Lion's Roar
Active Member
Now let's focus on the front office. For most of the past decades the front office have been the whipping boys of the Jazz fans. Stockton and Malone, Jerry, Deron and Boozer were also heavily criticized over the years but the brunt of the critiques had the front office in their cross-hairs. This season Ty and especially Big Al have endured the heavy lifting in regards to the criticism. That combined with the hiring of Dennis Lindsey has produced more tolerance than in years past. Yet the fans are still mad about the team put together this year and especially with what they deem to be the Jazz narratives being spread by the team. So let's look at three that I think stand out (feel free to remind me of others that are important to discuss):
Jazz Narrative:
The team has unprecedented FLEXIBILITY. In this regard the Jazz are the best positioned team in the league moving forward with a wide array of possibilities looming in the horizon.
The Good: The team isn't lying. The Jazz really have a ton of cap space that they can use in a whole lot of different ways. Nothing to add there.
The Bad: This flexibility might show it's head by the signing of veterans that will take away minutes from the youth. Not only that but if you as a fan are in love with the so called Core 4 and expect the team to keep them all then the flexibility being put forth isn't as flexible as expected. From July 1st to October 31st the Jazz will be able to negotiate contract extensions with Favors and Hayward. Those would kick in in the 2014/15 season. Burks and Kanter contracts could be extended next year and kick in a year later in 2015/16. By that time if the Jazz have all 4 contracts in the books the flexibility is pretty much gone.
The Ugly: With 5 lottery picks on hold after this year's draft expect the Jazz to have to trade someone in the same manner that OKC traded Jeff Green and James Harden to preserve it's economic future.
Jazz Narrative:
The players were involved in meaningful games. Meaning that they played to win games and didn't simply go trough the motions as many young players do in the NBA.
The Good: The actual amount of learning that arises from this is disputable but I believe that fostering a culture of trying to win games should be instilled in the young players that any team is trying to groom.
The Bad: That's all good and dandy but they failed to reach the playoffs where the real learning could follow. Jerry Sloan used to say that in the NBA you first learn how to win at home, then you learn how to win on the road and then you learn to win in the playoffs. By that account the Jazz failed in learning how to win on the road or in the playoffs.
The Ugly: This idea of winning as much as possible might have led the team to play the veterans more (wisely or not) but might have stumped the young player growth. I don't believe that to be the case but I would be lying if I said that didn't cross my mind.
Jazz Narrative:
The team will have 5 picks in the next two drafts.
The Good: This is a chance for growth. Five picks plus the Core 4 and Jeremy and K. Murphy means that all those youngsters won't be in the roster at the same time. If the Jazz can find 3 great pieces out of those 11 players they will be in great shape. Those aren't bad odds.
The Bad: Trades are on the horizon and some are bond to be disappointed.
The Ugly: We might end up picking the 2013 equivalents of Kirk Snyder and Kris Humphries.
How do I look at all of this? Well, I believe the FO has a 4 year window opening before their eyes. Why four years? Simple. With the new CBA the Jazz can extend their rookies a max of 4 years with one exception. Each team has the option to have on the roster one players coming of his rookie deal signed on a 5 year contract. If Gordon or Derrick are awarded that extra year then no one of the other youngsters will be allowed to sign for more than 4 years. Not only that but the Jazz will reach 2016/17 with several players with high contract values, and most likely than not, a new CBA will be renegotiated at the time. That to me means that the Jazz will have to have it's core players (not necessarily the core 4) happy and in contention for a title by year four. If they don't another rebuilding phase might arise a lot quicker than folks anticipate. The Jazz better have a star in their midst or get one really, really soon.
https://nbafromacrossthepond.blogspot.pt/
Jazz Narrative:
The team has unprecedented FLEXIBILITY. In this regard the Jazz are the best positioned team in the league moving forward with a wide array of possibilities looming in the horizon.
The Good: The team isn't lying. The Jazz really have a ton of cap space that they can use in a whole lot of different ways. Nothing to add there.
The Bad: This flexibility might show it's head by the signing of veterans that will take away minutes from the youth. Not only that but if you as a fan are in love with the so called Core 4 and expect the team to keep them all then the flexibility being put forth isn't as flexible as expected. From July 1st to October 31st the Jazz will be able to negotiate contract extensions with Favors and Hayward. Those would kick in in the 2014/15 season. Burks and Kanter contracts could be extended next year and kick in a year later in 2015/16. By that time if the Jazz have all 4 contracts in the books the flexibility is pretty much gone.
The Ugly: With 5 lottery picks on hold after this year's draft expect the Jazz to have to trade someone in the same manner that OKC traded Jeff Green and James Harden to preserve it's economic future.
Jazz Narrative:
The players were involved in meaningful games. Meaning that they played to win games and didn't simply go trough the motions as many young players do in the NBA.
The Good: The actual amount of learning that arises from this is disputable but I believe that fostering a culture of trying to win games should be instilled in the young players that any team is trying to groom.
The Bad: That's all good and dandy but they failed to reach the playoffs where the real learning could follow. Jerry Sloan used to say that in the NBA you first learn how to win at home, then you learn how to win on the road and then you learn to win in the playoffs. By that account the Jazz failed in learning how to win on the road or in the playoffs.
The Ugly: This idea of winning as much as possible might have led the team to play the veterans more (wisely or not) but might have stumped the young player growth. I don't believe that to be the case but I would be lying if I said that didn't cross my mind.
Jazz Narrative:
The team will have 5 picks in the next two drafts.
The Good: This is a chance for growth. Five picks plus the Core 4 and Jeremy and K. Murphy means that all those youngsters won't be in the roster at the same time. If the Jazz can find 3 great pieces out of those 11 players they will be in great shape. Those aren't bad odds.
The Bad: Trades are on the horizon and some are bond to be disappointed.
The Ugly: We might end up picking the 2013 equivalents of Kirk Snyder and Kris Humphries.
How do I look at all of this? Well, I believe the FO has a 4 year window opening before their eyes. Why four years? Simple. With the new CBA the Jazz can extend their rookies a max of 4 years with one exception. Each team has the option to have on the roster one players coming of his rookie deal signed on a 5 year contract. If Gordon or Derrick are awarded that extra year then no one of the other youngsters will be allowed to sign for more than 4 years. Not only that but the Jazz will reach 2016/17 with several players with high contract values, and most likely than not, a new CBA will be renegotiated at the time. That to me means that the Jazz will have to have it's core players (not necessarily the core 4) happy and in contention for a title by year four. If they don't another rebuilding phase might arise a lot quicker than folks anticipate. The Jazz better have a star in their midst or get one really, really soon.
https://nbafromacrossthepond.blogspot.pt/
