At the risk of incurring the wrath of the "Trade Big Al" crowd, I offer this appreciation thread. Admittedly, Al was a major disappointment after being traded here from Minnesota amidst great fanfare. He was a liability on defense and a black hole on offense. All that's changing, however, yet Jazz Fanzers seem loathe to acknowledge it. Here are several reasons to be impressed with Big Al: 1) He dedicated himself during other offseason to becoming more fit and mobile, and it shows in his play. He'll never be quick on his feet, but his lateral movement is much improved, and he's not being destroyed on the defensive end. There's a reason the Jazz are among the better defensive teams this year, 2) He's among the elite few big men in the league who a) command a double team b) can actually play with their backs to the basket, 3) He's willing to work to improve his game, especially passing out of a double-team. He'll still drive one crazy at times by holding the ball too long, but he's no longer a black hole, 4) He's the closest thing we have to an All-Star-caliber player (with all due respect to Paul), and he's relatively young.
So instead of asking the question of whether Big Al will be traded this season, I suggest we step back and acknowledge his progress and great play of late.
So instead of asking the question of whether Big Al will be traded this season, I suggest we step back and acknowledge his progress and great play of late.
