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Jazz History: Did you know

Stifle Tower

Stifle Tower

Punch Bowl Re-Filler
So the question was asked if the Jazz had ever finished #30.
Bit of a trick question because although the New Orleans teams were VERY bad, there were, of course, fewer teams. They finished with the worst record twice and ended up in 18th and 22nd place in those seasons. In researching the records and reading up a bit, I learned something I had not known before. And I'm ashamed to admit it because I was a big fan of Moses Malone. Anway, we all know the NO Jazz traded for Gail Goodrich and gave up the pick that then became Magic Johnson. But how many of you know there was also another first included in that trade that was essentially Moses Malone? After the ABA/NBA merger there were a handful of players who were declared FA's and made available in a supplemental draft. New Orleans initially took Moses Malone. Shortly thereafter they renounced his rights (likely for financial reasons) to reacquire their 1st-round pick in the regular NBA draft. That pick was also included in the trade for Goodrich.

Could you imagine a team led by Moses and Magic. WOW!
 
His first pro season was with the Utah Stars and his career high in rebounds was against the NO Jazz (37). I could swear that I recall him coming to Jazz camp at the end of his career (probably 1996) and being cut just prior to the season starting (but I can't find a source for this so maybe it's just my imagination). Not the greatest way for a superstar's career to end.
 
Core4 said:
So the question was asked if the Jazz had ever finished #30.
Bit of a trick question because although the New Orleans teams were VERY bad, there were, of course, fewer teams. They finished with the worst record twice and ended up in 18th and 22nd place in those seasons. In researching the records and reading up a bit, I learned something I had not known before. And I'm ashamed to admit it because I was a big fan of Moses Malone. Anway, we all know the NO Jazz traded for Gail Goodrich and gave up the pick that then became Magic Johnson. But how many of you know there was also another first included in that trade that was essentially Moses Malone? After the ABA/NBA merger there were a handful of players who were declared FA's and made available in a supplemental draft. New Orleans initially took Moses Malone. Shortly thereafter they renounced his rights (likely for financial reasons) to reacquire their 1st-round pick in the regular NBA draft. That pick was also included in the trade for Goodrich.

Could you imagine a team led by Moses and Magic. WOW!
Click to expand...
This isn't quite accurate.

In 1975 the NBA held the supplemental draft for players who had been drafting into the ABA before they were ever eligible for the NBA draft. The NO Jazz selected Moses Malone, and the cost was the 1977 first round pick.

A year later the ABA and NBA merged, and the terms of the merger were negotiated, and those terms took precedence over the previous arrangements. Malone's rights no longer belonged to the Jazz and the 1977 draft pick was given back. The Jazz didn't renounce Malone's rights for any reason; they were just taken back.

By the time the ABA dispersal draft was held, the Jazz had improved enough that they would have been either the 6th or 7th pick. Malone went 5th. The Jazz could have selected Bird Averitt, Will Jones, Ron Thomas... the list goes on but isn't very inspiring. The Jazz passed on its picks in the dispersal draft.

You are correct that the exact same 1977 first rounder was sent to the Lakers as compensation for signing free agent Gail Goodrich.
 
Since we are remembering those days i thought i would add this. Initially the Utah Stars were to have been included in the merger. So much so that an office was opened, a name chosen, a coach was hired and a roster of players, also a logo (no one has ever seen this or it was never released) team colors were selected etc. That team has the distinction of being the only professional sports to exist but never play a game. What happened? The story i remember is the TV networks that then held the rights to NBA broadcasts adamantly refused to accept an agreement that included Utah in the merger. And the League (NBA) capitulated. And we think we get no respect today..... well we don't, but it was even worse then. The team that never was...... The Utah Rockies!
 
Grandpa Jazz said:
Since we are remembering those days i thought i would add this. Initially the Utah Stars were to have been included in the merger. So much so that an office was opened, a name chosen, a coach was hired and a roster of players, also a logo (no one has ever seen this or it was never released) team colors were selected etc. That team has the distinction of being the only professional sports to exist but never play a game. What happened? The story i remember is the TV networks that then held the rights to NBA broadcasts adamantly refused to accept an agreement that included Utah in the merger. And the League (NBA) capitulated. And we think we get no respect today..... well we don't, but it was even worse then. The team that never was...... The Utah Rockies!
Click to expand...
Your comments prompted me to visit Wikipedia where I found this gem:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Rockies
 
Joe Bagadonuts- Clicking on a link in that Wikipedia article got me thinking. Although that team Spirits of St. Louis/Utah Stars amalgam played so poorly they did not even make the playoffs their roster is eyeopening. One can only assume that on court success was completely confounded by the off court uncertainty. That team was loaded with talent, most notably:

Marvin (Bad News) Barnes
Ron Boone
ML Carr
Don Chaney
Mike D'Antoni
Gus Gerard
Caldwell Jones
Freddie Lewis
Maurice Lucas
Moses Malone
Randy Denton
 
Kenwood said:
This isn't quite accurate.

In 1975 the NBA held the supplemental draft for players who had been drafting into the ABA before they were ever eligible for the NBA draft. The NO Jazz selected Moses Malone, and the cost was the 1977 first round pick.

A year later the ABA and NBA merged, and the terms of the merger were negotiated, and those terms took precedence over the previous arrangements. Malone's rights no longer belonged to the Jazz and the 1977 draft pick was given back. The Jazz didn't renounce Malone's rights for any reason; they were just taken back.

By the time the ABA dispersal draft was held, the Jazz had improved enough that they would have been either the 6th or 7th pick. Malone went 5th. The Jazz could have selected Bird Averitt, Will Jones, Ron Thomas... the list goes on but isn't very inspiring. The Jazz passed on its picks in the dispersal draft.

You are correct that the exact same 1977 first rounder was sent to the Lakers as compensation for signing free agent Gail Goodrich.
Click to expand...

Here's the link to the info re: New Orleans and Moses: "Now this next part escaped Bill Simmons in his book, but I found the details in a Bangor Daily News article from Dec. 31, 1975. Apparently, Moses Malone's contract had a no-sell, no-trade clause, and since his contract was sold to St. Louis, he felt his ABA contract was in default. His attorneys contacted NBA deputy commissioner Simon Gourdine, who approached commissioner Larry O'Brien, who decided to hold a special draft similar to the NFL's supplemental draft. According to the Bangor Daily News, this draft was specifically for ABA players who were not drafted by the NBA because they were underclassman, and were from college classes that hadn't yet graduated. This very specific status applied to exactly five players, including Moses Malone. Like the NFL supplemental draft, each team that participated in this draft would have to forfeit a future pick in the regular draft. New Orleans took Moses in the first round, surrendering its 1977 pick because it had already traded away its 1976 pick." Here's another link indicating Moses may very well have been able to sign with New Orleans and not been subject to the dispersal draft. However, it appears there were monetary problems with the Jazz. Had New Orleans ponied up the money, I'll bet this case would have gone to court...and I'll bet Moses would have won. He signed a contract, he was sold/traded to another team. That would invalidate the contract and make him a free agent. https://news.google.com/newspapers?...L4eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eMoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3004,1379474
 
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In the transition of the new Orleans Jazz and the Utah Jazz, salt lake city was a temporary location and while they played at the salt palace, Frank Layden told staff to get people in the door even if it was free seats. So they did leading the NBA to think that Salt Lake City had more Jazz fans then what they really had. But because of that move the NBA allowed the Jazz to stay in Salt Lake City when it was supposed to be temporary place while the Jazz were eventually going to be moved to California. Shorty after Larry H. Miller bought the team and invested blood, sweat and tears into it.
 
Lakers_Slapper-
Interesting stuff. All new to me. But i thought that it was the owners who requested permission to move their teams. If the NBA had the power to move franchises around willy nily like that then why did it matter that Larry H. bought the team? Not saying your story isn't the truth at all! As far as Layden packing the audience isn't that just sound business sense when any new venture is in start up mode? I vaguely recall hearing this briefly when they first moved here but the story seemed to lack legs. Do you know of any documentation on this subject. Really, i am interested. If it's Jazz history then i would like to know for sure what was true and what was rumor. Heck we had local sportswriters saying they wouldn't be here long at first. They couldn't understand why the NBA allowed a team here so as a result didn't believe they could succeed or end up staying. Not sure of the exact particulars but the last full season the Stars were here i believe they drew more fans than all but a few NBA teams.
 
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