Utah Jazz Blog (UTJazzBlog.com)

July 22, 2010 -
I’m still bitter about losing Wesley Matthews to the Blazers, but learning that Raja Bell has decided to sign with the Jazz is a nice consolation prize. What makes it all the more sweet is the fact that in opting for Utah, Bell rejected a personal sales pitch from Kobe Bryant to join the Lakers.

If you want to know why Kobe wanted Raja on his team, just take a look at the picture. In reference to that incident, I would normally lose respect for a player who laid a clothesline on an opponent in the middle of a game. But since Bell did this to Kobe Bryant, I’m completely fine with it. In fact, I respect him more for it. (For those not familiar with the situation, Bell was heavily provoked by cheap elbows from Kobe throughout the entire series. And yes, Bell was ejected and suspended for the maneuver.)

I was sorely disappointed when Bell left the Jazz to sign with the Suns 5 years ago, and I’m thrilled to have him back now. With Matthews gone, the Jazz desperately need his defense. With Korver gone, the Jazz need his 3-point shooting. But most of all, the Jazz need his toughness. Welcome back, Raja.

Gotta hand it to Kevin O'Connor. He's taken what was shaping up to be a disastrous offseason and turned it into something pretty exciting.

A Rabbit Named Al Jefferson

July 15, 2010 -
“Greg Miller and Kevin O’Connor had better pull a serious rabbit out of their collective hat, or they stand to lose a lot of fans this season.”

I posted that quote a few days ago in reference to the mass exodus of talent the Jazz have experienced in the past 12 months. Fortunately Miller and KOC managed to pull out a 6'10" 260-lb rabbit who has the potential to more than replace the productivity lost when Boozer left for Chicago. Hallelujah! The Jazz front office actually did something positive. They renewed my hope that they just might care about more than profitability.

While this move certainly atones for the failure to trade Boozer last season, it doesn't mean that all is entirely forgiven. It also does not make the Jazz immediate title contenders (though it puts them much closer than they were just a day ago). Utah still needs to make another move or two if they want to legitimately challenge the Lakers, not to mention the new Superfriends in Miami.

At least now I'm excited again. Can't wait to see what comes next!

Front Office Wakeup Call

July 12, 2010 -
I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. I really do. As a businessman, I understand the strategy and perspective that goes into many decisions that may not be apparent from an outside perspective. In short, I realize that “good” decisions may look like “bad” decisions to the uninformed.

Conversely, my business experience has also shown me that smart, informed people sometimes make extremely poor decisions.

The Jazz front office has been pursuing a stay-the-course strategy for years now. News flash: It’s not working. Actually I should clarify that. If their goal is to always be a mid-tier playoff team without any real shot at winning a title, then the strategy is working fine. If they, like most of us fans, have championship aspirations, then they need to make some changes.

When the Jazz selected Gordon Hayward with the 9th pick, I was livid. I honestly felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I have since realized that my disappointment over that draft pick was really a culmination of frustration with management’s apparent unwillingness to be aggressive and take the necessary calculated risks to become a legitimate title contender. For the Jazz, it’s all about maintaining the status quo. They put out a winning product that makes the playoffs year after year. This allows them to sell enough tickets to turn a profit. That seems to be more important than winning a championship. As a business man, I get it. As a fan, I hate it.

Prior to the 2006 NBA draft, the Jazz, after dropping to the 6th spot thanks to lousy luck with the ping pong balls, made an aggressive move to trade up to #3 so they could select Deron Williams, giving up 3 first round picks in the process. It was a gamble that paid off, and the kind of risk that championship teams have to take.

In 2008, Utah traded an expiring contract (Gordan Giricek) and a future 1st-round pick (which ended up being #23 this year) for Kyle Korver. Another calculated risk that arguably paid off. The Jazz needed outside shooting, and they got one of the best. Unfortunately injuries marred his performance somewhat, but it was still a smart move designed to make the team better.

Since that time, however, the Jazz have retreated back to the ultra-conservative approach. This has been particularly manifest in the past 12 months. Need proof?

Exhibit 1: The Jazz trade Eric Maynor and Matt Harpring to OKC for nothing more than salary cap relief.

Exhibit 2: The Jazz trade Ronnie Brewer to Memphis for a conditional future 1st-round draft pick.

Exhibit 3: The Jazz DON’T trade Carlos Boozer before the 2010 trade deadline, failing to acquire any assets in exchange for an all-star whom they were likely to lose for nothing in free agency.

Exhibit 4: Jazz have thus far failed to trade Andrei Kirilenko and his valuable soon-to-be-expiring contract.

Exhibit 5: Jazz fail to move up in the 2010 draft to acquire a potential star (i.e. Turner, Favors, Cousins) despite the fact that Philly was supposedly willing to trade the #2 pick to a team that would take Elton Brand’s contract.

Exhibit 6: The Jazz NEVER acquire 1st-round picks for cash considerations. The Dallas Mavericks bought the #25 pick (Dominique Jones, a player I would have loved to see on the Jazz) for cash.

Exhibit 7: The Jazz fail to work a sign-and-trade for Boozer, losing him to Chicago for nothing but a trade exception.

Exhibit 8: The Jazz lose Kyle Korver (who, by the way, set the NBA record for 3-pt percentage last season) to Chicago for no compensation and reportedly didn’t even make him a respectable offer.

I won’t enter this as official evidence since the jury is still out, but the Jazz also appear to be on the verge of losing Wesley Matthews for no compensation, as Portland gave him a bigger offer than Utah expected.

I don’t recall ever feeling this frustrated with the Jazz organization, and I know many others who feel the same way. If Utah doesn’t match the offer to Matthews, they will have watched 5 key contributors from last season walk away with nothing to show for it but a lower payroll. How is Deron Williams going to respond to this?

Greg Miller and Kevin O’Connor had better pull a serious rabbit out of their collective hat (wanted to use another word there), or they stand to lose a lot of fans this season. Perhaps more importantly, they stand to lose their franchise point guard in two years.

Gordon Hayward - Second Impression

July 11, 2010 -
If you read my last post, you know how I felt about the Utah Jazz drafting Gordon Hayward. Since then, I had the chance to catch a few of Utah’s games during the Orlando Summer League this past week. While I still feel the Jazz made a mistake in the draft, I did at least come away somewhat more encouraged about Hayward.

His stats weren’t exactly attention grabbing, but Hayward played solidly and efficiently. I definitely get the sense he will be a much better player when surrounded by other good players. He plays a team game that is not effectively showcased in the less-structured summer-league environment. To his credit, he didn’t resort to the selfish tactics displayed by some of his teammates and generally stayed within the offense. The unfortunate result is that he didn’t get nearly the amount of touches I would’ve hoped for from the 9th pick in the draft.

Here is my general assessment of Hayward’s performance in the three games I watched:

Positives

Poise and confidence – He played under control and didn’t seem intimidated (despite the fact that he looks like a boy among men)
Shooting – He definitely has a nice stroke, and he shot over 50% for the week
Basketball IQ – He seems to have a great understanding of the game and generally made smart, team-oriented plays
Ball Handling – He has a good handle for a 6’8” player and made a few nice moves with the ball

Cons

Strength – He appeared physically outmatched at times
Athleticism – I’m not sure he will be able to get to the hoop against most NBA wings
Upside – Tough to judge this from a handful of summer league games, but I just don’t see this kid ever being more than a decent NBA role player

Of the three games I watched, I was particularly interested in Utah’s matchup with Indiana. The Pacers had the 10th pick in the draft (immediately after the Jazz) and selected Paul George, the player I had hoped the Jazz would take. This was Hayward’s worst game of the summer league. He looked totally outmatched by George, who scored 15 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and looked every bit the part of a solid NBA prospect.

As I said, I still believe Utah made a mistake drafting Gordon Hayward with the 9th pick. While my impression of Hayward has definitely improved, I’m afraid passing on Paul George will come back to haunt the Jazz.

Gordon, PLEASE prove me wrong.

NBA Draft Shock And Awe

June 30, 2010 -
I’m writing this after having a couple of days to cool down. Had I written it right after the NBA Draft, it probably wouldn’t have made it through many content filters.

I was on a business trip in Madison, Wisconsin the night of the Draft. We were actually at dinner, and I was checking the ESPN Draft Tracker on my Blackberry. Picks 1-5 went exactly as I expected (Wall, Turner, Favors, Johnson, Cousins). I was both surprised and disappointed to see Golden State take Ekpe Udoh at #6, as I had really hoped the Jazz would land him. Greg Monroe (the other player I really wanted) went next to Detroit at #7, as expected. The Clippers then took Aminu at #8, leaving the Jazz their choice of Ed Davis, Paul George, and Luke Babbitt, with an outside shot they might take Xavier Henry or Cole Aldrich. Or so I thought.

The anticipation was killing me as I hit “refresh” again and again, waiting for Utah’s selection to show up. Finally it did. And then I wished it hadn't. One minute I'm enjoying a delicious steak. The next, I've literally lost my appetite.

Years of waiting for this draft pick, with aspirations it could yield the next Lebron James or Dwight Howard, all flowed rapidly down the drain as the name flashed back at me from my Blackberry screen.

The Jazz didn’t go with the raw but talented power forward from North Carolina. They didn’t go with the athletic wing from Fresno whom some analysts said has as much upside as anyone in the draft. They didn’t even make the “safe” pick by taking the shot-blocking center from Kansas to shore up a long-term need.

Nope. Instead, the Jazz picked Opie.

Honestly, I am still stunned. Gordon Hayward? Really? Of all the players projected to be taken within 5 or 6 spots of where the Jazz picked, he is literally the LAST guy I would have chosen. Sure, he had a great season leading the unheralded Butler Bulldogs to within a missed last-second shot of shocking Duke in the national title game. But still. The kid looks like he’s 12 years old. I’m not sure his skills will translate to the NBA. He really doesn’t fit a need for the Jazz. Did I mention that I am still stunned?

I’ve been wrong before, and I hope I’m wrong now, but I think the Jazz blew this draft. Hopefully Hayward will change my mind in Summer League.

Draft Wish List

June 5, 2010 - While I’m not entirely over my disappointment of the Jazz' lack of lottery luck, I have at least come to terms with the reality of the situation and begun to research players potentially available in the #9 range. Actually it’s probably misleading to say “begun to research” since I’ve been studying up on the top draft prospects for about 4 months now…

Yes, I’m a draft geek. I fully admit it. I take pleasure in analyzing the prospects and determining who would be the best fit for the Jazz. Naturally the players I most covet will be long gone by the time the 9th pick rolls around. But with that said, here’s my current draft board. I’ll list my top-10 players, knowing that at least 2 of them will still be on the board at #9. Plus there is always the outside chance the Jazz will trade up in the draft, so let’s take it from the top:

1. John Wall (PG, Kentucky) - You just can't pass on him with the #1 pick, even with an all-star PG already on the team. He could be a superstar. Could he and Deron coexist? At worst, you trade him for someone lower on the board + other considerations.

2. Evan Turner (SG/SF, Ohio State) – Big combo guard who would make an awesome backcourt mate for Deron. Can do everything (score, rebound, pass, defend, handle) except shoot the 3 with consistency. He could even play the point if needed.

3. Derek Favors (PF/C, Georgia Tech) - Incredible athleticism and potential on both ends of the court. Could become a dominant post player but may need some time to develop. Should actually be a better NBA player than college, especially with a PG like Deron to set him up. Not as NBA ready as the two players I rate just below him, but his potential is too much to pass up.

4. Wesley Johnson (SF, Syracuse) - Prototype SF with good size and athleticism. Good 3-pt shooter, and he averages nearly 2 blocks and 2 steals per game. More of an off-the-ball player than Turner, and therefore may actually be a better fit for the Jazz. Plus it would be cool to have a Wesley at each wing position.

5. Greg Monroe (PF/C, Georgetown) – Skilled big man with a well-rounded game and nice intangibles. Seems like he would fit well in the Jazz system and be able to contribute right away. His passing ability is outstanding for a big.

6. DeMarcus Cousins (PF/C, Kentucky) - If not for his questionable character and mental issues, he would be much higher. The guy is huge and skilled, but he’s a risky pick with bust potential. Still, his size and talent are too enticing to pass on him here.

7. Ekpe Udoh (PF/C, Baylor) – He continues to climb up mock draft boards. He has a rare combination of size, athleticism, and skills. Posted nearly identical rebounding and shot-blocking numbers to Cole Aldrich (playing in the same conference), and he shows much more promise on offense. Also reputedly a good passer.

8. Al-Farouq Aminu (SF, Wake Forrest) - Excellent athlete with a pretty well-rounded game. Has been compared to Luol Deng. He could make a nice eventual replacement for AK. Doesn’t fill an immediate need, but he’s too talented to leave on the board at this spot.

9. Ed Davis (PF, North Carolina) – Long and athletic with considerable upside, though he didn’t exactly dominate in college. Excellent rebounder and shot blocker. Reputedly has high bball IQ, character, and work ethic. Needs to get stronger, but he could be a nice tandem at PF with Millsap.

10. Paul George (SG/SF, Fresno State) – Fantastic athlete with great size for a wing and nice range on his shot. Potential to be a lock-down defender. Failed to dominate subpar competition in college but showed flashes of brilliance. Apparently wowed scouts with his athleticism at the combine.

I'd actually be pretty happy with any of these top-10 guys (which means I should be satisfied with the draft unless the Jazz do something stupid). My real hope is that either Greg Monroe or Ekpe Udoh slips to #9 (or the Jazz trade up a few spots to get one of them). The team has a clear need in the middle, especially considering Boozer won't be back. Either way, they need a shot blocker. With so many good PF/C types on the board, it will be a little disappointing if they don't find a way to get one.

Unlucky In Lottery

May 20, 2010 -
The Jazz have the 9th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. While that should be exciting considering the fact that they would normally be picking in the early 20s, I can’t help feeling a little like a kid on Christmas who tears open a package with great anticipation only to find a new sweater instead of the toy he really wanted. I should be grateful, but I’m just not.

I’ve been waiting for that unprotected New York draft pick for years, hoping it would eventually yield a future superstar. Thanks to a lack of lottery luck, the odds of that happening now are in roughly the same range as Jerry Sloan becoming a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

I’ve decided to express my frustration in the form of thank you notes to the parties I feel are most responsible:

The Knicks – Thanks for winning a bunch of games down the stretch you had no business winning. You trade away half your roster to clear cap space for free agency this summer, yet you still manage to win. It’s a safe bet you would have gone into complete tank mode if the Jazz didn’t own your 1st-round pick.

The Wizards and Sixers – Thanks for completely tanking the last few months of your seasons and finishing with a worse record than the lowly Knicks despite the fact you have much better players.

Lottery Karma – Thanks for rewarding the Wizards and Sixers for tanking their seasons and failing to reward the Jazz despite the fact that you moved them down two spots the last time they stood to land a high pick. You suck at justice.

The Atlanta Hawks – Thanks for being the only team with a winning record to lose to the Knicks not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES! Had you done your job, the Jazz pick would have picked no worse than 6th.

The NBA Draft is coming up on June 24th. Once I get over my self-pity about the Jazz missing out on a top-3 pick, I'll try to rank my draft prospects and create my wish list of players who may still be around at #9.

Summing Up The Season

May 15, 2010 -
Things got busy and I stopped posting for a while. Admittedly some of that stemmed from disillusionment, and I’ll get into that in a minute. Long story short, I’m back. Not sure how often I'll be posting, but we'll see how it goes.

I may just have a second career at the Psychic Friends Network. A quick review of my 2009-10 season preview article from last October proved that my predictions were pretty much right on the money. I forecasted a 54-28 record, good for 2nd in the Northwest, 4th in the West, with the Jazz losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals. In reality, the Jazz finished with a 53-29 record, good for 2nd in the Northwest Division and 5th in the West (they actually matched Denver for the 4th-best record but lost the head-to-head tie breaker). And yes, they lost to the hated Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals.

While I'm admittedly pretty impressed with my prophetic skills, the spirit of my prediction is where my disillusionment comes in. I knew before the season even started the Jazz would post a decent record but would not be legitimate title contenders unless they made some roster moves. They did make moves (trading away young talent like Maynor and Brewer for little more than cap relief), but obviously not the kind I was hoping for. The Jazz had a decent season and were right there in the mix in the West, but they had no shot at getting past the Lakers (though I did expect them to win at least one game…) Frustrating to say the least. At least they sent the Nuggets packing in the first round. That was a nice consolation prize.

In summary, this season was a disappointment. The Jazz played it conservative, as usual. And they were good but not great, as usual.

Here are my positives and negatives for the year:

Positives:
Deron Williams – He became the best point guard in the NBA this season. He just keeps getting better.

Paul Millsap – He made the Jazz look smart for matching his contract. His stats were held down by Boozer’s continued presence, but Sap had a strong year and continues to grow as a player.

Wesley Matthews – Where did this kid come from? I still can’t believe he was undrafted. I hope he stays a Jazzman for a long time.

CJ Miles – He stepped it up big time in the playoffs. CJ has teased us before, but hopefully this is truly a sign of things to come next season.

Negatives:
Carlos Boozer – He actually played well and rose above the ugliness of the previous offseason, but he missed the regular season finale – the game that could have propelled the Jazz to the 3rd seed and allowed them to avoid the Lakers until the conference finals. Typical Booz. The real negative is that the Jazz failed to trade him and get something of value in return. Now they will lose him for nothing this summer.

Andrei Kirilenko – He was having his best season in years until he got hurt. Seems like if his body is healthy, his mind isn’t, and vice versa. He just can’t get it together consistently, which is a huge shame.

Eric Maynor – I’m still sick the Jazz traded him, especially since they did nothing but pocket the money they saved. That kid will be good.

Kosta Koufos – I expected a breakout year from him, but it didn’t happen. Not sure if he’s going to make it.

Kyrylo Fesenko – He made an impact in the Denver series, but he still doesn’t really seem to get it. He has all the physical tools but seems to lack the mental capacity to be a good NBA player. He’ll probably get one more chance to get it together.

Bye Bye Brewer

February 19, 2010 -
When I said the Jazz needed to make a deal, this was not what I had in mind. Shortly before Wednesday’s trade deadline, Utah shipped Ronnie Brewer off to Memphis for a protected 2011 1st round pick. Yup, another salary dump. I guess they answered my question as to whether they would be buyers or sellers in this market.

Before I go any further, I want to say that I actually don’t mind this trade. While I’ve always liked Brewer, he wasn’t having a particularly strong year. Most of us were expecting him to take another step forward in his progression this season, but if anything he seems to have gone backwards. The Jazz also had a logjam of players at the wing positions with Kirilenko, Korver, Miles, and Matthews all competing with Brewer for minutes. Particularly with the way Matthews has exceeded expectations, Brewer won’t be that difficult to replace...at least on the court. Ronnie was apparently well liked by his teammates, and I just hope this trade doesn’t do anything to adversely impact team chemistry.

The real reason I don’t mind this trade is that the Jazz likely would not have been able to keep Brewer this summer anyway. With so many teams projected to have cap space, Ronnie would have most surely received an offer that Utah would be unable (or unwilling) to match. With that in mind, they did well to get a 1st-round pick for him rather than watching him walk away for no compensation.

While I don’t mind this trade, I’m upset that it was the only move Utah made. I believe the Jazz missed a golden opportunity to improve their team, and that will be the topic of my next article.

I’ll miss Brewer. Aside from the fact that he couldn’t shoot to save his life, he was a fun player to watch. I wish him all the best in Memphis.

Andrei Kirilenko, Where Have You Been?

February 3, 2010 -
I thought we’d never see you again. That guy who looks like you – the one who has been wearing your uniform and cashing your enormous paychecks for the past few seasons – had really worn out his welcome. I was getting sick of his antics. It’s not that he did anything blatantly wrong; he just wasn’t the guy who earned a max contract extension five years ago. Not even close. He didn’t play with the same energy, passion, or plain joy that you did before you disappeared.

Anyway, I don’t know where you’ve been hiding out since 2006, but it sure is nice to have you back.

With tonight’s victory over Portland, the Jazz have now won 11 of their previous 12 games, and Kirilenko’s play is probably the single-biggest reason why. Over that stretch he averaged 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1.5 blocks while shooting an impressively efficient 62% from the field. It’s been a while since he has put up numbers like that for any consistent period of time.

But AK has been even more impressive in the last 7 games (all Jazz victories), during which he averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and shot an absolutely ridiculous 72% from the field. He’s also back to doing a bunch of things that don’t show up in the stat sheet (deflections, altered shots, etc) but make the Jazz a much more difficult team to beat.

Perhaps most importantly, he looks like he’s having fun out there. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that from him, and it’s a welcomed sight.

Not too many weeks ago, I was just about ready to give up on this season. The Jazz were underachieving, and they honestly weren’t much fun to watch. I’m not quite sure what got Kirilenko and the rest of the team back on track, but I sure hope they can stay there.

Welcome back, Andrei. Please stick around this time.

Buyers or Sellers?

January 21, 2009 -
Fact: More millionaires are made during a recession than at any other time. Why? Because resources (stocks, real estate, materials, labor, etc.) are typically available at discounted prices, and those willing to take calculated risks have the potential to reap significant rewards.

Now replace “millionaire” with “title contender,” and let’s talk about the NBA. The weak economy has put a number of teams into a difficult financial position, so much so that premium talent is available at a discount. Other teams with deeper pockets are clearly looking to take advantage of the potential fire sales offered by their cash-strapped counterparts.

The Utah Jazz are at a major crossroads right now. The young team with a promising future that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2007 has actually regressed each season since. Greg Miller and the rest of the front office must decide whether they are gong to be buyers or seller in this market.

The Maynor/Harpring “trade” was a strong indication the Jazz are looking to sell. They gave up a promising young player for nothing more than financial relief. Considering how far above the luxury tax line the Jazz were, it’s easy to understand why management felt this was a necessary move. To a fan, however, it sends the message that winning is not the top priority. And fans are the ones who buy the tickets, memorabilia, etc that generate revenue. Alienate the fans, and you lose money.

The NBA is a business. I get that. But as with any business, focusing on short-term cost cutting can end up hurting your long-term profit potential. Conversely, absorbing some short-term risk/pain can pay huge dividends down the road. If you stop investing in the future of your business, the competition will eat you alive. The best thing the Jazz can do right now from both a basketball and a financial perspective is to buy aggressively.

The Jazz have an impressive collection of tradable assets in the form of all-star talent, expiring contracts, young players with upside, and even an unprotected 1st-round pick (likely to be in the top 10). They also have a number of roster defects they need to address. Only the most optimistic fan could believe that this team as currently constituted will ever win a title. One or two aggressive deals, however, could position Utah as a championship contender for at least the next three years.

A winning team is good for the bottom line.

Perhaps most importantly, the Jazz may be able to convince a certain Olympic point guard they are committed to winning so he doesn’t skip town three years from now. In case you're reading, Greg, his departure would be extraordinarily bad for the bottom line.

(P.S. I’m still working on my list of potential trades, but I’ve already come up with numerous “realistic” deals that would make the Jazz better.)

Jazz Need To Make A Deal

January 14, 2009 -
When asked about the potential of the Jazz making a trade before the February deadline, Jerry Sloan recently said, “I’d rather keep guys together so you have better continuity.” While that sentiment is understandable and may actually be the best course of action much of the time, it feels a little narrow-minded at the moment. The problem here is the core of this Jazz team has now been together for four seasons...and they seem to be getting worse every year.

Continuity is great if you’re winning. The Jazz are not (at least not enough).

Albert Einstein once said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." The Jazz organization may not have received a clinical diagnosis yet, but the neighbors are beginning to point and whisper.

So who to trade? Honestly, for the right deal I would part with anyone on the roster aside from Deron Williams. With any trade, however, I would expect Carlos Boozer to be the centerpiece.

Many NBA analysts feel the Jazz will keep Boozer for the remainder of the season. That would be an enormous mistake, in my humble opinion. Follow my logic here:

1. The Jazz have no shot at winning the NBA title this season. In fact they’re not even in the playoff picture right now.

2. Carlos Boozer will be gone this summer. The Jazz can’t afford to pay him what he wants, and unlike this past summer, there will be a number of interested teams with the cap room to sign him.

3. It would be incredibly short-sighted to keep a player you know isn’t part of the team’s future just to potentially win a few more games this season. If the Jazz were legitimate title contenders, it would be a different story.

4. Even if they can’t get fair market value for Boozer, the Jazz would be better off receiving some kind of asset in return rather than losing an all-star for nothing.

I refuse to accept excuses from Utah’s front office that they can’t find a trade for Boozer that makes sense. I’ve heard the argument from some fans that no team will give up anything of value for Boozer when they know they could just sign him as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Again, I don't buy it. The team that traded for Boozer would have his Bird rights and be able to offer him more money and a longer contract than any other team. At worst, they would have the ability to make a sign-and-trade or free up cap room to go after another free agent.

Rod Thorne, GM of the New Jersey Nets, recently said, "if you make a deal for an expiring free agent of the major variety, you’d have to feel your chances were very good to re-sign that player." Interesting comment, as I believe New Jersey could be a legitimate trading partner. I don't know Boozer personally, but he certainly seems to be motivate by money. Pay him, and he'll sign.

I could probably come up with at least 30 “realistic” potential Boozer trades that I would willingly accept. In fact I'll try to make good on that in my next post.

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