Comments about ‘Utah Jazz make do with late draft picks’

If we have done so well for so long with a late first round pick There must be something to the team of front office personnel. Yet so many UT fans just ahve to disparage Sloan and O'Connor. I have to agree with almost everything Chuck said, except I would put Stevenson in the list of bums and Blue Edwards in the list of good players. For this draft they need the best Big man the draft affords. I think Boozer will be back, even though most UT Fans can't stand him. Unless there is some magic on Draft night to move up by trading him and the 9th pick to someone else. But the one player they need to rid themselves of is AK. Send him to NJ to play for the other Russian in the league. He's a good player jsut not right for UT's system. We need a twin tower system BAD!!!

I guess we're lucky Stockton or the Mailman didn't do the math on their chances of NBA success. Unfortunately I think this story's point is well taken. The Jazz need nothing short of the planets aligning as they nearly did in '98 and '99 to win a title. Utah is definitely at a disadvantage against teams like the Lakers. What about this? Trade up Thursday night. Re-sign Boozer. Keep Williams happy and maybe, just maybe, the Mayans will lead us to a championship in 2012.

I agree with WYoJazzFan that DeShawn Stevenson and Blue Edwards should trade places in this story line. Maybe it was a typo?!

But I also appreciate this story for illustating the challenge the Jazz has had in attracting top quality players to the Salt lake market. While I believe Salt Lake is a wonderful place to live I admit that my lifestyle differs sharply with that of an NBA star. Because of that I think the Jazz front office and coaching staff have excelled in bringing a wonderful product for the fans of Utah to enjoy. I left there 22 years ago and only get to see them play occasionally but I remain a fan because of what the team provides.

The Jazz can acquire higher first round picks by trading role players to losing teams at the trade deadline. If the Jazz were more aggressive in trading expiring contracts of role players for draft picks they could improve their status.

The Jazz are best at finding role players in D-league etc. who fit the Sloan system. When forced they can trade pretty well but only when they are forced to make changes.

They basically are too conservative to be great. However, their biggest weakness is really terrible drafting in the first round over a long period of years.

If the Jazz start a project with enough talent then the player tends to pan out. Usually they start a project with serious flaws that are never correctable and waste 3 or more years and a lot of money on a negative.

The Jazz need the right players to begin with and then they can let Sloan develop them. They waste a lot of resources on players they should never touch.

Better check the archive Mr. Buckley. Blue Edwards was a great find at No. 21 in the '89 draft. Unheralded and even unheard of my many, Blue averaged 9 points a game his first 2 season with the Jazz and 12 points a game in his third year. He was then (unfortunately) traded to Milwaukee where he started 81 games the next season and averaged almost 17 points a game. Blue was a fan favorite in Utah and the Jazz thought highly enough of him to bring him back for a second stint in '94-'95. Look at some of the guys drafted immediately after Edwards that year: Byron Irvin? Roy Marble? Please. Some of the guys drafted in front of him -- namely one Michael Smith of BYU -- were even worse. Bluuuuuuuue!!!

Lakers!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):)

News over the last couple of days is that both Philly and New Jersey are interested in Johnson. Especially the Nets have an interest. The Wolves are going nuts because they dont need a Power Forward. So until it is set in stone get ready for the ride..

Blue Edwards was a poor defender. Probably 80 percent of NBA players could average 15 or more points a game if they were given the green light to put up 15 to 20 shots per game. But few players have an impact at both ends of the court. Wesley Matthews is better than the average No. 9 draft pick over the past 20 years. If you lined up all those No. 9 draft picks, I think you would take Matthews over about 15 of those players. If the Jazz can do as well Thursday, Utah could end up with an All Star, but the Jazz are more likely to end up with a scorer who probably won't average in double figures and who is just average on defense. I think the Jazz should go for a big, long player who is fairly coordinated but has a lot of desire and heart and loves to play basketball. I want somebody who is competitive (like Matthews), and if he is big, the Jazz will improve.

@larri3: Blue Edwards wouldn't have been a starter for Jerry Sloan if he was a "poor defender" as you say. He was a strong, athletic, physical defender who could guard at least 2 positions. And he NEVER took 15-20 shots a game. The year he averaged 17/ppg for Milwaukee he shot 51 percent on 13 shots/game. He shot .475 for his career, which isn't bad, especially compared to some of today's "sharpshooters". Ray Allen is a career 45% shooter, to give you some perspective. Again, I say: BLUUUUUUUUUUE!!!

@larri3: Blue Edwards wouldn't have been a starter for Jerry Sloan if he was a "poor defender" as you say. He was a strong, athletic, physical defender who could guard at least 2 positions. And he NEVER took 15-20 shots a game. The year he averaged 17/ppg for Milwaukee he shot 51 percent on 13 shots/game. He shot .475 for his career, which isn't bad, especially compared to some of today's "sharpshooters". Ray Allen is a career 45% shooter, to give you some perspective. Again, I say: BLUUUUUUUUUUE!!!

I hope everyone realize how poor a defensive team the Jazz are without AK. We are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Trading AK to keep Boozer does not make us better. It has to be either Boozer or Millsap gone this year. And it will be determined how much another team is willing to sign Boozer for. Over 14 million he is gone

Larri3 - There has been some great ninth pick (stoudemire, Noah), but the truth is there is always someone available that will make a huge impact at 9, and the experts rank these player higher than they are taken. Here are Chad Ford Ranking them

2009 - 10th Jennings - Ranked #3
2008 - 10th Lopez - Ranked #5
2008 - 14th Randolph - Ranked #6
2007 - 9th Noah - Ranked #4
2007 - 12th Thaddus Young - Ranked #6
2006 - 21st Rondo - Ranked #6
2006 - 14th Brewer - Ranked #7
2005 - 10th Bynum - Ranked #7
2005 - 17th Granger - Ranked #5
2004 - 9th Igoudala - Ranked #2

The Jazz just need to take Davis - Ranked #8.
He is the second best athlete in the power forward in this draft. To take Aldrich or Oduh over him would be a huge mistake.

Those "fire KOC and Jerry Sloan people" should be forced to read this article. I hate reading their nit-witted posts.

Personally I’m glad the Jazz don’t operate their front office like the Knicks.

Anyone who argues that the Jazz are bad at drafting are just flat out ignorant to the realities of NBA basketball.

Over the last five years the Jazz were able to obtain 5 players who I would rank in the top 10 players of those drafts.

Let Boozer walk, trade the 9th pick to Minnesota for Kevin Love and their #23 pick. If need be throw in Jeffers, Gaines, Price, Koufus, or Fess to get the deal done. Love plays every bit as good as the Booze and is a better defender as well, and he only makes minimal salary. He's proven and you get youth!

@ Old timer

I have to respectfully disagree. Love is slow, and while he does give good effort defensively, he is not the answer we are looking for. Plus, he is going to want to be paid next summer. Lets take Udoh with this pick and let him develop.

Apologies to Tim Buckley. My original comment re: Blue Edwards should be directed to Chuck Gates, who wrote this story. Evidently he wasn't around during the Blue Edwards era.

Blue Edwards was significantly better than DeShawn Stevenson, plus he wasn't a cancer. DS' career is probably over and he's likely been the worst player in the league the last couple seasons when you look at the advanced stats.

John Hollinger's latest (subjective mock):

4 Monroe
7 Henry
8 Babbitt
9 George
15 Hayward
17 Aldrich
18 Davis
25 Scheyer (Ford sez Jazz take him at 55)
30 Booker (the next Millsap, POR just paid 2mil to move from 44 to 34, maybe for him)

No sign of Udoh. I'd love to see the Jazz take best scorer at 9, get Booker as Sap's backup in the 20s (using the Brewer pick and next year's #1), get Scheyer at 55, and Sap's brother as an UDFA.

Booker'd be a slight reach in the 20s but that's better than reaching at 9.

Blauch, you are right, the Jazz, for better or worse, are very dependent on a healthy, properly utilized & motivated AK47.

Sloan is underrated but he really blew it with thinking AK was an off the bench 3 instead of a starting hybrid 3/4, although with our gaping hole at the 5 (on both ends) it doesn't matter.

Should've traded Booz to Memphis for Gasol way back when, but couldn't disturb the great SLoan's System I guess.

How 'bout a starting five of Gasol, AK, Sap, Wes & DWill?

I agree, getting rid of AK doesn't make sense to me. Yes, he is overpaid this year but his value is much better than some cap relief and a roleplayer.

I still think Okur is a better 4 than 5 and needs to be moved there. With Milsap that would shore up the 4 position. AK is a good defender from the weak side but is to slow on the perimeter. He does tend to give people problems with his lenght though.We need a true 5 that can rebound and play defense. Playing with his back to the basket would be a plus. Davis could be a good pick at 9 but he is a PF and still does not give us the height we need (6'9). I still believe you give Milsap a shot at starting PF and draft a center. Maybe trade down if Monroe is gone and get Brakens, Whiteside, Orton, or Gallon. All would need time to improve though and I'm not sure the Jazz can wait that long.

Center-Draft/Okur/Koufos
PF-Milsap/Okur/AK
SF-AK/Miles/Korver
SG-Mathews/Korver/Miles/Brother of Milsap
PR-Williams/Price/Gaines

Yes, the Jazz don't always get high picks, but regardless Kevin O'Connor's draft record with 1st rounders is lowsy, outside of Williams and Brewer. I am not betting the farm he will do any better this year.