Comments about ‘Utah Jazz still missing Boozer's production’

This is a good chance for the Jazz to see what it will be like when Boozer walks away and signs for a ridiculously overinflated contract in Miami. Frankly, I'd take Millsap who will cost much less money and plays better D. Use the money we have left freed up by Boozer's contract to acquire a tough defender. We'll be contenders again.

If the Jazz sign Boozer to his ridiculous asking price of $100 Million plus, count on having no depth and first round playoff exits, at best. There's no way you can have $200 million committed to two players and expect 10 players to show up and play for charity.

Don't thow stones if you live in a glass house! You yourself waited till the end of an average story to comment on Jerry's 20th Anniversary. You even put it behind ridiclous analysis of which starting lineups are working best.

I noticed a story regarding the Phoenix Suns trading Raja Bell and others for Jason Richardson. Now the Suns are back in the hunt.

Lets see Lakers, Denver and New Orleans will be 1,2,3 and then San Antone at 4, Houston at 5 and Phoenix at 6, Dallas at 7 and Portland at 8 where do the Jazz fit in?

The problem, the Jazz do not have a good defender that can shoot 20 + points day in and day out. Doesn't look so good right now.

If Boozer and Williams come back full strength they still need one more to take the next step, do Brewer and Okur have the ability to step up and stay consistent?

As much as I like Sap the Jazz is a much better team with Booz and Booz is at a higher level then Sap. Just look at the W column and who the Jazz have played. With a healthy team we would be right there with the Lakers in contention for the best record in the West. With the soft schedule the Jazz has had we should be able to win even with Booz out. We would really struggle w/o him when some of the better and bigger teams come to play like Houston, LA etc.

I love Milsap but can't wait to get the whole team healthy again. Letting Milsap contribute hustle and heart with the second team. With bot of them as a one two punch at the PF postition the Jazz become very potent. Milsap can really own most other teams 2nd string.

The one conselation is that now we know that if Booz does walk after the season Milsap can step in and carry some of the load.

The Jazz were briefly in 2nd place in the West once this year. They could easily be in 9th sometime in the next 10 days. Frankly, Boozer and DWill are crucial to this team. The Jazz are a .500 club without them at full speed. The team is built around the PG/PF positions and the offense demands certain characteristics in both.

The rest of the team has improved with DWill and Boozer being limited by injury. However, we are getting to a point where we need a big run to position for the playoff seatings. That needs to happen pretty soon. However, SA was seeded 6th last year and did okay.

I think DWill's health is the biggest key right now. If he is healthy the Jazz can adjust for the most part for a few games if Boozer or Okur are out. Koufos is not ready but improving fast. We may not need another big by the playoffs if Koufos can learn fast enough. We have depth at 2 and 3. However, a healthy AK and Harp really help a lot.

We still need better D at the perimeter. Raja Bell would be nice.

Am I the sole reason why the Jazz are .500 since I went out of the line up or is it that AK and D-will aren't a hundred percent? There have been more injuries than just Booz's during his abscence. Really if D-will, A.K. and Knight were a hundred percent over that span would we still think we need Booz or that he really could be trade bait? It appears that there are trade options out there even for lesser guys who could help us.....stand pat Jazz and we might just miss the playoffs if the injuries continue!! Booz for Stoudamire?? do it KO!!

Many may not want to here it but right now Dwill hurts the Jazz more than helps them. Most fast break opportunities are jogged up the floor instead of pushed. No elevation on his shots inside so is swatted most of the time. High amounts of turnovers that he hasn't had before. Pathetic screens because he is afraid of getting stepped on. I am not saying I am not a fan of Dwill but why not put Price back as the starter(started 5-1 as the starter) and let Dwill spell him until he is up to par again. With Dwills injury and Boozer out, this team needs to push the ball up the court when its there. You cant walk the ball up the court and run your half courts sets with such a small line up.

Quit bagging on Booz to. Lets not forget AK is out every other week. Memo back spasms once a month. Dwill ankle. Harpring back and ankle. Korver wrist. Knight thumb and throat.

Sorry Jazz lose tonight because they lose the battle of the boards again. Jazz need Booz, you cannot let 21pts 12rbs a game walk away.

Boozer is being missed, no doubt. The players and coaching staff even admit as much, so never mind what some fans say.

The Jazz are far better off with SAP playing extra minutes than to have Boozer playing hurt and ineffectively. The Booz birds need to lay off.

I doubt if Miami will give Booz a max contract. However, some other also ran team might.

DWill's play is erractic but it may be best that he play. McGrady is also injured and was told the best thing for the ankle is to play to break up the scar tissue. It takes time to play thru the pain but it is a necessary step in healing.

Price is good insurance but he is not a point guard. The team actually does worse when he is running it most of the time. Most of those wins under Price came as a result of Knight (and Boozer). The team made up ground when Knight was in (healthy).

We need rebounding. Koufos boards a little but a healthy Boozer helps himself and the rest of the team on rebounds. The second team then has AK and SAP and that really helps overall.

GO BOOZ!! GO TO MIAMI!!

boozer fans are gripping at straws here. I can't wait til next year our pf is paul milsap and I don't even care who else as long as bozo is gone.

The Suns are not better with that trade. Not even worth the discussion. With Boozer gone next year, we will be an average team at best just like we are when he is hurt.

I think we can get a better player than Boozer, in ofense he plays decent, not 100% is not like ok Boozer in in the game, he will make the points we need,nope. we need to get a good ofense-defense player. Keep Dwill, Memo, Millsap, AK, Brewer, Price, Knight, Korver. Collins, Miles, Koufos, Boozer, Fesenko, Almond out, about Harpring I dont know 50%-50%
We need to get a big one!!! to play with williams and Memo-AK 47

Again These jazz bandwagon fans here are such an idiot! millsap good but he hasn't reach the level of boozer yet! and the man hurt Geez shutup you winers!! Booze stay healthy and come back strong

There are a few things that need to be considered as we talk about Boozer and the current and future state of the Jazz franchise.

First of all the Jazz are no question a better team with Boozer in the lineup. Boozer is an excellent power forward and the Jazz are really missing his rebounding.

Drapper2k made a great point about having Millsap on the second team, at full strength the Jazz probably have the best bench in the league.

I'm sure what cool-aid the Boozer haters have been drinking but I want no part of it, if the Jazz are going to make a deep playoff run this year Boozer will be a huge part of it, just like he was two years ago. You rember two years ago right? When the Jazz went to the conference finals and Boozer averged 24 points, 12 boards, 3 assists and a steal while shooting 54% form the field, seems like most poeple have forgotten that.

Lastly, if Boozer walks at the end of the season then the Jazz will not be able to just go out and sign somebody else, they will still be over the cap.

Right on Magnus. Without Boozer, we have no chance in the playoffs. It amazes me how fans on here think that players like Boozer are easy to come by. Others think that SAP is better. First off, most NBA players don't want to play in Utah. Our chances of landing a free agent big guy in the offseason is about as good as me writing like a college professor. Ain't going to happen. The upside is that Miami drafted a PF in Beasley. They don't need Boozer unless they trade Beasley which is highly unlikely. He is cheap money right now. Don't worry about tonight, CJ is going to be the man unless Jerry keeps him on the bench.

Re: Miles

"Without Boozer, we have no chance in the playoffs." Are you kidding? What have the Jazz done with him in the playoffs? He is a liablity on the defensive end. The ONLY reason the Jazz made it the WCF two seasons ago was because the Warriors upset the Mavs. The Jazz would not have beaten the Mavs that year in 7. Last year? Not much success there either.

Before you go throwing Millsap to the wolves for Boozer think back or watch any game in the last year or two where Boozer played defense. I have watched him time and again WATCH a defender blow by him and do NOTHING! I understand keep your score out of foul trouble, but come on!

Millsap is young. Williams and Brewer just signed new contracts and are young. Okur is a proven commodity. This team needs time. Develop these four as your core and where they take you. Boozer is going for the paycheck (who would turn down $100+ million?). I think these four want to stay here and finish what they have begun. Time to give up thinking of Boozer as a Jazz man. Thanks, but c-ya Booz!

I am with Tommyk, Magnus, and Miles. I looked at all the free agents for next year and there is no 21 points and 12 rebounds a night guy available. You can't just replace a guy like Boozer like many idiots on here think. Notice they have no idea or comment who they are going to replace him with.

Like the Millers have said, this summer will be a big one for the Jazz but lets not worry about until summer.
The Jazz are still in the thick of things and hopefully getting healthier and when they are this will be a very tough team.

Go Jazz!!!!!

Thats the thing that everyone needs to understand. Most of the people that are saying "BOOZER IS A LOOZER" or "TRADE HIM! TRADE HIM!", are saying it because they think he is going to opt out anyway. I don't hardly blame them because I personally think he's going to bail on us too. Which puts us in a difficult situation. Try and trade him now? Or hold out and try to keep him at the end of the season? Does he even want to stay? Is it worth signing him, and losing probably milsap AND someone else? It's a really crappy situation, but we just got to trust that management knows whats going on and will make a good decision.

@ MADRYBEG

You have this idea in your head that Boozer can't play defense, and you focus on that thing untill it becomes all that you see. Your focus has blinded you (and apparently alot of other Jazz fans) to other aspects of his game and robbed you of perspective.

Regardless of all that, I agree with IDJazz, lets talk about now right now.

The schedule between now and the end of the year is brutal. We have 10 games, 8 of them are against teams that will probably be .500 or better. Our next 6 games are against Portland and Orlando at home and Boston, New Jersey, Detroit, and Chicago on the road. Barring any more injuries or family emergencies, it looks like the Jazz will have a full roster for the 5 game road trip starting in Boston.

I think if the Jazz are going to be above .500 over the next 10 Williams has to get back to form.

I'm going to predict that if Williams averages 15+ pts and less than 3.5 turnovers while shooting 50% or better the Jazz win at least 5 of the next 10, if not they finish 2008 around .500