Season of the tank!-2013-14 regular season

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]the picture for the Jazz is that they need a new coach. Not because the young players aren

[Xiao Yao You]

The Jazz, already the worst defensive team in the league, giving up 109 points per 100 possessions on the year, have seen their D drop off even more. Over its last eight games, a stretch with just one win, Utah’s defensive rating is a league-worst 116.3.

And the offense isn’t keep pace, as the Jazz have the NBA’s worst net rating over that stretch: -14.2 per 100 possessions. In this stretch run, the Jazz have seen some positives. Gordon Hayward is averaging 18.4 points and shooting 42 percent over the last eight games. Enes Kanter is averaging a double-double. And Alec Burks is getting to the free throw line nearly eight times a game, en route to 16.8 points per contest.

But there have been steep declines elsewhere over the last eight games:

• Teams are outscoring the Jazz by 16.6 per 100 possessions with Burke on the floor.

• Marvin Williams’ net rating has dropped from -5.6 on the year to -19.1 in this stretch.

Following a blowout loss in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, Jazz coach Ty Corbin took exception with his team’s body language — something he hasn’t done much this year.

"I didn’t like it at the end. I thought the group at the very end came back and fought. When they made some shots we acted like we were a little defeated," he said. "We can’t afford to feel sorry for ourselves and not continue to fight, and I thought the group at the end, at least they came out and tried to execute and fight hard."

"Guys get a little frustrated, as most young players do and young teams do," Jefferson added. "Veteran teams, they persevere and they push through. We have a young team and at times if they miss a few shots or the other team hits a few shots, they’re going to hang their heads. That’s just something you go through with a young team. But it changes as you get more mature and understand the game is a long process."

The process may be long, but the season has just four games left.

And Corbin expects his players to finish strong.

"These guys aren’t going to quit, man," he said. "They understand where we are. They understand if we’re going to have any chance of being successful we have to stay together and work hard to do that. Even though we’ve gone through some adversity, they seem to come back and fight."

afalk@sltrib.com

[Xiao Yao You]

Jazz player net ratings

Player rating based on team points scored vs. points allowed per 100 possessions while on the floor:

Player Sea* L8**

Alec Burks 7.5 -11.3

Brandon Rush -12.3 7.9

Derrick Favors -9.2 -9.9

Diante Garrett -4.9 -10.4

Enes Kanter -13 -15.4

Gordon Hayward -8.4 -12

Ian Clark 0.2 -30.9

Jeremy Evans -7.5 -17.2

John Lucas III -16.5 -10.2

Malcolm Thomas -30.9 -51.5

Marvin Williams -5.6 -19.1

Richard Jefferson -10.4 -13.4

Rudy Gobert -2.4 2.7

Trey Burke -7.3 -16.6

*Season **Last 8 games

Burks the only one positive on the year!

[Xiao Yao You]

Jabari Parker Expects Draft Decision After Meeting Coach K

Apr 11, 2014 5:35 PM EDT

Jabari Parker said he expects to make a decision by next Tuesday or Wednesday on whether he will enter the June NBA Draft.

Parker plans to meet Mike Krzyzewski to make his decision.

"It's a very tough decision especially potentially leaving behind my coach and the program that really helped me out this year, so I really have to keep them in consideration in this whole process," Parker said on Friday.

Parker does not view returning for his sophomore season at Duke as risky.

"I think there's no risk," Parker said. "I think the community at Duke has really done a good job of taking care of my safety and they make sure that everything is done by the playbook. My parents, they come from different backgrounds. They don't even value money. My situation isn't the best, but they're not complaining and I've been going on this long so why can't I wait another year? That's the mindset in my head that keeps me moving."

Via ESPN

[Xiao Yao You]

Alex Kirk Leaves New Mexico For NBA Draft
Apr 11, 2014 3:46 PM EDT

Alex Kirk has left New Mexico to declare for the 2014 NBA Draft.

Kirk, a seven-foot redshirt junior, averaged 13.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game this season.

Via Jeff Borzello/CBS Sports

likely undrafted

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]The Mavericks

[Xiao Yao You]

Kanter registered his 21st double-double of the season. He is second on the team in that category behind Favors, who has 23

mostly off the bench

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]We finally got to see the young 5 starting together and playing together. It last a grand total of 3:36 before Favors committed his 2nd foul and had to go out of the game.

They ended up playing 17 minutes in the game. They were outscored 37-36. They scored at a rate of 113 pts per 100 possessions but allowed at a rate of 112 per 100 possessions. The offensive rebounding rate was 44% which is consistent with the level of rebounding they have had as a 5 man group all season. However, that is not sustainable. The Jazz only allowed the Blazers to shot 10 of 25 when this line-up was on the floor but they fouled way too much allowing the Blazers to go to the line for 15 of 18 from the line.

The line-up played with pace and had an energy level we haven

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]The lineup played 17 minutes together and was outscored by 1 point. In those 17 minutes, the group shot 46.9% (15-32), including 3-7 from three, accumulated 16 rebounds, garnered 11 assists, and turned the ball over 5 times. Somewhat worryingly, they drew only 3 fouls while committing 11 against Portland. All in all, though, that

[Xiao Yao You]

of 125 rotation guards in the league this season, Burke ranks dead last in Defensive Rating (points against per-100-possessions while a player is on the court) according to NBA.com.2 The Jazz have been nearly five points-per-100 better when he leaves the court, the largest drop-off for any regular rotation player on the team besides Enes Kanter.

No where to go but up! With Enes and Burke it's hard to imagine them becoming a defensive team.

[QUOTE]The reasons for this are varied, with some tying back in to his pre-draft forecast. Burke isn

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]

[Xiao Yao You]

As it currently stands, the Jazz have the fourth-worst record in the league. Utah, loser of four straight, is 24-56 with two games remaining in the 2013-14 season. Milwaukee is sitting at the bottom of the NBA at 15-65, followed by Philadelphia (17-63) and Orlando (23-57).

Boston, which has actually won two in a row, and the Lakers, losers of seven straight, are nipping at the Jazz’s heels with 25-55 records.

Which brings us back to this Monday night marquee matchup.

One team (the winner) will boost its pride.

One team (the loser) will boost the amount of pingpong balls it gets on May 20 when the NBA determines its drafting order for the first 14 selections.

The team with the league’s worst record (the Bucks) will have a 25 percent chance of winning the top pick, the second-worst has a 19.9 percent chance and the third-worst has 15.6 percent.

The Jazz will fall somewhere between fourth (11.9 percent), fifth (8.8 percent) and sixth (6.3 percent).

Looks like they could still be third but unlikely.


If this draft really is five deep when it comes to superstar potential — Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker (if he enters), Dante Exum and Julius Randle — dropping to the No. 6 spot would put the Jazz in an unenviable predicament.

The Jazz have beaten the Lakers in two of three meetings so far this season, so a Utah win would give L.A. the lottery tiebreaker. A Jazz loss would make it a two-team battle (with Boston) for the fourth spot.

Utah wraps up the season in Minnesota on Wednesday, while the injury-plagued Lakers end that night at San Antonio. The Celtics play at Philly on Monday and host the Wizards on Wednesday.

It’s worth noting that the Jazz will also have the Warriors’ first-round pick, which is currently in the 23rd spot. Utah picked up that asset — and a 2017 first-round selection — last summer by trading for Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins and Brandon Rush.

Pride and/or pingpong balls aren’t the only thing on the line for this game.

The Jazz need one more win to avoid ending up tied with the first team in the Beehive State for the worst record in the franchise’s 35-year Utah era. That 1979-80 squad, led by Adrian Dantley and Pete Maravich (for 17 games), finished that campaign at 24-58.

The Jazz have only finished with fewer than 30 wins three times since then. Utah was 25-57 in 1981-82 when Frank Layden replaced Tom Nissalke as head coach during the season; 26-56 in 2004-05 when Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko had injury-plagued seasons; and 28-54 in 1980-81 despite big seasons by Dantley (30.7 ppg) and Darrell Griffith (20.6 ppg).

My first year following them. Right back where it all began!


Monday's home-finale could also be the final time Tyrone Corbin coaches the Jazz team in Utah. His contract is up after this season, and management hasn’t made an indication of whether it will re-up the longtime Jazzman, who has had a variety of challenges and mix-and-match rosters since replacing Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan midway in February 2011.

Although Utah wants him back, it’s possible this could be the final time shooting guard Gordon Hayward suits up in a Jazz uniform at EnergySolutions Arena. The team’s leading scorer becomes a restricted free agent this offseason.

Veterans Richard Jefferson, Marvin Williams and Brandon Rush will also potentially be wearing Jazz uniforms for the final time at ESA. They’ll all be free agents this summer.

Trey Burke, Alec Burks, Jeremy Evans, Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert and Enes Kanter are the only players with guaranteed contracts with the Jazz for next season.

EMAIL: jody@desnews.com

TWITTER: DJJazzyJody

[Xiao Yao You]

Trey Burke has taken care of the ball all season long. He doled out eight assists in 38 turnover-less minutes Saturday, the third consecutive game without a miscue. In fact, Burke has now played 130 consecutive minutes (dating back to the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors) sans a turnover, while handing out 31 assists during that span.

That is impressive!

[QUOTE]- Only six players on Denver

[Xiao Yao You]

Hayward and former WNBA great Tina Thompson will coach young hopefuls trying to become Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA All-Stars during the Philippines 2014 national training camp.

The camp, sponsored by the NBA

[Xiao Yao You]

The case of Hayward is … curious. The Jazz were hoping he’d be more than he is.

Why I'm not sure?


As mentioned, he was on the floor more than any other player and was asked to do more, probably too much. He’s led the team in scoring — averaging 16 points — and got 5.2 assists, along with five rebounds. But he also turned the ball over the most — 2.7 times a game — and shot 41 percent, 31 percent from three. In each of his four seasons in the league, as Hayward has squeezed off more attempts, his shooting percentage has dropped, from 48 percent to 45 percent to 43 percent to this year’s low.

He’s taking too many shots outside his range, and he’s making bad decisions as to when to fire away in traffic. Hayward can still be a fine player. He might even become a fringe all-star. But the load of carrying a team is too much. He’d make a terrific third-option on a contending team.

Favors is the closest thing the Jazz have to an emerging elite player.

He is? Burks does to me. Kanter offensively. Favors defensively. Hayward all-around. Burke a lot to work on.


His defense has always been his priority, and he could become a great rim protector. He averaged 1.4 blocks this season — that number will go higher — and he also averaged 13.2 points and 8.7 boards. At the offensive end, the Jazz should have gone to Favors more this season because he already improved enough to make nearly 52 percent of his shots. Still, he ranked only fifth in attempts. He has to get the ball more and he must hit more than 67 percent of his free throws.

That's not a bad FT % for a big.


Burks showed the most improvement, doubling his scoring — to 14 points — and making 46 percent of his shots, despite ratcheting into the ionosphere their degree of difficulty.

His aggression at the offensive end rewarded him with more trips to the line than any other Jazz player. He made 75 percent. It will be interesting to see how the Jazz use Burks moving forward. Do they see him as a trusted go-to guy from hip to hop, or as a kind of mercurial, situational force off the bench?

Could depend on the draft, G and Burks own contact.


Kanter should have played more this season. It was wasteful that he didn’t. In his 26 minutes, the Jazz player who benefits more than any other from his time put up 12.1 points and hauled down 7.3 rebounds. He’s a gifted offensive presence, with evolving moves and a soft touch. His defense at times was a laugh a minute, but Kanter is capable of a better effort there than he showed. He needs strong coaching and court time. He’s a unique talent the Jazz should make more use of or trade for whatever it is they’re looking for.

Trade looks likely.


Either way, the forceful fact remains.

The Jazz have young players all around who can be good, a couple who can grow to be real good. But they still need what they don’t have: a player who somewhere in his bones can be great. With luck, and a few more losses, maybe they’ll get him from the only place they ever could, from the place this season was always — or always should have been — about.

Yeah, you know where.

GORDON MONSON hosts "The Big Show" with Spence Checketts weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM/1280 and 960 AM The Zone. Twitter: @GordonMonson.

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]Parker, a Mormon, told ESPN L.A. that he had ruled out serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"I think I have at this point," he said. "It

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Moreland To Leave Oregon State For NBA Draft

Apr 12, 2014 | Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

Eric Moreland averaged 8.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game last season.

undrafted likely

[Xiao Yao You]

Jake Fischer: Source: Michigan soph forward Glenn Robinson III has signed with an agent and will enter the NBA Draft. Press conference coming this week. Twitter

Could be in play for the Jazz's early 2nd.

[Xiao Yao You]

Pete Thamel: SOURCE: Syracuse forward Jerami Grant plans to announce he's declaring for the NBA Draft today. Twitter

Possibly in play for the Jazz's 2nd pick

[Xiao Yao You]

As it stands, the Jazz can mathematically tie or pass Orlando for the third-worst record if the Magic beat either the Bulls or the Pacers or both. However, the chances of Orlando beating either team are too remote to take into serious consideration. So, the Jazz can realistically finish anywhere from fourth-worst to sixth-worst.

Depends on if those teams have anything to play for. Looks like they might. They might end up sitting guys to rest for the playoffs too.


The Jazz control their destiny. They can simply lose vs. the Lakers and Timberwolves to clinch the fourth-worst record. There are some subtle and not-so-subtle ways that Utah can make sure it loses its final two games.

But should the Jazz intentionally throw those games?

Intentionally losing any game runs against the competitive spirit that makes sports fun. What kind of message would throwing games send to the Jazz players? Such a move would signal to the players and coaches that they're so bad it's worth tossing a game or two to increase the odds of a high lottery pick.

That's not the best way to build loyalty.

Besides, the Jazz need to convince their young talent to stay for as long as possible so they can build a playoff-calibur team around a top lottery pick. It doesn't do much good for the Jazz to get a top-three pick only to have young players such as Trey Burke jet as soon as they can become free agents.

Speaking of Burke, he's already spoken out against tanking to Jody Genessy: "We play hard, practice hard every single day. Why would we want to go out there and try to lose? Wherever we do land in the lottery, that will be great for us, but to try to tank games and lose games, I think, is just absurd."

So, is intentionally losing the Jazz' final two games and adding tension to the locker room really worth better odds of getting a top lottery pick? What happens if the Jazz do finish with the fourth-worst record only to drop to the No. 7 pick in the lottery? While that scenario has only a 1.2 percent chance of happening, it's possible. After all, there would be a 62.2 percent chance the Jazz won't be in the top three even if the team throws its remaining two games.

At any rate, it makes Monday's game between the two worst teams in the West interesting.

Lafe Peavler is a staff sports writer for the Deseret News. Follow him on Twitter @LafePeavler.

I think it sucks to be put in a position where you hope they lose. Something needs to be done about the current system.

[Xiao Yao You]

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865600953/Utah-Sports-Ruckus-The-future-of-the-Jazz-rests-on-Larry-Krystkowiak-Eric-Murdock-and-the-No-14.html

Coach K as the next Jazz head coach? I like him. Not sure he's the guy for the job though. I liked Murdock too!

[Xiao Yao You]

Michael Pointer: #Pacers coach Frank Vogel says George, West and Stephenson will not play tomorrow in Orlando. Twitter @michaelpointer

That could hurt Orlando's tanking efforts. Jazz could still tie for 3rd.

[Xiao Yao You]

Jason King: Baylor soph center Isaiah Austin will enter the NBA draft, sources tell @BleacherReport . Austin wouldve gone last season if not for injury. Twitter

Isaiah Austin: To whoever falsely said that I will enter the draft, I am still weighing my options and have not come to an official decision yet Twitter @IsaiahAustin

potential stretch big. early/ mid 2nd


Michigan State junior Branden Dawson announced his decision to remain in school for his senior season on Tuesday. A 6-foot-6 guard/forward from Gary, Ind., Dawson averaged 11.2 points and a team-best 8.3 rebounds for the Spartans in 2013-14. Michigan State Official Athletic Site

early 2nd


Bruce Pascoe: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Kaleb Tarczewski are staying at Arizona, Sean Miller confirms. Twitter

[Xiao Yao You]

Aaron Gordon: From the first grade, I've wanted to compete at the highest level. So that's what I intend on doing next year. I am going to go to the NBA

Twitter @IamAaronGordon

top 10. stretch 4.

[Xiao Yao You]

Point guard Elfrid Payton will forgo his senior season at Louisiana Lafayette and enter the 2014 NBA Draft, a league source informed CSNNW.com. According to another source educated on the situation says the 6-4 guard has agreed to make Ty Sullivan of Creative Artist Agency his agent. CSNNW.com

late first


Adam Zagoria: Rodney Hood is gone to the NBA, source told @SNYtv. Jabari decides tomorrow. Twitter

I think maybe I've mentioned him already? mid late first

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]The Lakers broadcast put up a stat box when Burks was shooting free throws:

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]1. The Jazz had two big stretches in which they just couldn

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]Since March 3, Jazz opponents have scored at least 101 points in 14 of 22 games. Utah is 3-19 since Milwaukee, which owns the worst record in the league, rolled to a 114-88 victory.

Individually, the list of individuals who have torched the Jazz include the Bucks

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]This season, Hayward

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]And while the group is still waiting for their first win as a starting five, rookie point guard Burke said he

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]"Ty

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]The Jazz will get help in the off-season, but how much is uncertain. Whether it

[veilside23]

dont know if this post is suppose to be in here .. but if both smart and exum will be available. i would like the jazz to pick exum over smart i also dont like randle for they have kanter and favors not unless the jazz would like to part with kanter... anyone have anythoughts about kanter?

[Xiao Yao You]

Kanter looks likely to be traded by next trade deadline to me. He and Favors didn't work together. Unless a new coach can make them work together they need to trade him before he becomes a free agent I'd think.

Jazz should take the best player available regardless of position. I believe all the guys available to them are rated higher than the guys they have were when they were drafted. They also have Gobert and Evans in the mix up front and possibly Tomic.

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]UCLA men

[Xiao Yao You]

Derrick Favors proved that he deserves major minutes for Utah in the future while setting career-highs in scoring, rebounding and assists in 30 minutes a game.

He's got a contract that proves he needs to do a lot more.


Alec Burks showed that he has the ability to score no matter who the Jazz are facing and nearly doubled his career-high in scoring average by putting up 14 points a night.

He'd already shown it if anyone was paying attention.


Gordon Hayward showed that he is a solid all-around player who can score, find the open man and hit the glass.

He'd already shown it too!


Enes Kanter has displayed plenty of skill on the offensive end of the floor and has shown that he has learned much from his time behind Al Jefferson.

As had he!


The big bright spot on the season has been the play of point guard Trey Burke. After a brutal summer and an early season injury, Burke showed why the Jazz brass traded up to get his services. In fact, his year was so impressive that his first season with the Jazz ranks among the best rookie campaigns in Utah Jazz history.

Pretty sad you can gun like that and be considered one of the top rookies. Great proof that they need a minor league system and need to do something about tanking. Burke shouldn't have been starting and playing those kind of minutes.

[Xiao Yao You]

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865601130/Ranking-the-best-rookie-seasons-in-Utah-Jazz-history.html

This list is a good example. A lot of these guys played better than Burke but they played a role off the bench on good teams instead of starting.

Kirilenko's season certainly better coming off the bench behind Karl and Donyell. Deron was better he was just benched behind Lucas like stiffs parts of the season. Thurl was in a weak rookie class like Burke but made first team all rookie too.

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]Four years, for $10 million a year. Not a penny more.

Based on four years in the NBA, that

[Xiao Yao You]

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=29502943&nid=304&title=jazz-finally-bought-into-losing

[Xiao Yao You]

This season was a very different season for Gordon Hayward. Last year, he played off the action of Jefferson and Millsap. This year he created the action. Comparing the shots charts of the last two seasons shows this difference.

The right wing action is the most interesting. Last year a great deal of that comes off the left block play of Al Jefferson. This year he is creating for himself in those areas.

He has become better in the areas close to the basket. If you narrow it more from what you can see here he improved from 53% to 57% in the restricted area this year.

Looking at these charts Gordon has improved in the areas around the basket which are most difficult, but he lost the good looks from other players action. If he gets that back with a better surrounding roster he will be a vastly improved player.

A better cast and better role. He should have never been the go to guy even with the current roster.


Bring back the 40% right side three point shooting with the improvement around the paint and you have a very solid and efficient offensive player.

Posted in Breakdown

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]Let

[Xiao Yao You]

Burke said he will work on getting stronger and improving his jump shot this offseason, after shooting 38 percent from the field.

He is part of one of the youngest teams in the league. The Jazz's starting lineup Wednesday featured just one player

[Xiao Yao You]

they know they are not the worst Jazz squad since the franchise moved to Utah. That distinction still belongs to Adrian Dantley, Ron Boone and the 1979-80 Jazz, the first in the Utah era, a team that won just 24 games. With Wednesday

[Xiao Yao You]

Hayward finished the season as the second player in Jazz history to average at least 16 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in a season, joining Pete Maravich.

Missed out on the 1.5 steals though.

[Xiao Yao You]

Burke had one of the best games of his rookie campaign. His numbers were gaudy, but they belied the flair behind them. Burke had 32 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. While he had an uncharacteristic five turnovers, Utah was plus-19 when he was on the court, which is very impressive given the close score. Burke clearly showed why he is Jazz’s point guard of the now and the future.

He's shown he's got a future in the NBA. Rather he is a future starter for a good team remains to be seen. He's got a lot to work on. If they have the chance to draft Exum or Smart they certainly might have to consider them not to mention letting Neto go at him in the summer.


Backcourt partner Gordon Hayward’s performance typified his entire season. While he shot was errant (just 8 of 23 from the floor), his all-around game was brilliant. The swingman just missed a triple double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

Derrick Favors was consistently strong all evening. He was stout on both ends of the court, finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots and two steals. Fill-in starter Jeremy Evans may have had the best outing of his Jazz career in putting up 18 points and 11 rebounds to go with three steals and three blocked shots.

Last but not least, Rudy Gobert came off the bench to make impacts defensively and offensively. He had eight points and nine rebounds in a mere 14 minutes. The future is indeed bright. The young guys look to build upon their progress next season.

This and that

- With center Enes Kanter sitting out, not only did Evans step up, but little-used big man Malcolm Thomas had his best game of the season also. He was energetic and vocal as he contributed nine points and four rebounds in 21 minutes.

He may have earned him a roster spot next year with that.


- Eight Minnesota players finished in double-digits, lead by long-time Jazz nemesis Kevin Martin’s 36 points.

- All-Star forward Kevin Love came across as disinterested in the season finale, but still ended with a near triple double of his own (19 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists).

- Center Gorgui Dieng, who was actually drafted by the Jazz, had just four points and seven boards. He had been averaging 15.7 points and 15 rebounds the previous three outings.

David Smith provides instant analysis for Deseret News' Utah Jazz coverage. He works for LDS Philanthropies and also writes for Salt City Hoops (ESPN's Jazz affiliate). He can be reached at mechakucha1@gmail.com or on Twitter at davidjsmith1232.