"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[MarkGrace]

Is this the thread where we debate the Jazz/Blazers for the 8th spot in the playoffs? Blazers are going to be better than last year, but not as good as we want them to be. That said, I'll still watch 80 regular season games this year. I think the major storyline this year will be LaStupid Aldredge wanting to get out of town ala, Deron Williams. So we got that to look forward to. Which is good.

lol. No.

[smokymountainrain]

Douger, why do you say the Jazz better not make the playoffs this year? Actually I think I know why you're saying that, but I disagree. If they make the playoffs this year, doesn't that mean the Core Four(Five?) are pretty damn good young players and with them as a foundation, the Jazz have a very bright future?

[clackamascoug]

lol. No.

The reason for the lol is that there's humor in the truth. I don't think even if the two teams merged they would be in the top four spots.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Ford already putting out Mock Draft 1.0 for the 2014 Draft. Has Utah picking Walker out of Florida at #8 and McDermott at 21 with the GS pick.

Jazz's forecasted record: 32-50 | 2.8 percent to win lottery

Analysis: The Jazz drafted their point guard of the future, Trey Burke, this June. They have great young anchors on the front line with Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. And Gordon Hayward can play both the two and the three. Walker might be another great fit. He is yet another explosive player who excels in the open floor. He's trying to make the transition from the three to four this year at Florida (if the NCAA ever gets around to clearing him. Walker did not enroll in classes for fall semester and is hoping to become eligible in December). If he improves his handle and jump shot, he could be a lethal combo forward in the NBA and give the Jazz another young prospect to build around.

Analysis: The Jazz always could use more shooting, and McDermott made a name for himself this summer with the shooting display during the Team USA national team minicamp. He could become a solid role player in Utah.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9652326/nba-andrew-wiggins-tops-2014-mock-draft-10

[MarkGrace]

I hope the Jazz aren't picking 8th!

[smokymountainrain]

Ford already putting out Mock Draft 1.0 for the 2014 Draft. Has Utah picking Walker out of Florida at #8 and McDermott at 21 with the GS pick.




http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story...-mock-draft-10

Walker? Who? the only Walker out of Florida I know is the 5'7" PG.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Walker? Who? the only Walker out of Florida I know is the 5'7" PG.

New dude. Think Jeremy Evans going to a big school.

[Jacob]

I hope the Jazz aren't picking 8th!

8th sounds about right to me. Hope we can jump into the top 3. But I don't think we finish worse than 6th-to-last

[MarkGrace]

I recently praised Favors as the part of Utah's up-and-coming roster most likely to take the biggest leap forward this season. More than a bright spot for the Jazz, Favors is one of the best young bigs in the league who brings a nice blend of size and athleticism. His skills still need to catch up to his physical abilities, but he has made strides each year and scores well in intangibles such as coachability, work ethic and effort given on the floor.

The Jazz can extend his rookie deal by as many as five years before Oct. 31, but to do that would mean they would not be able to offer such an extension to any of the other young prospects on their roster. As a small-market team, Utah has to be doubly certain of its decisions before committing large sums of money to players, and Favors would seem to be a safe bet. That said, I'd still offer him a four-year, $60.8 million deal (AAV: $15.2 million), the maximum allowable over that term. If he rejects it, the most any other team can offer in restricted free agency would be four years, $58.4 million (AAV: $14.6 million).

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9656700/nba-top-30-free-agents-2014-ranked-average-annual-value

$15mm a year for Favors? I hope they get him for less than that.

[Blueintheface]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story...e-annual-value

$15mm a year for Favors? I hope they get him for less than that.

I didn't attend West Point and thus don't have the motivation nor the acumen necessary to chastise you for your faithlessness and will thus only make mention of Marilyn Chambers and be done with it.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

One Mr. Trey Burke is in Spokane, Washington today.

[smokymountainrain]

One Mr. Trey Burke is in Spokane, Washington today.

This is excellent news. I've heard Matt Santangelo is great teacher of the game.

[Blueintheface]

Only a couple of weeks away. Tankapalooza!

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Hadn't heard before today that Alec Burks is also working out with Stockton.

[MarkGrace]

Hadn't heard before today that Alec Burks is also working out with Stockton.

Should help him in his off-the-bench combo guard gig.