2016- Yet another long off-season

[url]http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2653342-report-card-grades-for-every-nba-teams-2016-offseason/page/30[/url]

[QUOTE]Johnson can lead the second unit as a go-to scorer[/QUOTE]

Along with Burks and Hood. If even two of them can go off on teams every night they could be something else. The D might suffer with the 2nd unit though without Neto and Exum.

[QUOTE]Utah could've been content to hold tight, re-signing Trevor Booker and doing nothing more as the many young pieces developed.[/QUOTE]

Probably would have if they'd signed Hayward to a deal where he didn't have an out.

[QUOTE]This was a perfect offseason for the up-and-coming Western Conference contenders. [/QUOTE]

I really only like the Hill deal now. And Burke of course! :bowdown:

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2016/07/29/utah-jazz-gordon-hayward-named-most-influential-in-utah-sports/[/url]

[QUOTE]Last year, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder topped the Tribune

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865658966/Former-Jazz-PR-chief-Kreifeldt-passes-away.html[/url]

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2016/07/30/utah-jazz-notes-offseason-review-socks-and-george-hill/[/url]

[QUOTE][B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/netora01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Raul Neto[/URL][/B] lacked the quickness and measurables to compensate at times; [B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/macksh01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Shelvin Mack[/URL][/B]

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2016/07/30/utah-jazz-notes-offseason-review-socks-and-george-hill/[/url]

[QUOTE][B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/netora01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Raul Neto[/URL][/B] lacked the quickness and measurables to compensate at times; [B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/macksh01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Shelvin Mack[/URL][/B]

[url]http://fansided.com/2016/07/29/utah-jazz-offseason-review/[/url]

[QUOTE]Pairing him with Dante Exum should make for one of the best defensive backcourts in the league.[/QUOTE]

Not to mention their frontcourt. Can he still defend? :confusedshrug:

[QUOTE]Rodney Hood is the future[/QUOTE]

We'll see. He's looking like one of the more expendable pieces now.

[QUOTE]Utah

[QUOTE] Marc J. Spears: [URL="http://*********.com/social/"]Piedmont International University in Winston Salem, N.C., has hired former NBA forward Josh Howard as its head men

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/blogs/jazznotes/4182295-155/jazz-to-face-trail-blazers-twice[/url]

[url]http://hoopshabit.com/2016/07/31/utah-jazz-set-make-biggest-jump-west/[/url]

[QUOTE]they

[url]https://youtu.be/MlVa77z8G9M[/url]

The French Connection-Rudy and Diaw! :banana:

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2016/07/31/utah-jazz-strange-trade-rumors-making-rounds/[/url]

[QUOTE]The deal could start with Derrick Favors, as [B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/goberru01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Rudy Gobert[/URL][/B] will most likely be groomed as the Jazz

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865659229/Utah-Jazz-ESPN-CBS-bullish-on-Quin-Snyders-club-for-the-2016-17-season.html[/url]

[QUOTE]A group of CBS Sports writers [URL="http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/ranking-all-30-nba-benches-a-non-playoff-team-secures-top-spot/"]ranked[/URL] the Jazz's bench the best in the league. While noting Dante Exum, Alec Burks, Johnson and Trey Lyles, the group opines that Diaw could be the key.
"If he's the motivated Diaw that did whatever Gregg Popovich wanted him to do, this holds up as the top bench in the NBA. He's everything they want in a backup big man and gives Quin Snyder so many lineup options with his versatility."
[/QUOTE]

There could be at least 4 rotation proven players not in a 10 man rotation so regardless of what old man Diaw does they should be pretty good. Right now I'd say Diaw/Lyles/Johnson/Burks/Hood is their bench. Exum and Neto could certainly be in the mix somehow too.

[QUOTE]That same group projects the Jazz will have the [URL="http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/17186465/2016-summer-forecast-team-turnaround"]second-best[/URL] turnaround in the NBA behind only the Minnesota Timberwolves.[/QUOTE]

sounds about right

[url]http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/ranking-all-30-nba-starting-lineups-hint-warriors-are-pretty-good/?utm_content=bufferf72c1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer[/url]

[QUOTE][B]PROJECTED LINEUP: [/B]George Hill, Rodney Hood, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert
One vote for this being the fourth best starting lineup in basketball and three votes for sixth places them firmly at No. 5 on the rankings. The Jazz traded for George Hill and moved Raul Neto to the bench. This lineup with Neto last season was the eighth most effective lineup in basketball of units that played at least 300 minutes together.
[/QUOTE]

What was it with the guy you completely skipped Mack? Maybe not as good because Hood didn't play as well with Mack but the stating line-up was better. Mack/Hill is a better line-up in my mind. Hard to take anyone serious that doesn't know how good Mack and Neto were last year. :rolleyes:

[url]http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/17186465/2016-summer-forecast-timberwolves-team-turnaround[/url]

45 wins would be a huge disappointment.

[QUOTE]Brian Windhorst: [URL="http://*********.com/social/"]As teams release their preseason schedules it

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/give-go-jazz-vs-the-west-part-i/[/url]

[QUOTE]Gun to my head I am picking Memphis over the Jazz, but with roster changes and a new coach, I could see them coming up short.[/QUOTE]

I'd imagine they'll play a lot like the Jazz still and I'd think the Jazz have more weapons. They can take Memphis as they should have last year. They were ripe for the picking.

[QUOTE]Portland certainly didn

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/give-go-jazz-vs-the-west-part-ii/[/url]

[QUOTE]ultimately picking anyone but Clippers here would be delusional.[/QUOTE]
They are thin. Lose any of their big 3 and they are in trouble. Jazz are ready to withstand a lot of injuries.

[QUOTE]I

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You]They are thin. Lose any of their big 3 and they are in trouble. Jazz are ready to withstand a lot of injuries.[/QUOTE]

It all goes through Paul. He goes down, stick a fork in them. Anyone else goes down, they'll survive. They have plenty of experience playing without Griffin, who is supposedly their 2nd best player.


[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You]Gasol was the 2nd best pick-up of the off-season. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Would have liked to have seen the Jazz get him on a 1-2 year rental, but Diaw will do. The big question is how much 39 year old Gino and 34 year-old Parker have left in the tank. Both are playing in the Olympics, and as such, will presumably start the season already tired. Both barely get to the line anymore and are essentially just mid-long range jump shooters at this point. Parker somehow has improved in that area since exiting his prime. Gino hasn't.

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You]Westbrook could make them pretty good still and they do have some other talent too.[/QUOTE]

Hard to bet on the Thunder being anything other than a 7-9 seed, considering how they finished in 14-15. Didn't make the playoffs without Durant that year but they still had all the same key pieces they have now (except Oladipo, if you can call him a key piece) but they also had Waiters, Ibaka, and Reggie Jackson. All of those guys aren't there anymore.

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You]No one is surefire but Thibs and Towns could make them tough.[/QUOTE]

Agreed.

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You]Not to mention they are led by Cousins! :roll:[/QUOTE]

Until he gets traded to the Jazz for Favors and Exum :rolleyes:

In all seriousness, he probably isn't in Sacramento by the close of the trade deadline. Someone will take a chance and mortgage better assets for him, particularly given his strong showing so far on team USA. But a leopard doesn't change its spots, and that leopard is a nutcase.

[quote=CakeorDeath]It all goes through Paul. He goes down, stick a fork in them. Anyone else goes down, they'll survive. They have plenty of experience playing without Griffin, who is supposedly their 2nd best player.[/quote]

They'd miss their rim protector if he went down I imagine.

[QUOTE] The big question is how much 39 year old Gino and 34 year-old Parker have left in the tank. Both are playing in the Olympics, and as such, will presumably start the season already tired. Both barely get to the line anymore and are essentially just mid-long range jump shooters at this point. Parker somehow has improved in that area since exiting his prime. Gino hasn't. [/QUOTE]

They'll find someone, they always do.

[QUOTE]Hard to bet on the Thunder being anything other than a 7-9 seed, considering how they finished in 14-15. Didn't make the playoffs without Durant that year but they still had all the same key pieces they have now (except Oladipo, if you can call him a key piece) but they also had Waiters, Ibaka, and Reggie Jackson. All of those guys aren't there anymore.[/QUOTE]

Ibaka was hurt that year too. They'll be building the team around Westbrook now not Durart and Westbrook. Adams is a lot better now. Better coach? Having a great player is big in the NBA. See Portland last year after Aldridge left.

[QUOTE]In all seriousness, he probably isn't in Sacramento by the close of the trade deadline. Someone will take a chance and mortgage better assets for him, particularly given his strong showing so far on team USA. But a leopard doesn't change its spots, and that leopard is a nutcase.[/quote]

Vlade just called him the best player in the world or some nonsense. They love him. That's their downfall. Karl had always won before.

[url]www.deseretnews.com/article/865659330/Utah-Jazz-release-preseason-schedule.html[/url]

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2016/08/03/utah-jazz-breaking-player-acquisitions-returns-2016-17/[/url]

[QUOTE]Johnson will have to adapt to playing a very different role, coming off the bench for [B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/haywago01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Gordon Hayward[/URL][/B] and Rodney Hood.[/QUOTE]

I could see him starting but Hill/Mack makes most sense to me.

[QUOTE]The chances of Boris Diaw logging big minutes next season are slim, solely because he has three very talented big-men ahead of him in the depth chart; [B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/f/favorde01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Derrick Favors[/URL][/B], Trey Lyles and [B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/goberru01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Rudy Gobert[/URL][/B].[/QUOTE]

Remains to be seen if Lyles will be playing more than Diaw.

[QUOTE]If nothing else, he fits beautifully in the Jazz system and could be a great mentor for Lyles.[/QUOTE]

What Lyles gets from him could be the biggest thing

[QUOTE]Missing Exum for the entirety of last season ultimately resulted in the Jazz missing the playoffs.[/QUOTE]

:coleman:

[QUOTE]I am a big believer in Exum moving back into the starting line-up after a short period of time. He is Utah

[URL="http://purpleandblues.com/2016/08/01/best-worst-case-scenarios-utah-jazz-player/"]http://purpleandblues.com/2016/08/01/best-worst-case-scenarios-utah-jazz-player/[/URL]

[quote]really only added one new starter in [URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hillge01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]George Hill[/URL][/quote]
added Mack in February
[quote]
when his mid-range game is on, his post-up play is on point and his defense is locked in, Favors is as dangerous as they come.[/quote]
How often is that? The mid range left him after he was hurt and wasn't as good as last year before that. He needs to dominate the paint now. He certainly improved greatly there. In one season he went from sucking in the post to being one of the best down there. Feed him! If Rudy can hit the mid range shot we saw at the end of the year it would really spread the court.

[quote]he was also stuck playing center more often than he might have liked with Gobert sidelined for much of the year as well[/quote]
and Snyder not liking Withey :banghead:

[quote]Drop-off in progression that has [URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lylestr01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Trey Lyles[/URL] looking better suited for the starting gig in the modern style of the NBA[/quote]
I can see this with or without a drop in production. Simple economics and Lyles/Gobert might eventually be comparable to Favors/Gobert.

[quote][B]Worst Case Scenario: [/B]Efficiency plummets, loses spot in starting lineup[/quote]
worst case is he's traded. Being a great bench scorer isn't bad.
[quote]
Instead of deferring much of the ball-handling and play calling to [URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/ellismo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Monta Ellis[/URL] and taking a major back seat offensively to [URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/georgpa01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Paul George[/URL], Hill will now be responsible for being a veteran leader and reliable offensive point guard for his new team.
While he likely won’t shoulder as heavy as an offensive load as Hayward, Hood or Favors, he should expect to match his 2014-15 career high scoring number of 16.1 points per game.
[/quote]
3 and d

[QUOTE]is replaced in the starting lineup sooner rather than later by Dante Exum[/QUOTE]

probably a good thing

[QUOTE]Has a less than memorable year and falls down the depth chart behind Shelvin Mack[/QUOTE]

should already be there.

[QUOTE]Hood definitely proved himself to be the worthy starter[/QUOTE]

if inconsistency and lack of D is worthy

[QUOTE]finds himself behind [URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/inglejo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Joe Ingles[/URL] on the depth chart[/QUOTE]

I can see that happening eventually because Joe will be cheaper.

[QUOTE]Ingles is one of the more underrated players on the Jazz roster and honestly could see himself in the thick of the rotation depending on how the cards fall.[/QUOTE]

I could too if he played in October like he does in April.

[QUOTE]Like Ingles, [URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/witheje01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-"]Jeff Withey[/URL] was very much overlooked and underrated and could easily find himself in the consistent 10-man rotation as Gobert’s back-up and ahead of Boris Diaw.[/QUOTE]

If he could shoot the 3 sure.

[QUOTE]Improves his shot drastically over the offseason, impresses in training camp and makes the team[/QUOTE]

a corner 3 away from being Bruce Bowen

[QUOTE]Struggles in training camp and the Jazz ultimately decide not to sign him [B]Marcus Paige & Tyrone Wallace:[/B]

It would take a miracle for either of these two to be on the Jazz roster on opening day.
[B]Best Case Scenario: [/B]Impress during training camp and somehow have a roster spot opened up for them
[B]Worst Case Scenario: [/B]The Jazz ultimately decide not to sign one or both
[/QUOTE]

Got to be signed to be in camp. If they are signed they will make the team. All should be stashed. I can see Bolomboy as a local draw for the Stars.

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865659298/Kincade-Upstill-What-to-expect-from-Dante-Exum-as-year-mark-of-his-ACL-tear-approaches.html[/url]

[QUOTE]Zach Lowe stated,

[url]http://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/243024/Utah-Jazz-How-To-Make-The-Offseason-Win-Work-On-The-Court[/url]

[QUOTE]It

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2016/08/04/utah-jazz-roll-out-preseason-schedule/[/url]

[QUOTE]With Johnson, Hill and Diaw in the fold for the first time and with [B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/exumda01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Dante Exum[/URL][/B] and [B][URL="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/burksal01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-purpleandblues.com"]Alec Burks[/URL][/B] returning from major injuries, there should be a lot for fans to keep their eyes on. [/QUOTE]

All eyes will be on Exum. Hoping he's not a complete bust.

[url]http://hoopshabit.com/2016/08/04/utah-jazz-2016-offseason-grades/[/url]

[QUOTE]Hill is not a masterful playmaker, but Utah primarily uses Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood in pick-and-roll situations anyway, making Hill

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/what-would-a-quin-snyder-all-star-look-like/[/url]

[QUOTE]Consider the All-Star seasons produced by Tony Parker (3x), Jeff Teague, and Manu Ginobili in comparison to Gordon Hayward

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2016/08/05/media-outlets-jumping-on-the-utah-jazz-bandwagon/[/url]

[QUOTE]Last season, the team

[url]http://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/243051/Olympic-Basketball-Preview-From-An-NBA-POV[/url]

[QUOTE]Ingles functions primarily as a defender and ball mover for Utah. [/QUOTE]

I'd say he's more of a playmaker and shooter. Can defend when he is motivated.

[url]http://www.nba.com/news/features/david_aldridge/morning-tip-david-aldridge-2016-offseason-grades-the-top-10/[/url]

[QUOTE]Larry Miller wasn't cheap[/QUOTE]

:roll:

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/great-expectations-part-ii/[/url]

[QUOTE]It

[QUOTE] Matt Bonner, who spent 10 seasons with the Spurs, spoke with Concord News Radio on his future in the NBA and said he is still looking for a team next season and is hoping an opportunity will open up. When it came to re-signing with the Spurs, Bonner said there hasn

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865659669/What-CARMELO-thinks-about-each-Utah-Jazz-player.html[/url]

[QUOTE]after posting a negative WAR during his rookie season, the only direction it could

[URL="http://saltcityhoops.com/projecting-the-rotation-for-the-utah-jazz/"]http://saltcityhoops.com/projecting-the-rotation-for-the-utah-jazz/[/URL]

[quote]These moves gave the Jazz some much-needed depth after losing 179 combined games from their six best players due to injury last season. [/quote]
I assume he is calling Exum one of their top 6? :rolleyes:


[quote]The Jazz are now arguably 14 players deep with NBA talent, in a league where the average rotation is ten deep.[/quote]
I think the only question right now is if Exum is an NBA talent. :confusedshrug:

Missing the teams best playmaker and facilitator. Hard for me to give Exum any minutes let alone 21 until I actually see him play. :rolleyes:
[quote]
As expected, Hill and Dante Exum will eat up all the point guard minutes, which is a huge upgrade from last year.[/quote]
Is it an upgrade when you are putting one of your best players on the bench? :no:

[quote]Having started 261 of his last 269 regular season games and 55 playoff games, it is hard to imagine Hill as anything but the starting point guard this year[/quote]
Hard for me to see anyone other than Mack but after last years Withey mess who knows really?

[quote]In the Summer League game in which Exum sprained his ankle, he showed he does have the ability to attack the basket.[/quote]
Or at least he did have the ability against summer league competition before he blew his knee out.

[quote]If both are on the roster when the season begins, they will battle for the position of third point guard. Mack will likely win this role if he is on the roster, as Snyder has already shown he prefers Mack at the helm.[/quote]
I see no reason to keep Mack on the team if he's not playing.

[quote] Due to the fact that Mack is bigger than Neto, he can also jump in without hindering the team

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/a-projected-substitution-pattern-for-the-utah-jazz/[/url]

[QUOTE]Can that bench unit play enough defense to hold the lead that the starters set?[/QUOTE]

I think that's a big question. The bench will have a lot of firepower but how much D can they play? Hopefully they can keep enough D out there with their starters to make it work.

[QUOTE]You will notice that Exum and Burks play almost exclusively together in this rotation. The defensive prowess of Exum is a good fit next to the limitations of Burks, while the offensive capabilities of Burks compliment Exum.[/QUOTE]

Or you could play guys like Neto, Mack and Ingles that play both ends. Makes more sense to me

[url]http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jazz-reportedly-highly-unlikely-consider-172533867.html[/url]

[QUOTE]They have a solid core of young emerging guards like Alec Burks, Rodney Hood, and Shelvin Mack[/QUOTE]

Wow someone included Mack! I can see it from the national media but it's hard for me to see how anyone that watched the Jazz last year could not see Mack as their starting pg right now. I could care less if he was a 3rd string pg on a good team. He ran the offense better than anyone has(though I think Neto may be able to challenge him if given the opportunity to run the offense and not just spot up which might happen now that he's got a lot more shooters around him). I don't see Hill or Diaw or Joe changing that. They had the number one D again while he started. He was one of their best players. He did all that without a training camp! He's 26. The best is ahead for him like most of the team. Someone has to earn his job as I see it. Hill makes more sense alongside him or behind him not ahead of him. Neto getting his chance, Exum actually living up to the hype, or a move of some kind is the only thing changing that.

[QUOTE]The straw that stirs the drink for the Jazz though is Gordon Hayward[/QUOTE]

Same thing here. I expect this from the national media but anyone who has been watching has seen the team revolves around Rudy making life difficult for the other team. Hopefully they can play well without him now with Hill and company but we haven't seen it consistently yet.

[QUOTE]one would think the idea of trading the team

[url]http://www.slcdunk.com/2016/8/11/12440634/2016-olympics-rio-utah-jazz-gordon-hayward-derrick-favors-mark-eaton-karl-malone-john-stockton[/url]

[QUOTE]The Wolves are in their

[B]SLAMonline[/B]
Christmas Day Games: Celtics-Knicks Warriors-Cavs (!) Bulls-Spurs Timberwolves-Thunder Clippers-Lakers
[URL="https://twitter.com/slamonline/status/763856567552782342"]8/11/16, 3:56 PM[/URL]


Lakers :facepalm

[B]SLAMonline[/B]
The 2016-17 @NBA schedule has officially been released! Opening night: Knicks-Cavs Jazz-Blazers Warriors-Spurs [url]https://t.co/ZdV69IBy3y[/url]
[URL="https://twitter.com/slamonline/status/763856156481564672"]8/11/16, 3:54 PM[/URL]

[url]http://www.nba.com/jazz/lockes-schedule-breakdown[/url]

[QUOTE]