Monday, October 18, 2010

NBA 30-Team Preview #9: Utah Jazz

Al Jefferson!....

ROSTER

C - Al Jefferson, Mehmut Okur, Kyrylo Fesenko
PF - Paul Millsap, Francisco Elson
SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Gordon Heyward
SG - CJ Miles, Raja Bell
PG - Deron Williams, Ronnie Price, Earl Watson

ANALYSIS

Brad: I love big Al like a cousin... or a brother of some sort... anyway, I have an affinity for his work... I think he's the best offensive post player in the league not named "Pau" or "Gasol", and he's in an offense with a legit star guard for the first time in his life... Millsap gets guaranteed burn (something he's never disappointed with), and there's still Deron Williams... aka the 2nd best PG alive... oh, and Jerry Sloan is one of the best coaches in the L... there are things to like... but then there's the wing dearth... Kirilenko is a legit x-factor when healthy because of versatility but he's not a perimeter offensive option... Heyward is talented but we have no idea... and the Miles/Bell combo isn't NBA starting caliber at this stage unless Raja is Raja from the Suns days... right?

Ryan: I really think we're jumping the gun on Utah here..I am too..they shipped out alot of talent in Boozer/Brewer(deadline)/Korver and getting Jefferson/Bell/Hayward aren't exactly wow talents replacing them. Jefferson(while a legit center) doesn't really fit the whole pick and roll thing Utah has done for like 20 years..Bell is aging and hasn't played in forever it seems..and Hayward is unproven. But with saying all that all world guard Deron Williams(1b to Paul's 1a) makes things happen and I'm sure he'll make these transitions a little easier.I just don't see this team scoring too much..or I don't see where its coming from.I do like the option of having Deron playing some 2 with the signing of Earl Watson though..who is the 3rd scorer on this team?

Brad: Hmmm... Millsap is the 3rd scorer? He's a garbage scorer on the glass, but he can get 16-18 I think... and I think Jefferson goes 20/10 in this offense... so that's enough... Watson is capable, especially if he's not charged with playing effective offense... I actually like CJ Miles in the times I've seen him... for whatever that is worth... Maybe I'm alone in this, but I think Jefferson is better than Boozer, and with the allowance of Millsap to play his real position, I think it's a minor upgrade... I can't explain away the Brewer/Matthews departure being a positive... because it isn't... but this was an upper-echelon team a year ago, and I think it stays that way when you have 2 stars like Jefferson and Deron... of course, this is all off the rails if Al Jeff can't stay healthy...

Ryan: Oh thats right!...they lost Matthews too!...ugh..not helping..I think I'm underrating CJ a bit..he did grow a bit last year..I think i'd rather have Jefferson too but I'm skeptical for the tradeoff in this system...I'm kinda lukewarm on Jefferson as a star I feel..I will grant him a pass on being in Boston before they were Boston and the years in Minny..but eh..I guess he'll play more frequently than Boozer would and has legit length to battle Pau and Bynum..but overall I still think they get in the playoffs but thats about it... Prediction: 7th in the West.

Brad: I believe in Al Jefferson and Jerry Sloan!!!!! That is all. Prediction: 7th in the West


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