Comments about ‘Brad Rock: Greg Miller takes a more business-like approach’

A long as Miller ensures that management sticks to letting the coach run everthing courtside and doesn't allow the GM to have backdoor policies for Allstar players only... he can be as cold and calculating as he wants.

Larry and Sloan were good for each other...and I'm sure Greg will figure a few surprising things out on his own as time goes by. He's definitely got one of the basic principle concepts down. No one is irreplaceable...regardless of how good they are. That's a good place to start.

No soul or passion. For a team in a small market, it could be corrosive to its long term future in SLC. The fans need a reason to be loyal. Other than winning, what will be left to hold that loyalty?

1. Do you think the Jazz needed a more businesslike management approach? (Y/N)? Yes and no.

2. Are the Jazz in good hands? (Y/N)? Time will tell, but being cold and detached won't help build loyalty in the fans.

3. Could you see the Jazz moving out of Utah in the next 10 years? (Y/N) Yes, of course.

The biggest problem and the cause of most of the Jazz's inability to truly rise to the top in its entire history can be summed up in Larry's emotional connection to Jerry Sloan.

Too many great things to count have happened with the Jazz because of the kind of man Larry was, but his undying and often indefensible loyalty, from the perspective of the team's true best interest, has kept them from being what they could have been.

Rather than D-Will's doing, Sloan's departure had much more to do with Greg Miller.

From a purely business point of view, the change from Larry to Greg will be the best thing to happen to the Jazz.

The days of yesteryear's "running set plays" that every team in the league knew the Jazz of the past would insist on, will eventually give way to the "take the open three, find the open man, and play hard-defense (a la Dave Rose).

Larry was a great guy, and so was Jerry, but some day Greg will achieve what his dad never did by coming away with a championship in "the business" of NBA basketball.

I came to the conclusion several years ago that big markets = big stars and big bucks for the league. Small market teams are just there to serve the former. Greg knows the business and would also be well advised to play the right role or sell the team. This move is the right one to make the the super star wanna be, the big markets, and the NBA happy.

Maybe Greg Miller belongs in a larger market. That approach is more effective in a large market where players want to play. In our market, you have to work other angles. If players can get market value anywhere, why stay here?

Players and coaches in the past had a sense of loyalty to Larry, which contributed to stability and long-term success. Larrys style produced hall of famers and sold a lot of seats over the years. Pretty rare for a small market.

A 30-second call to Deron?...Come onI did notice an extra chill in the air that day.

Larry Miller may have been emotional, but he was a tremendous business mind and always made the decisions based on business. Just ask Mr. Checketts. If Gregg Miller can be half as good, the team may continue to have success.

Good job Greg. My advise to you is to tune out 95% of these commentors on the web who are just like myself, a non contributor to the financial picture of the Jazz via tickets ect, and run this team just like you are doing. Us blow hards that spill our brains daily on these webs only buy advertisers products that sponsor your team team and other NBA teams, and have to for our own survival so take it with a grain of salt and run the team exactly like you are and tune the idiots out. The moves made in the past month are going to pay "big" dividends real soon so all of you dooms dayer's can take a hike!

I agree with Vince.

And, why do people talk about the Jazz leaving Utah. I just have to laugh every time that is said. The Jazz are one of about 10 teams in the whole NBA that have 10,000 or more Season ticket holders. Thats huge. Utah loves their Jazz. They aren't going anywhere.

So far I am impressed with Greg as an owner. He is going to try to win a championship with the resources he has available. He is serious about. He wants one for his father's legacy. And Utah.

Everybody, KOC on down is replaceable. Greg still has some loyalty or AK would have been traded. But it is not blind loyalty.

Greg appears to understand statistics. That is a major step forward. In many ways the Jazz seemed to be so old school they were obsolete in their approach. That is changing rapidly.

It will take a while for the Jazz to sort out what works and which combinations (of players) are best. There will have to be some additional adjustments.

So far Favors is playing really well. His minutes need to go up a lot. There is no need to play Elson and Fes if Favors continues to develop.

AJ's efficiency is improving, that also helps. Corbin has been making some good adjustments on offense. The defense is still a major problem.

I expect more changes. Hopefully they will be based on good basketball theory and not just money. However, good money management is essential.

but, how long will the loyalty of the fans hold up when they're not winning games. I just can't see a successful team on the court with this makeup. I understand that business is business but, fans can be fairweather when not winning.

Unless the NBA can get concessions from the players association, some of the current teams will pass out of existance; mark my words. These prima donas at the top of the players pecking order have been told ad nausem that they are the greatest, and they see all the money being made by peers located in the larger markets. They want as much of that as they can get. They are also told that the NBA is a business, which it certainly is; therefore I have no loyalty to my current coaches and owners/executives. It is entertainment, and a business. Many players are out of shape, are injury prone, and do not put everything into any particular game. The season is far too long, a reflection of the money issues surrounding this enterprise. All of the other top professional leagues have largely the same issues confronting them. The Have Gun Will Travel "fee agency" is killing sports fans need to have loyalty for their team and players. The fans are subordinated to all the player and owner conflicts. This will sooner or later come back to bit them. Many fans are deserting to the so-called nonprofessional sports.

I've always loved Jerry and Larry, but I think that KOC and Greg got the better of NJ in the latest trade. Williams is a major talent, but the thought of going through another year, like last year with Boozer, had to be stressful for the team. Now, with the expiration of AK's contract, and certainty at the guard position, the Jazz can slowly start rebuilding to make another run at greatness.

It looks like the Jazz might not make the play-offs this year. If that is the case, the Jazz will have the NJ draft pick (probably top 6) and another lottery pick (pick traded to Minnesota is lottery protected), as well as the rights to Ante Tomic as trade assets. The upcoming draft is not particularly strong. Here is what I would like to see the Jazz do in the off-season.

Re-sign Watson, Miles, Kirilenko and Fesenko (to reasonable contracts--about 1.0 mil. for Watson and Fesenko and $5-6 mil for Miles and Kirilenko). Sign Rodney Stuckey as a free agent (to somewhere around the mid-level exception). Trade Raja Bell ($3.0 mil contract) and other assets for Terrence Williams of Houston ($2.2 mil contract) and for Ersan Ilyasova of Milwaukee ($2.3 mil contract). That would give the Jazz the following team depth chart to start the year:

Harris Stuckey Watson
Miles Williams
Kirilenko Hayward Evans
Millsap Favors Ilyasova
Jefferson Okur Fesenko

Greg Miller is not making moves that make the team better. He is making moves that increase his pocket book. Sound like anyone elso you know? (Clippers)
If G Miller continues with this mind set that he currentluy has, the Jazz fan base will dwindle quickly.
As much as I like Corbin as a player and a person, He does not demand or command the respect of the players. I beleive the Jazz will miss the plaqyoffs this year.

Having a father with a type "A" personality can be difficult, believe me I know. When you see some of the problems and heartaches that causes you tend to take a calmer approach. I wouldn't misinterpret Greg's restraint for a lack of emotion. As far as the good old days when relationship ruled instead of money, you most be wearing an especially dark shade of rose colored classes if you think that really happened more than it does today.

The best buisness decision Greg can make now is get rid of Kevin O' Conner. I beg you. Get a GM that will make this team not only better but fun to watch. Like the Jazz team we had in the 80's. I care more about fun to watch than championship. Fun to watch for many years to come.

Devin Harris plays best in an up tempo pace. The Jazz may not have all of the right players yet but IF they keep Harris as the PG they should move in that direction.

Harris's best year with DAL was about equal to DWill's last 2 years (compare WP48). Pretty good but not off the charts great.

The biggest issue is Favors. IF he can develop that gives the Jazz a little shorter version of Gasol/Bynum/Odom. If you add in a decent shooting guard, AK at SF and some defense you may have a contender.

That is a pretty quick turnaround. But it hinges on Favors developing and the Jazz developing a good D. The latter is the most problematic.

Just heard that Corbin wasn't even consulted on the trade.

Never forget, people, management does not win games. Players do.

Maybe a few Jazz players had better start stepping up. Their best player called them out. They shrank away like little babies.

Running things like a business means profitability first, season-ticket holders second, top down management, just enough wins to keep the seats full.

Let Mr. Miller know how you feel. Don't show up.

I can believe how many fools say that it is all business and that they don't have goals for putting together a strong team that is a contender. Such asinine statements.

First of all, all of you ignorant people saying that they aren't willing to spend the money and that it is all about profits just that, ignorant.

Larry Miller was never willing to go into the Lux tax. Guess what, Greg Miller did just that, and was willing to go further to keep Booz, but Booz had other plans. When the season started the Jazz had the FIFTH highest payroll in the NBA. I repeat, the FIFTH highest in the NBA. After the D-Will trade, they are now the 7th highest in the NBA. They well into the luxury tax, so that means the additional amount over the cap plus the penalty.

So please, save the asinine comments saying that they aren't willing to spend money to put together a contender. They are. And also, enough with the armchair GM's saying Kevin needs to be fired, basically saying what is in your head would be so much better. 20/20 hindsight, Remember that.

I just love seeing the Jazz crash and burn like this. :) First the most overrated coach ever quits(what a QUITTER!!! At least finish the season you big quitter.) Then they panic and trade away their only great player and get an injury prone above average replacement, and someone they are praying pans out(but probably won't). The Jazz need to get out of the dark ages. They've had KOC for over a decade, that's not stability when he makes bonehead moves. They can't keep any of their stars(Boozer, Williams, even Mathews is averaging 15ppg with Portland this year, he's no star, but it's looking like Portland didn't overpay like I thought they did at first.) It won't be long before Big Al wants out, then they're stuck with Millsap(soft), Kirelinko(old and soft), and a center that just sits outside and shoots threes. The way the NBA works the Blazers aren't contending, but at least they aren't the Jazz.