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Utah Jazz: Boozer tells Chicago radio he expects a trade

So why is he talking to Chicago media and not Salt Lake media? Oh well, let's get rid of him.

AND MAKE IT QUICK!!!!!!!! LOOZER!!!!!!!!!

The Jazz were in the tough position of having to wait for him to make his opt-in/opt-out decision before working toward a trade. But I'm sure they were thinking about it since the time Boozer said he'd opt-out.

He needs to go. He's consistently injured and he's inconsistent when he's healthy. He's a liability and has been lucky to get the contracts he did.

Get rid of Boozer!

Chicago would be a great fit for you Carlos - your game is all Bull

Carlos says "If it happens, I will be very happy." Whatever Booz. I doubt Carlos Boozer will ever be happy. But hey Booz, keep telling yourself that there is gold over the rainbow.

Probably because Booze knows by now that it does not matter what he says in SLC to the local media, he will get lampooned over it. He is in a no-win position here in SLC, and I do not blame him for avoiding the Utah media.

Booze got us to the WCF on his shoulders. When he was healthy, he was a stud. injuries were not his fault. Yeah, his comments in December were a mistake, but I just do not get the vitriol towards him. And all I know is that NBA players take note of it and it does not help the cause of getting good free agents to come to town. Fans need to be less hyper-critical.

and when no trade happens, he'll flip again. He was just a useless pick up for us only poisoined the water.

From what i am reading, The Jazz do not want Carlos in uniform this coming season. As much as he gets hurt, who could blame them. The problem I see is when you appear desperate to trade someone, you don't receive much value back in return. The Jazz are not in the driver's seat on this one. However, if the Jazz feel that Millsap can fill the role for them, they will probably let Boozer go for not much in return. It would be nice if we could find a interior defender in the trade. Personally I am not convinced that Millsap is the answer at the 4 due to our record last year with him starting a lot of the season. As I have said before, I believe it is in the Jazz's best interest to let Boozer, Millsap walk this year and develop the other bigs. Get rid of Korver, AK and Harpring next year a build a better defensive team. But honestly we are not in a good position either way of making it to the finals. Our best chance is with Boozer on the team. That is, if, he is healthy.

Don't be a hater. You had no problems with Boozer when you made it to the finals. Life is what it is. He has a life outside of the next season to consider and anyone with any intelligence wants what's best for them. He did absolutely nothing against the Jazz team and as he said it's a decision that will have to be respected regardless of the outcome. He opted to stay with the Jazz team but if "they" want to trade him, don't disrespect him.

"hopefully I'll do what's best for me as well"

- This is the story of your career, Carlos. It's always been about what's best for you, and not your team. You lied to the Cavaliers when they tried to do you a favor. You lied to the Jazz about opting out. Now you're turning your back on the franchise. Good riddance, get lost you bum. You'll probably pull a hammy when the door hits your backside on the way out.

"...I just do not get the vitriol towards him"?

1) Could it have something to do with the fact that it took him almost a whole season to get over a pulled hammy, and half of another to recuperate from a deep thigh bruise? Tough to second-guess soft tissue injuries, but that always seemed a bit suspicious to me.

2) Or do you think it could be because after he came back this past season and the Jazz were in line for the 5/6 playoff slot, and he pushed us (or at very least was a significant part...) all the way down to 8?

If fans need to be less hyper-critical, then these multi-millionaire athletes need to be a bit less hyper-sensitive. They only live in the cities they play in (with a few exceptions) for half the year anyway.

@CBT: Who pays Boozer's salary. The fans. And they want their money's worth and Boozer doesn't give it to them. Boozer deserves everything that is said about him as he hides most of the time from the media.

I think we all know a trade is coming. I don't think it was Boozer's fault he got injured, but it's hard to get behind a guy who takes ten games off for a hangnail and takes months off for injuries most players return from after a couple of weeks. I realize not all power forwards can be Karl Malone, but he missed one of every three games he was paid to play. I think the straw that broke the camel's back in the fan's eyes was when he returned from injury just in time to torpedo the Jazz's season. Sloan tried to ease him in so he didn't disrupt the Jazz's winning streak, he complained about minutes, played more and the losses piled up. He's got loads of potential, but I think he's toxic in the locker-room. He makes the players around him worse and his D is terrible. I'm not saying Milsap is the second coming of Malone, but at least he won't bring everyone around him down and he'll play D.

Odom is still available.

One problem with your theory of letting the other bigs develop is that we have this supposed Hall of Fame coach who doesn't buy into your philosophy. The only new players he "lets develop" are those coming from other teams. The Jazz picks he has "let develop" can be counted on one hand, in spite of his 20+ years with this team.

I agree with you, don't get me wrong, but I just don't see that happening until someone besides Sloan is in the driver's seat.

RE: CBT
You do have a good point. If other stars think we disrespect our players it gives SLC a bad rep, but considering Deron Williams is a demi-God here and we made statues for guys who couldn't quite get over the hump I don't know how valid that is. If you do the best job you can the fans here will love you until you are way past your prime. In Boston or LA do they care about their players? Not unless you win multiple, multiple championships. If you won a ring here, you'd be set for life. I mean even Stock and Malone have a car dealorship here and neither of them even live here anymore.
Unfortunately most athletes aren't smart enough to realize that. But the one's that do definetely get their rewards. The whole Boozer situation has been a sad affair. I really do wish him the best but it's obvious the best thing is to get rid of him. From what I've heard he is a class act off the court to fans in person. It's too bad it didn't work out.

I couldn't agree more. Jazz fans emotional reaction regarding Boozer have no basis in fact or logic. I have watched or listened to every single jazz game for over 10 years. Boozer has been an absolute stud for us when he has been healthy. Averaging 20 and 10, by definition is consistent, great play.
For all you so called Jazz fans who claim he is the worst defending PF in the game, please back that up with some examples where other teams power fowards have had carrier games on him. Sure he has problems with Odom and he gets lost on help defense, but our 2 guards routingly get lit up by opposing 2's. If the Jazz don't want to risk the luxury tax implications on him because he has been injured so much and taken so long to come back from injury. I completely agree with their decision. But trading the guy for nothing, i.e. Tyrus Thomas, would be a hugh mistake. When healthy, Boozer is an elite big man, with some of the best post footwork in the game.

Boozer and Miles to NYC for a sign and trade of David Lee and Mobley and 2 mill cash (Mobley has a heart condition so he won't be playing anymore. 80% of his salary will be covered by insurance that mean the Jazz could buy him out for 2 million and 9.5 million comes off the books)

Do a Sign and Trade with Lee for the same amount of money as Millsap - 4 years 32 million, but don't front load the contract. 7, 7.75, 8.25 and 9 respectively. This means 2010 the Jazz will be paying 13.5 million on Millsap and Lee - which is the same amount of money a team will be paying for Boozer - suckers. This gives NYC flexibility to either sign another free agent or they have the option to signing Boozer.

It takes the Jazz salary down from Boozer and Miles 17.2 million to 17.25 million for Lee and Millsap. Total Jazz Salary 73 million.

The Jazz release Harpring at tradeline and they are under the threshold. They could even offer Jamanio Moon a contract

Williams
Brewer
AK
Millsap
Okur

Bench - Lee/Korver/Moon/Koufas/Maynor

Boozer is actually handling this with class... He could make trading himself even harder by going out there and saying that he'd only be happy if was traded with such and such team. Not only that, but he making himself look good in other markets, which could only help the Jazz out in a trade scenario. Thanks Boozer for the assist!

Really isn't that good, he is just as sketchy as Boozer is.