jazzrule
Well-Known Member
Opps Mods please move this to Jazz Threads. Thanks
This is what an outsider things of the Jazz going forward:
5 Steps: Fixing The Jazz
By: Mark Nugent Last Updated: 4/12/11 12:25 PM ET | 1570 times read
The Utah Jazz changed the face and the direction of their franchise at the trade deadline. The Jazz, faced with potentially losing star point guard Deron Williams to free agency in the summer of 2012, shocked the basketball world by trading him to the New Jersey Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two first-round draft picks.
The Jazz didn't just lose Williams though, they also lost long-time head coach Jerry Sloan to retirement on February 10th. Sloan had been the voice of the Jazz for 23 seasons and led them to two Finals appearances in the late '90s.
With Sloan retired and Williams traded the Jazz have been in a freefall, going 7-17 since the trade deadline. Earlier in the season the Jazz were fighting for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but their struggles since the All-Star break have already eliminated them.
With the Jazz having to look to the future, here are five steps to help get them back into the playoffs.
1. Figure Out Their Identity
For more than two decades the Jazz have taken on the persona of their tough minded, grinded it out coach Jerry Sloan. Now that he is gone, the Jazz need to rediscover their identity. New head coach Tyron Corbin has to establish what this team is all about.
Are the Jazz going to be a knockdown, drag-out defensive team? Are they going to be a run-and-gun team? There is going to be some turnover on the Jazz roster this offseason so it's important management knows what type of players to bring in. This all starts with Corbin setting the tone for what he wants this team to be.
2. Decide What To Do With Al Jefferson
The Jazz let Carlos Boozer walk this past offseason without getting anything in return, but then acquired Al Jefferson for Kosta Koufos before the season started. Jefferson was supposed to be Deron Williams' pick-and-roll partner and the low post threat they lost when Boozer went to the Chicago Bulls.
And that's exactly what they got. Jefferson is averaging almost 19 points a game on 49% shooting from the field and almost 10 boards a night. Jefferson can play both the power forward and the center positions and has been durable this season, starting all 81 games.
At 26 years old, Jefferson is entering his prime and is one the few true low post scorers in the game. The Jazz would do well to put players around him that fit: perimeter players that can knock down the open jumper after Jefferson draws a double-team, a defensive-minded big man to pair with Jefferson down low, and point guard that can run the pick-and-roll and make a decent entry pass into the post.
Jefferson is under contract for the next two seasons and as the Jazz's best player management would be wise to start their rebuilding with him as the nucleus. Most teams rebuilding don't have a player of Jefferson's caliber and it would be a mistake for the Jazz not to use him.
3. Use Their Picks Wisely
The Jazz own two lottery picks in this year's draft, both should be inside the top 12. If the Jazz get lucky and land a pick inside the top three they will most likely be choosing between Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, Harrison Barnes, and one of the international big men that have declared for the draft like Enes Kanter.
This is Utah's best opportunity to retool the franchise quickly. If they can land at least one starter out of these two picks, the Jazz could be in position as soon as next season to make their way back into the playoffs, but if the Jazz fail to make a splash during the draft they may not have another opportunity to add quality talent for some time. Free agent stars have a history of not wanting to sign with Utah, so they have to make the most of these draft picks.
The biggest descision the Jazz may face on draft night is whether or not to draft local hero Jimmer Freddette. Freddette was named the National College Player of the Year, averaged almost 29 points per game his last year at BYU, and has proven to be a deadeye shooter from behind the three-point line.
The problem is, he's undersized for a shooting guard, isn't much of a creater as a point guard, and is one of the slower players in this year's draft, meaning he'll have trouble defending either guard position at the NBA Level. If the Jazz are going to be a defense-first team they need to pass on Freddette; if they are going to focus on being a run and gun team then Freddette might be a perfect choice with their second lottery pick.
4. Determine Their Core Group Of Players
MORE BY MARK NUGENT
HOOPSWORLD Week in Review: Tommy Beer breaks down the New York Knicks...Derek Page checks in with...
NBA Chat With Mark Nugent: HOOPSWORLD's Mark Nugent will host his NBA chat at 5pm EST. Drop in your...
5 Steps: Fixing the Nets: The New Jersey Nets entered the 2010-2011 season with seemingly one goal...
Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, their two lottery picks, and maybe Devin Harris are the players the Jazz should be focusing on moving forward. Those players should be getting the majority of minutes and Coach Corbin should be tailoring his defensive and offensive schemes to that personnel.
Players like Raja Bell, Ronnie Price, and Mehmet Okur should be viewed as stop gap guys only. Bell and Okur can't stay healthy, so why pay veterans to dress in nice suits when there are plenty of young and hungry players that are dying for a chance to prove themselves? The Jazz should be looking to move anyone that isn't a part of their core group of players for draft picks or cap space.
Lastly, Andrei Kirilenko is no longer part of the Jazz core group of players. The Jazz need to let him walk in free agency this offseason for the good of the franchise. He is a solid player that can contribute defensively and knock down the occasional open jumper, but he has had his time with the Jazz and they need to move on. The Jazz have their small forward of the future in Hayward and it will be difficult to give him the minutes he deserves if he is always looking over his shoulder at Kirilenko.
5. Utah Likes stability
The Jazz like stability, it's one of the reasons they kept Jerry Sloan as the coach for so long. They should be building towards the future by playing the young guys as much as possible and letting them develop. That means Hayward, Favors, and their two lottery picks need to get as many minutes as possible next season.
Favors should be moved into the starting lineup and Millsap back to the bench. Millsap has proven he can play a sixth man role and also appears to have hit a plateau as far as what type of player he is going to be. As for Favors, until he gets 30 minutes a night, the Jazz won't know if they have a budding star on their hands, or a career backup.
There is talent on this team that can develop and it's up to the Jazz to build something long-term. Don't worry as much about the playoffs in the 2011-12 season. If it happens, great, but be thinking about getting the kids floor time so they are ready to make a deep playoff push in 2012-2013.
Trading away a superstar, like Deron Williams, isn't an easy thing for a franchise to do and can often lead to its demise. Fortunately for the Jazz, they have put themselves in a position to be competitive in the next few years assuming they use their draft picks well, and their new head coach can get everyone on the same page.
It's not likely the Jazz will turn it around be a championship level team in a year or two, but they could be competing for the playoffs as soon as next season or the 2012-13 season at the latest. By cashing in on Williams at this year's trade deadline, the Jazz hope to avoid the fate of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors who lost their superstars in free agency. Those franchises appear to be lottery bound for years to come, while Jazz hope this is just a one-time trip.
Have questions for Mark Nugent? Be sure and drop by HOOPSWORLD on Wednesdays at 5PM Eastern for his weekly basketball chat.
This is what an outsider things of the Jazz going forward:
5 Steps: Fixing The Jazz
By: Mark Nugent Last Updated: 4/12/11 12:25 PM ET | 1570 times read
Adjust font size:
The Utah Jazz changed the face and the direction of their franchise at the trade deadline. The Jazz, faced with potentially losing star point guard Deron Williams to free agency in the summer of 2012, shocked the basketball world by trading him to the New Jersey Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two first-round draft picks.
The Jazz didn't just lose Williams though, they also lost long-time head coach Jerry Sloan to retirement on February 10th. Sloan had been the voice of the Jazz for 23 seasons and led them to two Finals appearances in the late '90s.
With Sloan retired and Williams traded the Jazz have been in a freefall, going 7-17 since the trade deadline. Earlier in the season the Jazz were fighting for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but their struggles since the All-Star break have already eliminated them.
With the Jazz having to look to the future, here are five steps to help get them back into the playoffs.
1. Figure Out Their Identity
For more than two decades the Jazz have taken on the persona of their tough minded, grinded it out coach Jerry Sloan. Now that he is gone, the Jazz need to rediscover their identity. New head coach Tyron Corbin has to establish what this team is all about.
Are the Jazz going to be a knockdown, drag-out defensive team? Are they going to be a run-and-gun team? There is going to be some turnover on the Jazz roster this offseason so it's important management knows what type of players to bring in. This all starts with Corbin setting the tone for what he wants this team to be.
2. Decide What To Do With Al Jefferson
The Jazz let Carlos Boozer walk this past offseason without getting anything in return, but then acquired Al Jefferson for Kosta Koufos before the season started. Jefferson was supposed to be Deron Williams' pick-and-roll partner and the low post threat they lost when Boozer went to the Chicago Bulls.
And that's exactly what they got. Jefferson is averaging almost 19 points a game on 49% shooting from the field and almost 10 boards a night. Jefferson can play both the power forward and the center positions and has been durable this season, starting all 81 games.
At 26 years old, Jefferson is entering his prime and is one the few true low post scorers in the game. The Jazz would do well to put players around him that fit: perimeter players that can knock down the open jumper after Jefferson draws a double-team, a defensive-minded big man to pair with Jefferson down low, and point guard that can run the pick-and-roll and make a decent entry pass into the post.
Jefferson is under contract for the next two seasons and as the Jazz's best player management would be wise to start their rebuilding with him as the nucleus. Most teams rebuilding don't have a player of Jefferson's caliber and it would be a mistake for the Jazz not to use him.
3. Use Their Picks Wisely
The Jazz own two lottery picks in this year's draft, both should be inside the top 12. If the Jazz get lucky and land a pick inside the top three they will most likely be choosing between Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, Harrison Barnes, and one of the international big men that have declared for the draft like Enes Kanter.
This is Utah's best opportunity to retool the franchise quickly. If they can land at least one starter out of these two picks, the Jazz could be in position as soon as next season to make their way back into the playoffs, but if the Jazz fail to make a splash during the draft they may not have another opportunity to add quality talent for some time. Free agent stars have a history of not wanting to sign with Utah, so they have to make the most of these draft picks.
The biggest descision the Jazz may face on draft night is whether or not to draft local hero Jimmer Freddette. Freddette was named the National College Player of the Year, averaged almost 29 points per game his last year at BYU, and has proven to be a deadeye shooter from behind the three-point line.
The problem is, he's undersized for a shooting guard, isn't much of a creater as a point guard, and is one of the slower players in this year's draft, meaning he'll have trouble defending either guard position at the NBA Level. If the Jazz are going to be a defense-first team they need to pass on Freddette; if they are going to focus on being a run and gun team then Freddette might be a perfect choice with their second lottery pick.
4. Determine Their Core Group Of Players
MORE BY MARK NUGENT
HOOPSWORLD Week in Review: Tommy Beer breaks down the New York Knicks...Derek Page checks in with... NBA Chat With Mark Nugent: HOOPSWORLD's Mark Nugent will host his NBA chat at 5pm EST. Drop in your... 5 Steps: Fixing the Nets: The New Jersey Nets entered the 2010-2011 season with seemingly one goal... Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, their two lottery picks, and maybe Devin Harris are the players the Jazz should be focusing on moving forward. Those players should be getting the majority of minutes and Coach Corbin should be tailoring his defensive and offensive schemes to that personnel.
Players like Raja Bell, Ronnie Price, and Mehmet Okur should be viewed as stop gap guys only. Bell and Okur can't stay healthy, so why pay veterans to dress in nice suits when there are plenty of young and hungry players that are dying for a chance to prove themselves? The Jazz should be looking to move anyone that isn't a part of their core group of players for draft picks or cap space.
Lastly, Andrei Kirilenko is no longer part of the Jazz core group of players. The Jazz need to let him walk in free agency this offseason for the good of the franchise. He is a solid player that can contribute defensively and knock down the occasional open jumper, but he has had his time with the Jazz and they need to move on. The Jazz have their small forward of the future in Hayward and it will be difficult to give him the minutes he deserves if he is always looking over his shoulder at Kirilenko.
5. Utah Likes stability
The Jazz like stability, it's one of the reasons they kept Jerry Sloan as the coach for so long. They should be building towards the future by playing the young guys as much as possible and letting them develop. That means Hayward, Favors, and their two lottery picks need to get as many minutes as possible next season.
Favors should be moved into the starting lineup and Millsap back to the bench. Millsap has proven he can play a sixth man role and also appears to have hit a plateau as far as what type of player he is going to be. As for Favors, until he gets 30 minutes a night, the Jazz won't know if they have a budding star on their hands, or a career backup.
There is talent on this team that can develop and it's up to the Jazz to build something long-term. Don't worry as much about the playoffs in the 2011-12 season. If it happens, great, but be thinking about getting the kids floor time so they are ready to make a deep playoff push in 2012-2013.
***
Trading away a superstar, like Deron Williams, isn't an easy thing for a franchise to do and can often lead to its demise. Fortunately for the Jazz, they have put themselves in a position to be competitive in the next few years assuming they use their draft picks well, and their new head coach can get everyone on the same page.
It's not likely the Jazz will turn it around be a championship level team in a year or two, but they could be competing for the playoffs as soon as next season or the 2012-13 season at the latest. By cashing in on Williams at this year's trade deadline, the Jazz hope to avoid the fate of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors who lost their superstars in free agency. Those franchises appear to be lottery bound for years to come, while Jazz hope this is just a one-time trip.
Have questions for Mark Nugent? Be sure and drop by HOOPSWORLD on Wednesdays at 5PM Eastern for his weekly basketball chat.
Last edited:
