evans*
PF - Jefferson, Sap
C - Favors, Okur, Kanter*

6th man: Sap (first big in)

* denotes inactive roster candidates, depending on injuries, performance

That's a 45 win team at best. Lots of pieces, but no center pieces. In other words, deep but mediocre. At least the young guys should get substantial playing time.

[LiveCoug]

If we get Howard, would we see something like this?:

PG - Harris, Watson, Tinsley*
SG - Hayward, Burks, Bell*
SF - Miles, Howard, Evans*
PF - Jefferson, Sap
C - Favors, Okur, Kanter*

6th man: Sap (first big in)

* denotes inactive roster candidates, depending on injuries, performance

That's a 45 win team at best. Lots of pieces, but no center pieces. In other words, deep but mediocre. At least the young guys should get substantial playing time.

Awesome! 45-21 would be a high seed for sure!