"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[MarkGrace]

Michael (Kingwood, TX)

Tom, what is your biggest surprises this season (both good and bad)?
Tom Haberstroh (2:06 PM)

I'm chiming in a 5-on-5 later today with my answers to this (check the site in a few hours for that), but Sixers and Suns obviously have caught my attention. In the disappointment category? Jazz. They have been wayyyy worse than I thought (WHOOPS ---> http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story...2013-14-season). They desperately need Trey Burke back. It's been ugly.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat...tom-haberstroh

[Blueintheface]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat...tom-haberstroh

[Jacob]

Just a reminder. With the worst record, the Jazz only have a 25% chance of getting the 1st pick and a 35% chance of getting the 4th pick. The odds aren't that great.

46% chance of getting the 1st or 2nd pick, and the 2nd pick may very well be good enough. But your odds are better playing blackjack than getting in the top 2 with the worst record. Kinda sucks to think about it that way. Jazz obviously need a franchise star. As bad as the Jazz look, they would be pretty well set up going forward if the top 2 guys are as good as they look.

But the Jazz could be looking at trading Favors or Kanter after they draft Randle next year.

[Blueintheface]

Just a reminder. With the worst record, the Jazz only have a 25% chance of getting the 1st pick and a 35% chance of getting the 4th pick. The odds aren't that great.

46% chance of getting the 1st or 2nd pick, and the 2nd pick may very well be good enough. But your odds are better playing blackjack than getting in the top 2 with the worst record. Kinda sucks to think about it that way. Jazz obviously need a franchise star. As bad as the Jazz look, they would be pretty well set up going forward if the top 2 guys are as good as they look.

But the Jazz could be looking at trading Favors or Kanter after they draft Randle next year.

Trading Favors seems the most likely if they indeed go big.

[MarkGrace]

Yep, joke is on the Suns. I hope they enjoy that #8 seed or just missing the playoffs and getting the 14th pick in the draft. Jazz fans know all about how much fun that is.

The good news is that the early returns on this draft class is that it is more than just hype. That top 4-5 is looking just stacked and the next 3 after that are still very strong. But for the time being losing still blows.

[MarkGrace]

Just a reminder. With the worst record, the Jazz only have a 25% chance of getting the 1st pick and a 35% chance of getting the 4th pick. The odds aren't that great.

46% chance of getting the 1st or 2nd pick, and the 2nd pick may very well be good enough. But your odds are better playing blackjack than getting in the top 2 with the worst record. Kinda sucks to think about it that way. Jazz obviously need a franchise star. As bad as the Jazz look, they would be pretty well set up going forward if the top 2 guys are as good as they look.

But the Jazz could be looking at trading Favors or Kanter after they draft Randle next year.

I think there are 5 players that could really transform the Jazz. If you finish with the worst record, what are the odds you stay in the top 5? 4th would be the worst you can do, right? In this draft if you're top 4 you get one of Exum, Randle, Parker or Wiggins. Hot damn!

[Donuthole]

I think there are 5 players that could really transform the Jazz. If you finish with the worst record, what are the odds you stay in the top 5? 4th would be the worst you can do, right? In this draft if you're top 4 you get one of Exum, Randle, Parker or Wiggins. Hot damn!

Exactly. Being guaranteed a top 4 spot never meant so much.

[smokymountainrain]

The good news is that the early returns on this draft class is that it is more than just hype. That top 4-5 is looking just stacked and the next 3 after that are still very strong. But for the time being losing still blows.

Yep, losing is never fun. Just have to keep that long term perspective.

You have Wiggins and Parker...

...and Randle may just be the best of the bunch.

[Jacob]

I think there are 5 players that could really transform the Jazz. If you finish with the worst record, what are the odds you stay in the top 5? 4th would be the worst you can do, right? In this draft if you're top 4 you get one of Exum, Randle, Parker or Wiggins. Hot damn!

Yep, 100% you land in top 4.
65% landing in top 3
46% in top 2
25% #1

If everyone we currently have works out to be as close to as good as we want/hope, then Wiggins would be an awesome fit at SF (assuming he looks great this season). But as always, Jazz will need to pick the best overall player regardless of position. Looks like it could be any position except center.

[MarkGrace]

Norman (NY)

Derrick Favors has had a bit of a rough start. Is poor PG play responsible or is there more to it?
Tom Haberstroh (2:39 PM)

I think anytime Jamaal Tinsley is starting for an NBA team in the year 2013, that's where the issues start. Trickle down effect.

And JLIII is his backup.

[smokymountainrain]

Exactly. Being guaranteed a top 4 spot never meant so much.

ESPN showed a stat a couple weeks ago; I'll try to find it, but the gist of it was that history shows the top 5 picks in the draft make up the majority of all-stars, then there is a huge dropoff from picks 6-30. The point being, a guaranteed top 4 is always a big deal, but with this class, as you mentioned, it is even more important than usual - which says a lot.

[MarkGrace]

Exactly. Being guaranteed a top 4 spot never meant so much.

Smart was a consensus top 2 pick last year and is currently #5 on Ford's big board this year. Unreal.

[smokymountainrain]

Smart was a consensus top 2 pick last year and is currently #5 on Ford's big board this year. Unreal.

I bet he drops to the 7-10 range by the end of the year.

[Jacob]

I'd still be nervous outside of the top 2. Lets say this draft is as good as 2003 or 1984, 2 of the greatest drafts ever.

You still have 2 of the top 5 that you'd rather not have:
2003 = Lebron, Carmelo, Wade in top 5; Darko and Bosh at 2 and 4.
1984 = Hakeem, Jordan, Barkley in top 5, Bowie and Sam Perkins at 2 and 4.

[Sizzle]

Smart was a consensus top 2 pick last year and is currently #5 on Ford's big board this year. Unreal.

I think any of the top 5 in this years draft would substantially help the Jazz. Randle is the most duplicitous of what we have on our roster in terms of positional depth, but I think he is more ready to carry a team than Favors or Kanter at this point. I think Jabari is exactly what this teams needs on the offensive end. Long, can score, isn't overly athletic but is a smart player and from a marketing perspective to an internal fan base there has never been a better fit for SLC than Jabari. Wiggins seems to be supremely talented but I am not sure he is an alpha dog based on everything I've read so far. I'm actually anxious to watch Duke v Kansas tomorrow night to see. Exum I know the least about, but what I know is he appears to be a dynamic playmaker and Smart may actually be a perfect fit along side Hayward, Burks and Burke for a very deep and tough backcourt.

This is definitely the year to suck!