2014-2015 regular season!

[QUOTE]Really those outings were pretty remarkable without 3 of the 8 regular rotation players and what it took for the Jazz to fight and compete for those 96 minutes was obvious with how off they were tonight.[/QUOTE]

The Jazz are deep up front. Hood should be in the D-league. Obviously Burks is missed though.

[QUOTE]Early on the turnovers looked like they were because of the active arms of the Rockets. The rockets are #2 in the NBA in steals. Seemed like they were getting a pieces of passes we thought we could make but couldn

[QUOTE]

[QUOTE]The Utah Jazz are having an overall productive season in my books. The team is playing better on the road and on defense. [/QUOTE]

They aren't playing better defense. When Rudy is playing they look better defensively. They suck at home. Last year they were competitive at home.

[QUOTE]Younger players are taking that next step from: bench player to rotation player, from rotation player to reliable player, from reliable player to starter, and from starter to star. [/QUOTE]

Who are these stars? Calling someone a star or a starter or a rotation player or and NBA player doesn't make it so. When the Jazz are putting a team out there to win games get back to me.

[QUOTE]The coaching staff has the ear of the kids and they are learning. And the front office and coaches are on the same page for once. And the team is winning more than last year.[/QUOTE]

another bad job of tanking. Way to go Gobert!

[QUOTE]That said, this isn't a perfect roster, and injuries have made that obvious.[/QUOTE]

It was obvious once they went with the roster they did if anyone was paying attention. The two D-leaguers actually make it a more respectable roster than it was. Hood isn't ready. Gobert got a chance to play more because of injuries.

[QUOTE]The inside is approaching log-jam territory with Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert, Enes Kanter, Trevor Booker, and Jeremy Evans all needing minutes. (Of course, none of them can play small forward) While the wing rotation is more like a wing and a prayer rotation right now.[/QUOTE]

One guy there has to play. They need to figure out what they are doing with the rest of them. It's a mess.

[QUOTE]Utah Jazz upcoming free agency:

The biggest name in Utah Jazz land right now has to be Enes Kanter. The inside/outside scorer is in a contract year and clearly at the age of 22 has a lot of basketball left to play, and plenty to learn. (People keep forgetting in all the Rudy Gobert madness, that I am part of, is that they are only a few months apart in age.) (Also of note, Derrick Favors is only 23. Seriously.)[/QUOTE]

And Rudy and Enes are the two with the most upside. They get better from game to game to game.

[QUOTE]The Jazz have more people to think about as well, from legit Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) to people they've already cut, waived, or said "Bye Felicia" to already.

Player Pos FA 2014-2015 2015-2016
1 Enes Kanter 4 5 RFA $5.70 $7.47 QA
2 Trevor Booker 4 NG $5.00 $4.78 NG
(Only $250k on books)
3 Jeremy Evans 4 UFA $1.80
4 Ian Clark 2 1 UFA $0.82 $1.15 QA
5 Joe Ingles 2 3 UFA $0.51 $1.05 QA
6 Elliot Williams 2 10 Day $0.05
7 Elijah Millsap 2 3 10 Day $0.03
8 Carrick Felix 2 3 UFA $0.82 On Books
9 Jordan Hamilton 3 UFA $0.03 On Books
10 Toure' Murry 2 1 UFA $0.42 On Books
11 Patrick Christopher 2 3 UFA $0.09 On Books
12 Kevin Murphy 2 3 UFA $0.07 On Books

Trevor Booker has a very interesting contract where only $250k is on the books for next season (as confirmed by NBA Cap Expert and all-around handsome man Peter J Novak, Esq, CEO, CLO, LLM, JD, BS, AS). I feel as though Dennis Lindsey and crew are really going to have to factor that in for their off-season plan for sure.[/QUOTE]

Need to factor it in now. I'd guess Booker could bring them a 1st round pick today. I think he might be a nice guy to have going forward but unless they already know what they plan on doing with Favors and Kanter than dealing him probably needs to happen. But again this team wants to lose games so it's hard to guess what they will do. Playing Rudy means more wins.

[QUOTE]Cap Space:

If you renounce everything, say goodbye to all the RFAs, and send Booker packing (but pay the $250k he gets) the Jazz will be paying their players $50.08 million next year, with $16.52 million to spread out between (up to) three draft picks, and free agents.[/QUOTE]

Clark won't get the qualifying offer. Kanter might not but I think they'd be stupid not to. He's a bargain at that price. Don't forget Neto. They won't want more than 2 rookie contracts again I'd imagine though with the higher cap coming after next year maybe that will change? Mills looking like a possible keeper.

[QUOTE] Utah Jazz Projected Cap Space 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

As the seasons go on the Jazz (may) have to pay more and more draft picks than normal, but of the legion there are only five fist rounders in the next four seasons. Though, our front office has not shown any hesitation to move parts on draft night. (Keeping the people at this blog busy) But for right now the Jazz have over $16 million to play with, not including any bi-annual or whatever deals. (We're under the cap, so don't expect mid-level anything.)[/QUOTE]

I expect it! They would be competing for the last playoff spot if they'd spent money this year and tried to win games. 16 million on 5-7 guys. Kanter alone could get close to that much. Which to me makes it a Favors of Kanter issue. They could pay them both next year and have money after that with the bigger cap. Than it would be about keeping one of them happy off the bench. They don't need more young guys. They need some vets to play with the young guys they have.

[QUOTE]So who do you think we can get?

Which Free Agents are going to be available / whom everyone is talking about?

This is the "big list" of some of the larger names on the board this upcoming free agency period.

2015 2016 2015 2016
Player Tm Pos FA Sal Max Player Tm Pos FA Sal Max
1 Jeremy Lin HOU 1 2 UFA $14.9 $15.8 1 Reggie Jackson OKC 1 2 RFA $2.4 $15.8
2 Rajon Rondo DAL 1 UFA $12.9 $22.1 2 Patrick Beverly HOU 1 RFA $0.9 $15.8
3 Brandon Knight MIL 1 UFA $3.5 $15.8 3 Kawhi Leonard SAS 2 3 RFA $3.0 $15.8
4 Nate Robinson DEN 1 2 UFA $2.1 $22.1 4 Jimmy Butler CHI 2 3 RFA $2.1 $15.8
5 Cory Joseph SAS 1 2 UFA $2.0 $15.8 5 Enes Kanter UTA 4 5 RFA $6.0 $15.8
6 Tristan Thompson CLE 4 RFA $5.4 $15.8
6 Wesley Matthews POR 2 3 UFA $7.2 $18.9 7 Draymond Green GSW 4 3 RFA $0.9 $15.8
7 Gerald Green PHX 2 3 UFA $3.5 $18.9
8 Marco Belinelli SAS 2 3 UFA $2.8 $18.9 1 Goran Dragic PHX 1 2 PO $7.5 $18.9
9 Danny Green SAS 3 2 UFA $4.0 $18.9 2 Eric Gordon NOP 2 1 PO $14.8 $18.9
10 DeMarre Carroll ATL 3 UFA $2.4 $18.9 3 Monta Ellis DAL 2 1 PO $8.7 $22.1
4 Arron Afflalo DEN 2 3 PO $7.5 $18.9
11 LaMarcus Aldridge POR 4 5 UFA $15.2 $18.9 5 LeBron James CLE 3 2 PO $20.6 $22.1
12 Paul Millsap ATL 4 3 UFA $9.5 $22.1
13 Greg Monroe DET 4 5 UFA $5.3 $15.8 6 Kevin Love CLE 4 PO $15.7 $18.9
14 Brandan Wright PHX 4 3 UFA $5.0 $18.9 7 Jeff Green BOS 4 3 PO $9.2 $18.9
15 Mirza Teletovic BKN 4 3 UFA $3.3 $15.8 8 Thaddeus Young MIN 4 3 PO $9.1 $18.9
9 Brook Lopez BKN 5 PO $15.7 $18.9
16 Marc Gasol MEM 5 UFA $15.8 $18.9 10 Roy Hibbert IND 5 PO $14.9 $18.9
17 Omer Asik NOP 5 UFA $14.8 $15.8
18 Tyson Chandler DAL 5 UFA $14.5 $22.1 1 Wilson Chandler DEN 3 TO $6.7 $18.9
19 DeAndre Jordan LAC 5 UFA $11.4 $18.9 2 Jamal Crawford LAC 2 TO $5.4 $22.1
20 Robin Lopez POR 5 UFA $5.2 $18.9 3 Timofey Mozgov CLE 5 TO $4.6 $15.8
Players and salary data taken from this post by MMiranda over at Posting And Toasting.[/QUOTE]

Definitely some guys I would love to have(again in a few cases) but not sure how many they'll be able to afford even if they spend money. Need a veteran pg(still! :rant ). Probably a starter unless they think Neto is ready to start. Burke and Exum are not. Might need a veteran big man up front assuming Favors or Kanter are gone. That could be Booker and Novak though. Another young big for the D-league and they might have their front court. Need shooters and role players that fit with Rudy.

Was looking around basketball reference and was kinda surprised to see Favors in a few top 20 lists for this year.

12th in Total 2 Point FG's
15th in Total Offensive rebounds
15th in Total Rebounds
13th in Total Blocks
8th in FG%
15th in Rebounds per game
16th in Blocks per game
11th in Player Efficiency Rating
19th in Effective Field Goal%

Well he is an all-star apparently. :applause:

[QUOTE]Rusty Simmons: Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said it's a strong possibility that Andrew Bogut will start Tuesday vs. Utah. Twitter @Rusty_SFChron

Rusty Simmons: Andrew Bogut might sit once during the four-games-in-five-nights set vs. Utah, Miami, OKC and Houston. Twitter @Rusty_SFChron[/QUOTE]

another good test for Rudy

[QUOTE]Jody Genessy: Rodney Hood (foot) participated in portions of practice today but will not play Tuesday vs. Warriors. Twitter @DJJazzyJody [/QUOTE]

Be interesting to see what they do with Ingles and Millsap once he's back. I'd send Hood and Exum to the D-league at least on the weekends when they have their games.

[QUOTE]Chris Mannix: Clippers have engaged a few teams on Jordan Farmar, per sources. Belief is LA looking for an expiring deal to send to BOS for Austin Rivers. Twitter @ChrisMannixSI [/QUOTE]

Clark, Evans and Williams all work. Says Williams is signed for 3 years. Can't do that on a 10 day can you? Farmar can shoot and is a vet. Evans and Clark don't appear to be part of the future.

[QUOTE]Jody Genessy: Joe Ingles laughed when asked if he's a trash-talker. "When I score 50, I

[QUOTE] They

[QUOTE]All of the above is excellent progress, but it means nothing if the Jazz can

[QUOTE]Hood participated in portions of the Jazz

[QUOTE]Ingles admitted the he and veteran Steve Novak are the two most talkative players.

[QUOTE] 31 turnovers in an NBA game is way too many.[/QUOTE]

Be too many for 2 games.

[QUOTE]"We know that we need to get more efficient with our execution," Snyder said. "In the past few games, we

[QUOTE]most observers thought he was here simply because of his Australian roots, and because of his relationship with rookie guard Dante Exum.[/QUOTE]

Pretty much is I think.

[QUOTE]But as the season has progressed, so has Ingles. He almost immediately established himself as a member of the rotation, regularly coming off the bench. He has became one of the best passers on the team, and a guy who often held Utah

[QUOTE]Tony Jones: Trevor booker is officially OUT for tonight with the flu Twitter @Tjonessltrib [/QUOTE]

Rudy!

[QUOTE]Eric Pincus: I also hear the Clippers are looking to move Reggie Bullock out in a salary dump, to gain breathing room w/hard cap. No the Lakers cannot use one of their disabled player exceptions on Reggie Bullock - only works for players on 1-yr deals @BBallInsiders Twitter @EricPincus [/QUOTE]

Jazz have the cap room to get him. He shoots pretty good.

[QUOTE]Derrick Favors was fabulous tonight. This was the best array of offensive moves I have seen from Favors. He hit the jumper, he rolled to the middle, he dropped baseline and this was against one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. Favors has put together 4 20 point 10 rebound games in his last 5 games. He is playing like a beast.[/QUOTE]

He sure did a hell of a job defensively too. :rolleyes: What caught my eye was when he hit two straight from a few feet further back than I've seen him hit in the past. If he can keep moving back and hitting those shots consistently it will certainly make the decision on him or Kanter a lot more interesting. It's not a Kanter or Gobert question long term. Rudy is the one untouchable on the team right now.

R[QUOTE]udy Gobert came off the bench tonight. When he was on the floor the Warriors shot 26/63 for 41%. However, that is a bit misleading because in the 4th quarter without Curry, Thomspon or Green playing a single minute the Warriors shot 6 of 24 which skewed the numbers. Prior to the 4ththe Warriors were shooting 20 of 39 from the floor. However, the other side of the equation is clear the Warriors shot 71% with Gobert off the floor.[/QUOTE]

After that article yesterday trying to say they were now good without Rudy defensively. We saw what the best offensive team in the league did to them and how far away they still are.

[QUOTE]However, the Jazz offense shot 62% with Gobert off the floor and 40% with him on the floor.[/QUOTE]

That's why figuring out what players are going to be able to fit best with Rudy is so important. They are a better team with him. Have to figure it out. Gobert, Hayward and who?

[QUOTE]Enes Kanter had 13 points and 10 rebounds and continued his assault on the offensive glass with 5 offensive rebounds. However, he had 0 assists and is not doing a lot to make his teammates better. His plus minus tonight was not good.[/QUOTE]

And other than Rudy no ones was. The praise for Favors and they negativity towards Enes gets old.

[QUOTE]The Jazz defended well in the first half. They kept the ball on one side of the floor most of the time. They generally kept the Warriors in a half court game and they had good pick up points to prevent easy early three

[QUOTE]Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, and Rudy Gobert split nearly all 96 big man minutes, save for the final 2:32 when the game was out of reach. Here

[QUOTE]"We played good defense," Derrick Favors said. "They just hit a lot of tough shots."

Said Trey Burke: "They got hot."[/QUOTE]

They were hitting wide open 3's. Was like shoot around. That's not good D.

[QUOTE]Up until that period, the Jazz had made a game of it, falling behind early, climbing back to take a lead, then getting tied at the half at 53. Utah was hitting nearly 50 percent of its shots. Problem was, the Warriors were making 59 percent. It was an entertaining affair.[/QUOTE]

good D? :facepalm

[QUOTE]After the break, it became less fun for the home fans, what with Curry getting his 27 points on 10-for-16 shooting and 11 assists, aided by five teammates in double figures and another three who were within a point or two of that. The Jazz simply could not keep up.

Snyder

[QUOTE]According to Snyder, he encouraged Utah

[QUOTE]Utah

[QUOTE]"I thought we played solid defense," Utah point guard Trey Burke said. "But they got hot. We obviously wanted to get stops, and we tried to control what we could. But that was a good team, and they know how to play with each other."
[/QUOTE]

The defense sucked all game not just that stretch when it was horrible.

[QUOTE]There were bright spots. Rudy Gobert

[QUOTE]Deron Williams led the Jazz to the Western Conference Finals alongside Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur in his first playoff run. It was the Jazz's best postseason run since the days of John Stockton and Karl Malone.

Four years later, Jazz vice president of basketball operations Kevin O’Connor sent the All-Star point guard to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Devin Harris and unproven rookie Derrick Favors.

Favors had appeared in 56 games for the Nets before they decided to give up on the promising young big man in favor of the already proven point guard from Utah. Harris had reached his peak in New Jersey, and was included in the deal to make salaries match.

In addition to Harris and Favors, the Nets shipped out two future first round draft picks, one used to select Enes Kanter and another the Jazz packaged with an existing first round pick to acquire Trey Burke.

In total, the haul is impressive, as four years since the deal, the Jazz have ended up with three starting-caliber NBA players in place of Williams.[/QUOTE]

All 3 have a lot to prove and considering it looks like they got raped in the Burke deal and we have no idea what the true value of Deron Williams was since they took the 2nd offer from the one team that knew he was available impressive is not the word I'd use. Obviously Deron has fell off a cliff since so it was a good trade. How much better could it have been though is the question?

[QUOTE]However, three starters in the NBA don’t add up to one All-Star level player, especially one that at the time of the trade was a top five player at his position in the league.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. Deron is their best player between Stockton/Malone and Gobert.

[QUOTE]Until recently, the winner of this deal seemed to hinge on the health of Williams, now in Brooklyn with the Nets. The point guard missed 11 games in his initial season with the team, four the following year, and 18 last season. This year, Williams has been forced to sit out five games for the Nets.

The further the Jazz get from the trade, the clearer the picture gets. O’Connor made the right trade.[/QUOTE]

Trading Deron was right. Hard for me to believe it was the best trade though.

[QUOTE]While Kanter and Burks have contributed mixed results, Favors' growth has given the Jazz the most promising young piece in the deal, if not the best player overall.[/QUOTE]

Favors hasn't contributed mixed results? Remains to be seen if Favors will be better than Kanter.

[QUOTE]For the season, Williams is averaging 13.9 points per game, 6.3 assists and 3 rebounds — solid, albeit unspectacular, numbers for the guard in his 10th year.

Favors is contributing 16 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game for the Jazz in only his fifth career season. Most impressively for Favors is the growth he’s continued to show from one season to the next. Favors is currently experiencing career highs in points per game, assists and field goal percentage. Favors’ scoring has grown over six points during his past two seasons as a full-time starter, with more room to grow.[/QUOTE]

Before this season he hadn't shown much growth though. Not sure he's better this year really. They are using him better anyway.

[QUOTE]While Williams proved to be a valuable recruiting piece for the Nets, landing both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in a trade with the Boston Celtics, the results for Brooklyn have been disappointing.

Though Favors is yet to provide the Jazz with a postseason victory, his recent play hints at an enormously high ceiling. Over his last four games, Favors is averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds per outing. Before this stretch, the power forward had never strung together back-to-back 20-point, 10-rebound performances. He’s now done it three times in his last four games, including a 20-point win on the road in Chicago.[/QUOTE]

Now if he was only the great defensive player he was made out to be.

[QUOTE]While Favors has yet to achieve the personal accomplishments, or lead the Jazz to similar postseason success that fans saw from Williams during his six-season career in Utah, his future looks bright. If Favors can continue his recent high scoring outings, not only will he make an All-Star appearance of his own, he can take the Jazz back to postseason success.

About the Author: Ben Anderson[/QUOTE]

First he has to show he is worthy of being on the court with Rudy. Than the Jazz have to win games.

[QUOTE]Normally, a 27-point quarter

[QUOTE]Gobert

[QUOTE]As for Kanter's health, the 6-11 big man said his sprained ankle is getting better, but admitted it's not fully healed. He said it's "not going to be 100 percent for a long time," so he just has to forge forward.

"I

[QUOTE]David 'Dubi' Pick: Asked Ante Tomic of his NBA aspirations: "I'd like to make the NBA, the window isn't closed." Twitter @IAmDPick

David 'Dubi' Pick: Ante Tomic said Barcelona "has a team-option for next season" and that "anything (Re: Europe/NBA) is possible." Twitter @IAmDPick[/QUOTE]

Contrary to recent reports. Gobert's back-up?

The Utah Jazz, in conjunction with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), will present the Larry H. Miller Youth Scholarship on Monday, Jan. 19 at its annual memorial luncheon held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A reception begins at 11:30 a.m. followed by the luncheon at noon in the Grand Ballroom at Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. NBA.com

[url]http://www.nba.com/jazz/news/jazz-sign-elijah-millsap-second-10-day-contract[/url]

not much of a surprise. Looks like he'll stick for the year. Elliot Williams might be gone before his second.

[url]https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/BC82F273E41167599284552609792_2a2852e3aec.5.1.13414507776389537046.mp4?versionId=Yged8yjakMRcMpxrQ42dkHrvKAVHNO_U[/url]

Rudy!

[QUOTE]In 4 of the last 5 games Derrick Favors has notched a 20 point, 10 rebound game. He has scored 20 points or more in more games this year than he did the entire year last year. He is shooting a career high 55.5%. His scoring jump over the last three years is 9.4 to 13.3 to 16.2. The list continues, career high in assists, free throws attempts, offensive rebounds and lowest turnover per game since his rookie year.[/QUOTE]

Shouldn't he be getting better finally?

[QUOTE]Numerous factors have come together for Favors to make this step. He is a starter for the 2ndyearbuilding off last year

[QUOTE]Hayward is blossoming with career-high averages, but is the fifth-year swingman finally ready to seize the franchise's reins?[/QUOTE]

He was and than Rudy emerged.

[QUOTE]Standing 5'11 and 155 pounds of skin and bones, Hayward wasn't his team's first option as a freshman at Indiana's Brownsburg High School. He wasn't the second, third or fourth option, either.[/QUOTE]

He wasn't as a freshman? :facepalm

[QUOTE]Instead he zealously played StarCraft video games. He sat with his parents and twin sister rather than his teammates at varsity football games. He smoked his teammates at ping pong, foosball and pool.

But on the court? No one expected much.

"I didn't even notice him until he started raining threes on us," said Grantland's Mark Titus, a former high-school teammate. "Just a tiny, tiny dude who could shoot."

He was more fit for tennis than hoops. With his slight frame and superb agility, Hayward spent hours training with a private tennis coach in hopes of succeeding long-term in that sport. But a sudden growth spurt altered his plans, skyrocketing him to 6'8 and 185 pounds by his senior year. The combination of Hayward's ball-handling, outside shooting and athleticism allowed him to dominate along the perimeter and in the post, leading Brownsburg to the state title.[/QUOTE]

shooting certainly isn't a strength.

[QUOTE]A FEW YEARS BEFORE, HE ALMOST TRADED IN HIS HIGH-TOPS FOR A RACQUET. ON THAT NIGHT, HIS HALF-COURT HURL AT THE BUZZER ALMOST MADE HIM AN INSTANT LEGEND.

He also morphed into one of the top tennis players in Indiana, reaching the state singles quarterfinals. But as college basketball coaches began to watch him play, it became clear Hayward's future lied on the hardwood.

"If he played tennis year round, he had a strong chance of probably playing professional tennis," former Brownsburg tennis coach Eric Esterline said.

Still, Hayward wasn't a five-star basketball recruit and garnered three scholarship offers before deciding on Butler. Not one to seek attention, he made the right plays at the right times, quietly coming into his own as a lead-by-example kind of player for Brad Stevens' club.

"Whether it was him getting a big-time block, a steal against Murray State, he wasn't somebody who needed to say a whole lot," former Butler teammate Willie Veasley said. "Just somebody who went on the court and did what coach asked for when we needed it."

He wasn't the one anyone imagined would lead a Cinderella Butler team all the way to the title game against Duke in 2010. But there Hayward found himself, an unlikely star thrust into the ring with the highest of stakes. A few years before, he almost traded in his high-tops for a racquet. On that night, his half-court hurl at the buzzer almost broke the Blue Devils and almost made him an instant legend.

gordon haywood college

Photo credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

It's three days before the New Year and the Jazz are warming up against the Clippers in Los Angeles. Hayward shoots jumper after jumper, one of the last Jazz players to return to the locker room while his teammates ate, joked around, rode the bike and listened to music.

This is mostly how Hayward spent the offseason: shooting by himself from every spot on the floor until his mind could erase the percentages that haunted him. Forty-one percent from the field. Thirty percent from three-point range. Both were career-lows, down from 43 and 41 percent the previous season.

Both were the effect of having to shoulder the entire scoring load instead of leaning on veterans Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap. The court was still 94 by 50. The rim was still 10-feet high. But the spots he used to weave through to the cup? Closed up. The daylight he used to enjoy on the perimeter? Not there. The teammates he depended on for easy buckets? Gone to other teams.

Utah still matched the Hornets' four-year, $63 million offer to keep Hayward, but the move was mocked: Unbelievable. Nowhere near a max player. Not ready to lead a franchise.[/QUOTE]

an he's still not regardless of what articles like this try to say.

[QUOTE]Hayward zoned out the talk, bulking up in the weight room at St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis all summer. He lifted weights five days a week, completing a near two-hour strength, conditioning and speed workout.

As a result, he added five to seven pounds of muscle by the start of training camp, weighing in at 230 pounds (up from 220 the previous season).

"He got a lot stronger, a lot more confident than last year," Jazz teammate Derrick Favors said. "I think the strength has helped him out a lot."

He almost landed a spot on Team USA, among the final cuts to the FIBA World Cup roster. Next to him were guys who were No. 1 options on their own teams. Guys he could measure himself against. Guys who challenged him.

Maybe it was all of those off-season jumpers. Maybe it was the arrival of Jazz coach Quin Snyder's motion offense. Or maybe it was being humbled by last season's failures.

In any case, Hayward is now playing the most efficient ball of his career. He's averaging a career-high 19 points, five rebounds and four assists a night while shooting 45 percent from the field and 37 percent from three. He's scored 25 or more eight times, including four 30-plus games.[/QUOTE]

those %'s contunue to drop.

[QUOTE]But it's not just his shooting, the way he twists in the air for off-balance jumpers or the way he bobs up and down for a hesitation move to beat his defender to the basket.

It's his passing out of pick-and-roll situations that has made his teammates better. Hayward's size allows him to see over the defense and instantly whip a thread-the-needle bounce pass to his roller.

"He's unique in that regard," Snyder said. "There's less really good [small forwards] that play pick-and-roll as there are point guards. So to have him at that position, oftentimes he's got an advantage."

Hayward's versatility is most apparent on defense, as his arms extend like tentacles in the passing lane, snagging the ball out of the air for the steal. Opponents still aren't safe on the fast break with Hayward trailing; not even LeBron James, who fell victim to a Hayward chase-down block earlier this season.

"He makes energy plays," said Utah rookie Rodney Hood. "Not all the star players do that."

Losing was not in his bones. Not as a senior when his high school state championship team finished 22-5. Not when national runner-up Butler finished 33-5 in 2010.

And not in practice, either. Whether it was a five-on-five scrimmage or a defensive drill that required a certain number of stops, there was always a winner and a loser to Hayward, and he couldn't be the latter.[/QUOTE]

remains to be seen rather he is a winner or loser

[QUOTE]"When the second team or the scout team would play really well and beat the first team, it drove him crazy," said former Butler assistant coach Matthew Graves, now head coach at South Alabama. "He absolutely hated to lose."

Cue the Jazz, who are 13th in the Western Conference with a 13-26 record. Plagued by injuries, first-half deficits and poor shooting, the Jazz are also one of the NBA's youngest teams. What's more, Hayward is expected to lead the group at 24, when he too is still developing.

SLC DUNK

Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward is ready to lead

AllThatAmar

Gordon Hayward's play is All-Star level

AllThatAmar

"I haven't experienced everything," Hayward said. "I think that's what makes it more difficult for us, is that our leaders are still young, still trying to work things out for themselves."

But as a max-contract player, Hayward is held to a higher standard. Those players are viewed as superheroes who have the power to melt the numbers on the scoreboard into a victorious outcome, regardless of circumstance.

Hayward has indeed willed his team to victory at times this year, like nailing a buzzer-beater step-back jumper over the Cavs or scoring 11 of his 26 points in the final four minutes to beat the Timberwolves by six.

But other times he's less aggressive in close games, waiting for something to happen rather than making something happen.

In a 119-111 loss to the Pelicans where the Jazz gave up 41 points in the fourth quarter, Hayward scored just two points in the period. And in the fourth quarter of a 101-97 loss to the Clippers, he was held scoreless with two attempts, often deferring to teammates.[/QUOTE]

Don't think he has to score. He needs to get his teammates the ball too. He's going to have bad shooting nights. Still needs to fill the box score.

[QUOTE]"For Gordon to take that next step, he has to learn to be selfish in certain situations," said former Jazz teammate Earl Watson, who calls himself Hayward's big brother.

"Gordon's going to go out there and he's going to make his teammates better, which is what every player should do," Watson said. "But it comes to a point during the game where it's critical and he has to take over and be aggressive offensively and kind of be selfish."[/QUOTE]

Disagree. The iso plays he's been running usually suck.

[QUOTE]The Jazz are up by three against the Grizzlies on the road with less than three minutes to go in the back-and-forth game.

Hounded by three Memphis players, Hayward misses a runner, but doesn't pout. Mike Conley rebounds the ball and jets the other way. Hayward sprints back as if he's the one being chased, beating everyone down.

As Conley tosses up a layup, Hayward stretches his arms to the sky and smacks the ball down to the ground, preventing the easy bucket. The Jazz eventually win by six.

Hayward could have stayed back and watched two points slip away, tally another loss in the books.

But he didn't. The spotlight enveloped him, and this time, he embraced its glow.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]The problem with it going forward is (that) we would

[QUOTE]The consistency in Dennis Lindsey

[QUOTE]"Usually you’re complaining about something and the game is going on at the same time," Snyder replied. "We’re not a team … we don’t walk on the court and expect the respect that teams that are perennially contending for titles [get]. We need to earn what we get, particularly guys that are in their first year. You haven’t been in the NBA and you’re going to argue with a referee? You’ve got to be smarter than that. It’s the wrong approach philosophically. You’re going to [complain] about a call instead of doing what you need to do better? It’s pretty simple to me."[/QUOTE]

So what did you think of Favors walking up the court pouting while his guy was dunking at the other end earlier this year? I thought it was bullshit that our supposed leader was doing that and he should have been benched. Why wasn't he?

[QUOTE]Minute matters

After a flu bug kept him out of action against the Warriors, Jazz forward Trevor Booker was back at practice Thursday. With Booker’s return, the Jazz will be at full strength at the 4- and 5-spots, leaving Snyder with some decisions to make about his rotations.

And it will all come down to matchups and production.

"We’re going to play the guys that are playing good," Snyder said. "… There’s no magic where I sit down and divvy up the minutes before the game."[/QUOTE]
It's hard to lke this guy. He's got to see that with Rudy they are a different team. Unless they've decided on Kanter and Favors future Booker needs to be traded.

[QUOTE]Injury update

Rookie Rodney Hood was a partial participant in practice Thursday. After missing seven games with a left foot injury, Hood was "getting his timing back, but he’s not there yet," Snyder said. The rookie is officially listed as out against the Lakers, though his status could be reassessed Friday.

[email]afalk@sltrib.com[/email]

Twitter: @tribjazz[/QUOTE]

D-league for rehab assignment with Millsap here now?

[QUOTE]The Jazz coach needs to decide what

[QUOTE]Do you remember the days when the Utah Jazz were a horrible defensive team? It wasn't that long ago.[/QUOTE]

No it was their last game actually.

[QUOTE]Take the first 10 games of the season: The Jazz surrendered 100 or more points in six of them.

Now, fast-forward three months, and it's becoming clear that Utah is a different team defensively. The Jazz started to turn the corner in December on the pre-Christmas trip. That's when Gordon Hayward remembers the team beginning to grasp Snyder's concepts. The intricate schemes began to make sense. The effort elevated a notch.[/QUOTE]

It was Snyder's concepts not Rudy? :coleman: Let me guess Jerry made John and Jerry two of the all-time greats too?

[QUOTE]And the results started to come: a win over Miami, a win over Memphis, surrendering an average of 89 points in the two victories.

Finally, the light turned on.

"That's when we started to figure it all out a little bit," Hayward said. "We figured out how to play on the road a little bit. And Rudy [Gobert] started to get a few more minutes around that time. I think we just started to get better."

So, what are the technical factors in the turnaround?

A lot of the scheme is personnel-driven. There are games when Snyder has his guards go under screens, in order to better stay in front of quick and penetrating point guards. On Tuesday against the Warriors, the Jazz went over every screen, because Golden State features one of the best shooting teams in the league.

Meanwhile, when Gobert is on the floor, Utah funnels much of the traffic his way, confident that he can erase many shots close to the rim. And another key factor in the team's defensive development has been rebounding. On Tuesday, three Jazz players recorded double figures in that category.

"It's basically a feel from game to game," Burke said. "A lot of it just depends on who we're playing more than anything. We've tried to guard different teams in different ways."

The past 10 games have told the story of a team with considerable defensive potential.[/QUOTE]

Or at least a player.

[QUOTE]Excluding the 116 points it surrendered to Golden State, Utah is giving up 92.4 points a game over the past two weeks

[QUOTE]

[QUOTE]Is he best using his quickness and athleticism against the game's behemoths?

Or is he best suited to outmuscle smaller forwards?

Ask the man himself and he shrugs it off.

"It doesn't matter," Favors said. "Whatever they want me to play, I'll play."[/QUOTE]
3rd Big? He better hope it's not center because there is a new center in town.

[QUOTE]This season, Favors is playing at a higher level than before. He's averaging career highs in points, minutes and field goal percentage. Favors has nine games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season; in his previous four seasons combined, he had 10. He's one of eight players