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Utah Jazz notes: Williams making himself at home in Utah all year
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D-Will has always been overlooked and proves people wrong. I'm glad Jazz management didn't overlook him.
And Deron has such a competitive fire, I don't think we need to worry about him signing a big contract and then slacking off. Pretty impressive that he moved to UT and cares enough about the team to be interested in the draft.
Give him the keys to the Ferrari and enjoy the ride. I say sign him to a max deal (unless he'll agree to take a bit less to sign FA's - including our own), get him involved in the draft, and have him stop by the RMR each year to instill some work ethic in the rookies (well, he can't this year due to the Olympics).
Boozer has not really shown he's clutch, so let him leave if he wants to go to Miami. Doesn't matter, with Deron dishing to them, Okur, Millsap or AK will pick up a lot of the offensive slack.
Does he need to pick his game up, especially on defense? Yes. But unless the Jazz, in the process of letting him go, have another big time FA waiting to sign on, Jazz fans are going to wish they still had him.
I agree with another poster. The Jazz need a center, and I hope they let the young centers get some playing time this season. The Jazz, in my opinion, have as good a shot as anybody to win it all for the next few years, and I hope they don't mess with things too much. They really are pretty close I think.
As far as D-Will is concerned it appears he has plans to be here which is very positive news. D-Will can make alot of players better--besides Boozer. What was Boozer before he came here? He sure was not a 20 and 10 player. What changed? D-Will and Sloans offense, thats what.
Booz is not worth a 136 mil contract--if we can get him for a reasonable price then fine but he has shown his colors as far as what we can expect on defense.
Booz is dreaming in technicolor if he thinks he would be the same player without D-Will feeding him the ball like he does.
Booz will play hard this year because of his contract which should make him worth ALOT if we wanted to trade him. Things will work themselves out.
Last year it was get rid of AK. After the playoffs it was get rid of Okur. This year it is Boozer. Who cares he is one of the few people on the planet who averaged over 20 and 10. "Milsaps better", "trade him for a center who can play defense" (do you have anyone in mind or are you just stupid?).
A low post scorer is hard to find. There are 25+ teams in this league who would trade their starting Power forward straight across for ours. Wake up and hope the Jazz can add the missing piece.
It is hard to be a devoted fan to a team, you expect that the players are as devoted to that team as well, but to them it is really about the money. Wouldn't you take a better offer at another company in your job?
It is just hard when you feel this bond with the team, and they leave for more money or glory. I don't know if Boozer will head to Miami, the Jazz are a pretty good team but we'll see what he does.
As for Wiliams, I love D. Williams, this article makes him seem like he has more of that team loyalty and pride we assume players have. He's a great guy.
players and coaches that Deron stays in SLC a lot
and supports our community. I think that is very
a very important issue the Jazz front office needs to ask their star player before signing him to this
big contract. Also I hope once he signs he doesnt
follow a lot of these other players footsteps to
leave Utah during the off season.Everyone always talks
about Sloan taking off for the farm every summer, I think back and I think Of FranK Layden, he was great
for our community, he still lives in Utah. Thats the
type of coach I want and thats the type of player I want
in a Utah uniform
you are crazy. first of all Malone was an excellent defender and second he averaged 27 points and 10 rebounds while shooting over 50% from the field while Utah was playing for championships.
RAM was exactly right, the same idiots that insist the Jazz trade one of their best players every year because they had a couple of bad games are now calling for Boozer to go.
That being said, it is looking more and more like this will be Boozers last season with the Jazz. As much as I love Millsap I am not sure if he is really a starting calliber player on a championship team, I don't think he is.
I agree with what others have said about needing to get a solid backup center, Maybe Kosta or Fes will address that need, maybe they won't. I personally would like to see the Jazz pick up a guy like Diop, but given the fact that they have two young centers that seems unlikely.
Next post, I will play GM....
There are two reasons right now why the Jazz need to at least take a serious look at trading Boozer.
1. First year of is contract he did not play at all.
Second year he played less than half a season.
2. This year the last month of the season and the playoffs he never showed up and he is a huge defensive liability.
We have had one good complete season out of Boozer since he signed. One out of three season's is not that great for the money and next summer he is going to want max money.(not worth it)
Jazz Brass would be stupid to not at least shop him around to see if they could get something for him.
I agree with you that Milsap is not going to be a starting PF for this team.
I am not sure who is available next season for free agency that we could sign but I would rather throw max money at somebody who is proven. If they resign Booz for Max they need to structure it so that when someone scores on him he looses a thousand dollars. Maybe that will motivate him.
This summer the Jazz give Williams his 5 year max deal and possibly resign CJ, other than that they just sit tight.
The 2009 free agent market is going to be one of the biggest ever so teams and teams have already started to clear cap space for it. Jazz will have 18Mil in expiring contracts (Boozer, Collins, Hart, Price) that could be valuable in a trade with someone trying to clear space or, if they keep them, will provide the Jazz with needed cap space.
Here's the bad news, even if Boozer walks, unless the Jazz unload somebody else they will sill be over the cap so anything they want with free agents has to be a sign and trade.
So if I'm the Jazz GM here's what I'd do.
If the Jazz are not one of the top 4 teams in the league by the end of January, I accept the fact that Boozer will not win a championship in Utah and start shopping Boozer and the rest of my expiring contracts looking for the best deal I can find.
I was hoping for a Boozer for the #2 pick. I like Boozer OK but I think that he will turn out to be AD to Malone with the guy that the Jazz pick in the top 5 with the Knicks pick in 2010. Boozer is not a max money guy (nor is AK) but that is what he is trying for. Get something for him before Miami makes him their max money guy.
DWill is the max money guy in Utah and I love that he has moved here and taken ownership of the leadership that is his.
As my previous post expalains, I mostly agree with you but I think the Jazz may as well wait until mid season and give this team one more run at it. Williams, Brewer, Millsap, CJ, Fes, and Kosta are all young and hopefully getting better every year. They all have the talent to step up their games and collectively put the Jazz over the proverbial hump.
Fortunately for the Jazz Boozer is not the foundation of this team, they can recover from losing him.
Here's my crazy idea of the day. If the Jazz can't get a good PF to replace Boozer they go out and get one of the numerous multi-talented, ultra-athletic, swing men that seem to be everywhere, like Childress or Deng or Pietrus and play AK at PF. Then if Fes and Kosta step up they would have a solid four man big rotation with Memo and Millsap. They would have the flexibility to play small or big and they could play a more uptempo game that would maximise the talents of AK and the Jazz young players. Just a thought.
?!?! Are you joking?
Evidently you've forgotten that Malone was an OUTSTANDING defender. No, he couldn't jump and block shots, but he was very physical, always stayed in front of his man, pushed him out of the paint, and had super quick hands that stripped the ball from opponents several times per game. He was a three-time NBA All-Defensive 1st Team Selection! Malone was THE whole package and would have been on ANY team, with or without Stockton (who obviously made him even better).
Not bad thoughts. I like it.
Enough said.
Boozer won't either.
What more needs to be said?
The harsh reality is if you want to win chamionship you need build you team the right way.
Celtics traded for garnett and allen
detroit traded for wallace and wallace and billups, etc
chicago traded for pippen among others
lakers traded for kobe, shaq, kareem, magic, wilt, etc
houston got for drexler among others
sixers got Dr J, malone, etc
It you can't get the right players from the draft, like duncan or bird, you've got to get them elsewhere.
Boozer is not the right player, neither is brewer.
When the jazz actually care about winning a chamionship, rather than hopin and wishin, like they have for the last twenty years,
when They start to show courage and trade a karl malone or a boozer, or do what it takes to aquire what you need,
and build the team right,
They might win championship someday.
but right now (and for the last twenty years) it is about business, having a winning season and making the playoffs,, I.E. making a profit.
Apparently you haven't been following the NBA too closely if you haven't heard all the courting that Jay Z has been doing to Lebron James. They have been so open to courting Lebron that even the NBA Draft this past week was affected as they traded away Jefferson for virtually nothing in order to free up cap space to bring him over. If I ever feel bad about what's happening with the Jazz, I always make myself feel better by thinking about Cleveland.
Also hilarious that LHM apparently is considering the non-experienced Stockton and Hornacek to replace Sloan, but not the well-experienced Corbin or vastly-experienced Dantley.
Hmmmm, hard to spot THAT pattern. Kinda like Thomas Monson.
As for Boozer, he's a good player, but like Mutombo said, he's not close to Malone. Check their stats, especially free-throw attempts and difference between regular & postseason.
Stockton & Malone's flaws were they didn't make their teammates better or appreciably raise their games in playoff crunch time. Not all their fault, they had some lousy teammates.
DWill's keeeping a sharp eye on CJ, Brewer & Millsap, and you can already see the results in the latter two. I blame Sloan & CJ's agent for his struggles, though he never should've come straight outta HS.
Boozer is gone to Miami. He has a sick child, and you think his wife likes SLC any more than Cleveland? Think Booz will be straight with the Jazz, like he was with the Cavs?
Trade him for cap reasons alone, never mind the Lakers disaster, which is reason enough.
P.S. Good luck in the Olympics!
Aside , They where all great players And the new generation is well on the Way . Liking them or not.
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The rumers about Boozer, I don't even fret about. I am confident that if he went to Miami, the Jazz will not have as hard a time getting good players to come because they want to play with Williams. You see, Williams is the key to it all. Besides, It will be AK or Boozer. They can't keep three max players. At least if they want good role players around like Harpring and Korver.