Reader comments
Utah Jazz: D-Will to get max contract, but how many years?

rvalens2 | 4:56 a.m. June 29, 2008

Max money, max years, max deal, let's keep Deron as the cornerstone of the Jazz team.

mahesh | 6:53 a.m. June 29, 2008

Ditto. We gotta keep Deron.

MLR | 8:08 a.m. June 29, 2008

Although I believe D-Will should be paid as much as anyone on the team, where does this lead us? A.K. is at max money, Boozer will want max money next year, Millsap is up for a new contract next year as is Memo. There is such a thing as a salary cap in this league, then the luxury tax to think about. The problem I have with all of these players and their MAX money is where do you find the money for the rest of the 8 to 10 players? If as an example 3 or 4 players take 80% of the payroll how are you going to make the rest happy? If these star players really believe what they tell us about their number one priority being winning an NBA championship then I think they need to realize the situation this puts the team in when max contracts are paid to too many players. Maybe it's really all about the same old thing GREED, GREED, GREED. How much is enough?

Comments continue below

Lo Porto | 9:08 a.m. June 29, 2008

The only person on Utah's roster who deserves a max contract is Deron Williams. He is a catalyst for the Jazz offense, and he's a guy who can do everything. Not only is he an excellent player, he's also a fantastic player to represent the franchise with all that he does in the community and how he lives his life. With that being said, his max contract will make the current roster impossible for 2009/10.

That is why we need to TRADE AK ASAP. If we were to trade AK for an expiring contract this year, then we would have no money problems for the foreseeable future. His $15 million this year, $16 million next year and $17 million in two years are ridiculous. He's not worth it and the Jazz will lose guys like Millsap and maybe Okur and Boozer because of it. TRADE AK now and I don't care for who...

Anonymous | 9:28 a.m. June 29, 2008

Give D-Will what he wants since he doesn't seem to really care a whole lot about the max money thing and may not want max money. Booz isn't worth max money. Millsap will get a new contract to replace Booz which will free up cap room for a good draft pick. Also let Memo walk to and we will have more cap room. Or we could go sign and trade with either Booz or Memo and possibly move up in the draft next year so we can get a player we need and that can make an immediate impact.

conchord | 10:10 a.m. June 29, 2008

i'll pitch in 20 bucks and a costa burrito

Mark | 10:45 a.m. June 29, 2008

I've got a 98 Oldsmobile Intrigue I'll throw in too, if it helps.

Daily Credit | 11:12 a.m. June 29, 2008

Trade AK for Tayshuan Prince! Pistons are looking to trade but are they dumb enough to trade for AK?

Make some trades THEN sign Deron | 11:58 a.m. June 29, 2008

Get rid of Jarron Collins, sign the new draft picks or Fesenko......... trade AK for an '09 draft pick or a scrub 2nd stringer, whichever is easiest....... which frees up cap room to sign Deron and saves space for Milsap. If Boozer wants max money then he should pursue elsewhere, the Jazz don't need to pay anyone a max contract except for Deron, and they need to ditch the one they signed with AK

Boise Bill | 12:45 p.m. June 29, 2008

There is no way Boozer or Okur are worth max money. Chances are, Boozer will get a huge offer from another team. I can see another team thinking he's a franchise player and throwing way to much money at him. O'Conner is smart enough to realize Boozer isn't worth bankrupting the team. Ask Cleveland how devoted he is to an organization. He'll follow the money and claim he needs to feed his family.

Okur on the other hand seems to understand that he is a roll player. Pay him what he's worth and lets get to work.

BJ Jazzy Rasta | 1:31 p.m. June 29, 2008

I'm excited to watch D-Will and Booz on the World-Wide stage. I expect Deron to step up to the challenge..and Booz to be average, based on how he stepped up in the playoffs... I don't believe he is devoted to the Jazz..he is chasing the money, and will most likely jet next season...we should trade him now!!!

DeLoni | 1:33 p.m. June 29, 2008

We need to keep Williams no matter what it takes. I don't care what it takes. We can always find another small foward, and power foward. Trade Booze, trade AK, trade anyone. I would rather see anyone on the team leave except for Williams. KEEP WILLIAMS!!!!

Read between the lines | 5:43 p.m. June 29, 2008

It's obvious Deron wants the jazz to agree to his terms now, and the Jazz don't want to. The want time to convince DWILL to stay longer. DWill wants max money for three years then he's gone. Gone like Wade and Lebron will be in two years.

We have a three year window to win a championship, because after that DWILL is out of here.

D-Will is the future. | 6:45 p.m. June 29, 2008

With Deron Williams playing there is always hope for a winning record. Without D-Will, the Jazz would flounder around .500 every year. Tie this guy up for as long as possible!!!

Bigjazzfan | 7:51 p.m. June 29, 2008

NOne of this takes into acount the ten's of millions or more deron can make from endorsments, if he goes to bigger market.

Along with a championship he never get in Utah,

Because the management are too enamored with boozer and brewer, and sloan's system (can't defend, can't shoot, draf only players that fit, can't win championship).

Sure Jazz Care | 8:06 p.m. June 29, 2008

Don't know what Miller and the boyz would do without the comments of so many experts. I'm quite sure they have no clue which way to take this franchise, how to best spend their money, or who to let go. If not for you people and your insight, we wouldn't have a team! Get over yourselves.

re: Anonymous | 8:30 p.m. June 29, 2008

So what your saying is just blow this team up that is close to getting there and rebuild. Makes sense!!! get rid of these guys and we will be way under the cap. What a smart idea!!!! People, stop being so stupid! Hart and JCollins just may be the hottest trading chips we have as a pair=5 mil in expiring contracts. 5 mil could get us a pretty good and badly needed big.

Yearsley | 9:02 p.m. June 29, 2008

I am sorry to tell all of you but there is no way that Willy is worth $90 million, for 5 years. I think he needs to sign long term but he is at best only a $40-$50 million player.He is one of the best point guards in the league but lets be reaslistic here. Andrei's contract is absolutely absurd he is maybe only a $30-35 million player at best.

NBA Salary Detractor | 9:26 p.m. June 29, 2008

None of this takes into account that as the economic crisis continues to pound Americans over the next few years, professional sports will take a huge hit and stop being profitable. I know very few people that will decide they'd rather go to the Jazz game than eat 5 or 10 meals at home. Professional sports salaries will be on the demise just like every other economic luxury item. Better sign the longest contract possible because next time around, salaries will likely have dropped....

utah_man18 | 10:03 p.m. June 29, 2008

Yearsley, have you seen Deron play???? The guy is THE BEST point in the league. NO can keep CP3, and J Kidd is way past his prime. The only possible problem is the market size, as Bigjazzfan mentioned (though I can't agree that he'll never win a championship here). Hopefully $90 mil will be enough and he won't crave the endorsements he could garner in a larger market.
Also, despite my constant attempts to defend paying AK his salary, we simply won't have the money soon. We were good to let him play a year and increase his trade value, but he will definitely need to be traded soon.
Finally, I hate to see Booz choke in the playoffs like he did, but I would love to hold on to him. His loyalty to franchises he showed to Cleveland worries me, but I think signing D-Will to a long term contract would certainly help our chances of keeping him.
In any case, let's go team USA- the redeem team!

RE: sure care | 10:15 p.m. June 29, 2008

What makes miller and expert? Getting rich from autos?

what make o'conner an expert? because someone gave him a job?

What makes scott layden an expert? because daddy was a coach? with the advbantages of big market in NY what did really do.

I could go on and on.

YOu don't have to be an expert, to see boozer doesn't play defense, he is only interested ion gloary numbers which make you money and an all-star

You don't have to be an expert to see brewer can't shoot.

YOu don't have be an expert to see while sloans system can win regular season games, it can't win championships.

What really makes one an expert anyways? A paycheck from an nba team?

NO ONE is saying blow this team up.

There are some good pieces.

Just study what it take to win a chamionship, IE study championship teams.

Then build you team accordingly it's that simply.

You don't hold on to players (or coaches), just because you think the world will come to an end if you don't.

That's not the right reason.

It doesn't take an expert to see that.

Trade, Trade, Trade | 11:31 p.m. June 29, 2008

Do you realize the Chicago Bulls didn't do that. Even the Great MICHAEL JORDAN was in the league several years before they won a title. You have to give these guys a chase to blend together. If we keep moving players and trading for better we will never get the chane to bring a title to SLC and Utah.

l | 11:40 p.m. June 29, 2008

Sorry, Detractor, pro-sports are a big enough part of our culture that they will remain huge. The people you know must not go to Jazz games now anyway, in which case there's not a difference.

There is a loyal following that pays for extra cable/dish channels, buys season tickets, flies to other cities to watch their team on road games, etc. for both pro and college sports. Sports fans are just that ... fanatics ... they will make necessary sacrifices (time, family, money, debt) to attend their sporting events.

People will spend money they don't have to feed their addiction, which is what it is for some people. Society is no longer willing to wait and save up for something expensive - they buy on credit. All they need is make enough to pay minimum balances and occasionally file bankruptcy, but there are enough younger people growing up in the ME generation to continue the trend as older people ruin their credit.

Many people nowadays don't even eat 5 or 10 meals at home each week anyway...all eating out. They just put off buying the latest iPod a couple months and can buy their season tickets. Viva la sport!

Yup | 8:33 a.m. June 30, 2008

I'm glad the Jazz are obviously smarter than lots of the people on this blog.

Bottom line: Any guy who can step into this league and become a major contender in his first two years is worth about any price the Jazz have to pay for him. Did you watch him in the playoffs? He consistently put up BIG numbers. He is the only person on the roster who has the confidence to LEAD the Jazz to a title. He's the guy the Jazz will build the team around.

If Boozer wants a big contract next year he's going to need to prove that he can compete in the playoffs.

AK seems to have taken a D.Rodman type role with the Jazz. Yeah he's probably not worth the max contract, but close. Too many people count the worth of a player by the points they put up. If you add the points that AK PREVENTS every game to his numbers, you'll see he is also a dominant force... he's a keeper.

Moto X | 10:34 a.m. June 30, 2008

All you whiners complaining about the contracts and the greed of the players making big money. Duh! They only get offered big money if a team believes they will get a return on their investment.

Some of these players care if they win a championship but others.....not so much. What are they supposed to do say "no I don't want this bigger paycheck"? Be serious, even if they do want to win a championship they cannot be so foolish as to turn away money. Their careers for most in basketball are sliding fast in their mid 30's.

Which one of you says "hold off on my salary raise this year so we can get some other good employees and achieve the company sales goals"???? PLEEEEZZZZ!!!

This is why you have to admire the teams who balance it all and get it done. It is tough to find the right mix of players at the right price but it can be done--ask the Spurs. They have won 3 of the last 6 while paying little or no luxury tax. The Jazz take essentially the same approach which is why we are almost always competitive and in the top tier of teams.

Trevor | 4:08 p.m. June 30, 2008

MotoX, comparing a regular 9-to-5 employee in a company to NBA superstars is apples-to-ranges. You really think if Deron got 70 mil insead of 90 mil over 5 yrs he will struggle to "feed his family", like how Mr. Latrell Sprewell once notoriously said? Puhleeze..It is all status symbol for these guys.That guy is getting 10 mil, so I need to get 12 mil and so on..

Plus a championship is not quite the same as a company sales goal.
Deron benefits perssonally from winning a championship too. Because thats he plays for. That's HIS CAREER goal.It looks good on his resume and it brings him immense satisfaction and maybe gets him enshrined in the basketball annals. I dont get any such benefits if I reduce my salary to help meet my sales goals.
If Deron really wants to to win a championship he'll be smart, look at the Jazz history and figure that once he signs the MAX, the Jazz wont have enough money to put good role players around him. Look at what happened to Malone between 99 and 2003.

Yearsley | 8:31 p.m. June 30, 2008

Deron i agree is the best point guard in the league.But Did John or karl ever get an offer that big, not that i know of did either of them get that large of an amount of money.Oh and by the way utah_man18 I have seen Deron play every game but i still don't think he needs to be payed that large amount of money.I am not trying to start up an argument here just thinking about the luxury tax that Utah has to deal with and i would hate for them to go over it

Go D-Will | 10:21 p.m. June 30, 2008

Anthing to keep D-Will in Utah is ok with me

To Yearsley | 12:19 a.m. July 2, 2008

Though I don't remember specifics of Malone's contracts before his final season in Utah, I do remember that he made $19.25 million his last year here. So in one sense, he got that much money, but just not that amount per year over so many years; granted, when Malone was in his prime, contracts were nothing like they are now.

Darren Williams-Delavan,IL | 11:31 a.m. July 3, 2008

I agree with Utahman18.While Carlos disappointed in the playoffs,I hesitate to trade a 20/10 guy.I think Deron will be happy with a 90 mil contract and won't sweat lost endorsement $. Not sure what it will take for the Jazz to get by Kobe,but a trade may be necessary.

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.