Comments about ‘Utah Jazz: Team welcomes Raja Bell back’

Better watch out Jazz fans.

Rumor has it that Portland is now after big Fes.
:-)

Wes Who??

Welcome back Raja. You bring with you a toughness that we definitely lack. I will gladly take any guy that will choke slam Kobe.

Nice move by the Jazz in picking him up.

I think Raja brings one more important aspect to the team, Veteran Leadership. What is the best the Jazz have done in the D. Will era? Reach the Conference finals. What was different about that team? Dereck Fisher. Veteran leadership is something the Jazz have been lacking since then and Raja brings some in. With his competitive edge and D. Will's hopefully we will see some more fire in the Jazz this year.


Go Jazz!

I'm sure money was a significant factor in why Raja signed with the Jazz,but with that being said, I also don't discount what I think will be his strong desire, dedication,and his will to win when he plays for the Jazz this coming year(s).I think the guy is a fierce competitor, and like D-Will, hates to lose. I also respect him for not just going to the Lakers to be a simple bandwagoner,hanging on the coattails of the rest of the Laker players and perhaps winning a championship that he most likely would have had little to do with as far as playing time and overall contribution. Raja,I am so glad to have you back on the Jazz and we'll be rooting for and supporting you all the way.

I have been saying lately that I thought the starting lineup would be AJ, Milsap, AK, CJ and DWill but listening to Bell today makes me think his competitive nature may put him in at the 2. Bell will be good for the whole team but especially for CJ and Hayward. I also hope Fes starts at center and gets plenty of minutes so he can develop. He had a pretty good game a few days ago for his NT, 15 pts , 14 boards, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal. Not to bad, hopefully he keeps it up and becomes better and more consistent.

I love this move! Bell brings so many intangibles on the court, in the locker room and at practice. He’ll be a great mentor for CJ and Hayward. I still like CJ starting but I like Bell finishing.

Too bad Wes Matthews couldn't be signed - he was an unsung hero for much of the year last year and will be a star in the NBA. But if the Jazz didn't get to keep him, then Raja Bell is a great replacement. I hope it doesn't take a couple of years for this team to click; it looks like there's going to be some awesome chemistry that has not been seen since the Stockton-Malone-Hornacek et al years. I wish I still lived in Utah so we could hit some games - ESA is going to be rockin!

Bell said that it would mean more to win a ring on this team and not just go along for the ride (Adam Morrison anyone.)

I think Jerry will start D-Will and Bell in the backcourt. I'm predicting he keeps CJ as the starting small forward. Then if Memo is healthy, he will start at center, and Jefferson at the four (even though on the offensive end of the floor I think they will use Big AL like a center, and let Memo play out further on the floor). If Memo can't go, then Jefferson starts at center, and Millsap starts at the power forward. Sloan seems to like using AK off the bench in more of a sixth man role. Price will probably once again spell D-Will. I don't see Fes getting more then 12 minutes a game if everyone is healthy. The three headed monster of Jefferson, Millsap, and Okur will get the bulk of the time at the 4/5 spots. Hayward will spell Bell off the bench (I think the Jazz decided in the summer league that they like him more as a tall two-guard then as a small forward, though he will likely see time at both spots). This team has so many guys who can play multiple positions.

Mr. Bell.

Thank you for returning to the Jazz.

Welcome back Raja and bye,bye Wesley! Wesley would have been a keeper for $4 mil per year, not $7 mil. Raja brings back some toughness and veteran savy they lost with Harpring. Wesley will probably be riding the pine behind Roy. Have fun collecting your big checks, Wesley, and have fun writing them to him, uncle Paul.

Hopefully some of Raja`s toughness rubs off on Miles who just does not rebound enough to be the everyday SF.He`ll fit better at the SG.Williams/whoever,Miles/Bell,AK/Hayward,Millsap/Memo and Jefferson at the 4/5.Until Fes proves he deserves quality minutes,he`s the odd man out....again

Where is Bugoff, I need to know the WP48 and go ratio's to know if Raja will be any good!

The primary reason AK plays with the second team is Price. Price refuses (or can't) to act like a real poing guard and AK has to make up the difference on the second team as a point forward (which does not fix the problem entirely).

The Jazz are much stronger with AK on the first team with CJ backing up Bell. Replace Price and the Jazz become a much better team. No more of the patch work nonsense so Sloan can play his development games.

Price brings energy but mostly the means he speeds up until he is out of control (usually quickly). The whole team suffers and does not run right.

Price can play PG when he decides to but most of the time he won't. If Gaines is not good enough, go get the right PG.

If you are going to pay lux tax at least get a decent team and max the ability of each position in the flex. The flex does not work without a GOOD PG.

Stop saving pennies at back up PG and max the ability of the team instead of playing favorites with Price and giving him time to showboat.

Still wonder if Matthews would have signed with us for a lot less...had we made him an offer,I guess we`ll never know

I believe Jazz-fandom will be pleased in direct proportion to Raja's health. I'd put the D-Will / Raja backcourt up against any other backcourt in the league.

We've got two tenacious competitors who hate to loose. Let's hope they can figure out how to blend their veteran leadership skills. This is still D-Will's team but Raja can be a welcome presence in the locker room and on the court.

Now if Jerry can figure out a productive rotation between AJ, Milsap, AK, CJ early on and add Memo and Hayward as the season progresses, I'm quite excited.

BTW, who's the backup PG? If it's Ronnie, he'd better grow up and step up QUICKLY.

re:grj

regarding Matthews

"he was an unsung hero for much of the year last year and will be a star in the NBA"

Uh, he was constantly recognized, interviewed, and written about here. That is not "unsung"

Matthews will never be "a star" in the NBA. He is not a great athlete--if he were he would have never made it through 2 rounds of the draft unselected. He is just a solid hard-working scrappy guy who had things fall his way when the Jazz gave him a shot.

He played 4 years in college--he does not have a bunch of untapped upside. He will likely be a smart player but there is really not alot of upside with Matthews--what you see is what you get.

You people are just drinking the "undrafted rookie kool-aid" story and can't seem to evaluate the facts. He is a good player but will never be a star...especially now that he left the system that let him flourish and took the big paycheck to sit the bench in Portland behind Roy.

From his comments, it already seems he regrets having to leave.

Shame.

I think the Jazz not only need to keep Kyrylo Fesenko, but also look at other options as well at getting an extra big man such as Theo Ratliff, Rasho Nesterovic, or possibly bring back Jarron Collins back. I know alot of fans didn't like the way Jarron played but he knew what his role was when he got on the court. Another few options the Jazz could look at to have a 3 man guard rotation cause as of right now they only have Raja, and CJ. Utah could look at bringing back Devin Brown, or sign Ime Udoka. The team could also look at keeping Othyus Jeffers, to round out the wing positions, but the Jazz are very much lacking in those two positions. If the Jazz don't look to bring back Sundiata Gaines as the 3rd point guard, the Jazz front office could look into bringing Dee Brown back, or look at Carlos Arroyo again as a reliable backup to Deron, because Ronnie Price is definantly not the answer.

I like Bell. He actually plays defense. Hopefully now Sloan will bench CJ where he belongs or send him the D league. I'm guessing though that Bell will sit on the bench just like Korver in favor of CJ. Welcome to Utah and the strange lineups.