Competing while allowing Dante Exum to develop

[Coach Ellis]

We have been competitive with Exum as our starter & we do have huge room for growth next year, but our success is based on a small sample size & internal growth is never a guarantee. Considering our recent success, which is as much of a testament to what a core of GH, DF, & RG is capable of (considering who is around them- especially offensively) as it is to the defensive improvement that Exum has contributed to. I maybe should have suhgested that Burks be our primary backup PG (given that we can acquire an offensively efficient 2/3). This would give us the versatility to be able to play Burks/FA SG/Hayward/Favors/Gobert when we need baskets & Exum/FA SG/Hayward/Favors/Gobert. This way Exum doesn't feel demoted & can continue building chemistry with his teammates, while (hopefully) speeding up his development.

I would be fine with:

Exum/Burks/Neto
FA SG/Burks/Hood
Hayward/Hezonja/Hood
Fsvors/Booker
Gobert/Tomic/Pleiss

Trade #12+Burke for #8 (Hezonja-if he slips that far-if not, add OKC 1st)

I think that is a potentially elite defensive team, with enough offense, depth, & versatility to be more than just the fringe playoff team (next year) we would likely be should we not make any significant changes.

This sounds a lot more reasonable, but I question if Burks has the basketball IQ to play multiple positions. I'm of the mind that you figure out ways to get your best players on the court as much as possible, and I have Burks as a key player for the Jazz. I'd be fine with Burks replacing Burke as the key playmaker off the bench, but I still see him as a poor fit for PG. If the Jazz trade Trey Burke to move up in the draft, I think that they would be best served to sign or trade for a veteran PG or combo guard to back up Exum. I just think that Burks best role will be as a dynamic scorer at the wing, instead of as a facilitating point guard role.

 

[Doublea]

Burks is a SG. That is all I have to say.

 

[jjscap]

Future Utah Jazz is here already. It'd be foolish to expect any major moves from now on. Internal development, scouting/drafting. That's all.
If you asked "who'll the #1 option on this team?" I'd say "All of them", while Dante Exum is likely to turn out to be the most valuable piece.

 

[Coach Ellis]

Future Utah Jazz is here already. It'd be foolish to expect any major moves from now on. Internal development, scouting/drafting. That's all.
If you asked "who'll the #1 option on this team?" I'd say "All of them", while Dante Exum is likely to turn out to be the most valuable piece.

Overall, I agree with this. I see Gobert, Favors, Hayward, Burks, Exum and Hood as all key pieces moving forward. I hope that the Jazz want to bring Tomic over because I think he's a great fit and would be fantastic value vs. what they'd pay on the open market. I think that they really like Booker and will keep him for 2015/16, unless there's a deal that needs to be made and requires his contract to facilitate it. I think that they really like Millsap and Jingles as reserve wings and glue guys. After that, I think that they should be looking to upgrade their 5th big guy (Evans), their backup PGs (Burke and Clark) and maybe add some more depth to their wing positions. There's room to add depth and talent, while still focusing on the development of the young core group.

 

[Lakers_Slapper]

With Exum being drafted in the NBA as young as he is and as talented as he is, I think he is doing very well and needs to maintain the starting PG position. The Jazz are in desperate need of upgrading the bench and adding some depth to our team. I think the return of Alec Burks is going to make a huge difference as far as how we play. Regardless we need to upgrade the bench.

 

[fishonjazz]

AS for the OP, Burks is NOT a PG, so wipe that off the board right now. He and Hayward would get KILLED defensively at the 1/2.

I agree that Burks is not a pg, but I actually disagree with your 2nd sentence.
I think burks guards 1's better than 2's. He shut down lillard and cp3 and I think he is much better at dealing with speed and ball handlers than strength and guys moving without the ball.

 

[fishonjazz]

Wait so your saying that Steph Curry, Damion Lillard, and Tony Parker aren't the some of the best players on the planet at PG? Those are guys he as gone up against since being a starter.

I guess I don't understand your comment

Plant bro. Not planet

 

[fishonjazz]

13 - 9 as a starter

8 - 2 since the All-Star Break and Trade Deadline.

I think that the simple answer is that the Jazz are very competitive with Dante Exum in the starting lineup while he's developing, despite having to play Jingles and/or Millsap as SG starter for most of those games. . .

. . . imagine how well he might do with 5-10 lbs of muscle, a better grasp of the offensive and defensive schemes, much better conditioning, Burks back and healthy, Tomic/Booker as the 3rd and 4th bigs (respectively), a shiny new rookie drafted 11 or 12, a free agent or two (as needed), Jingles and Millsap playing spot minutes as role players and continued improvement from Gobert, Favors, Hayward, Burks, Hood and Burke?

I think that the Jazz and Exum will be just fine letting him play while he develops.

Good post ellis. (Like usual. Ellis 269 is one of the best and most under-rated posters on jazz fans)

 

[fishonjazz]

This sounds a lot more reasonable, but I question if Burks has the basketball IQ to play multiple positions.

He already has played multiple positions (during his second year in the league) and he actually played his best that year (month of February) when he was playing point guard and shooting guard. (Though that could just be due to him getting big minutes)

This was when mo and earl were hurt and Burks had to play alot of minutes at the point and he did quite well.

Having said that, I agree that Burks is not ideal at the point

 

[gregbroncs]

Not sure why everyone is trying to trade Trey Burke. Not every draft pick needs to be a starter or a superstar. He is still on his rookie contract and he has proven that he doesn't need to be a starter to be effective. Every team needs a solid back-up PG and a potentially volume scorer off the bench and he is both. Plus, if he continues to improve as a player and in his bench role, he will be a valuable member of the team and possibly an affordable piece. Maybe he re-signs for deal in the range of Jamal Crawford, Lou Williams, or JR Smith, around 4 years/ $22m-$25m, which would be a reasonable contract for the role.

Because he's an inefficient scorer while not bringing much of anything else to the court.

 

[zman1527]

Because he's an inefficient scorer while not bringing much of anything else to the court.

Saw that last game for sure. I only caught the second half, but I think Trey was about 1-10 by then. He DID cut back on his shooting, but then had nothing to offer. He would dribble around and waste time. QS saw it and he did not play much the second half. Too slow, too small, not much of a passer for a PG.

 

[LogGrad98]

I don't know why people maintain the delusion that Neto or Tomic are actually ever coming here.

 

[Getting Traded]

Burks is a SG. That is all I have to say.

I agree but he is a better PG than Trey, which is a reflection on Trey not Burks.

 

[mrob]

I think we just need to let Exum develop and find out what kind of player he can be. Not every team has to have a superstar at point guard. We are well positioned with Hayward leading the team. I realize that many of us here are conditioned to a John Stockton or Deron Williams type of team ... thinking that we must have that type of point guard to succeed. If Exum does become that type of elite player, that's fantastic. If he becomes a solid player, that can be depended on for 10-20 points a game with solid defense, that would also work. I think we'll get a good idea next season what we can expect from him as a player. For now, I would keep the rotation as it is unless he regresses.

 

[Beer]

Burks has been infinitely better off the bench. Why would you mess with that. Dante does not hurt the starting lineup at all. He plays great D, and doesn't mess too much up on offense. Why would you mess with anything the way things have been going?

 

[seattlejazzfan]

Burks has been infinitely better off the bench. Why would you mess with that. Dante does not hurt the starting lineup at all. He plays great D, and doesn't mess too much up on offense. Why would you mess with anything the way things have been going?

Lol. You really ought to get this info to QS since Burks has been penciled in as the starter ever since Quin took over.

 

[mrob]

I think based on the production we have seen so far, Burks would be the starter. The problem is that he's not much of a shooter and doesn't stretch the floor. If Hood ends up being a viable option, I would have no problem having Burks going to the bench. That shooting threat in the starting lineup makes everyone better and would improve our offense a lot.

 

[Beer]

Lol. You really ought to get this info to QS since Burks has been penciled in as the starter ever since Quin took over.

Burke, Burks, Burrrkkkkeee, Burkay, Burc, Burkes .... who give a ****.


Seriously though, my bad. But what does Burks have to do with Exum? Thats where I was confused.

 

[aussietin]

Just thinking about Exum's defense... It's been great 1 on 1. But he still has a lot of room to grow in pick and roll defense. When he gets caught up on a pick, he gets caught real hard. He becomes basically irrelevant in the play with how far he falls behind. Exum's defense is great. But there are definitely parts he still has to grow in on that end of the floor. Which is scary in its own way.

 

[cowhide]

I think some Jazz fans just can help themselves with bringing in vets instead of just going with the young core. While Exum has struggle offensively, he makes a big difference on defense. Besides it is important that the young guys continue to build chemistry. I love the starting lineup of Exum, Hood, Hayward, Favors and Gobert. Burks can help the bench next year, I like Ingles, Booker and Millsap as specialist glue guys on the bench. Our pick (shooter) and possible bringing in a fourth big will help the bench. Burkes is ok but maybe the Jazz can move him to fill a need on the bench but I see zero reason to put Exum on the bench behind some vet PG. Playing is the best way to learn.