Reader comments
Brad Rock: Millsap not franchise player

71 comments   |   Read story

Mo Williams is not a  | 12:16 a.m. July 5, 2009
disaster. If you lose a good player and replace them with a better one that is not a disaster as long as you do not over pay the replacement.

Millsap is a Mo Williams he is good enough to start for some teams (not contenders). He is a great back PF. Neither he nor Boozer are capable of leading the Jazz to a championship. Both are obsolete. The new phototype PF is longer, more agile, defends his mand and provides help defense, can defend inside and out and also put up good offensive numbers.

The PG and PF are the 2 most important positions in Sloan's offense. The Jazz have to have a better and complete PF. One who can both score and defend.

The Jazz need to get that PF this year or maybe next year and still stay under the salary cap and get enough talent in the role players.

This organization took a major step forward when it did not blink and called the bluff of the opt outs.
It should go forward from here and carefully make smart changes over time.

I now have hope for the Jazz. Their management is getting smarter.
Anonymous | 1:33 a.m. July 5, 2009
On becoming an All Star: it is not only based on how the player plays but on how the coach use him. Would Boozer and Okur be All Stars had they stayed with Cavs and Pistons respectively? Had Mo stayed with the Jazz will be be an AS?

I know being an AS is different with leading a team to a championship but the mechanics are similar.
Name | 2:53 a.m. July 5, 2009
I think the Jazz would be very unwise to give Millsap a contract so large that they are committed to him as a starter for the next 5 years. He hasn't proven he can be a full time starter, at a high level, so locking him into that position with a big salary would not be good management. This is what he is seeking, of course. If he can be had for a sixth man level salary--around 5-6 million starting, with raises--that makes sense, as he is proven at that level. Higher than that and they have to let him walk. Fortunately, no one else is going to give him much more than that either. He is too unproven, and his upside looks too limited. I'm hoping he comes back as a super sixth man.
Comments continue below
falcon's beak | 6:24 a.m. July 5, 2009
I enjoy watching the Jazz and like to see them win, but it is just a business.
louisiana jazz man | 6:29 a.m. July 5, 2009
millsap is not comparable to mo or klinko. i am hoping he signs with okc to prove my point, he is the only one on the team who goes to work. screens rebound pick hard roll hard. only way jazz could recoupe if he left if dufus plays,with out millsap jazz are nothing. if you pay klinko 16 mil boz 12 mil and you dont think millie worth 10 i wonder what game your watching you sure dont need to be writing about it. go to la write about ariza. guess he is not worth 6 but artest is?there are some stupid people in this world.
Beaver Bob | 7:07 a.m. July 5, 2009
I hope everyone sits back and really reads what is being written. Look at the $ we are speaking of. We talk about millions as if it is your child allowance. For a professional team to have a payroll of 70 to 75 million dollars is totally rediculous. I have been a major sports fan for many of my 55 years but I am so sick of money ruling the sports markets. For a basketball player who is 23 years old to make 10 to 12 million dollars a year is totally rediculous, then the owners , to make it even more appealing, make that guaranteed money. Play 1 year and retire at age 25. Give me a break. Look at what Stock and Malone did to earn their pay for all those years. Malone missed what 8 games in his "career". Lets admit it folks, basketball is entertaining but not 75 millions dollars worth. The owners have done this not only to themselves but to us fans. There needs to be a salary cap on what a player can make so the fans can afford to take the entire family to a "game" without having to use the company credit card.
Anonymous | 8:07 a.m. July 5, 2009
he is average and we dont need him at all.
Don't | 8:31 a.m. July 5, 2009
I hope the Jazz don't match a Millsap offer if it get's too big. Based on the current market, the Jazz should sign him to a 3 year $15 million deal. That is a huge salary increase for him, and if he proves that he should be a starter and/or potential all-star after 3 years, then another pay raise could be in order. Let's not pump out $10 million a year to someone who has a great work ethic and hustle but has only proved thus far that he is a solid NBA role player. The Jazz drafted him and have helped him become what he is. I hope the Jazz can keep him, but in the end it's about winning a championship and if you over pay Millsap, it could hurt in trying to bring in that missing piece that gets the Jazz over the top.
@ Louisiana Jazz Man | 8:54 a.m. July 5, 2009
Are you drinking the water from hurricane Katrina? The days of average players make 10 to 15 mil are long gone! Reality is finally setting in, with management like it has with the fans for a long time. In other words we are tired to death of paying these stupid amounts of salary to these primma-donnas. Why should we work hard and give it all away for a couple hours of entertainment? I will not anymore, my family and our livlihood will come first, not supporting and bunch of kids and their reach for financial independence. Sorry but I'm done. As for Paul pay him 6-8mil, take it or leave it! End of story.
Boozer is good | 9:24 a.m. July 5, 2009
the Jazz would be making a huge mistake by giving milsap more than $8 million. Boozer is more valuable than most jazz fans think. Even though his defense is terrible, his presence on the court does a lot to spread the floor and helps put points on the board. I think you have to spend the market rate to keep Boozer next year and see get milsap for another year and see how he does.
To Beaver Bob | 9:40 a.m. July 5, 2009
Obviously it is worth $75 million, all you need to do is look around. People do not just come up with prices, but instead the places make themselves through a balance of the supply and demand curves. Take an intro to economics class.
Basketball players generate hundreds of millions of dollars per year (not including outside endorsements) and deserve a cut of what they produce.
Anyway I am sure a family of 4 could make it to a Jazz game for about $90 dollars, if you are willing to sit in the nose bleeds. Maybe it is a little price, but not credit card BREAKING as you call it.
On Milsap: pay him around 5 mil, if he gets an offer over 6 mil let him go. I love the guy, but he does not have the greatest talent an is undersized; he hides his faults with his hard work (which is a good thing really)
To Beaver Bob edit | 9:40 a.m. July 5, 2009
Prices* not places
Anonymous | 9:48 a.m. July 5, 2009
Why do the Jazz continue to settle for mediocrity? Look at the rest of the teams the Jazz have to contend with: Lakers sign Ron Artest, Shaq goes to Cleveland, Spurs get Al Jefferson. We are supposed to be happy that Boozer and Okur resign, and are possibly going to overpay Millsap? Come on Jazz!
Blauch | 9:51 a.m. July 5, 2009
Boozer socre points and rebound, while AK scores less and rebounds less but defends, passes, gets steels, alters shots (sometime blocks them) and moves without the ball.

+/- stats are only valuable over long periods of time.

During the last 5 years when we had AK and Boozer - AK total combined Plus Minus is 833 points when on the court and -382 when he is off the court, While Boozer is + 332 when on the court, but +119 when he is on the coury - both less the than the teams total +/- of +451.

That means over the last 5 year when AK was on the court they outscored their opponets and won games and when he was not on the court the Jazz are out scored and they lose, but when boozer it makes no differnce if he was on or off the court.

AK impact to the Jazz winning games over the last 5 year is much greater than Boozer

What sad is that While Boozer helps you score points and rebounds, AK helps you win games. But everyone complains about AK salary and no one ever complains about Boozer salary. WHY?
blauch | 10:12 a.m. July 5, 2009
Now Last Season.

Millsap had a +/- of 266 when on the court while he had a -49 when he was off the court. Now Boozer had a - 37 when he was on the court and a +274 when he was not on the court. Yes Boozer was injured, but if you take his first games his plus his plus minnus would be about +140 for the entire season - about what he has done for 5 year. Meaning even if Boozer was not injured last season, the Jazz would have outscored their opponents if Boozer was sitting on the Bench or playing. Fans and Media love stats Boozer gets you 20 and 10, but he over the last 5 years has not helped the Jazz win games. Boozer is also 27 meaning over the next 3 season his ppg are going to drop.

It is Boozer contract that is killing the Jazz

Millsap is 24 years old; He is a better defensive player, his offfensive game will peak in the next 3 years (His starting numbers last season was 16 points and 10 rebounds over 31 games starting.

The Jazz would be crazy not to offer Millsap a contract.
Jazz Cop | 10:13 a.m. July 5, 2009
Even though boozer doesn't play defense, he's a better player than millsap, and if boozer--despite his injury history--can't get a contract for more than 12 mill, I really don't think anyone will be paying millsap that much. It's easier to get behind someone like millsap, as a fan, but when it comes to wins and losses, you have to be able to score, and boozer can at least score, he's a far better offensive player than millsap. If boozer would play defense, and be a true leader, he'd be someone people would love, and the jazz would win more. But as it is now, the jazz are going to win more will boozer than millsap, as frustrating as it is to watch someone making 12 mill a year to play a game not leave it all out on the floor. I know that boozer makes the jazz a better team than millsap, i hate it, but it's true.
If the jazz trade boozer for richard hamilton, i wouldn't be dissapointed to see millsap starting. Then, trade kirilenko and okur too.
CJ3 | 10:22 a.m. July 5, 2009
You are right on, Rock.

Millsap for 6th Man of the Year!
akk | 11:38 a.m. July 5, 2009
I love Milsap... but you cannot pay him more tha 6 mil... Trade Boozer for Tyson Chandler or Rip Hamilton or with someone else to Golden St for Maggette and Tureof. Or Kiralinko to Golden State.
re:anonymous | 11:53 a.m. July 5, 2009
Actually, the Spurs signed Richard Jefferson, not Al Jefferson.
dan | 12:21 p.m. July 5, 2009
when Millsap started for Boozer he averaged around 19 and 11. he will probably be overpaid for his services next year but it will be a bargain after that
todd to jazz cop | 12:23 p.m. July 5, 2009
You are actually not defending the Jazz in everything they do today, is there hope? I actually agreed with the whole post...
sparks24 | 12:44 p.m. July 5, 2009
Millsap is not Boozer period!!!!! Jazz fans wake up and get over the hate for Boozer
brent | 1:27 p.m. July 5, 2009
Millsap is a nice player at 6 million or less, anything more and he's overpayed. He has heart but he's also about 6' 5" with out any post offense.
Henry Drummond | 1:39 p.m. July 5, 2009
What exactly were we missing when Millsap started in place of Boozer? Did Millsap fail to rebound? Give me a break. Did he fail to score? I seem to remember a lot of double - doubles. Did he fail to defend? No that was Boozer who would watch others prance right past to him to the basket. Give me a Millsap as a starter and trade Boozer to Detroit or back to Cleveland for a backup Forward.

Just a thought.
Problem with Boz | 2:11 p.m. July 5, 2009
The problem with Booz is no defense. You need him to do a 20/10 JUST TO BREAK EVEN, because he gives up more points than a loose pinball machine on D. With Millsap you will not get that kind of offensive, but he is so much better a defender you are better to have him over Booz. Also Booz's work ethic is a huge issue. If Booz gets a hang-nail or something he could miss half the season or more. The perfect case to me is trade Booz to OKC for a salary exception or have OKC sign Millsap and trade him for Booz, so they have the free cash in 2010 and we avoid the salary luxury tax penalty.
30seconds...GO! | 2:22 p.m. July 5, 2009
Keep Milsap only for under 7 mill/year....he is NOT worth over 9 million/year...Boozer isn't worth that let alone MIlsap. I think MIlsap should be our starter, and we should trade Boozer for Hamilton...just what I hope jazz does and maybe trade AK for nobody, just so we can dump his salary.

Also does anyone know if the summer league games will be televised this upcoming week? They're in ORlando, but I don't know if they're televised.
re: Me Drummand | 2:29 p.m. July 5, 2009
Trade Boozer for a starting 2 guard. With Milsap we would have him, AK, Okur and the two young kids who can fill in at 4.
Anonymous | 2:30 p.m. July 5, 2009
Name
When the Jazz gave Okur a contract he was a back up

Brent

Millsap had the same post ability as Boozer had when he was 24.

Jazz cop
Where do you come with the Boozer helps the Jazz win. Just because he socres points and rebounds - his defensive is so bad he does not stop the opponents from scoring

Sorry Everyone, but the Jazz need to trade Boozer and not resign Millsap

Bash on Boozer... | 4:00 p.m. July 5, 2009
I think Millsap is a good, hard player but when I hear people talk about how Boozer being this very good player I just have to shake my head. I'm not sure how Boozer is this Olympic or NBA All-Star caliber player. There have been so many times when we've needed him very badly but he didn't play that well.
Menc | 4:07 p.m. July 5, 2009
Let Milsap go, even for $5 Mil. With the team staying intact, we suck. It makes no sense to spend a penny more for an 8th seed end of the season race.

We either compete and make trades like good teams have been the past few days or just get out of the way, which is what Jazz management did, nothing.

I don't really know who sucks more, the players or management? Someone shed some light for me.
sparks24 | 6:34 p.m. July 5, 2009
2 time all star and olympic gold medal winner!!!! I quess all of these coaches that picked Boozer to be a all star have no clue. People Milsap was a second round pick for a reason!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's RIDICULOUS | 7:12 p.m. July 5, 2009
Not rediculous.

Louisiana Jazz Man-- Stating that we pay Kirilenko 16 mil, Boozer 12 mil, and therefore Milsap is worth around 10 mil is a straw man's argument. That is the point of the whole article-- we are overpaying both Kirilenko and Boozer, due to signing ridiculous contracts for mid-level players to begin with, hence we shouldn't do the same thing again with Milsap.

Blauch makes some compelling points. Would you rather have the player that helps you win, or fills up the stat sheet?

Other than Williams, there isn't a superstar on the team, and we shouldn't be paying players like they are superstars. We have a bunch of solid players, but signed long term deals as if they were a Kobe, Tim Duncan, Wade, LeBron, etc... that's why we're in the situation we are now.
player20 | 7:23 p.m. July 5, 2009
hey sparky plug 24, booz was a second round pick too!! Millsap will give you a double-double if the minutes are available. he has shown that the previous season. i really don't know what everyone is complaining about, AK is making 16 mill a yr..trade him and i guarantee you could easily compensate for his loss..we have to keep Millsap!!
the kid is smart | 7:30 p.m. July 5, 2009
3 points
1)If i were Milsap I would be asking for 10 milloion just because I can, if i get it great. We all market ourselves and try to get the most out of our chosen form of making a living.
2)We the fans are the enablers on this craziness, why do people pay 75 for a jersey and 5 bucks for a beer and and and etc.
3)was Malone a great player or a good player durig his first 3 years. Jerry is the one that can tell us the most by what he thinks the kid will turn into, its obvious that boozer is not in the long term plans, can D Will turn him into a machine and does he think he is the right guy to build a championship team with. I seriously think Jerry wants a championship team built on heart, hussle and grit as the first attributes and natural great talent as the secondary quality. Malone stockton and horny had that kind of game, they worked harder than any one else. Bottom line he stays because he can become.
sparks24 | 7:36 p.m. July 5, 2009
player20 are you telling me Boozer is not a better player than Milsap? No Boozer the Jazz are a 42-42 team period!!!
Anonymous | 8:27 p.m. July 5, 2009
I disagree on this article, we made a mistake giving AK a very lucrative contract the reason why the Jazz are suffering right now, but you cannot conclude that it will also happen if we do it also to Millsap, AK and Millsap have different personalities, the Jazz just take a big risk on AK and it happens to anyone taking risk on their lives, taking risk sometimes favors you sometimes it haunts you, I think the Jazz will just be more carefull in offering lucrative contracts in the future
Cowboy Joe | 9:24 p.m. July 5, 2009
First off the Jazz can't finish 42-42. There is only 82 games in a year. Secondly the Spurs didn't sign Richard Jefferson they traded for him, and thirdly the Jazz need to make a major move. The trib has a good article about the Jazz and the contentnous of just being good. It is time for the club to be great. Millsap under 7 million good over let him go.
Write Off 2009/10 | 9:50 p.m. July 5, 2009
The Jazz are clearly not in a position to compete for a championship next season. They are looking at having substantially the same team back next year as this year. The Jazz may have a more focused Boozer because he knows he needs to up his market value with a great year, ditto Memo and Korver - but it will not be enough, especially given the other moves that have been made to improve top tier teams.

HOWEVER -- the Jazz are in a great position to make some great trades and or sign great free agents.

1- D Will can attract great talent. Who wouldn't want to play with him?

2- Boozer, Memo, et al = expiring contracts that can either be moved for young talent or let to expire to free up cap space for signings

3- AK's contract becomes an expiring contract by this time next year.

This will be unorthodox for the Jazz to try to build around trades and free agent signings instead of the draft - but ultimately could be a long term winner.

Good luck Miller and O'Conner, the next two years are make or break!
@the Kid | 9:51 p.m. July 5, 2009
It takes more than just heart, hussle and grit. It takes additional talent and it is not secondary. The Jazz have Millsap, Korver, Brewer, and Price who tend to have more heart, hussle and grit than talent. The Jazz also have Boozer, and CJ who are quite talented (could be more so) but could exhibit more hh&g. Okur and AK are a blend. They both could use a little extra of both dimensions.

However, the biggest problems tend to lie on the team level. As a team the Jazz do not play good consistent defense except in the last 8 minutes of most games and especially on the road.

Is that a player problem or a coaching problem?
Before the draft the media played up how tough potential prospects were. We drafted Maynor, a gifted 175 lb PG. Suton works hard and plays D but his best attribute is his shot.

The Jazz talk a good line but they do not draft defense nor toughness. They draft offense and hope they get some D. That has been a consistent pattern.

As one coach said, he would prefer a 20/10 player and then hope to get some D.

Who cares about the Jazz.. | 10:26 p.m. July 5, 2009
Let's talk about the Utes and the Cougars!! They are much more exciting to watch than the overpaid Jazz players!
Jazzsmack | 10:50 p.m. July 5, 2009
PLease, Jazz, do NOT over pay and over value millsap

The jazz management has a penchant for giving out big long term contracts to mediocre talent,

for over valuing and over paying talent that would only be, at best, bench players on real championship team.

Giving the big money to the wrong players.

maybe they should look at REAL Championship teams and see where the big money goes to (and in this order):

7 foot true dominant big men (and who will play defense),
true star shooting guards,
true star small forwards,
true star point guards,

jazz have only 1 of 4, that is bad.

and the reason they have NEVER a won a championship.


When was last ime a "undersized" power forward lead a team to championship?

Answer: NEVER!

the only time PF under 6'9" and under did was when the league was shorter, and 7-footers were rare or nonesxistant and hence 6'8 or 6'9 was NOT undersized but typical

UNDERSIZED PFS do NOT win championships!

Malone NO
brand NO
barkley NO
larry johnson NO
boozer NO

and the list goes on an on

while the 6'10 and over list grows.
Bear Laker | 10:54 p.m. July 5, 2009
Why don't some of you wise guys reread your posts?
mg84 | 11:33 p.m. July 5, 2009
Finally someone speaks with some sense regarding Millsap. Everyone complains about Boozer missing so much time because of injuries, but they forget after Millsap's first 30 games as a starter he got fatigued and worn down. That's not even half of a season. He's a great role player but definitely not the face of a franchise. Not yet at least.
Anonymous | 11:38 p.m. July 5, 2009
When you have a hole in your defense as big as Booze, you cannot win on the road consistently and you won't beat any good teams in a 7 game series. When you staff a team with quintessesntial Jazz players, like Milsap, hustlers, hard workers, hard nosed defenders, ball deflecters, and unselfish team players who don't xare about personal statistics, you are a contender in every game. Milsap is getting better. Booze will never get any better. I say trade Booze and sign Milsap. Bring in a journeyman who can start a few games and split the minutes at PF. The last thing I will pay to watch is a Jazz team with Boozer watching opponents make layups. He hurts the team so much on defense that he could score 32 ppg and the Jazz would still lose.
louisiana jazz man | 7:23 a.m. July 6, 2009
point being if lazy boz and klinko worth what they are being payed. and i dont read much about them not millie worth 20 mil. i dont care how much money they spend. all of them are over payed. 200.000 should be a big pay day not 20 mil. but if they are going to pay that rather the one packing his lunch going to work got it. not the one smacking on his gum acting like a smart aleck and acting like what a privilage it is to be abel to pay them millions and watch them.
Finally | 7:53 a.m. July 6, 2009
Someone saying it like it is in regards to Millsap. Jazz fans have fallen in love with "Rudy," I mean Millsap, because of his hustle. The guy will always be better coming off the bench, he cannot carry a team offensively like Boozer can. And lets not get carried away with Millsap's defense. He's better than Boozer, but he's not an elite defensive player, not even close. He's too undersized to play consistently in the post, he will wear down like he did at the end of his starting streak last year, and that was only 30 games.

Lets hope that the Jazz brass does not overextend and overpay for a guy better suited to come off the bench.
Hamilton | 8:30 a.m. July 6, 2009
there is a lot of talk about trading Boozer for Hamilton. Hamilton makes 11-12 million for several years. He would replace Brewer who would probably move to SF. I suppose AK would back up Millsap at PF. CJ would back up Brewer.

On balance that strengthens the SG position substantially but at a high price. However, it weakens the PF (more important postion) in the Jazz approach.

It essentially trades Hamilton for Harp and Korver in the long run while weakening the PF position. It also does not help much on the cap issues.

The Jazz should be able to get a cheaper solution to an SG who can shoot. They will also need a better solution (not worse) at PF when Boozer leaves.

The Jazz rebounding would be weaker and the C, PF combination would be weaker. Hamilton may help spread the floor but any decent shooter at SG would do that.

There has got to be a better deal than Hamilton in terms of overall net effect on the team performance.

The Jazz need cheaper, talented emerging players not big names. The fans clamor for big names but the Jazz need talented no names.
Anonymous | 9:12 a.m. July 6, 2009
Jazz Smack

Well you forgot about Detroit - Ben Wallace is 6'9 and he plays center. Now for you to say he wasn't their best player. He was their only player that season who was on an All NBA first second or third team. But the fact was he value was more on the defensive side than on the offensive side. Name the 6'10 foot power forward who was not know for their defensive that won an NBA championship. I would say Gasol was the first. Staudemire, Nowitzki, Bosh, Vin Baker, Webber. (I would add Okur, but he won a championship as a back-up)

You saying there is some line at the 6'9 that show success is wrong. Brand has a higher standing reach than Nowitzki even though he is 3 inches shorter.
CLEARLY  | 9:13 a.m. July 6, 2009
The fact that NO TEAMS HAVE BID FOR MILLSAP indicate Millsap is not a star in this league. In fact it is looking like OKC may not even make an offer either for the same reason.

Millsap is great to have IF we are only paying 5-6 million/yr maximum. Anymore and we would be overpaying.

At the end of the day he is an even shorter power forward than Boozer and we all believe that Boozer is undersized.

Millsap is a top tier backup/role player. Take your Jazz goggles off and admit it. Paying him anywhere near the $10 million that his uncle the agent is seeking is being shown/proven to be a ridiculous sum.

Paul survives in this league on effort and grit but at the end of the day neither of those two make him any taller to play the position he has the body for.

Even if OKC make an offer I doubt it will be in the 10 million per range. If they do they have more money than NBA brains.
CJ3 | 10:10 a.m. July 6, 2009
JSmack,

While I do agree that the league is trending toward the 7-foot forward, there are plenty of recent ring-bearers under 6'10''

If, like me, you consider Duncan a center over the last few years, 5 of the last 10 championships have been won with an "undersized" PF.

At only an inch more than Boozer the list reaches 7 of the last 10.

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.

Related content
Advertisement
previousnext

Latest comments

Nothing proposed would keep young adults from learning of the reality of sex,...

Utes pound winless Lobos

the only "decent" team we played we lost to? I guess that Air Force isn't a...

I am watching the game again, and it is awesome!!!

Utes pound winless Lobos

I can't help but laugh inside when I read comments from YBU/TCU fans who...

(from the independant) I like Dennis Miller.... and Bill Maher, although I...

As a BYU alumnus, I can't justify to myself ever donating another dollar to...

Not a chance. Don't get me wrong they are both studs, but if Asiata wasn't...

Titan Fan, sorry that some of your best players got hurt. I hope they...

Utahns in House oppose reform bill

So sad how fear based so many are.

Will the Jazz even make the playoffs this year. The way they are playing it...

Advertisements
Advertisement