Reader comments
Utah Jazz: Miller mulls '09 free agents

Greg | 9:33 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Hey Greg I think if you look up you'll see your dad looking over your shoulder. So much for being CEO.

Hmm . . . | 11:42 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Should Larry be talking about CJ's contract like this? Isn't it dangerous for the owner to publicly question his employees' salaries?

Ing | 1:13 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Of course he's going to be looking over people's shoulders. I don't see how he could resist. I'm not sure he should, either. It can be a good thing--as long as Greg and the others who are doing the day-to-day business are able to tell him to shove off (with all respect, of course) when it's time for them to make their own decisions.

The CJ Miles contract might be a good example of that. Larry Miller wouldn't have done it, but Greg and co. did.

I'm not sure I would have coughed up that contract, myself. CJ is good and has loads of potential, but it seems to me everything he's done so far has been calculated to get himself out of Utah, not back in. Then again, I'm not in charge of the Jazz's money (or even my own, for that matter).

Okay, CJ...you got your money, now let's see what you can do. I wanna see the Jazz in the finals sometime soon.

Comments continue below

Jimmy Z | 2:20 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

GREG looks like he hangs in ST. George at the family
pool and hiking in the canyons. Must be his administrative skills. What a press conference a litt
le to much I think.

Gretzky | 3:02 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

i think Oklahoma will finish in the back of the pack. Utah will win the western conference regular season but lose in the W.C. finals as the NBA does NOT want Utah to be in the championship round as they don't bring in enough NBA money with such a small market. look for LA to come back and beat Boston next year for the championship.

Bigjazzfan | 3:39 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

RE: GRETSKY

The jazz will loose in the playoffs not because the league doesn't want them to win,

But bercause they don;t have the right players to win (just look at tha makeup cganpionship t4eams)

And because they don't have right system ( the point guard/power forward centered system doesn't work, all championship teams have systems that make use of the shootng guard small forward, center,while the power forward has been the least important position offensively)

Uh, wait! | 4:59 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

I'd say the point guard/power forward has worked pretty well for San Antonio over the past decade, so I'm gonna say WRONG!
Detroit and Dallas would probably argue against it too. They managed titles (or in Dallas, a finals appearance) without a dominant center, shooting guard, small forward. Just saying...

Mikey | 5:57 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

If this team stays healthy, it won't be the Lakers in the playoff, the team to beat next year will be Houston. Statistically last year, Houston was the best defensive team in the league. You add Ron Artist to that mix and like I say. Houston/Lakers in the west playoffs with Houston winning. Houston may win it all.

Unless the Jazz make a move they are actually going backwards. Teams have figured Boozer out. Put a tall man for him to shoot over and play helping defense to stop his drive and I think you will see a less effective offensive Boozer this year. We know what kind of defense we will get from him, right, NONE.

Sparki | 6:32 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

The team that wins the NBA championship will be a luxury tax team. There are too many teams willing to pay the luxury tax these days, sorry, just a fact. We Jazz fans realistically can only hope the Jazz can make it to the playoffs. With no moves, the Jazz may find it hard to make it this year. 4 more losses last year and they would have been watching the playoffs from the side lines. Most of the teams in contention have made some moves and improved. I don't call the arrival of Knight to count for any difference.

The Jazz never made an attempt for Elton Brand, Marcus Camby, Josh Smith or Ron Artist. All but Camby are very good offensive players and all good defensive players. Both Camby and Josh Smith were 2nd and 3rd in leading the league in blocked shots. Camby was the 3rd best rebounder at 13.2.

We can't go over the luxury tax so it's nice to think championship but the history of the Jazz and more teams willing to pay the tax no championship here. We Utan's are used to settling for just a good show, that good enough for us.

Northstar | 8:59 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

To Sparki: "We Utan's are used to settling for just a good show, that good enough for us."

Since only 1 team out of 30 wins the championship each year, that is really what NBA basketball is all about, entertainment, not winning championship. Sorry, but all is not lost if no championship.

Iowa Jazz Fan 2 | 9:18 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

With the Jazz unwilling to pay a luxury tax, Boozer will be gone next year, as will AK when his contract expires. Okur they might be able to keep.

This coming season is the one in which the Jazz have to get it done, if they are to get it done at all. The coaching staff will have to devise an offense that doesn't depend on going through Boozer, since other playoff teams have figured out how to shut him down.

Steve Wynn | 9:58 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

It really doesn't matter, since after next season the franchise is moving to Las Vegas. That's right folks, get used to saying Las Vegas Jazz.

JazzFanInHouston | 11:55 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Houston may be the best team if everyone stays healthy but that never happens. Artest is insurance for when (not if) Ming and/or McGrady are injured. Houston is still making moves and revamping the roster. The scariest thing about Houston is the coach. He actually knows what he is doing. He is creating a very versatile team that can win with more than one combination of players and style of play.

Utah will have to develop some alternative plays to the one that they constantly run (forcing it into Boozer first and then look for other options).

The PG/PF format can win if you have another (other) potent option. SA is probably the best example of that.

I agree with Sparki. If you want a championship your are going to have to pay for it. The Jazz can not stay in the lux tax for ever but "if they want to win they are going to need the right players". The Jazz are to weak in the bench, too weak on defense and not versatile enough on offense.

They should however, be a better road team this year and that will help.

Re: Sparki | 12:16 a.m. Aug. 10, 2008

You can't be serious that you think the jazz aren't going to make the playoffs this year, that is ridiculous. Yes we were only a few games from being out of the playoffs, but guess what, we were also only 2 games out of being 1st place in the west, so we are everything but a non-playoff team. unless we're hit with a couple of major injuries, with one having to be deron williams, we are pretty much guaranteed in the playoffs.

second, the reason we didnt make an attempt at any of those players you mentioned is because none of them make sense whatsoever. Brand and Smith were free agents, how were we gonna pay for them? And why do you think denver would just give us, their main division rival, a defensive player of the year and final piece of the puzzle we need for our team? And Ron Artest with Sloan, are you kidding me?

The jazz will be fine this year. We can't trade people just for the sake of making trades, we aren't Dallas.

Re: Mikey | 12:24 a.m. Aug. 10, 2008

Houston is gonna win it all? When was the last time you saw a team actally get BETTER with Ron Artest on it?... Even Yao couldn't keep quiet on what a bad move that was. We need to be afraid of the Lakers and Hornets, thats it. Houston is gonna be a train wreck by the end of the season after Artest goes in and shakes everything up.

whoa sparki | 1:19 a.m. Aug. 10, 2008

San Antonio has won four championships without going over the luxury tax. The Knicks have the highest payroll and flat out stink (hamstringing themselves with contracts nobody wants to trade for). As for free agents and trades, you don't know what you're talking about. I could break it down for you, but I won't waste time trying to explain why Brand, Camby, Smith, and Artest weren't workable transactions. There is more to making a trade than you wanting players and getting you're rocks off on ESPN trade machine.

where's my bloody comment | 1:31 a.m. Aug. 10, 2008

just checking to see if this goes through as none of my desnews comments never do.

Bigjazzfan | 5:25 p.m. Aug. 10, 2008

San Antonio proves nothing.

They have center playing power forward defensively, yet Duncan plays center offensively. The y have system can adapt sutuationally and go othe postins as fist option.

More importantly, he not 6'9" and and plays defense and not always the focus of the offense

Yet their system provides other positions to contribute and the first option.

Not so with the jazz.

In the jazz system everything is an after thought after the point guard to power forward.

No plays are run for any other position as first option.

NONE.

Other championships teams get alot scoring from their shooting guard and small forward if not primary scoring, the jazz very little.

And in the playoffs as opposed to the regular season when you focus compltely what the jazz system is doing, the jazz can be beaten, and have been every year they have went to the playoffs.

all because of a system that doesn't use the other positions as a primary option, ever.

Lo Porto | 12:31 p.m. Aug. 11, 2008

We have enough to win it this year. That is the plain truth. Will we? That depends on the growth of guys like Brewer, Korver and Millsap. Deron, Boozer, AK and Okur have to continue to strengthen the team defense.

I'm skeptical on next offseason. Of Boozer, AK and Okur, I'd rather keep Boozer if Sloan is the coach. He makes the offense tick and let's Deron be Deron. Of those 3, AK is the most expendable (even more than Millsap) because AK is a PF playing out of position in Utah.

Trevor | 3:59 p.m. Aug. 11, 2008

I am glad that Larry Miller is gone. His frugality screwed Stock and Malone out of any honest title runs post 98. We had crap like Chilcutt, Fuler, Gilliam backing Malone and dogcrap like Eisley , Quincy Lewis playing SG.

Hope Greg Miller goes a little over the luxury tax if it means gettinga plkayer who would make the difference.

Larry Miller was NEVER committed to winning a championship. He just wanted to keep the team competetive enough to make the playoffs just to keep the season ticket holders excited enough to fill the arena. And year after year we fall short. For close to 2 decades Larry Miller milked Stockton and Malone and rode them. Now he would probably do the same to Boozer and Deron. Milk them for all they are worth while surrounding them with mediocre talent.
I hope Greg does not get inputs from Larry in the future and is less frugal.

NYJazzFan | 10:16 a.m. Aug. 13, 2008

Trevor, you are totally on point with that. The financial bottom line is all that matters for Miller. The Jazz needed one more top-tier player but refused to spend to get one. Karl and John gave their heart to the team but the team only cared about making money.

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