Comments about ‘Comparison shopping a good move for the Jazz’

Speak for yourself. I'm not taking it well. I still think the Jazz blew it by not giving Matthews a real offer, or better yet, an extension last year. We don't even know how long Bell will last. Matthews, on the other hand, is one of the few Jazz players to play all 82 games last year...very durable.

So here is an angle I don't see anyone talking about. With the salary cap implications, the Jazz would have had to match Mathew's salary dollar for dollar for a total cost of $18 million, right? Isn't Portland in the same boat? I realize that their owner has extremely deep pockets, but that is still a huge price to pay to steel away a guy who will just be a role player for the trailblazers. Am I missing something here? I think the Jazz look very shrewd in all of this. I will miss you Wesley, but not that much. Congratulations on your big payday.

It's a MOOT point. Matthews is gone. No matter how much we liked him he's history.

Bell may not last 3 seasons but it won't matter, he's a much better value for the team. He matches Matthews in every category and exceeds him in at least two: shooting and veteran leadership.

Having a guy who's been there, done that and can show the younger players what it takes to WIN is invaluable.

I only wish that Harpring had lasted another season or two. Can you imagine Matt and Bell together on this team?

The offer Portland gave Matthews would have been toxic to the Jazz. I love the guy and wish him well, but I'm very glad the Jazz didn't match the contract. On the flip side, I now hate Portland unreservedly.

It was a mistake to not negotiate a new contract with Matthews while he was under contract. The "restricted" free agent thing has never worked for the Jazz only against them. Miles is over paid, Milsaps contract is reasonable after the "toxic" year.
After a year, Matthews contract will be reasonable. Maybe the Jazz can shake lose another draft pick and get him back???

ROCK ROCK ROCKMONSTER!!!

Mathews is BETTER than Raja.....get your head examined!

Mathews is no where near the player Bell is.....

And Bell will prove it....just watch him, he is the real deal!

All this talk about 'affordable' is sooooooo Jazz. I've been reading the articles and comments from the newspapers covering the Trailblazers and it's astounding how casual TB fans are about spending Paul Allen's money. They're not upset at the $9M they'll have to spend to get Matthews. It's Paul's money and he's a BILLIONAIRE.

Here's an idea. The total value of Matthews contract with Portland can't exceed the mid-level exception. That's $5.8M x 5 = $29M. At $9M the first year, Wes will be paid $5M/ year for the remaining 4 years of the contract. I say let Portland absorb the toxic front load ($9M) and then after they get tired of paying even $5M/year to a backup SG, the Jazz can trade for him in year 2 or 3. I'd welcome him back in a heart beat @ $5M/year IF he proves himself consistent next year. Remember, the average salary of a starting SG last year was just over $4M. I'd pay $5M for a proven SG that plays tough perimeter D. Just a thought!

I believe the signing bonus is averaged out so the whole 9 million does not go toward the lux tax. That said, the contract was still for enough per year to cause future salary cap problems and it will last for 5 years. Large salaries make free agents and trades difficult. We are so far over the salary cap now that even next year when AK's contract expires we won't be far enough under the cap to get big name free agents. The future of the team depends on responsible spending. That's the way the salary cap is designed.

Along the lines of "wouldn't it be great if french fries were good for you," here's what I'd like to see the Jazz do to finish up free agency this season. Of course this is just pure fantasy, but it's fun to think about.

Re-sign Fesenko at $2 mil. per year. Keep Evans and Gaines at the league minimum of approx. $.8 mil per year. Sign three formerly great players at the end of their careers in Shaquille O'Neill, Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson, each for the veteran minimum of approx. $1.4 mil. (on two-year deals).

That would give the Jazz the following line-up at about $80 mil. this year--$10 mil. over the luxury tax, but perhaps under the luxury tax next year, depending on what happens with Kirilenko or a replacement:

C: O'Neill Okur Fesenko
PF: Jefferson Millsap Evans
SF: Kirilenko McGrady Hayward
SG: Bell Miles Price
PG: Williams Iverson Gaines

Send Gaines, Hayward and Evans to the d-league to work on their games, or until someone gets injured. Then watch the fireworks. It would be an extremely fun season to watch, one way or another.

You have to assume O'Neil, McGrady and Iverson all would WANT to come here. I seriously doubt it. Sloan and Iverson would be in a fist fight the first practice. It's a nice dream, but time to wake up and deal with reality.

Now that all the hullabaloo has died down (somewhat) it looks to me, like the Jazz are really no better than last year. I mean, Al for Booz, and Bell for Mathews ( and Korver yet to be replaced) looks alot like we mnaaged to plug the holes (which is good) but that's ALL we've done. We've righted a sinking ship. But we really don't look any BETTER (at least on paper)...

Practice? You talking about practice?

Just wait and see. "Big" Al will be better than no defense Boozer, Raja will be as good or better than Mathews at 1/3 the cost, and the real deal will be Hayward, and this player will make all of you forget Korver within 2 years. He is the next Hornacek for the Utah Jazz. GUARANTEED!

I will miss Matthews. He a great example of what you want in a Jazz player. But any team willing to pay him as much as Odom, or other marquee established players is taking a huge risk. Enjoy your 9 million Wes. I will miss you. your agent is a genius. We should all thumb our noses at the Blazers and laugh....Suckers!!!!!!

Quit the worrying and fretting Jazz fans. "Big" Al will be a better fit attitude and skill wise than Booze every was, Raja is every bit the player of Mathews and at a 1/3 the cost. The real kicker is going to be Hayward, this player is the second coming of Jeff Hornacek if you will be patient for a year or so. I absoluetly love every new player this team has added this year and would not change a thing if given the chance.

I will be looking forward to having Hayward getting schooled by Hornacek. I think that he has the ability to improve his shooting greatly with Hornacek instructing him. I like this team and am excited for this coming year. Can you say "Western Conference Final."

nvfan, it's not accurate that Hayward needs much help shooting. His shooting percentage was high as a total...the only thing that went down his last year was his 3-pt. shooting. The rest of his shooting pct. went up. He has all kinds of shots, too. Hayward can fake jumpers and drive by his defender for easier, shorter shots. Of course, you are right on about Hornacek as a shooting teacher. Fes needs lots of help and CJ still doesn't set properly sometimes. Go Jazz!

@truth-agreed, i'm a little surprised at all the wesley love, bell is handsdown superior player; jazz fans, get over the wesley love, sloan got the most anyone will ever get out of him, and now he will be a regret for portland; it's not about what the player does on the court, but it's mostly some fantasy that borders on obsession for jazz fan wesley love, its time to come back to reality.

Anybody who thinks kevin oconnor is a lousy GM should have their head examined. The Jazz have had exactly one top 10 draft pick in the past 20 years before this year's heyward pick, marquee free agents don't want to come here, and the team has severe financial limitations. And yet, they stay competitive with everybody but the Lakers, who have two of the top five players in the NBA and get whatever veteran free agents they want. Oh yeah, except Raja, but only because we offered twice the money and an extra year. In an extremely competitive business, KOC has quietly delivered.

I am very surprised that I finally agree with the ROCK, for the most part, but I know we got the best end of the deal in all these trades. Portland has been doing exactly as Rock says and we finally got to give it back to them. I am glad KOC and the brass for giving us one more reason to thumb our noses at Portland. I like aprt of draft dumbie's thinking in part but I would do it this way:
C: O'Neill Okur Fesenko
PF: Jefferson Kirilenko Evans
SF: Millsap Hayward
SG: Bell Miles Jeffers
PG: Williams Price Gaines
I think O'Neill would be th most excellent mentor for Fes.