If You're Greg Miller and are Contemplating to Dish Out the Dolla Billz...

[The-Joker]

Could we effectively and realistically put ourselves in a position to accomplish the goals I've set out below, if we use our tools (trade exceptions, future draft picks, MLE) to the most efficient extent, at the penalty of venturing shallow or deep into the tax?

Timeframe:
Within Deron's Current Contract (2-3 years???)

Positive Result Outlooks:
A) NBA Finals
B) 7 Game Series w/ Lakers in WCF


Or is the risk to high and the reward too distant to bother?

I feel if work isn't done, we could lose Deron and jeopardize the team.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Not in 2010/11.

I think what needs to happen is you concentrate your spending on the starters and 3 backups. Then the rest is backfill - rookies and minimum salary vets.

Here's the only chance I see of the team competing:
A. Let Matthews go. This is a tough decision, because I really, really like him as a player. But $7M for an "average" SG is too much.

1. PG - Deron + ?. Let Price and Gaines go after the season. Neither are decent POINT guards. They're both undersized SG's. Sign a veteran for minimun salary. Bring in a rookie as the 3rd guy.
2. SG - Trade/CJ. CJ can be a backup, but IMO isn't consistent enough to be a starter.
3. SF - Honzward/CJ. Gordon better be the real deal and better be the starter in 2011/12.
4. PF - Millsap/Trade. If Paul becomes a 16/9 guy, we'll be o.k.
5. C - FA, Okur, Fes. I think Fes will be a decent backup. Okur will have a year left.

Trade exceptions and/or AK's expiring need to be used for a wing and a PF/C. I'd like to see Utah get a starting SG and for Miles to be the backup for both wing positions. Alternative is getting a starting SF and Honzward comes off the bench, and backs up the 2/3. I think he could probably hold his own defensively against backup SG's. Either way.

With the exceptions and AK's expiring, you have to get far enough under the cap in 2011 to make a run at Marc Gasol or similar - unless a trade nets you a solid 4/5.

We really need a core of 8 1/2 players:
PG's (1 + 1/2) Deron + a min salary backup for 10 mins/per
SG/SF (3) - CJ, Honzward and ???
PF (2) - Millsap and a BIGGER player. Koufos? Trade? Maybe Okur plays PF?
C (2) - ??? - Does Fes step forward? Will Tomic be a factor? Can Okur come back?

What CAN'T happen is to lock ourselves into bad contracts to just tread water THIS year. Brewer at minimum? OK that's a decent deal. Overspend for the Shannon Browns of the world...not wise. If we have to take it on the chin this season, so be it. If I were in the Jazz' FO, I'd have a sit down with Deron. Lay out the plans. But the Jazz are old-fashioned. They expect players to just shut up and play ball. IMO, if you're paying a guy MAX money, you need him to buy into your plan, have some input in personnel decisions.

Right now, KOC and Greg are doing a fantastic job of alienating Deron.

 

[mrob]

I'm all for notifying Deron of important moves being made by the team. But if you are implying that they should be looking for Deron's buyoff on their decisions, that is ridiculous. Deron is a fantastic player, but I doubt he knows the first thing about running an NBA franchise. If his comments of the past have been any indication, he's happy any time a player signs for a whole lot of money and unhappy any time we let a player go.

Nearly all owners have to operate within a budget. And, nearly all of them want to avoid paying out the luxury tax.

Deron will do what he wants to do when his contract is up. I hope he's committed to the Jazz and wants to stay. But ultimately he's going to do what he wants to do regardless of this decision or that decision.

Deron is a great player, but he's not bigger than the Jazz. We have already seen what happens when a player is allowed to be bigger than the organization they are part of. And, LeBron ended up leaving anyway.