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Utah Jazz want Millsap at right price

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Gazoink | 7:30 a.m. July 8, 2009
Need to trade Boozer & Kirilenko to Toronto and pick up Shawn Marion.
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Picturesque | 8:09 a.m. July 8, 2009
Who chose that picture? Was it taken just after Paul realized we are in a recession? Surely there were better shots to choose from?
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Re Gazoink | 8:10 a.m. July 8, 2009
You have to take back players with 3/4 of the salary of the player you traded and that won't get us out of the luxury tax issue, but it would help to get down to where your not paying as much. That A.K. thing is the killer. I can't imagine a sub getting 16-17mil a year. Who in the name of you know what decided on that? He's skinny and didn't play much better than he is today a couple years ago. He's a typical SOFT foreign player. When is this league and it's owners, GM's and others going to realize these people over there are like playing the lottery? Stay home and recruit good, tough minded decent people!
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sad days | 8:16 a.m. July 8, 2009
Paul,

We love you and hope you are able to negotiate a further stay in Jazzland. There are far worse things than coming off the bench to play behind a superstar.

Mr. Gazoink trading Boozer and Kirilenko for Marion does not make economic sense nor does it help our team. Marion does not make plays without the ball, is aging, and his scoring has deteriorated over the past 3 seasons. By giving up Boozer and AK that is approx 16 rebounds and 29 points per game we lose. Those are big shoes to fill for one player.

I vote we trade you to Denver for one of their fans.
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DJ | 8:26 a.m. July 8, 2009
Paul Millsap is so greedy... He is not a franchise player and never will be. He wants 10 million a year, yet he hasn't proved that he can help carry this team. He was pretty much non-existent in the playoffs, yet he averaged 31 minutes a game in the playoffs.
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The Jazz | 8:41 a.m. July 8, 2009
probably need to sign Millsap before they trade Boozer but they could make trade first and make Millsap irrelevant depending on the multiple players they trade for.

The Jazz just need to be patient. It is highly unlikely any team is going to offer Millsap anything unless it is to harass the Jazz. All the teams know the Utah can and will match a mle offer.

It may be uncomfortable in camp, but the Jazz need to be patient up to mid season before trading Boozer. It is crucial to get the right players back on that trade. This trade is not a salary cap move. It is the future of the franchise.

They will probably get a young promising PF as one of the trade pieces. They also should get a SG or maybe back up PG/SG.

The AK trade can wait another year. Dumping AK for junk makes no sense. It will work out fine and the Jazz will be stronger if they do it right.

Every body is focused on the luxury tax. Focus on creating the team of the future. The luxury tax is a very minor consideration.
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die hard | 8:42 a.m. July 8, 2009
I read some of the crap you people put on here about players and the jazz and wonder just how high your basketball IQ's are.
You can't trade Boozer and AK for one player.
First no one wants Boozer for 12.8 mil to play 40 games.
Second as much as I like AK no one will want him unless the Jazz are willing to pay half his salary.
Third, The biggest problem of all is that Jerry can't coach the level of and the number of talented players he has on this team.
By the way no one can?
The Jazz have to figure out how to use the players that they have and really quick.
After next year it will be Williams AK and a whole bunch of no names and a new coach, Mark my words we have one year left and back to below average with no leadership from the Millers or the team, DONE
WELL DONE!
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AK for Maggette | 8:47 a.m. July 8, 2009
and cash ... thoughts???
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re;gazoink | 8:51 a.m. July 8, 2009
Holy Cow? your kidding right?
No one who knows basketball would say anything that dumb!
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Dvg | 8:53 a.m. July 8, 2009
While I agree the Jazz should focus on the future. The luxury tax is not a "minor" consideration. It is easy for us to sit back and spend millions of their dollars, but they need to be responsible as a team and a business.
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WE need Millsap | 8:55 a.m. July 8, 2009
but at 5-6 mil a year,move AK to the 3 spot,and give Koufos and Fes a real shot this year.Have been hearing about all the "POTENTIAL" that miles has....4 years I`ve been hearing it....hummmmmmmm,how many championships...or games for that matter has "POTENTIAL" won?????
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Miles | 9:02 a.m. July 8, 2009
I am not focused on the luxury tax. Not my money that Kevin is spending. I am focusing on winning a championship and we need Boozer, Millsap, AK, Williams and Okur to do so. It's up to those 5 players to commit themselves to defend the basket if they want a ring. Don't give me the, "we are too short" theory. Those five are plenty capable of winning a championship with the role players around them. Tired of the excuses. Earn your money or go find a different profession.
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Here's an idea.... | 9:06 a.m. July 8, 2009
...why not give Boozer's salary to Milsap and Booz can have Milsap's salary? As far as productivity and desire and heart, Milsap deserves that money WAY more than Booz.
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Anonymous | 9:12 a.m. July 8, 2009
Boozer and Harpring to Detroit for Hamilton and Valenuava. Harpring will be bought out. We can then resign him for the vet minimum. The salaries match the 75% rule, and gets us under the cap to re-sign Milsap. Also, would make us a much better team. Finally have a gaurd that can shoot coming off screens like Hornaceck used to do.
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Anonymous | 9:14 a.m. July 8, 2009
Just so everyone knows the value of AK - over the last 5 seasons combined the Jazz played 9635 minutes with AK on the Bench - during that time the Jazz were outscored by 382 points. So pretty much with AK on the bench we are the Clippers. When AK has been on the floor the Jazz have outscored their opponents by 833 points.

I know he does not put up the points and rebound numbers that everyone here loves, but he plays defense - When AK is on the court the opponents score 3.27 less points per 100 possession. While when Boozer is on the court the opponents score 4.39 more points per 100 possessions.

The Number say that AK has been the most valuable player over the last 5 years - not Memo or Booze.

Millsap needs to be resigned. The Jazz need to trade Boozer for what ever they can get as long as they only get about 75% of the value
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Miles | 9:14 a.m. July 8, 2009
As this talk over a sub. Millsap does not demand the kind of money his agent is seeking. Kevin don't be dumb and give this guy a load of money. Millsap is NOT a team changer. He can not score and can't defend bigger PF's. He is a hustle player who can get lots of trash and is great to have on the team but if he leaves we will survive. Replacing Boozer is much more difficult due to our need for someone to be a post scorer.
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THE Plan | 9:21 a.m. July 8, 2009
Utah needs to offer Millsap a 5 year $37 million contract ($6, $7, $8, $8, $8 - last year being player option). If he doesn't take it, then we just wait and see what he gets on the open market then match.

Utah needs to be very patient trading Boozer. The right deal is out there, but we can't just jump on a Rip for Boozer deal because that is a bad financial move for us. I'd rather trade him sooner than later, but we have to be patient.

Utah has to trade AK ASAP. He no longer fits on this team. He's a PF who will never be a PF in our system. At SF, he can't guard the athletic wings anymore. Millsap is our PF of the future. Trade AK now so we don't have to pay him $18 million next year. Let's start the future next year instead of paying the guy mad money. I would have taken the TMac for AK and Harpring deal. There are deals out there and we have the expirings to make something happen (Harp and Korver).
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@diehard | 9:22 a.m. July 8, 2009
Actually I think the Jazz will continue to be a playoff team. They will get enough talent and stay just below the tax.

Sloan is a very experienced coach. I find some of his philosophies irritating but he is good enough to make the playoffs most of the time. I am not sure when he will retire.

The issue is not the Jazz imploding. It is the Jazz seizing the opportunity to challenge LA and SA for a title.

Can the Jazz embrace and manage change? The economic environment is shifting. That requires a different strategy. Continuity is not a good strategy. The game is changing and the skills required to win are changing.

The teams who have won lately have made very smart radical roster changes (BOS, LA, SA, CLE). The Jazz are going to have to make more roster changes more often. Sloan will have to adapt to that.
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Nanuk | 9:27 a.m. July 8, 2009
As I said a couple weeks ago, Millsap needs a new agent. Two weeks ago, he was comparing his client to Elton Brand. Now, the only offer Paul has is the Jazz's $1M. Paul, I'd be happy to serve as your agent when you get sick of your greedy uncle.

We all love Paul, and would love to have him back with the Jazz, but he's no Elton Brand. He's worth the mid-level exception at this point. If his agent/uncle is so confident that he's worth more, then where are the offers?

This season will be a good one for the jazz, because Boozer, Korver, Brewer, and Harpring are all in contract years. Next summer will be good because we'll have the cap room to go after a solid free agent or two.

AK (unfortunately) is not going anywhere until at least 2010-2011 when we can dangle his expiring contract as trade bait. His contract is our albatross. Once we are free of his contract, we'll have a chance to be competitive again.
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CJ3 | 10:03 a.m. July 8, 2009
"The Jazz's effort to trade Kirilenko and Boozer"

What a bunch of hooey, Buckley.

By all accounts it was Houston with the effort to trade McGrady, not the Jazz to move AK.

Sources, or speculation?

Clearly speculation.

What the Jazz HAVE said is that they are prepared to pay the luxury tax to the tune of 12-15 million, for one year.

Obviously, that is indicative of trying to make a run with the current group...something everyone wanted for last season.

The trade talk is being fueled by hater-fans and supplimented with silly statement like the one that opened this article.
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