2020-21 Regular season- The tax team

So, for two and a half weeks in January of 2020, Conley watched the Jazz win 10 consecutive games. He watched them beat the Los Angeles Clippers on the road in what was one of their best win of the year. He watched them find a stride and a rhythm that eluded them for most of the season. [URL="https://theathletic.com/2297151/2021/01/11/mike-conley-jazz-playing-well/"]Of course, he was happy for them. Privately, though, he worried. He fretted. “When I got healthy,” Conley said. “I didn’t want to be the reason they took a step back.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2297151/2021/01/11/mike-conley-jazz-playing-well/"]Tony Jones @ The Athleti[/URL]c



[URL="https://theathletic.com/2297151/2021/01/11/mike-conley-jazz-playing-well/"]“I’m happy that I’m around and that I’m able to see this thing grow,” Conley said. “Last year was a tough year for me. I went through a lot personally.[/URL] But, I was able to make progress and learn and piggyback that progress in the playoffs in the bubble. It’s so much easier with the same group of guys and the system. It’s made a big difference.”
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2297151/2021/01/11/mike-conley-jazz-playing-well/"]Tony Jones @ The Athletic[/URL]

[URL="https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/kv4w4g/whats_up_reddit_im_duncan_robinson_shooting_guard/"]Duncan Robinson: I’m a big Joe Ingles fan. I told this story on JJ’s pod last year, but I actually used him as my NBA-comparison when going thru pre-draft.[/URL] I love the way he competes and does what he needs to do to help the Jazz win games.
– via [URL="https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/kv4w4g/whats_up_reddit_im_duncan_robinson_shooting_guard/"]reddit[/URL]



Most people don’t see it but I think your defense has improved tremendously. Who do you credit most for your improvement and who is your favorite defender in the league? Duncan Robinson: Quite possibly my favorite question (or maybe I should say opening statement lol). Appreciate you for noticing. [URL="https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/kv4w4g/whats_up_reddit_im_duncan_robinson_shooting_guard/"]A lot of time spent with Chris Quinn, Eric/Bill Foran and our training staff has been whats helped the most.[/URL] Favorite defender to watch is Joe Ingles. Really good at using his body/positioning and has quick hands.
– via [URL="https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/kv4w4g/whats_up_reddit_im_duncan_robinson_shooting_guard/"]reddit[/URL]

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-jazz-flat-gotham-dominate-bucks/[/url]

[QUOTE]The nice thing about Mitchell’s version of a [URL="https://twitter.com/rudygobert27/status/949514542790381569?lang=en"]“we’ll be fine”[/URL] speech is that he backed it up with stellar play. For the week, Mitchell averaged 27.3 points, including 30-4-5 on 63% true shooting in the Jazz’s weekend wins. He looked spectacular against Milwaukee, putting his whole arsenal of moves on display but also playing a smart floor game. After a slow start to the season, he’s basically back at his career levels for scoring, passing, and shooting, and just a notch or two below career norms on the glass and from the free-throw line.


[/QUOTE]

career norms aren't going to be good enough for a max player

[QUOTE]One thing the Jazz are still struggling with: accuracy at the rim. Per Cleaning the Glass, they’ve only had one game all season where they shot better than the league median from the restricted area, and in two games this week (Bkn and Det) they missed a staggering HALF of their rim attempts. For the season, they’re at 58% excluding garbage time (league average is 63%), a bottom-6 figure. The worst culprits so far have been Mitchell (46% at the rim) and Bogdanovic (45%), two guys who should figure it out sooner or later.


[/QUOTE]

Mitchell hasn't figured out how to lay up the ball with his left hand. Doubt he ever will

[QUOTE][B]Jazz 96, Pistons 86: Mike Conley.[/B] Conley edged Mitchell by being slightly more efficient (22 points on 13 shots) and did enough other stuff (five rebounds six assists, two steals) to claim the fake Spalding. But both guys were superb again, despite the fact that they (and the rest of the team) went cold in the second half. Gobert’s late stops held off any last hope by Detroit, but it feels weird to give it to him in a game where he shot 1-for-5 and missed two thirds of his free throws. He (19 boards) and Favors (14) were both absolute glass-eaters, though, and Clarkson (18 poitns) once again did his thing off the bench..


[/QUOTE]

86 points. That's Rudy

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors[/url]

[QUOTE]Utah ended last season as the 11th ranked defense. With Rudy Gobert at center, the Jazz were excellent defensively at a rating of 107.4, good for 5th in the NBA. When Davis, Green, Morgan, or Bradley stepped in at center, Utah’s rating fell to 115.4, a mark that would have tied the [URL="https://www.fearthesword.com/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/URL] for 29th in the league.
Upon acquiring Derrick Favors, it seemed as though the defensive issues would materialize. After all, we’d only need to be average defensively to return to the upper echelon of defensive teams, right?
Unfortunately it hasn’t turned out that way.
In 626 possessions this season with Rudy Gobert on the court, the Jazz are posting a defensive rating of 105.6, good for 2nd in the NBA. When Derrick Favors replaces Rudy, the defense nose-dives to a 114.9 rating, 26th in the association. While still early, this doesn’t jive at all with our expectations.
[/QUOTE]

but I thought it was Bradley's fault and they don't lose anything with Favors instead of Rudy?

[QUOTE]The truth is Derrick has to be better. The reality is he has to do many things at once to keep the Jazz a winning defense. It’s also true that the perimeter defenders must be better. Just because the strategy is to get the opponent off the 3P line doesn’t mean they get to the paint and create a power play.


[/QUOTE]

can he be? He's never been the player he's hyped to be

[QUOTE]Remember too Gobert plays with mainly first string players. Favors mainly with second string players. The other players make a big difference.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SK32"]SK32[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535317729"]Jan 11, 2021 | 2:32 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

Didn't Bradley play with 2nd stringers?

[QUOTE]Or maybe all the comments that assumed Bradley’s ws/48 (.236) were just small sample/back-up player oddities should be reevaluated. Not that he was great, but maybe not as bad as we thought. And Favors is still putting up good individual stats, so maybe the bench unit is still figuring out how to gel together.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug"]Palmetto Bug[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535319080"]Jan 11, 2021 | 3:14 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

What Tony was is young, cheap and improving. Also best offensive rebounder in league. They had much bigger needs


[QUOTE][h=4]Cleveland playing tonight and I see a Yogi Ferrell playing for them[/h]
I thought we signed him in December. Then remembered we dropped him the next day and I guess he signed a 10 day with Cleveland today. Much better than waiting to play for our G League team.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike"]SKMike[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535327314"]Jan 11, 2021 | 7:32 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

It's a 10 day. He could still end up with Stars I imagine

[QUOTE]Looking forward to seeing Raul play – he is having a nice season, shooting 52.5% and 44% from 3. It seems he hasn’t had the injury woes that dogged him here.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike"]SKMike[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535333921"]Jan 11, 2021 | 10:40 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

He's a player. Too bad he didn't go to Duke

Fred Katz: The [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Wizards have placed two players in health and safety protocols and have canceled today’s practice,[/URL] they announce.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/FredKatz"]Twitter FredKatz
[/URL]




Marc Stein: The Wizards announce [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]they have canceled today’s practice “out of an abundance of caution”[/URL] after two of their players entered the league’s and safety protocols
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine"]Twitter TheSteinLine[/URL]





[IMG]https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2020/05/i_7b_cf_28_yogi-ferrell.png?w=190[/IMG]Not only does that create a short-term opportunity for Ferrell, but there’s also a path to a longer stay if he impresses over the next week and the Cavs determine Ferrell’s ball-handling and shot creation is more needed than the size, length and athleticism of Thon Maker — the sporadically-used end-of-roster developmental big who has done little to distinguish himself. That’s a conversation for further down the road. The Cavs must let that play out. [URL="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/01/yogi-ferrell-getting-opportunity-he-waited-five-months-for-im-approaching-this-as-if-i-have-nothing-to-lose.html"]For now, Ferrell has the shot he waited for all offseason — and never got. A chance to show he still belongs in the NBA. “I’m approaching this as if I have nothing to lose,” he said.[/URL] “I just want to go out there and give it my all and say I did that at the end of the day.”
– via [URL="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/01/yogi-ferrell-getting-opportunity-he-waited-five-months-for-im-approaching-this-as-if-i-have-nothing-to-lose.html"]Chris Fedor @ Cleveland Plain Dealer[/URL]

Chase Hughes: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Rui Hachimura and Moe Wagner are questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Jazz, as they are the two players in protocol, per the team. If they can’t play, the Wizards will be very thin in their frontcourt with Bryant also out as they face Rudy Gobert[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/ChaseHughesNBCS"]Twitter ChaseHughesNBCS[/URL]

Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff says rookie Isaac Okoro will be the primary defender on Donovan Mitchell, but adds that Donovan is too good to defend with one guy, and the Cavs will try to “get bodies on him.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]



Ben Anderson: JB Bickerstaff on Jordan Clarkson. [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]“Jordan is awesome, he is one of my favorites guys that I’ve been around[/URL]. Just as a person and a competittor, his game is enjoyable to watch. It’s different but it’s efficient and he can score in so many different ways.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]

[url]https://kslsports.com/450732/jazz-at-cavaliers-game-night/[/url]

[QUOTE]The Cavaliers enter the extremely shorthanded without three of their top four backcourt players. Staters Collin Sexton and Darius Garland will both be out for Cleveland, as will former Jazzman Dante Exum who is expected to miss the next 1-2 months with a calf injury.


[/QUOTE]

if Exum is top 4 you know they suck!



[CENTER][/CENTER]

[url]https://kslsports.com/450683/the-opposite-journeys-of-joe-ingles-and-dante-exum/[/url]

[QUOTE]Exum is expected to miss at least a [URL="https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/dante-exum-injury-update-cleveland-cavaliers-guard-sidelined-for-1-2-months-with-right-calf-strain/7ws9400jip8l159qb0wqr226s"]month[/URL] with the strain but could be out as long as two months. The guard has missed four straight games after suffering the injury after missing the Cavaliers season opener after injuring his hip.


[/QUOTE]

only Dante could miss two months with a strain!

[QUOTE]The Jazz didn’t get what they bargained for.


[/QUOTE]

yet they extended him and refused to trade him for Conley! :facepalm

[QUOTE]Exum’s injuries prevented him from ever transforming into the star they hoped they were drafting in 2014, while Ingles well-developed game and remarkable health made him a mainstay in Quin Snyder’s system.


[/QUOTE]

quit blaming it all on injuries. He's never been very good. Being long and fast doesn't mean you can play ball






[CENTER]
[/CENTER]

[url]https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/12/22225451/taking-stock-of-the-utah-jazz-and-the-nba-10-games-roughly-into-the-season[/url]

[QUOTE][h=3]The Jazz have been kind of all over the place with their play[/h]

[/QUOTE]

what's new?

[QUOTE]On a basic level, the Jazz have been pretty average relative to the rest of the NBA. As of Monday night, they were 14th in the league in offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) and 15th in defensive rating (points given up per 100 possessions).


[/QUOTE]

average just like last year. Who's to blame with Bradley gone?

[QUOTE]Defensively, Rudy Gobert is going to always be the anchor inside, but Utah still can’t defend on the perimeter. It’s a problem that plagued the Jazz last season. They didn’t do anything to address it in the offseason, and [URL="https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/30/22205575/utah-jazz-defending-the-3-point-line-jordan-clarkson-joe-ingles"]it’s proving to be a problem now[/URL] as numerous opposing guards have already feasted on Utah.


[/QUOTE]

they did address it. Favors and Shaq while letting Tucker go! Who's to blame now besides the front office and coach?

[QUOTE]Good things happen when players are playing well (duh!), and so far that’s been a mixed bag for the Jazz. As far as the starters go, [URL="https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/2/22208588/mike-conley-is-on-pace-to-have-one-of-the-best-years-of-his-nba-career"]Mike Conley has been excellent[/URL] and [URL="https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/25/22197630/utah-jazz-emphasis-on-shooting-3s-does-not-diminish-rudy-gobert-role-in-offense"]Gobert has been very good[/URL]. Donovan Mitchell has been so-so and Bojan Bogdanovic [URL="https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/29/22203801/bojan-bogdanovic-utah-jazz-injury"]has really struggled[/URL]. Royce O’Neale has been good offensively but struggled defensively relative to his role as a wing stopper.

[/QUOTE]

Gobert has been great. So has O'Neale. Asking him to be the PF and perimeter stopper is too much

[QUOTE]The bench has mostly been solid, and quite frankly it’s a huge win that Utah has an excellent eight-man rotation after its reserve unit was pretty disastrous last season.


[/QUOTE]

the bench is pretty much the same. Favors hasn't saved them

[QUOTE]If Bogdanovic can get out of his early-season slump and Mitchell can be efficient, the Jazz will surely be in a position to be among the top teams in the West.


[/QUOTE]

asking a lot

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/12/22227511/utah-jazz-take-on-short-handed-cleveland-cavaliers-game-preview-start-time[/url]

[QUOTE]Quin Snyder has been very reticent to insert any of the Jazz’s developing players into the rotation this year. Miye Oni and Juwan Morgan, who played very well in preseason and have received lots of praise in the offseason, haven’t seen a meaningful minute this season so far.


[/QUOTE]

Morgan is probably out. Why would Quin try anything new?

[QUOTE]Also, the opportunities to see their bench play have been few and far between. Quin Snyder needs to feel comfortable playing the Jazz developing players, and apparently that only will happen with a massive lead. Although the Jazz have had huge leads before and he hasn’t been willing so maybe it needs to be a massive, massive lead? We’ll see. But one thing is for sure, Utah won’t see Udoka Azubuike or Elijah Hughes or Miye Oni or Juwan Morgan unless there isn’t a huge lead.



[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]He's not known to go to his bench even with big leads. He needs to bench Bojan if he's not hitting shots regardless

I could see a lot more of Rudy and Favors tonight.
Drummond was just all over the place. Dominating the boards, bringing the ball up court, making some passes; he just looked a lot quicker and agile than I ever remembered despite his size.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike"]SKMike[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/12/22227511/utah-jazz-take-on-short-handed-cleveland-cavaliers-game-preview-start-time#535358042"]Jan 12, 2021 | 5:06 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

Yay no spacing!

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/12/22226858/nba-expansion-draft-rumors-who-should-the-utah-jazz-protect[/url]

[QUOTE][h=2]2. Donovan Mitchell[/h]Equally as easy of a choice is Donovan Mitchell. He’s one of the faces of this franchise. He is still very young and coming off an All Star season in just his 3rd year. No way are the Jazz letting him be eligible in an expansion draft. Not much else needs to be said here.
[/QUOTE]

If he's still not living up to his max deal I'd certainly look to move him

[QUOTE][h=2]3. Jordan Clarkson[/h]Another player the Utah front office just re-signed. Clarkson has been a revelation for the Utah Jazz bench since being traded for last season. Initially it might have seemed that it was an overpay to keep him in a Jazz jersey. Well, now he’s averaging almost 17 points per game in just 24 minutes (!) and is a leading candidate for 6th man of the year. He’s not going anywhere.
[/QUOTE]

No one is safe. Huge tax bill and not winning should mean changes.

[QUOTE][h=2]4. Bojan Bogdanovic[/h]Don’t let his current performance dictate his value. He may not be playing up to his typical standard at the moment, but once that wrist gets right I have no doubt he’ll be back to the Bogdanovic we quickly came to know and love last year. He’s got an additional 2 years left on his contract, so he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
[/QUOTE]

He'd be the first guy I'd look to move. Be hard at the moment I'm sure

[QUOTE][h=2]5. Derrick Favors[/h]After a 1 year hiatus from his true NBA home, the Utah Jazz brought Derrick Favors back using their MLE this offseason. This was done to fill a very specific and important whole when Rudy Gobert is on the bench. I don’t believe the front office would let Favors be snatched up in an expansion draft. Plus, he doesn’t belong in any other jersey anyways.
[/QUOTE]

If Udoka shows he can play Favors should be gone. Sentimenality aside


[QUOTE][h=2]6. Royce O’Neale[/h]Royce is one of Utah’s best talent-finding successes. After bringing him in as an undrafted free agent he’s developed into a quality role player for a playoff team. Currently a starter on a reasonable deal, I have a hard time believing he wouldn't be protected. He doesn’t score a ton, but he’s a solid defender and shooter which are talents that will never not be needed in the league.
[/QUOTE]

2nd most valuable on team

[QUOTE][h=2]8. Elijah Hughes[/h]NO JOE INGLES!? Look, I know, This probably isn’t going to be very popular. But Joe Ingles is slated to make 14 million dollars last year. He’s an important piece in the locker room and he’s been a fan favorite. But he’s not worth 14 million at this point in his career. Additionally, if the Jazz don’t make any moves for the remainder of the season they will be a tax team. That’s fine for a season or two, but I don’t think even Ryan Smith will engage in paying the repeater tax (tax team in 3 of last 4 seasons). With Donovan and Rudy’s deals only getting bigger, avoiding the tax next season could ultimately be an important priority. I don’t like it, but that likely means getting off Ingles’ deal. Now, if he wasn’t selected in the draft that (obviously) wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Either you get to keep the Jazz lifer, or his contract could be used in a trade to change the talent or cap situation for the Jazz.
[/QUOTE]

won't expand next year.

[QUOTE]Why Hughes over Oni? Tough call. Oni’s development seems to have gone really well from seasons 1 to 2. He’s been praised for his defensive improvement particularly. But goodness I really liked what I saw from Hughes in the preseason. He’s just a natural, gifted scorer. He’s not ready to contribute, but he likely will be in a year or two. I think his future and potential is a little brighter than Oni’s. If we’re lucky, Oni will be left alone in the expansion draft and we get to keep both!
[/QUOTE]
Oni better fit. 3 and D with ball handling, length and an athlete. Hughes Clarkson wannabe who doesn't defend or hit 3

[QUOTE][h=2]Unprotected[/h]Ok so that leaves the following players available in the expansion draft:
Joe Ingles
Georges Niang
Miye Oni
Juwan Morgan
Jarrell Brantley and Trent Forrest? (no idea how expansion drafts view two way players)
This was a more painful exercise than I anticipated. The Jazz are a deep team and I’d hate to see (almost) any of these guys go. Would you approach the scenario differently?
[/QUOTE]

Deep? Morgan looks like he should probably start. Brantley is good. Not sure why they don't like him. Forrest looked good if he can develop a shot. 2nd round picks don't usually last long in Utah

Tony Jones: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder said tonight the Jazz have to take care of the ball and be ready to shoot threes because that is likely to be the available shot[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba"]Twitter Tjonesonthenba[/URL]

[url]https://kslsports.com/450745/jazz-crush-decimated-cavaliers-to-conclude-road-trip/[/url]

[QUOTE]Bojan Bogdanovic added 20 points on a 6-10 shooting night. The forward hasn’t been able to find any consistency this season, so any hint of progress is a good sign.


[/QUOTE]

will he wear the brace next game though? :banghead:
[QUOTE]
This shouldn’t be unfamiliar to the Jazz who followed a similar path when they began their rebuild, relying on defense effort due to a lack of offensive talent. The Jazz broke out of that stretch with the development of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, plus the additions of Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Jordan Clarkson.


[/QUOTE]

Jazz relied on it becauSe of Gobert. Without him they've never been very good at D. Not good with him the past couple years though they are showing signs of improvement recently

[QUOTE]They’re still short a proven frontcourt player, and could be a fit to make a move for Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins, but they don’t need to rush their rebuild.


[/QUOTE]

they are loaded with 4's unlike the Jazz.

[QUOTE][h=2]Miye Oni Has Hip Hop Album[/h]

[/QUOTE]

oh boy! He had his best non bubble game anyway. Niang was even better. Wake up Snyder!

[url]https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/01/13/triple-team-jazz-roll/[/url]

[QUOTE]Now, I’ve watched Gobert practice for years now: he certainly can make that jump shot. He’s been practicing dribble drives for years now. And yet, he hasn’t been able to do it efficiently in games.



[/QUOTE]

He needs to look to take the mid range shot. He turns around on screens with the ball and no one guards him. If he's even taking that shot it would help with spacing. He'll get better and more confident at these things if he actually does them
[QUOTE]In the end, I don’t think Gobert’s offensive experiments will work out. He’s 28, in the prime of his career, and I suspect it’s a little too late for him to just wildly change his skillset overnight. It reminds me a little bit of when Derrick Favors tried to add the 3-ball to his game, which also didn’t work.



[/QUOTE]

Favors mid range game has never been great either but you'd think he was great at it listening to the announcers

[QUOTE]Yet in both cases, I understand why the big men want to try to adapt and improve, and I think there’s a case to be made for them to try it, especially early on in the season. There’s an outside shot of having a Brook Lopez-esque renaissance, and playing the most valuable ball late in their careers. It’s a low-cost, high-upside bet — so long as he cuts it out and plays well in the big moments.



[/QUOTE]

Lopez could always shoot though




[h=2][/h]