2020-21 Regular season- The tax team

[QUOTE]Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]FINAL: Jazz 103, Pacers 95. Really nice win for Utah, overcoming some heavy legs. They sweep the road trip, win 4th in a row, improve to 19-5 on the season. Donovan with 27p/11a/9r. Rudy with 16p/16r/3b[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]



Andy Larsen: Donovan Mitchell had 27 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds in Conley’s absence, absolutely fantastic. [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jazz, somehow, still haven’t had a regular season triple-double since Carlos Boozer against the Sonics in 2008 — my favorite random stat in the NBA[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/andyblarsen"]Twitter andyblarsen[/URL]



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[IMG]https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2021/01/i_58_b4_33_rudy-gobert.png?w=190[/IMG]Didn't shoot well and had too many TO's[QUOTE]

Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder on the Jazz’s effort: “That’s when your defense has to carry you. We had some excellent individual performances — Royce on Brogdon, Rudy on Sabonis. … And our work on the boards was important tonight — those extra possessions were critical.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]



J. Michael Falgoust: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Asked Bjorkgren about going at Gobert too much 1 v 1 slowing down the offense: “I like the way we were attacking him down there… I liked Domas putting his shoulder into him.”[/URL] #PacersJazz
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/ThisIsJMichael"]Twitter ThisIsJMichael[/URL]



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I liked it too and Rudy obviously did!

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50102995/donovan-mitchells-passing-game-is-why-sundays-near-triple-double-isnt-likely-to-be-his-last[/url]

[QUOTE]Over the last four years, he's learned how to get in positions to use that special ability. That helped him to career-high-tying 11 assists on Sunday.


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how many to's?

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50102949/pushing-through-with-tired-legs-and-no-mike-conley-jazz-find-a-way-to-gut-out-a-win-in-indiana[/url]

[QUOTE]Rudy Gobert put together arguably his best defensive performance of the season, helping hold All-Star center Domantas Sabonis to 7-of-19 shooting. When Sabonis fouled out late in the game, he angrily threw his towel down when he got to the bench. All the frustration had boiled over. The Jazz allowed 88 points per 100 possessions with Gobert, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds, on the floor.


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and yet the article has been all about Mitchell. This one was all Rudy sorry

[url]https://kslsports.com/452841/tired-jazz-survive-pacers-thanks-to-mitchells-herculean-effort/[/url]

So you people actually watch the games. Not a mention of Gobert who carried them at both ends. Not a mention of Mitchell's shooting or TO's either. Hercules! :facepalm

[url]https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/02/07/triple-team-donovan/[/url]

[QUOTE]They won with just an incredible defensive performance, holding the Pacers to a 96 offensive rating in the game. This won’t surprise you, but the key man was Rudy Gobert, who was just sensational once again today. As good as that 96 defensive rating looks as a team, when Gobert was in the game, it was just 87.



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someone watched

[QUOTE]But the Jazz have been just so good defensively in the half court, that their middling transition defense numbers are actually okay. That’s allowed them to keep the offense rolling with these extra second-chance opportunities, which certainly made a difference tonight.



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until they play someone where it's not

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/reader-qa-keeping-conley-tax-man-cometh-trade-ideas-more/[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz can definitely re-sign Conley — if they’re willing to pay the luxury tax. The “Bird rights” they acquired with Conley in their 2019 trade allow them to sign him to any number up to his max salary, but even a contract starting at half that number would push them well into the tax for next season. So it’s just a question of what they’re comfortable offering, or whether Conley simply wants to play elsewhere. Given that he’s entering the later stage of his career, Utah probably wants to stay well below max salary on a new deal, but they also certainly recognize his [URL="https://saltcityhoops.com/conleys-evolution-from-memphis-mike-to-mountain-mike/"]tremendous impact on winning[/URL].


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the year he is having they might have to pay max

[QUOTE]Well first of all, the Jazz very much plan to retain him — or at least to try. It would also be hard to get equal on-court value in a trade given Conley’s age and expiring contract. With a legitimate shot to make some noise this season, I can’t see them downgrading from Conley at this pivotal moment in their window just out of fear for what [I]might[/I] happen in August. And if he does leave, it’s not like they get literally [I]nothing[/I] in return — if nothing else, his salary slot coming off would give them flexibility to think about how they’d like to use their exceptions. They could also try to work with his new team to create a large trade exception.


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Mitchell's new contract replaces Conley's if he leaves so they don't get anything that way

[QUOTE]So yeah, Zarin is right: at this point, the only way to dodge the tax without moving a rotation guy would be to dump two smaller salaries, then replace them with prorated minimum contracts after the deadline. Harrison hasn’t seen real rotation minutes yet (as the meme says, I am disappoint), but someone else would have to be moved as well. Georges Niang is too ensconsed in the rotation. Oni and Morgan have both looked promising when called upon. They probably don’t want to move their 2020 draft picks, Azubuike and Elijah Hughes, in a pure salary dump. So I’m not sure they’ll do it, unless there’s someone they [I]know[/I] they can get in the veteran buyout market. Quin Snyder doesn’t use his 11th through 14th men a lot anyway, which is why I initially thought they’d pull this maneuver. But they may just bite the bullet.


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Shaq seems the only one likely. I'm hoping they find a deal for Bojan and get a starting 4 and get under the tax and have more flexibility to sign Mike

[QUOTE]I don’t agree about Bogey’s effort, and again, I think you have to put a player’s actions in the context of what’s being asked of him within the offensive and defensive systems. I think the Jazz are, broadly speaking, pretty happy with Bogey. He’s not off the table completely, but you’re not likely to get a real star back in a Bogey trade. So would a more lateral kind of trade (think Harrison Barnes or Tim Hardaway Jr.) be worth the possible chemistry disruption? Maybe. Sometimes title teams get over the hump by taking that risk. I think the Jazz keep Bogey, though.


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Don't need a star. Need someone to play the 4 at both ends while maybe getting under the tax and getting more flexibility for this year and next. I'd be surprised if they did anything but they should

[QUOTE]He could be a little more consistent from outside for someone considered to be a shooting specialist, but I think the key for him to stay in an NBA rotation is staying in front of guys when he’s supposed to.[/QUOTE]

except for the beginning of the year when wasn't he consistent. I expect it to go down when he shoots

[QUOTE][B]Where do you think Beal ends up? Of his list of five teams, which one do you think is most likely to trade for him? @punk_003[/B]

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I'd give up Mitchell for him, Make them take Bojan

[QUOTE]Trade exceptions can’t be combined with a player, so this trade wouldn’t work. If they wanted Bjelly, they’d have to send out at least $4.06M. (There’s also a chance Bjelica could ask for a buyout since he’s expiring and since they rarely use him.)


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He could be a fit

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/2/7/22271484/utah-jazz-gut-out-tough-win-against-the-indiana-pacers-donovan-mitchell-game-recap[/url]

[QUOTE][h=1]Player of the Game[/h][h=2]Donovan Mitchell[/h][/QUOTE]

:roll:

[QUOTE]His percentages weren’t elite, but Mitchell’s play was. With Mike Conley out, Donovan Mitchell stepped up in a big way setting up his teammates. It’s a reminder that Donovan Mitchell is so much more than just a scorer. Shaq and Chuck on TNT are not as familiar with Mitchell’s game, much like every casual fan out there, but when you watch Mitchell in these situations where he has to step up to the occasion, he always has. That’s who he is.


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his percentages sucked

[QUOTE]it is even better when you have Gobert and Favors in the paint instead of Gobert and Bradley. or Gobert and someone else.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/jmnunes5"]jmnunes5[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/2/7/22271484/utah-jazz-gut-out-tough-win-against-the-indiana-pacers-donovan-mitchell-game-recap#536302040"]Feb 7, 2021 | 5:15 PM[/URL]
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Favors hasn't been a lot better though certainly not millions better

[QUOTE] I noticed that Oni played almost 9 minutes didn’t score or produce any stats other than a couple of rebounds but yet was second highest on the team in the +/-. Which leaves me to believe that this dude plays some killer defense while in the game.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/rubar4"]rubar4[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/2/7/22271484/utah-jazz-gut-out-tough-win-against-the-indiana-pacers-donovan-mitchell-game-recap#536306407"]Feb 7, 2021 | 9:12 PM[/URL]
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tells me Morgan when available should play ahead of him and Shaq should get a shot

[url]https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/02/07/nba-pretenders-contenders-lakers-nets-76ers/11/[/url]

[QUOTE]What has been the biggest change for this team, however, has been the play of Mike Conley. After somewhat of a disappointing first season in Utah, Conley has bounced back in a big way. He’s averaging 16 points and six assists (both up from last year), on 45 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range (also both up from last year). If his play is sustainable, it gives the Jazz a strong top 3 without even mentioning Bojan Bogdanovic or Jordan Clarkson, who have been great for the team this season as well.


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Bojan has easily been their worst player. Thanks for paying attention!

[QUOTE]The Clippers might have a cleaner path to landing Lowry. “I think Toronto would want to send him West,” one Eastern team official said, “but Masai is going to do a deal that brings back the best package.” The [URL="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2930345-kyle-lowry-and-the-toronto-raptors-need-a-divorce"]Clippers might be able to provide both. Los Angeles has made it widely known that Lou Williams is available, sources said, and there’s a cohort in that front office ready to move on from Patrick Beverley as well[/URL] —although the Clippers have been more in the market for a mid-tier guard than someone like Lowry, sources said. Adding someone of Lowry’s caliber, however, would boost L.A.’s best punch against the West’s other heavyweights.
– via [URL="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2930345-kyle-lowry-and-the-toronto-raptors-need-a-divorce"]Jake Fischer @ Bleacher Report[/URL]



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As much as they need a starting 4 I'd love Beverly. He'd fit right in

[QUOTE]This brings us to the Utah Jazz. They’ve seemingly perfected their mix around the unique rim-running skills of Rudy Gobert by flooding the floor with knockdown shooters. Of their top six perimeter players — a group who plays the lion’s share of the minutes and would figure to play virtually all of them in a playoff series — five are making better than 40 percent from beyond the arc. It would be six, but that slacker Jordan Clarkson is at 38.7 percent (see chart). As a team, the Jazz are shooting 40.3 percent from 3, and they shoot 3s a lot — a league-leading 42.8 bombs per 100 possessions. [URL="https://theathletic.com/2373090/2021/02/08/nba-utah-making-leap-knicks-derrick-rose-trade-houston-jae-sean-tate/?source=rss"]Don’t just look at the percentages in this chart, but the insane frequency. Clarkson has the second-highest 3-point frequency in the league; Mitchell and Conley rank in the top 25[/URL].
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2373090/2021/02/08/nba-utah-making-leap-knicks-derrick-rose-trade-houston-jae-sean-tate/?source=rss"]John Hollinger @ The Athletic[/URL]



[IMG]https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2021/01/i_58_b4_33_rudy-gobert.png?w=190[/IMG]The other subtle piece of Utah’s excellence is that it eliminates all the easy stuff. [URL="https://theathletic.com/2373090/2021/02/08/nba-utah-making-leap-knicks-derrick-rose-trade-houston-jae-sean-tate/?source=rss"]The Jazz don’t give up 3-point shots because Gobert is good enough in switches to take away a lot of mismatch situations[/URL] (and the accompanying help), and the other Jazz defenders know they can hug up on their man because Gobert is behind them. Meanwhile, Utah’s guys never foul, with the league’s lowest opponent free throw rate in non-garbage time. Add it all up, and Gobert is a stealth MVP candidate despite averaging just 13.3 points per game. Surely he is the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year.
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2373090/2021/02/08/nba-utah-making-leap-knicks-derrick-rose-trade-houston-jae-sean-tate/?source=rss"]John Hollinger @ The Athletic[/URL]



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Wish Rudy could score and guard the perimeter though! :roll:

[url]https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-black-history-month-call-out-utah-school-allow-students-opt-out-213247733.html[/url]

Andy Larsen: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Mike Conley remains OUT for the Jazz’s game against Boston tomorrow[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/andyblarsen"]Twitter andyblarsen[/URL]

John Karalis: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Celtics list Jaylen Brown as “questionable” for tomorrow’s game[/URL] in Utah
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/RedsArmy_John"]Twitter RedsArmy_John[/URL]

[url]https://kslsports.com/452912/jazz-return-home-to-host-celtics-on-national-tv/[/url]

[QUOTE][h=2]Key Matchup[/h]Tuesday’s key matchup will pit Tatum against Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic. The Celtics forward is averaging a career-high 27 points per game this season and is shooting 46 percent from the floor and 39 percent from three since returning from COVID-19 protocol.
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Royce will be on Tatum. They'll tr to hide Bojan and Mitchell elsewhere

[url]https://kslsports.com/452877/how-the-jazz-have-won-15-of-their-last-16-games/[/url]

[QUOTE]Finally, the Jazz are 6-0 in games when a top eight rotation player is out of the game, including 4-0 without Ingles, 2-0 without Mitchell, and 1-0 without Conley, proving in addition to their versatility, they can win in the face of adversity.

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we'll see. I wouldn't want Conley to be gone long