2020-21 Regular season- The tax team

[QUOTE]Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Rudy Gobert, on trash-talking with Donovan Mitchell: “I kinda let him get the first layup, and after that I told him I wasn’t gonna let him do that anymore.[/URL] He got scared in the second half. He didn’t try it any more — that was a good decision. But he did hit a 3 in my face.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz
[/URL]




[URL="https://theathletic.com/2433906/2021/03/07/was-the-nba-all-star-game-a-mistake-why-joel-embiid-ben-simmons-absence-spoke-volumes/?source=rss"]“You might want to call back, the league’s trying to reach you,” Conley said was the text message he received. “So I hop up real quick and say I’ll be right back, and go back in the bathroom and call the number back.[/URL] He’s like ‘Hey, Mike, I’ve got some good news, there’s a spot available in the 3-point contest and the All-Star Game. … If you’re available?’ I’m like shit, I am doing nothing, sitting here with my family.”
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2433906/2021/03/07/was-the-nba-all-star-game-a-mistake-why-joel-embiid-ben-simmons-absence-spoke-volumes/?source=rss"]Joe Vardon @ The Athletic[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

don't remember the layup. Mitchell definitely avoided him a couple times smartly

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/staff-post-first-half-recap-all-star/[/url]

[QUOTE][URL="https://twitter.com/drawing_defense"]Trevor Gustaveson[/URL]: I’m not shocked, but man, the Jazz must have been among the luckiest teams in terms of health and safety protocols as well as health. I’m going to attribute this burst of success mostly to Mike Conley Jr. getting more comfortable and Derrick Favors vastly improving the bench minutes. I’m most surprised at the amount of margin for error the Jazz have, as I expected them to be a contender this season. I did not expect them to be dominating like this. But I’ll take it!


[/QUOTE]

Favors has arguably been worse than Bradley but we love him anyway!

[QUOTE][URL="https://twitter.com/zarinf"]Zarin Ficklin[/URL]: Is Mitchell a top-5 MVP candidate? Honestly, I thought Utah’s ceiling was directly tied to Donovan’s growth into superstardom — and there still may be truth to that — but the Jazz have found success this season from collective contribution. Last year I often wondered what the Jazz would look like if Mitchell, Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic and others all clicked in during the same game. This season we’ve seen the whole group take a unified step up and the sum is greater than its parts. I certainly didn’t see this coming.


[/QUOTE]

Bojan, Mitchell, Favors and Snyder usually being the weak links

[QUOTE][B]Trevor[/B]: This is a tough call between the improved play of Royce O’Neale and the absolute explosion of a year Jordan Clarkson is having. I’m going to give the most pleasant surprise award to O’Neale though. I’ve always been a huge fan of his game, but did not expect him to look so dynamic. He has greatly improved his passing, pass fakes, and he is shooting with confidence. He’s even been running a little bit of pick-and-roll, as well as attempting threes off the dribble and a stepback or two. He hasn’t always been able to shut down elite guards, but he is giving great effort in the post against bigger players that he’s matched up against.


[/QUOTE]

what O'Neal us doing against bigger players is admirable. Need a starting 4 though

[QUOTE][B]Riley[/B]: Ingles might be playing the best basketball of his career. Some people could have predicted Clarkson’s strong season, Conley’s bounce-back year, or Gobert’s re-emergence at the top of the DPOY race — but if you look through the smoke and see that Ingles is averaging a career best points-per-possession, turnover-rate, and true-shooting percentage, you can quickly see the impact he’s had on turning last year’s bench issues around.


[/QUOTE]

that one would have been hard to predict after seemingly being on the decline the past two seasons. I had hope that staying in Utah and working might pay dividends and seemingly it has

[QUOTE][B]Jake[/B]: On the one hand, I’m not surprised Conley has figured it out—it already started to click in the last half of 2019-20. I’m not surprised Gobert and Mitchell have improved. On the other hand, Clarkson has surprised me. He’s just been so solid, averaging 18 ppg. Being the second leading scorer on a team with Conley, Mitchell, and Bogdanovic is already a crazy accomplishment. But more importantly, nearly every time Utah has needed a lift this year, JC has been there. Even after his last stretch of poor shooting, he’s still 37% from three while attempting a whopping NINE threes a game. Oh, and by the way, did you know he’s shooting 96.7% from the FT line? If the season ended today, that’d be good for #2 all time for a single season.


[/QUOTE]

Clarkson was awful last year. He's certainly a lot better though still too much iso. Conley has really stepped up on D

[QUOTE][B]David[/B]: The relentless, dominating offense. Coming into the season, we knew Snyder wanted to take even more advantage of the Jazz’s corps of marksmen. But to be this consistently and ridiculously good? Like record-setting good? That was not expected. Utah’s defense has been characteristically stout. But it feels like two or three times each outing, the offense will go bonkers with a barrage of 3-pointers. Those two or three-minute spells are what has propelled them to blowout after blowout. It happened last season a few times with Mitchell and Clarkson. But this season, these explosions are a team effort (though often led by one or both of this duo).


[/QUOTE]

the offense was great last year after they fixed the bench. The defense has been the difference

[QUOTE][B]Riley[/B]: Utah’s defense has faltered. Since the first game against Philadelphia, their defensive rating has fallen below league average. That’s not to say that it’s terribly worrisome – they’re still forcing the toughest shots in the league by location over that period (via CTG) – but they’re also fouling more and not rebounding as well defensively. That said, the Jazz still have the second best defense in the league against top 10 offenses, it just feels as though the foot has slipped off of the gas a bit.


[/QUOTE]

Bojan, Mitchell and Snyder

[QUOTE][B]Jake[/B]: On offense, I’m concerned about their inability to control a game, especially when opposing defenses show ball pressure. They can often get to their counters, but not always. For the most part, Utah is not a big team, nor an athletic team. Gobert struggles to make plays when there’s a man between him and the hoop. Utah often goes cold and Donovan overcommits to isolation, which stalls Utah’s offensive system–which is the crown jewel here. The Jazz can beat the Lakers. The Jazz can beat the Clippers. But it’s going to have to be a group effort. On defense, I’m very concerned about Bogdanovic. Perhaps this is recency bias, but I can’t get the picture out of my head of Tobias Harris completely dominating him in the post to win that game. Of course, the Jazz really just need another wing defender. O’Neale is really good. But unless Snyder gets more comfortable playing two bigs again, this will continue to be a big hole in the Jazz defense.


[/QUOTE]

need a starting 4 and a coach that will put the right players in the game

[QUOTE][B]Zarin[/B]: To me, it was in the pre-season, when we saw the Jazz shoot 41, 39, and then 52 3-point shots — each resulted in a blowout win. There was abundant tempering of expectations (after all, two of those were against Phoenix!), but it turned out to be a good approximation of what this new Utah Jazz team could play like. During the 1st of quarter of the 1st regular season game the Jazz focused on midrange shots and started slow. Then they reverted to the barrage of 3s and beat the Blazers by 20 points. This Jazz team was real.


[/QUOTE]

They were great in Portland and inconsistent for a while after as usual. Wasn't until they played the Bucks and started to roll that we knew they had something

[url]https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/261767/Otto-Porter-Bulls-Could-Agree-To-Buyout;-Warriors-Would-Have-Interest[/url]

I assume the Jazz would too.

[QUOTE]Case in point: Embiid’s destroying Jazz star Rudy Gobert, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, with a 40-point, 19-rebound performance in a Sixers victory last Wednesday. “I get in trouble when I say stuff like this,” Morey says, “but he’s the most unstoppable thing I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot. You know who I’ve seen,” he says, alluding to Harden. “But I’ve never seen anything like it. [URL="https://www.si.com/.amp/nba/2021/03/08/sixers-daryl-morey-title-contenders-daily-cover?__twitter_impression=true"]Like last night against Rudy Gobert, he faced him up at eight feet, and I mean it ended in a dunk. And (Gobert) is an amazing defender. And he had no answer.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://www.si.com/.amp/nba/2021/03/08/sixers-daryl-morey-title-contenders-daily-cover?__twitter_impression=true"]Howard Beck @ Sports Illustrated[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

kept him under 50%

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-playoff-race-clutch-woes-allstar/[/url]

[QUOTE]Jazz 123, Sixers 131 (OT): Donovan Mitchell. This is a bit complicated given the closing problems mentioned above, but the reality is that no Jazz player was anywhere near as stellar or impactful as Mitchell was for the game’s first 46 minutes. He had 33-8-6, and until that last 9-shot drought, he was doing it efficiently, too. Ingles’ 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting would probably be my backup pick, and Royce O’Neale had another nice all-around game, including on the defensive end against the likes of Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris.


[/QUOTE]

12-34. The guy can apparently do no wrong :facepalm

[QUOTE]Some players who have been rumored to be potential buyout candidates are point guard George Hill, wing Tony Snell, sharpshooter Wayne Ellington and wing [URL="https://theathletic.com/2435647/2021/03/09/blazers-and-their-tough-decisions-who-to-pick-up-who-to-play-and-who-to-rest/?source=emp_shared_article"]Otto Porter Jr., who is a player long desired by Olshey. Big man DeMarcus Cousins was waived last month by Houston, but a source said the Blazers will not consider him[/URL].
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2435647/2021/03/09/blazers-and-their-tough-decisions-who-to-pick-up-who-to-play-and-who-to-rest/?source=emp_shared_article"]Jason Quick @ The Athletic[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

Sounds like a line is being made for Porter. He's the best guy for the Jazz that's been mentioned so far. Could start and play a huge role but probably wouldn't. But we do know their was mutual interest before he went to Chicago. Start him and bring Bojan off the bench if you can't trade him.

[url]https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-trade-deadline-team-could-184448502.html[/url]

[QUOTE]Limited position The Jazz have a healthy lead over for the top seed in the West. It seems inconceivable that they would trade any of their top-8 players.[/QUOTE]

If they were smart Bojan and maybe Favors would be shopped but I'm sure they aren't

[QUOTE]The Jazz could alternatively make a cost-cutting move. They are going to be a taxpaying team over the next five years now that they have Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert locked into maximum contracts during that span. They are currently $1.2 million above the luxury tax. There is a path for them to get below the luxury tax without trading their Top 8 players but it would require trading away some of their young prospects. Getting under the luxury tax this year would delay the repeater tax, giving the Jazz tens of millions in luxury tax savings three years from now.[/QUOTE]

another good reason to look to move the above

[QUOTE]Adrian Wojnarowski: Free agent forward Ersan Ilyasova is signing a deal with the Utah Jazz for the rest of the season, sources tell ESPN. He’s currently completing Covid testing protocol before he’s cleared to sign his deal. – via Twitter wojespn


[/QUOTE]

I thought they should have signed him years ago. Hopefully he's got something left. Be interesting to see if he plays. SHould probably start with Bojan off th bench until they trade him. I guess they finally realized they need a PF? :facepalm

Waived by Charlotte last November, Nicolas Batum wondered what was next. He believed he was closer to the version of himself who had once helped elevate All-Stars, not the 6-foot-8 forward made dispensable after career-low productivity in his 12th NBA season. Batum believed in himself. Waiting by the phone, he just didn’t know who else agreed. “I came from being released and don’t know what to do, to choosing between five or six contenders,” Batum said. “In an hour. After 18 months of not playing.” – via Andrew Greif @ Los Angeles Times


The first call came from Rudy Gobert, his French compatriot and the Utah Jazz center, who implored his friend to “come with me; let’s do it together.” But Gobert had competition. Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Toronto also called, among other suitors. The Clippers wanted Batum badly enough to set up a de facto phone bank: Batum heard from coach Tyronn Lue, team president Lawrence Frank, and stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Their vision for his passing, shooting and defense aligned with his own. It wasn’t the only pull. “We had the common story from last year,” Batum said. “My story is their story. “What happened to them last year is what happened to me last year. I think it’s pretty similar: People are expecting stuff from us and things didn’t work out. So I was like, why not go with that team and make sure we both redeem ourselves?” – via Andrew Greif @ Los Angeles Times


“I knew I could join a team with talent like that and make sure to be the glue guy,” he said. “I’ve been like that since I’ve played my whole career, in different ways, but the base of my game has been doing that. “One of the reasons why I chose the offer from the Clippers to be that for that team because I feel like maybe they missed guys like me or Serge like that last year. I don’t really care about what I’m doing on the court. I don’t come on the court like focused on what I can do numbers-wise. I just want to make sure the team, especially my two best players, but the team in general, are good to win the game.” – via Andrew Greif @ Los Angeles Times

Jordan Schultz: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Pending final bloodwork, free agent forward Ersan Ilyasova will sign vet min deal w/the #Jazz tomorrow,[/URL] per sources. Ilyasova has already gone through Covid protocol. The 33-year-old played in 63 games last season for the Bucks, averaging 6.6 PPG (36.5 percent 3s) / 4.8 REBS.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report"]Twitter Schultz_Report[/URL]

[url]https://kslsports.com/454977/report-utah-jazz-to-sign-ersan-ilyasova/[/url]

[QUOTE]“Provides some extra shooting and he’s a decent rebounder. Good depth at PF along with Bojan Bogdanovic and Georges Niang,” said KSL Sports Jazz insider Ben Anderson.


[/QUOTE]

:roll:

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50122324/jazz-to-sign-veteran-forward-ersan-ilyasova[/url]

[QUOTE]There were a number of other options the Jazz could have used for the 14th spot: 10-day contracts, promoting one of their two-way players, or test out the buy-out market. Utah could have also combined a couple of those choices and used 10-day contracts to buy some time to get a better idea of what the buy-out market would actually look like before making a decision.


[/QUOTE]

seems like they should have kept their options open but the sooner they get someone the sooner they can fit in hopefully. Desperately need a 4. Trade Bojan!

[QUOTE]In the Bucks' playoff run in the bubble, Ilyasova played in just three games, averaging 3.0 points in 7.8 minutes. He didn't appear in any of the contests during Milwaukee's second-round series where it fell to the Miami Heat. In the end, it was a very-limited role or a did not play.


[/QUOTE]

Bucks were deep and actually had other 4's

[url]https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/9/22321786/reports-utah-jazz-to-sign-veteran-shooter-ersan-ilyasova[/url]

[QUOTE]It is not entirely clear how Ilyasova might fit into the Jazz’s plans, as they’ve got a number of perimeter-oriented forwards.


[/QUOTE]

Other than Morgan and O'Neales's best impression of one he's the only 4. Him and Morgan should get the minutes unless going small with Royce is called on. That won't happen of course! :facepalm

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/threading-the-needle-february-uniform-review/[/url]

[QUOTE]Last month we highlighted the Statement Gold uniforms quite a bit, so I’ll refrain from re-hashing the same material again (though it does garner lots of clicks). I will mention that as it shows in the Uniform Recap above, the Jazz are a perfect[B] 6-0[/B] while wearing gold. That puts their record a solid 5 games over .500 at 28-23. Either there was no curse, or the curse has been broken by the best team in the league.


[/QUOTE]

who cares. Ugly!

[QUOTE][B]Green with Envy?[/B]

[/QUOTE]

awfu too

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent[/url]

[QUOTE][I]Length, shooting, and veteran experience added to Utah’s roster for the second half of the season[/I]


[/QUOTE]

is he long?

[QUOTE]David J. Smith
@davidjsmith1232
Ersan Ilyasova is an interesting pickup for the Jazz. Another big who can shoot.


Career: 10.3 PPG, 37% 3s, 5.7 RPG, 1.1 APG. 51 career Playoff games (ECF w/ MIL in 2019)


6-9, 235 lb who will turn 34 in May.
[/QUOTE]

another? Him and Morgan :facepalm

[QUOTE]This might signal a Bogey trade, which makes me all kinds of nervous (but which could also pay off depending on who we get back)

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/Korumbian"]Korumbian[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537354408"]Mar 9, 2021 | 2:55 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

I'd be shocked. They don't necessarily need anyone back. Addition by subtraction. Get under tax. Flexibility this year and going going forward.

[QUOTE]I can see him being insurance at Center too if Favors can’t go. A bigger, better option than Morgan.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike"]SKMike[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537351512"]Mar 9, 2021 | 1:50 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

:facepalm Not convinced Favors is better than Morgan

[QUOTE][h=4]Team seems pretty committed to 4 3-point shooters at all times[/h]
Think played the Rudy-Favors combo less than 15 minutes in 36 games

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike"]SKMike[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537352255"]Mar 9, 2021 | 2:07 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

only took 6 years

[QUOTE]I just think the team is committed to playing the one style very well and making teams adjust to us than adjusting to them. Time will prove if a mistake I guess.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike"]SKMike[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537353593"]Mar 9, 2021 | 2:35 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

definitely a mistake. Many ways you can make teams adjust. Go big on someone instead just not Favors!


[h=4]Answered my own question....His defense could be useful.[/h]
[QUOTE]Info from the same thread…
7’1" wingspan.
In 2019-20…
Roll Gravity: A+
Interior Defense: B-
Offensive Rebounding: B+
Defensive Rebounding: A-

[/QUOTE]

Longer than Royce and about the same as Morgan I think

[QUOTE]why Milwaukee didn’t play him in the playoffs last year against the Heat. But hope that was more due to injuries and the bubble.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike"]SKMike[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537353359"]Mar 9, 2021 | 2:30 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

They were loaded. Jazz have no one but Morgan and COTM won't lay him

[QUOTE][h=4]I always thought he was 6'10". Wanted him 5 years ago[/h]
As a stretch 4 when we were searching.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike"]SKMike[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537353776"]Mar 9, 2021 | 2:40 PM[/URL]

[/QUOTE]

they were searching? Definitely been on my radar for a while

[QUOTE][h=4]Wishful thinking for a dude that has averaged 29% from three in the playoffs for his career.[/h]

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/uncle-ingles"]uncle-ingles[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537370124"]Mar 10, 2021 | 2:08 AM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

what was he on wide open 3's? That's what he'd get

[QUOTE][h=4]Favs defense has been disappointing & he's definitely lost some bounce...[/h]
But, he’s still a super efficient offensive player & excellent rebounder.
I don’t see Ersan being anything other than insurance, to be honest.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/uncle-ingles"]uncle-ingles[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537370173"]Mar 10, 2021 | 2:19 AM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

could have had that with Bradley and saved million and got the PF they obviously finally realize they need

[QUOTE]That’s what’s missing from his game this year. His superior athleticism for a big man. It’s why he doesn’t challenge every shot or is late challenging some shots. Its why we dont see him dunk over multiple defenders once a game like we used too. Hes still pretty young right? I wonder if it’s his back that’s bothering him. That would explain alot. Either that or he has looked heavy this season.
As far as ersan goes I dont know how much this helps. Hes been sitting all year with no team signing him. Maybe that’s for a reason like he was rehabbing something or sitting out for personal reasons. But if not for said reasons than I wonder how much value if any he can bring. I wonder if he can even crack the rotation. He could end up being another shaq.
I dont see him taking niangs minutes. He cant shoot like niang can. I dont see him taking favs minutes either. He cant defend rebound or pnr like favs can. Its good insurance though. Hopefully I’m wrong and he makes a big difference.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/JazzHands2017"]JazzHands2017[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/3/9/22321919/utah-jazz-sign-ersan-ilyasova-bucks-free-agent#537358848"]Mar 9, 2021 | 5:00 PM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

Favors doesn't look heavy. I'd guess part of why he was willing to come to be a backup was because he knew he wasn't up for big minutes. Ersan is one of two modern 4's on the roster. Makes all the sense in the world. Why it didn't happen instead of Shaq or Favors to begin with even is the question?