Utah Jazz Blog – Page 40 – NBA Blog

Alec Burks recovering from shoulder issue

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz guard Alec Burks:

Burks (left shoulder inflammation) will be listed as OUT for tonight’s game vs. Toronto and Friday’s game vs. Orlando while undergoing additional testing on his left shoulder. Further updates will be provided when appropriate.

The 23-year-old Burks (6-6, 211, Colorado) has appeared in 18 games (all starts) and is averaging 13.3 points and career-highs of 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 33.7 minutes. The fourth-year guard was originally selected by the Jazz in the first round (12th overall selection) of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Rodney Hood injury update: out 2-3 more weeks

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz guard/forward Rodney Hood, who has missed the last six games due to a right foot injury:

Hood accompanied the team to Golden State, but will be listed as OUT indefinitely. He will continue to participate in treatment, conditioning and restricted weight training for approximately two-to-three weeks at which time he will be reevaluated.

The 22-year-old Hood (6-8, 215, Duke) has appeared in six games as a rookie, averaging 4.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 15.2 minutes. He was originally selected in the first round (23rd overall selection) of the 2014 NBA Draft, becoming the first former Duke player ever to be drafted by the Jazz.

Utah Jazz assign Toure` Murry to D-League

Utah Jazz assign Toure’ Murry to D-League affiliate Idaho Stampede

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has assigned guard Toure’ Murry to the NBA Development League’s Idaho Stampede, the Jazz’s exclusive D-League affiliate. Murry is expected to be in uniform for the Stampede’s season opener on Friday, Nov. 14 against the Erie BayHawks.

Murry (6-5, 195, Wichita State) played one game for the Erie BayHawks last season while on D-League assignment from the New York Knicks, recording 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes of action. He spent the 2012-13 season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA D-League, averaging 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 46 games (30 starts) en route to the 2013 D-League Championship.

The 6-5 guard signed with Utah as a free agent on Aug. 28. He has not yet appeared in a game this season for the Jazz.

Murry is the ninth different player in Jazz history to be assigned to the D-League, and the first under the new Jazz-Stampede single affiliation. Other players on the current Jazz roster with D-League experience include Ian Clark, Rudy Gobert, Jeremy Evans and Steve Novak.

Gordon Hayward hits game-winning buzzer-beater vs Cavs

The Utah Jazz got quite a thrill in their home arena last night, courtesy of Gordon Hayward, who nailed a beautiful jumpshot at the buzzer to give his squad a win.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, still working to develop team chemistry, are a serious work in progress right now, but still, any win against a team with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love on their roster is a good one.

Here’s the Deseret news reporting, followed by video of Hayward’s game-winning, buzzer-beating shot:

Sundiata Gaines has some company when it comes to the part of Utah Jazz lore that includes hitting buzzer-beating shots against LeBron James’ teams.

In a moment that encapsulated the Jazz’s better-than-expected play this fall and highlighted the progression of his career, small forward Gordon Hayward lifted the Utah Jazz to one doozy of a 102-100 win over James and the Cleveland Cavaliers with a buzzer-beating dagger.

“This is crazy. We did it for these guys (the fans). This is exciting,” Hayward said on the court in his walk-off interview as spectators screamed and streamers danced from the ceiling. “We are competitors. We fight until the end. We left it all out there tonight.” …

Hayward scored 21 points — matching center Derrick Favors’ offensive output — but none of his seven buckets will be remembered as much as the one that improved Utah to 2-3 while knocking the struggling Cavs down another notch to 1-3.

Utah Jazz and Enes Kanter fail to reach extension agreement

Jazz and Enes Kanter fail to reach extension agreement

It’s always tough when a rebuilding team has to make a big decision on exactly how much of their future to tie up on any given player. That’s the situation with the Utah Jazz and center Enes Kanter, who is talented and has a bright future but isn’t a sure thing to emerge as a serious star. He may. But may not. And for the Jazz, it’s scary to take a huge leap of faith. So the team sides have reportedly failed to come up with an agreement that makes both sides happy. Here’s the Deseret News reporting:

Enes Kanter will enter the free-agency market next summer.

The fourth-year big man and the Utah Jazz could not come to an agreement on a contract extension and mutually agreed to call off negotiations ahead of Friday’s deadline, the Deseret News has confirmed.

Like Hayward this past summer, the 22-year-old Kanter will be a restricted free agent next offseason. Hayward ended up signing a four-year, $63 million deal with Utah after signing an offer sheet with Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets.

“It’s a long process,” Kanter said. “I’m letting my agent handle this stuff. I’m just going to wait and see what’s going to happen.”

Utah Jazz add Jordan Hamilton and Joe Ingles off waivers

Utah Jazz add Jordan Hamilton and Joe Ingles off waivers

The Utah Jazz have claimed fourth-year forward/guard Jordan Hamilton and rookie forward Joe Ingles off waivers.

The move gives the Jazz extra depth off the bench.

The 24-year-old Hamilton (6-7, 220, Texas) was waived by the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 25 after appearing in six preseason games with the Raptors, averaging 9.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 18.3 minutes. He was signed by the Raptors on Aug. 18.

Hamilton has appeared in 126 career NBA games (15 starts) over three seasons with Denver and Houston, averaging 5.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.3 minutes while shooting .358 (114-318) from three-point range. He started the 2013-14 season with Denver before being traded to Houston on February 20 in exchange for Aaron Brooks. For the season, he appeared in 60 games (12 starts) and averaged 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds in 17.0 minutes, scoring in double figures 20 times. He was originally drafted by Dallas in the first round (26th overall selection) of the 2011 NBA Draft.

A Los Angeles native, Hamilton played two seasons at the University of Texas (2009-11) and led the Longhorns in scoring (18.6) and ranked second in rebounding (7.7) and minutes played (32.2) during his sophomore campaign. He was selected to the All-Big 12 First Team.

Ingles (6-8, 216, Australia) was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 25 after playing 37 minutes in five preseason games (one start) and totaling six points, five rebounds and five assists. He was originally signed by the Clippers on Sept. 22.

Ingles, 27, played for the Australian National Team in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and averaged 11.4 points and 3.4 assists. Ingles spent the 2013-14 season with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League, where he played for current Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt and helped Maccabi to win the Euroleague Championship. Ingles played three seasons for FC Barcelona (2010-13) of the Liga ACB, and played for Australia in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

A native of Australia, Ingles started his professional career with the South Dragons of the National Basketball League (NBL), where he earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2007. He played for the Dragons for three seasons, earning All-NBL Third Team in 2009 as the team captured the NBL Championship. He spent the 2009-10 season with CB Granada in Spain averaging 11.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 34 games. Ingles has also participated in the NBA Summer League for the Golden State Warriors in 2009 and 2010.

With these additions, Utah’s roster is now 15 players.

Jazz waive Carrick Felix

Utah Jazz waive Jazz waive Carrick Felix, who was not going to receive much playing time

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has waived guard/forward Carrick Felix.

Felix (6-6, 201, Arizona State) was acquired by Utah in a trade with Cleveland on July 22 and was scoreless in 27 minutes during four preseason appearances.

Utah Jazz waive Brock Motum

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has waived forward Brock Motum. Following the move, Utah’s roster now stands at 14 players.

Motum (6-10, 235, Washington State) appeared in one game, scoring seven points, two rebounds and one assists in 11 minutes of play. He was signed as a free agent on Aug. 26.

Jazz exercise contract options on Trey Burke and Rudy Gobert

The Utah Jazz today elected to exercise its third-year team options for guard Trey Burke and center Rudy Gobert. The contract options for both players are through the 2015-16 NBA season.

Burke (6-1, 190, Michigan) is entering his second NBA season after averaging 12.8 points, a team-leading 5.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 70 games (68 starts) during his rookie campaign. He was named to the 2014 All-NBA Rookie First Team and finished third in 2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year balloting. Burke was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month three times (December, January and April), becoming the first Jazz player to win multiple Rookie of the Month awards. He also registered 12 games with 20-plus points, and handed out 10 or more assists on seven occasions. Burke was also selected to the 2014 NBA Rising Stars Challenge and won the 2014 Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans.

The 22-year-old Gobert (7-1, 245, France) is also entering his second NBA season after appearing in 45 games (all as a reserve) for the Jazz in 2013-14 and averaged 2.3 points and 3.4 rebounds as a rookie. He led Utah in rebounding on three occasions in his rookie campaign and was second on the team in blocks per game (0.9). Gobert was named to the 2014 All-NBA Summer League Second Team after averaging 11.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 23.8 minutes over four games in Las Vegas. He also won a bronze medal with the France Men’s Basketball Team at the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Both Burke (ninth overall) and Gobert (27th overall) were selected in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft, and their rights were acquired by the Jazz in separate draft night trades.

NBA preseason ends Friday night. The 2014-15 regular season begins Tuesday, October 28.

Derrick Favors trying to extend shooting range

Utah Jazz big-man Derrick Favors averaged 13.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game last season. For 2014-15 and beyond, he hopes for a better jumpshot. Here’s the Salt Lake Tribune reporting:

“I knew I could make shots between the free-throw line area and 10-15 feet,” Favors said after shootaround on Monday. “But I’m trying to extend it to maybe 18 [feet], toward the 3-point line. I try to keep working on it, keep making shots … so hopefully in the future I can move out to the 3-point line.”

Jazz coach Quin Snyder has given big man Enes Kanter the green light to fire from distance this year, but he hasn’t quite asked Favors to do the same.

“I think it’s just taking good shots,” Snyder said. “I think it’s a process. He’s probably 15-18 [feet] right now. That’s my feeling. He and I haven’t talked about in a whole lot of detail. It’s not like he’s feeling like he wants to go out and shoot 3s. We’re comfortable with him taking open shots. I think that keeps people honest. It allows him to attack in other ways too.”

The jumpshot was Favors’ primary focus this summer.

“I took a lot of jump shots this offseason,” he said. “That was my whole plan this offseason was to work on my jumper. Around the free-throw line area, around the baseline. Try to add that to my game so guys respect me more, so it can help me out on my driving game. … During the summer I probably took maybe 500 shots a day, every day.”