The Official Utah Jazz Thread

[jonzey]

One of my all-time favorite past-times is discussing the storied franchise of the Utah Jazz. With a mere 120 days before the 2009-2010 NBA season tips off, I decided we here at the LS needed a place where we can praise, degrade, bitch, speculate, gamble, wish, prophecy, moan, love, hate, predict, belittle, encourage, cheer, jeer, and perform all other activities that can be associated with our beloved Jazz. Ready? GO!

[Clint]

I wish they had made some line up changes. Sloan needs to go.

[Jonas]

Line up changes. Yeah. Boozer is expensive and only good for half a season. Get rid of Sloan? That's crazy. He's a great coach.

[secondhand]

I think Sloan is a mediocre coach. He has never won a title, but Jackson has consistently. Sloan will always have a good team, but not necessarily a championship team.

[Clint]

i wouldn't call him mediokur. I just think he has lost some of his spark. There were a lot fewer mouthed "motherfucker"s this last season. It just doesn't seem like he cares that much.

[~~sLuGsTaRr~~]

I will not post on this thread when such things are said. End.

[Jonas]

I think Sloan makes a good team. He might not have Jackson's record, but he hasn't had the superstars either.

[jonzey]

Sloan is a good coach. Not a great coach, but definitely a good one. However, to say he hasn't had superstars is a flat-out lie. He had the greatest power forward and 3rd greatest point guard of all time on his team at the same time and didn't win jack shit! Phil Jackson is a brilliant coach. Check this out:

1998-1999 Los Angeles Lakers Roster:

Derek Fisher, Derek Harper, Eddie Jones, Kobe Bryant, Tyronn Lue, Glen Rice, Ruben Patterson, Sam Jacobson, Dennis Rodman, J.R. Reid, Rick Fox, Robert Horry, Corie Blount, Elden Campbell, Sean Rooks, Shaquille O'Neal, Travis Knight

This team was swept by the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs that year.

1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers Roster

Brian Shaw, Derek Fisher, John Celestand, Kobe Bryant, Ron Harper, Tyronn Lue, Glen Rice, Sam Jacobson, A.C. Green, Devean George, Rick Fox, Robert Horry, John Salley, Shaquille O'Neal, Travis Knight

Essentially the same team EXCEPT THAT this team went on to win the Championship 3 years in a row. The biggest change to the team? Hiring Phil Jackson as head coach. The man can coach.

Now, I do agree that Sloan needs to go. He is a great coach who has done wonderful things with the Jazz, however, after 21 years I think it is obvious that he will not take us to the promised land. My biggest problem with the Jazz organization right now is the GM. I think that KOC (Kevin O'Connor) does an okay job but he is way too predictable. I was so pissed when Greg Miller announced they would be "bringing back the core" of last years team. Did we have a core last year? Did this core consist of anyone else not named Deron Williams? I really don't think so. It will be interesting to see what they do with Boozer, Memo, & Korver since they all decided to opt in for the final year of their contracts. I would love to see them trade Boozer and his expiring contract to one of the many teams trying to create cap space for the great free-agent market of 2010 for a defensive-minded, athletic big (I really don't see why we shouldn't make a deal with the Clippers for Marcus Camby, except I think I heard they traded Zach Randolph to Memphis so they may not bite). Also, I think we need to get rid of Kirelenko's poisonous contract. I heard a rumor that Utah was in discussion with Houston about trading AK (and another piece... I would bet either C.J. Miles or Korver) for T-Mac. Now, T-Mac (when/if healthy) would be a huge offensive threat and a sub-par defender, and we all know that he is injury-prone, but that would also get rid of our contract with AK for +/- $25m over the next two years for T-Mac's +/- $18m contract that expires after this year. That would create TONS of space for us to play with after next year. I say we take it if offered to us. Now, there has also been talk of us trading Boozer to Detroit for Rip Hamilton. I personally think this would be a great trade. It is obvious they aren't going for Milsap (more on him in a moment) since they recently acquired Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon from the free-agent pool. It was obvious the beginning of last season when they traded Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson that they want to go a completely different direction with their team. They are also going to be losing Rasheed Wallace. I think (if the T-Mac rumors ring false) we should pursue Tayshaun Prince as well as Rip Hamilton from Detroit. AK and Booze for Prince and Hamilton? Hell of a deal for both teams if you ask me. Add either a draft pick or a bench player to sweeten the deal for them if they need it. Now, about Millsap. I really don't think the Jazz will re-sign him. If they do end up re-signing him for anything over $4m they are idiots. But, it seems like Oklahoma City really want him and are willing to put forth some big bucks ($10m range) that I don't think the Jazz will match. Again, if they do, they are morons. I love Millsap but I don't think he is worth that much, especially at this point in his career. If I were running the Jazz franchise I would blow-up the roster and rebuild around Deron Williams BUT, as I said, KOC hates to shake the cage so we can all expect essentially the same roster as last year and, more than likely, the same result.

Oh, and please don't anyone post on this thread that we might get Chris Bosh or Amar'e Stoudemire. Bosh wants out of Toronto and doesn't want to come to a city exactly like Toronto (like SLC) and Amar'e thinks he's too good to come here. Also, the Birdman isn't coming over from Denver. Can you imagine him and Sloan trying to work together? Yikes.

Oh and Ben, thanks for posting about not posting.

[Jonas]

The only thing I really agreed with in that epic post was the need for a big man. Jazz have no defense. None. Horrible. Sit out 2009, drop the big contracts and recruit like hell in 2010. When the jazz had superstars we went to the playoffs. We just choked. And I remember a famous pushing foul. We would've had it... jazz fans will remember that forever.

[jonzey]

How is that the only thing you agree with!?!?! I admit everyone is entitled to their own opinion but come on!!! Please don't tell me you are one of those guys who think we have a really great team with a really great chance at winning that first, really great championship because this is "our year". Look around the NBA. All the major contenders have upgraded their teams (Lakers signed Ron Artest, Magic signed Vince Carter, Celtics signed Rasheed Wallace, Spurs signed Jason Richardson, Cavs signed Shaq) while Utah has sat around with their thumbs up their butts. The Jazz can't afford to piss away this offseason and hope to do better next year because literally EVERY team in the league are doing exactly that and cities like LA, Miami & NY are a lot sexier places to play than Utah. They need to trade and trade now.

[Jonas]

I was talking game 6, 1998. I don't think we have a chance this year, get under the salary cap, that should be the goal.

www.deseretnews.com/article/705313650/Utah-Jazz-Many-dollars-little-sense.html

[jonzey]

My last post should read "Spurs signed Richard Jefferson" not Jason Richardson. My bad. Oh, and there was no way in hell the refs were EVER going to call that weak push from the greatest player in the history of basketball on a scrub like Bryon Russell to win the NBA Finals. Russell tried to sell it by falling down, Jordan sold it by making possibly the greatest/most well known shot in NBA history.

[Carmen Del Stucco]

Sloan is a wonderful coach, but he's old school. His fundamentals need to be rejuvenated by some youthful ideas/moves. The NBA is a different best then it was in the 90s.

[jonzey]

This thread needed resurrecting even though not much has been going on in the Jazz camp. As you all know we matched Portland's offer for Milsap and now we can't ship Boozer for anything more valuable than two boxes of popcorn and a pair of sneakers. I think the Jazz should keep Boozer on the roster and see how he plays until February. It would be silly to bite on any of these weak trade proposals some of these teams are making. Udonis Haslem for Boozer??? Please. In other, non-Boozer-related Jazz news: Paul Milsap, Ronnie Brewer, & Kyle Korver all participated in the Team USA Minicamp along with about 25 other NBA players. Kyle Korver impressed. Paul and Ronnie were both decent. None of them will make the USA Senior Team. Looks like Deron Williams will hold the honor of being the sole Jazzman on the squad. And will somebody please give me a valid reason as to why they think D-Will is better than CP3!?!? I also prefer D-Will but I have absolutely no reason for thinking that way. Other than D-Will wears a Jazz uniform.

[Morty]

IHTPBITIWSAMDSM....A