What team will Deron Williams leave the Jazz for in free agency?

[Gyp Rosetti]

Deron will bolt.

And you can take that to the bank.

 

[Jeditiger]

Nicely put. You didn't mention that Malone also had to bitch a little to get paid what he was worth. I know plenty of hater fans who used this as an excuse to hate Malone (while also bitching that they weren't getting paid what they were worth... imagine that). Not only was the team not spending to pick up more talent, but they weren't giving their two stars their due. Stockton never got what Malone did, either. A guy who holds a record as unbreakable as they come and he never got anywhere near a max deal.

Neither one had an agent until Malone hired Manley in the mid-to-late 90's. They negotiated their own contracts (IIRC, they did bring in a lawyer to sort thru the legalese), so at any time they actually WANTED to leave, they could have. Stockton always said, IIRC, that he was satisfied with what he was paid and didn't feel the need to hire an agent. But as has been the Jazz MO since LHM took over ownership of the team, the Jazz has fostered an organizational atmosphere (structure, support, consistency, winning) that makes the right players WANT to be there. I am confident that this is a key factor that will motivate Deron to stay.

 

[Sloanfeld]

I've never been a fan of these topics but this season it's different. D-Will has to do a lot more offensively WITH the basketball than he has in years past, and if you've followed his career closely, you know he'd rather dish it out than put it in. That's what happens when you choose not to bring back an elite offensive threat.

 

[franklin]

Neither one had an agent until Malone hired Manley in the mid-to-late 90's. They negotiated their own contracts (IIRC, they did bring in a lawyer to sort thru the legalese), so at any time they actually WANTED to leave, they could have. Stockton always said, IIRC, that he was satisfied with what he was paid and didn't feel the need to hire an agent. But as has been the Jazz MO since LHM took over ownership of the team, the Jazz has fostered an organizational atmosphere (structure, support, consistency, winning) that makes the right players WANT to be there. I am confident that this is a key factor that will motivate Deron to stay.

Sure they both could have left. Both were class acts, and, regardless of what that big mouth *** wipe Reggie Miller thinks, were loyal to an organization. That doesn't take away from the fact that Miller didn't loosen that vice grip wallet of his. It was Gorilla Glued, encrypted, wrapped in a boa, and locked in the bottom of Fort Knox.

Your point is grounded in "the right players". Right players were anyone who Miller would have paid to win a championship. He didn't even try.

 

[zman1527]

What?! A crock, rather.

Reality is that Malone and Stockton were at their peaks in the late 80s/early 90s. Where was Hornacek then? Oh. In Philly or Phoenix.

Those teams were less talented than what Deron has now. A lot less.

Miller didn't provide decent talent until Malone started grumbling about a trade. This was around 1993, thus Malone had been with the Jazz longer -- toiling for nothing, in on-court context -- than Deron has been to this point.

The good old days weren't so grand. From Malone and Stockton? Arguably underrated, especially Malone. But management was ****. A two player team, literally.

Stockton's peak (17 and 14 a game, never replicated) was wasted on Clippers'-level talent, and thanks to that wasted time both franchise players are looked on in the same context as this mediocre family-owned team.

What a shame.

Well, it was a shame that Stock and Malone were wasted. Some of it was the talent and some it was the use of what talent there was. I firmly believe that if Chris Morris would have gotten PT and Adam Keefe had been cut 1 week into his Jazz career, there would be championship banner in the rafters. They should have been able to get at least one ring for those two.

 

[VINYLONE]

I've never been a fan of these topics but this season it's different. D-Will has to do a lot more offensively WITH the basketball than he has in years past, and if you've followed his career closely, you know he'd rather dish it out than put it in. That's what happens when you choose not to bring back an elite offensive threat.

Does it bother you then that our current record is better than last seasons at this point?

 

[AlaskanAssassin]

I dont think that its quite time to panic about D-Will leaving the Jazz. But I definately think that if they would like to keep him here, than they better do what it takes to surround him with winning material. Them blowing a 9th round draft pick on guys like Gordon Hayward are not going to cut it. Gordon is a great player, but he was a 19th pick at best. - Thats history. But in a couple years I think we may be finding that Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz will also be history because of the organizations decision making. Larry Miller was extrodanairy because he got to know the players wants and needs, and then try to do the best to surround them with exactly that. Example (Stockton & Malone wanted a dynamic shooter; in comes Hornacek) I cant see anyone from the Jazz organization of today giving a rats *** about what Deron and Millsap would like to have around them. Im pretty sure they wouldnt say, "get a medi-ocre under experienced kid from butler U." Think about it!

Teams should never make moves to try and please a specific player. Look how it worked out for Cleveland.

Players play, coaches coach, execs manage. It's set up that way for a reason.

 

[Sloanfeld]

Does it bother you then that our current record is better than last seasons at this point?

It bothers me that we didn't play as well as they should have for the first half of last season. After Gaines shot, we took off. Sure we had early injures to CJ and Korver, but our record should have been better. The fact is, we were one of the top teams in the NBA after that shot, and that was was more indicative of us as a team than any record prior to that. We've watched both teams. The record means jack ****. The team just didn't play well for almost half of the season. And Boozer was damn well the best player on our team until the all-star break. D-Will took command after that.

 

[Shad]

I've never been a fan of these topics but this season it's different. D-Will has to do a lot more offensively WITH the basketball than he has in years past, and if you've followed his career closely, you know he'd rather dish it out than put it in. That's what happens when you choose not to bring back an elite offensive threat.

Hmmmmmm I wonder why you're saying that this year.

 

[pbash]

I dont think that its quite time to panic about D-Will leaving the Jazz. But I definately think that if they would like to keep him here, than they better do what it takes to surround him with winning material. Them blowing a 9th round draft pick on guys like Gordon Hayward are not going to cut it. Gordon is a great player, but he was a 19th pick at best. - Thats history. But in a couple years I think we may be finding that Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz will also be history because of the organizations decision making. Larry Miller was extrodanairy because he got to know the players wants and needs, and then try to do the best to surround them with exactly that. Example (Stockton & Malone wanted a dynamic shooter; in comes Hornacek) I cant see anyone from the Jazz organization of today giving a rats *** about what Deron and Millsap would like to have around them. Im pretty sure they wouldnt say, "get a medi-ocre under experienced kid from butler U." Think about it!

Can you say, Las Vegas Jazz!!!!!!

 

[chemdude1232]

Deron is going to play with Blake Griffin in Dallas (once Blake can sign there in a few years).

 

[fallenchicken]

guys this is not a "we lost" thread. The Portland game just validates my point; D-Will is too good for this team. Deron has hinted on leaving multiple times in the past. No ring, no Deron. As much as that sucks.