"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Didn't know that Carroll's contract had a team option on it.

I imagine Utah would definitely pick that up. Keep a guy around that plays hard, is familiar with the system now, and will be cheap.

Carroll saying he tries to pattern his game after Sefalosha on OKC. I like hearing a young kid finding a realistic comparison and then studying how that guy has become successful.

[MarkGrace]

Twitter notes following the Jazz's end-of-season locker-cleanout Tuesday at EnergySolutions Arena.

Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin

Corbin said Derrick Favors proved himself, especially during the playoffs. Favors could start for the Jazz next year, but much remains to be determined.
Corbin expects to keep his staff intact next season and doesn't plan to add anyone. If his assistants have other opportunities, though, he'll allow them to speak with other teams.

Corbin said Utah might make key moves during the offseason. But if the Jazz basically have the same team next season, he's ready to go to work and improve.

Corbin's excited about Utah's future and the young pieces the Jazz have in place. But he continually said it's an important summer for the team's and the organization's development.

Asked if the Jazz exceeded expectations, Corbin said Utah met them. The playoffs were a reminder of how far the Jazz have to go.

Corbin said Favors has the potential to become a player the Jazz can build around. Corbin added it's a big summer for Enes Kanter and Favors.

Corbin's open to having Jerry Sloan help the team out during the future in any way he wants.

Corbin said it was his decision not to play Raja Bell during playoffs and the move was "on him."

Corbin said Gordon Hayward might participate in Summer League. If not all, at least some.

DeMarre Carroll

All indications are he will return to the Jazz next season, and Carroll said Utah informed him they'll pick up his option.

Derrick Favors

Favors said he finally feels like he's in the NBA. He wants to be a starter next year, take his career to the next level and do everything possible to succeed.

After his exit meeting, Favors said he spoke with Jazz General Manager Kevin O'Connor and Corbin about starting for the Jazz next season.

Raja Bell

Bell does not expect to return to Jazz next year.

Bell said he hopes the Jazz do the right thing and move him before the 2012-13 season. He was open to it before the trade deadline but never asked for trade.

Bell said Corbin was "unprofessional" at the end of the season. According to

Bell, Corbin made things personal by playing everyone in the playoffs except for him and it was obvious.

Bell said if he's still on Jazz at the start of next season "we'll cross that bridge" then.

Bell said referees and San Antonio coaches/players asked why he wasn't playing during the playoffs. They never understood what the Jazz were doing.

Bell said he wanted to move on after his March confrontation with Corbin and thought the Jazz were going to. Bell said Utah was two-faced and Corbin obviously punished him for the remainder of the year.

Bell said there were times this season he didn't know he was active until he was informed pregame by the media.

C.J. Miles

Miles said the team was put off by Al Jefferson's pre-Game 4 comments about no one beating the Spurs in the playoffs and San Antonio being better than Utah.

Miles said he loves the Jazz, the team's fans and thinks Corbin will evolve. But he never knew what was expected of him this year.

Miles said communication was much better with former coach Jerry Sloan and Corbin has struggled relaying his message to team.

Miles: "I don't even remember us naming a captain, but they wanted leadership."

Miles said there could've been better communication between Corbin and him, as well as the team.

Miles said he's not the type of person to speak out but he couldn't hold back anymore. He spent a long time with the Jazz, always did what the team asked of him and wanted the situation to work. But he felt the Jazz didn't treat him right this season and he couldn't hold his tongue.

Al Jefferson

Jefferson hasn't thought about his contract and will leave it to his agent. But he loves Utah and would like to finish career with the Jazz.

Jefferson said Corbin has done a good job communicating with the team and it's one of Corbin's strong points.

Devin Harris

Harris is "excited" to enter a contract year. He knows he started slowly and didn't initially play well this season. But he feels like he found his game at end of year.

Harris acknowledged communication with Corbin has been an issue. Harris said his relationship with Corbin improved as the season went on and he thinks

Corbin will figure things out over time.

Gordon Hayward

After his exit meeting, Hayward said he took a big step this season but it was expected. He'll continue to improve during the summer and he wants to take his game to the next level.

Hayward is fine playing shooting guard or small forward for the Jazz and doesn't feel like either is set for his future.

Hayward smiled when asked about Corbin's communication issues. He said Corbin's been in a tough spot and will find his way.

Brian T. Smith

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

[Blueintheface]

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

Jefferson, the benefactor of unlimited minutes, thought Corbin was a good communicator while the bench dregs thought otherwise. Shocker!

My favorite part:

Derrick Favors

Favors said he finally feels like he's in the NBA. He wants to be a starter next year, take his career to the next level and do everything possible to succeed.

After his exit meeting, Favors said he spoke with Jazz General Manager Kevin O'Connor and Corbin about starting for the Jazz next season.

Let's hope the conversation was more definitive than that though "...spoke with Jazz General Manager Kevin O'Connor and Corbin about starting for the Jazz next season..." doesn't indicate the results of those discussions. I sure hope he's starting by Dec 1 at the latest.

[MarkGrace]

What are the odds the Jazz bring back all the same bigs and what is the likelihood of a total meltdown in this thread?

I really get the feeling that the Jazz will at least start the season with mostly the same group at the 4/5. You have 96 mins at those two spots, so is there any way to make it work knowing that Sap can get some minutes at the 3? At this point Al, Sap, and Favors are at least 30-minute-per-night guys, and you can probably get them each 30, but what do you do with Kanter? I would have liked to seen him play more this year, but he was expectedly raw and not built to go a lot of minutes this season given his layoff from the game. But next year he needs a consistent 15-20 per night and I'm not sure where you come up with it if you bring everyone back.

[Jacob]

What are the odds the Jazz bring back all the same bigs and what is the likelihood of a total meltdown in this thread?

I really get the feeling that the Jazz will at least start the season with mostly the same group at the 4/5. You have 96 mins at those two spots, so is there any way to make it work knowing that Sap can get some minutes at the 3? At this point Al, Sap, and Favors are at least 30-minute-per-night guys, and you can probably get them each 30, but what do you do with Kanter? I would have liked to seen him play more this year, but he was expectedly raw and not built to go a lot of minutes this season given his layoff from the game. But next year he needs a consistent 15-20 per night and I'm not sure where you come up with it if you bring everyone back.

To answer your fist question, yes, I'd wager all 4 of them will be back next season. And no, there are not enough minutes for a coach like Corbin to get them the minutes they need. Especially Kanter. Just make the trade already.

If all 4 come back and Favors isn't starting and getting 32+ minutes, then there will be a meltdown, and Ty Corbin's house will probably be on fire.

It's not that anybody thinks Millsap and Jefferson are bad players, it's that they are not as useful because of the other talent at the position. contrarily, there is a dearth of talent at the other 3 positions, and without upgrading there, the Jazz cannot be a good team. Assuming the Jazz can't pick up a quality player at those positions in FA--they can't--they need to trade to get one. OTOH, if Kanter weren't on the team, I wouldn't mind having the other 3, as long as Millsap or Jefferson was coming off the bench. That solves a couple of problems, namely, the minutes and the scoring in the second unit. Bringing Paul off the bench should have been a no-brainer all year. And Paul shoudl have relished the opportunity to dominate the ball with the second unit, if he were smart and if Corbin were smart enough to make sure he got his minutes.

[MarkGrace]

A look at some semi-attainable FA's.
http://www.deseretnews.com/top/660/0...et-in-the.html

I like both Dragic and Batum, but worry that the price will be too high for both given how much their teams seem to like them. Dragic is unrestricted and Batum is restricted.

[MarkGrace]

Would you take Nash for 3 years? That's the type of deal he is supposedly looking for, and while my general reaction is to think that's crazy for a dude who's 38, I'm looking at his numbers right now and he's still just ridiculously good. Even if he dropped off a little, he'd still be playing at a high level.

[MarkGrace]

2nd question. Harden could potentially be a FA after next season, and the Jazz will have loads of cap space. What would you offer to get him to Utah?

[smokymountainrain]

2nd question. Harden could potentially be a FA after next season, and the Jazz will have loads of cap space. What would you offer to get him to Utah?

We'll see what he does next year, but there are times he looks like a max player.

[Blueintheface]

2nd question. Harden could potentially be a FA after next season, and the Jazz will have loads of cap space. What would you offer to get him to Utah?

I could see The Thunder do a sign and trade to ensure he doesn't go to a WC team or just go over the cap to keep him. I'm not holding out hope but in the hypothetical, I'd trade a big this offseason to prepare for the possibility. He's such a versatile player and assuming the Sloan offense isn't going anywhere, he and Gordon would be the midrange shooters the system requires.

[Jacob]

2nd question. Harden could potentially be a FA after next season, and the Jazz will have loads of cap space. What would you offer to get him to Utah?

Near max. But OKC wont let him go. They probably have to decide btw he and Ibaka. I bet they let Ibaka go. But if they let Harden go, Jazz should definitely be bidding.

[smokymountainrain]

Near max. But OKC wont let him go. They probably have to decide btw he and Ibaka. I bet they let Ibaka go. But if they let Harden go, Jazz should definitely be bidding.

And if they do let Ibaka go, the Jazz should definitely be bidding for him. Ibaka would be a pretty damn good consolation prize.

[MarkGrace]

According to numerous outlets, including Michael C Lewis of Salt Lake Tribune and Matt Steinmitx of CSN Bay Area, Utah Jazz’s Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors have been selected to the play for USA Basketball select team.

The USA Select team is used primarily as practice players and opponents for the 2012 USA Basketball team. In the 2008 Olympics you may recall the Olympic team practiced and played against the members of the select team in Las Vegas. I am assuming this is a similar set up.

Hayward’s play changed after heading the all-star weekend to play in the rising stars game. Now he will be playing against the best the USA offers on the basketball floor. This experience will be invaluable to his development and fits his style far better than summer pick up ball.

Similarly, Favors gets to come out of his shell a little bit more each time he plays major competition. This may be bigger for Favors than for Hayward. With the injury to Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum not wanting to play in the Olympics he will really get to show how talented he is and give himself a chance to shine.

Hayward and Favors put themselves in very good position to represent the USA in future international competition.

The rest of roster is expected to be DeMarcus Cousins, Jeremy Lin, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, John Wall, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, Gordon Hayward, Kawhi Leonard, DeJuan Blair, Ryan Anderson and Taj Gibson.

Cousins, Favors, Anderson, Blair and Gibson are the only bigs which gives Favors a huge opportunity.

This is an enormous honor for the 22 year old Hayward and the 20 year old Favors. The Jazz growth in the upcoming season will largely be based on these two players making the big jumper 3rd year players usually make and this is going to be a terrific setting for them to foster this development.

USA Basketball Olympic training is expected to take place in Vegas during the same time as summer league, July 13-22. The Jazz will be participating in summer league in Orlando and are unlikely to participate in Vegas but the door may not be entirely shut.

Should be a good experience for them.

[DrumNFeather]

LHM Group to buy 1280thezone.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/...-zone.html.csp

[Shaka]

LHM Group to buy 1280thezone.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/...-zone.html.csp

It will be interesting to see who keeps their gig. I'd bring DJ over for morning and pair him with Hans. I'd keep Jan and Gunther. Gunther is a natural and Jan has made great strides. Jan actually has some of the better sports takes on local radio and is probably the best at explaining football concepts. Gunther is just hilarious.

I'd take Monson over Locke any day. I think a Monson/Gunther or Monson/OC combo would be pretty good.