"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

I still think a move up to 7 in the draft means the PGs available there won't be the best players available. Chances are very good that either Porter or Bennett is available at 7, and it seems Zeller certainly will be. I would take any of those 3 over Burke, McCollum, or MC-W, even with the Jazz roster not having a PG currently. There are a ton of PG options on the free agent market, either to be a significant signing or a stop gap until next draft or a bigger free agent signing/trade.

[MarkGrace]

Also, I'm starting to get the feeling McCollum won't be around at #7.

Right now Ford's mock looks like this:

Noel
Oladipo
Porter
McLemore
Len
MCW
McCollum

I don't think we'll see much movement in the top 4, but I think once you hit Len at 5 a bunch of guys are in play. 5 is Phoenix, and I have to think they're solid with Dragic, but it's not like he's a star and could certainly be upgraded. Pelicans draft at 6, and while Vazquez was a real break out player last year, that's again a similar situation to Dragic. And of course McCollum can play some 2 and gives them a young pairing to Davis. He could definitely go anywhere from 5 on.

[smokymountainrain]

I still think a move up to 7 in the draft means the PGs available there won't be the best players available. Chances are very good that either Porter or Bennett is available at 7, and it seems Zeller certainly will be. I would take any of those 3 over Burke, McCollum, or MC-W, even with the Jazz roster not having a PG currently. There are a ton of PG options on the free agent market, either to be a significant signing or a stop gap until next draft or a bigger free agent signing/trade.

Does Bennett's weight gain bother you at all? I sure does me. But I agree that Zeller and Porter, even if they don't fill a specific need on the team would be tough to pass at #7. I'd love to see Zeller in a three man bigs rotation with EK and DF.

[MarkGrace]

Utah and Sacramento are two teams that reportedly are very interested in Lehigh's C.J. McCollum, a player who some believe could be this year's version of Damian Lillard. Oddly enough, though, it could be in the Kings' best interest to pass on McCollum at No. 7 if it means moving down and adding a second first-round pick from Utah. Let us explain.

Now, this is pure speculation on my part, but this is Rumor Central and this is what we do. ESPN's Chad Ford reports today that Sacramento is one of two lottery teams looking to trade down (Charlotte being the other), and he also reports that the Jazz appear to be targeting McCollum and are offering picks 14 and 21. "... But they might have to give up Alec Burks if they really want to get high enough to get C.J.," Ford adds.

Still, at No. 7 one has to believe there's a good chance McCollum is on the board. It's doubtful that Phoenix will take him at No. 5 or New Orleans will take him at No. 6 -- particularly if Trey Burke and Michael Carter-Williams are still available. If he's there, the Jazz could be able to trade up to get their man and the Kings would, from the sounds of it, be able to land picks No. 14 and 21. The only problem is, if the Kings are sold on McCollum it'd be a gamble to pass on him in order to get two players lower in the draft who'll be less of a "sure thing."

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/nba/rumors/

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Does Bennett's weight gain bother you at all? I sure does me. But I agree that Zeller and Porter, even if they don't fill a specific need on the team would be tough to pass at #7. I'd love to see Zeller in a three man bigs rotation with EK and DF.

The weight issues bothers me a lot. All year he had the look of a kid that could balloon at any moment and then he went and did just that during the most important job addition of his life. He strikes me as a kid who has always had things come extremely easy to him, who has enough talent to excel without working as hard as other guys. But the Larry Johnson comparisons look so right. Would I pass on the possible 2nd coming of Larry Johnson for a kid that played 12 great games as a senior before getting hurt, and wasn't that great before that?

I think Zeller is going to be this year's Roy, Pierce, or Leonard. Someone that produced well in college, that tested well, that teams liked, yet fell in the draft. I hate Zeller's short arms, but I swear if he was black and tested like he did at the combine and has the skills he has there is no way we'd be talking about him falling outside the top 3 in this draft.

[Maximus]

apparently 2pm was the deadline for trades to change draft order??

[smokymountainrain]

The weight issues bothers me a lot. All year he had the look of a kid that could balloon at any moment and then he went and did just that during the most important job addition of his life. He strikes me as a kid who has always had things come extremely easy to him, who has enough talent to excel without working as hard as other guys. But the Larry Johnson comparisons look so right. Would I pass on the possible 2nd coming of Larry Johnson for a kid that played 12 great games as a senior before getting hurt, and wasn't that great before that?

I think Zeller is going to be this year's Roy, Pierce, or Leonard. Someone that produced well in college, that tested well, that teams liked, yet fell in the draft. I hate Zeller's short arms, but I swear if he was black and tested like he did at the combine and has the skills he has there is no way we'd be talking about him falling outside the top 3 in this draft.

Makes sense. If you replaced the #15 with a #4 on Bennetts UNLV jersey, he'd look like a clone of LJ. It's a tough one. But as you imply, it's not as if McCollum is a sure thing - his stock seems to being helped by Lillard's success, which is ridiculous when you really think about it.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/nba/rumors/

So give up a past years wasted draft pick for the chance to waste another one? America!

[smokymountainrain]

So give up a past years wasted draft pick for the chance to waste another one? America!

I think you may be trolling me to a certain extent here - which I can appreciate, btw - but especially in this year's draft you have a point. With a draft that is incredibly weak at the top, but fairly deep after that, on paper it doesn't make sense to give away two picks in the mid first for one pick in the mid-lottery considering you could just as easy get a guy at 21 who is better than the guys taken around #7.

[MarkGrace]

So give up a past years wasted draft pick for the chance to waste another one? America!

Huh? 14 and 21 for 7. You're just combining picks to get higher.

[MarkGrace]

apparently 2pm was the deadline for trades to change draft order??

It seems these situations tend to lean toward being based on the availability of players, not outright swaps before the draft starts.

[MarkGrace]

Makes sense. If you replaced the #15 with a #4 on Bennetts UNLV jersey, he'd look like a clone of LJ. It's a tough one. But as you imply, it's not as if McCollum is a sure thing - his stock seems to being helped by Lillard's success, which is ridiculous when you really think about it.

And Steph. Those two have really kicked open the door for these types of players to be considered much higher than they might have been in the past. Just think what would have happened had Lillard made the NCAA tourney. We'd likely be talking about McCollum as a potential #1 right now.

[smokymountainrain]

Huh? 14 and 21 for 7. You're just combining picks to get higher.

At one point in the column it mentioned the possibility that the Jazz would have to include Burks.

[MarkGrace]

At one point in the column it mentioned the possibility that the Jazz would have to include Burks.

That was Ford's speculation. The rumored offer was 14 and 21.

[MarkGrace]

Jody Genessy @DJJazzyJody 18m

Interesting non-player tidbit: Former Ute Alex Jensen was spotted with Jazz brass at a Salt Lake City restaurant last night. Staff addition?

Jody Genessy @DJJazzyJody 17m

Alex Jensen also helped Jazz at a pre-draft workout. He'd make complete sense as Brad Jones' replacement on the player development staff.

Jensen was this year's coach of the year in the NBDL.