Rewards of the tank:2014 off-season!

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]Shooting and stamina are two major areas of emphasis the highly touted Australian will have to focus on while with his national team the rest of the summer leading up to Jazz training camp in October.

[Xiao Yao You]

Steve Bulpett: Celtics finishing deal for FA Evan Turner, sources tell Herald. He will get a portion of their mid-level exception. Twitter @SteveBHoop

Jeff Zillgitt: Celtics front-office and agent David Falk just got off the phone finalizing deal for Evan Turner. Twitter @JeffZillgitt

Don't get why G is worth more than 3 times as much as this guy.

[Xiao Yao You]

It didn

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Pincus: Trevor Booker's $9.775 mil contract with Utah Jazz is $5 mil this year and just $250k guarnateed in 2nd year at $4.775 mil Twitter @EricPincus -

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]Utah brass have some roster decisions to make by Aug. 1. The contracts of guard Ian Clark (fully) and forward Erik Murphy (partially) will become guaranteed after the end of this month. The Jazz

[Xiao Yao You]

Trey Burke has been invited to participate in the camp as part of the USA Select team, a squad of up and coming players that will practice against the national team.

Burke earned All-Rookie honors last season, averaging 12.8 points and 5.7 assists per game.

Burke's Michigan teammate Tim Hardaway Jr., Boston point guard Marcus Smart, and Magic guard Victor Oladipo s are among the others reportedly invited to be part of the squad.

In past years, Hayward and Jazz forward Derrick Favors have participated with the Select Team.

The USA camp begins July 31 in Las Vegas.

[Xiao Yao You]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsja...4-62/story.csp

[Xiao Yao You]

The Utah Jazz announced today that forward Jeremy Evans and guard Ian Clark will take part in this summer's annual Junior Jazz road trip, which tips off on Monday, July 28. The three-week, 42-city event will reach more than 2,000 boys and girls and cover more than 4,000 miles across four states.

The 2014 edition of the Junior Jazz road trip marks the 30th straight year the Jazz has conducted the events, which feature Jazz players running hour-long basketball clinics for kids in participating Junior Jazz towns across Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Idaho. Following each clinic, Evans and Clark will sign autographs and pose for pictures.

"Throughout the years, our players have been tremendous ambassadors for the Jazz with their participation in Junior Jazz clinics," said Randy Rigby, Utah Jazz president. "We appreciate the support of our surrounding communities and look forward to visiting the hometowns of these Junior Jazz players for an up-close basketball experience."

- The Utah Jazz, 2014

This looks like Clark's option will be picked up.

[El Kabong]

Lucas, Murphy and Thomas traded to Cleveland for Carrick Felix, 2nd round draft pick (so pick 60?) and $1 million.

http://www.slcdunk.com/nba-free-agen...malcolm-thomas

Who is Carrick Felix?

Carrick Felix was drafted #33 overall in the 2013 draft (so, the Trey Burke draft). He is a 6'6 shooting guard who is only 23 years old and played at Arizona St University. He was born in Las Vegas, Arizona. I learn things every day.

As a three year player in college he averaged 10.2 ppg (.456 / .326 / .704) and 4.8 rpg. He made more than one three a game. In the NBA-DL he played for the Canton Charge in but nine games, and finished with 11.0 ppg and 5.2 rpg. He shot 33.3% from outside. And with the Cleveland Cavaliers last year he got into only 7 games, 38 total minutes, and even Ian Clark felt bad for him.

Woj says the deal for the Cavs is they wanted non-guaranteed contracts they can use in the Kevin Love trade.

[Xiao Yao You]

Lucas, Murphy and Thomas traded to Cleveland for Carrick Felix, 2nd round draft pick (so pick 60?) and $1 million.

http://www.slcdunk.com/nba-free-agen...malcolm-thomas



Woj says the deal for the Cavs is they wanted non-guaranteed contracts they can use in the Kevin Love trade.

Jump on that deal.

[Xiao Yao You]

Felix was the 33rd player taken last year so he should have some potential to fight Hood and Exum for time on the wing. Throw in another 2nd rounder. Jazz always deal for cash!

They must like Clark. I know he loves Lucas and Thomas has been the best player of those.

[Xiao Yao You]

David 'Dubi' Pick: Malcolm Thomas is pissed for being dealt to the Cavaliers. He played for David Blatt in Israel. Bad fit, got cut. Twitter @IAmDPick

Jason Lloyd: #Cavs source insists they like all 3 players acquired, not necessarily stepping stones to bigger deal. But certainly provides options Twitter @JasonLloydABJ

[Xiao Yao You]

Lucas struggled mightily in his lone season in Utah.

Did he? That's what he does. Expecting him to be a starter and back-up was the mistake(or the tank).

Murphy's shooting touch was absent during summer league. And Thomas, despite an impressive showing Las Vegas, faced an uphill battle to make a roster already filled with young big men.

Carrick will also have to fight for what little playing time might be left after Dante Exum, Alec Burks, Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood get their time.
But the Jazz believe he'll have a chance to contribute.

Most of the minutes should be going to their two vets. After that he could have a chance.

"He's another young wing, but he's a little different from what we've got," Jazz General Manage Dennis Lindsey says. "He sees himself as a defender first.
Anybody that can defend and move the ball and make the corner three, that's a role we can envision we'll have going forward. Certainly Carrick's game defensively is where he hangs his hat."

Felix played at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls before transferring.
He initially committed to Duke, but ended up choosing Arizona State.

Walt Perrin, the Jazz's vice president of player personnel, saw plenty of Felix.
"He had a very good coach in Herb Sendek, in a very defensive program," Lindsey said.

And in his senior year as a Sun Devil, Felix broke out. He averaged 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds that year.

"He was able to develop some shooting touch," Lindsey said.

During the draft process last year, Felix's interview left an impression on the Jazz.

"He was one of the guys that stood out, who said, 'I defend. That's what I do. That's how I get on the court,'" Lindsey recalled.

The franchise did not end up using a pick on the 6-foot-6 guard out of Arizona State last summer, but the team kept tabs on him.

"We don't really close the book on any player unless we think they're just not good enough or not of the right character," Lindsey said. "We kept that book open and [director of pro player personnel] David Fredman tracked. We watched him a little bit this summer. This is a chance for us to take a look at a young developing defensive wing."

Felix saw action in just seven games with the Cavaliers last year and spent some time in the D-League.

But Utah is holding out hope he can provide depth going forward.

Felix is due about $800,000 this year and he has two non-guaranteed years left on his deal.

— Aaron Falk

They like him and he'll be a trade piece next summer with his non guaranteed deal.

[Xiao Yao You]

"We've been looking for wing depth, and Carrick is a young player with a defensive mindset," Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey said. "We've watched him at Arizona State and at Cleveland and in the D-League and feel like with his defensive mindset and toughness, he could be a good complement to our young group.

"If you can defend the athletic wings in this league and make an open shot and can move the ball, you have a chance to play for Quin Snyder and the Utah Jazz."

The deal, first announced by Yahoo Sports, will give Cleveland increased trade asset flexibility and more salary cap maneuverability in its bid to put together a blockbuster deal for Love, an All-Star power forward with one year remaining on his current contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Cavs have been trying to swing a deal for Love since signing free agent superstar LeBron James a couple of weeks ago.

Felix, a 6-foot-6 swingman out of Arizona State, averaged 2.7 points in seven games with Cleveland last season, his first in the NBA. He also appeared in nine games with the Canton Charge in the NBA Development League, averaging 11 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Was hoping maybe for big numbers at the D-League at least. I guess he was injured much of last year? How did he do in Summer League?

He was taken in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft by the Cavs. Before that, he played three seasons at Arizona State, averaging 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks as a senior, when he was named to the All-Pac-12 second team and to the league's All-Defensive Team. He played his freshman year at the College of Southern Idaho.

Felix, who turns 24 next month, has one guaranteed year remaining on his contract.

Lucas, a 5-11 point guard, averaged 3.8 points and 1 assist in 42 games for the Jazz last season. Thomas, a 6-9 forward out of San Diego State, averaged 1.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in eight NBA games with Utah and San Antonio last season. The 6-10 Murphy was claimed off waivers on April 5 but did not appear in a game with the Jazz.

EMAIL: rhollis@desnews.com

[Xiao Yao You]

[QUOTE]"When I'm on the court, I'm focused and I'll do whatever it takes to win," said Booker, a free agent who was signed by the Jazz on Monday to a two-year deal and met with the media on Tuesday at Zions Bank Basketball Center. "If that means knocking you out of the air, I'm gonna do it.

"Off the court, I'm just a laid-back, chill guy. But when I'm on the court, I'm just an animal."

Utah could use a little of that fierce in-the-paint intensity and physicality after sputtering through a 25-57 record last season.

Booker comes to the Jazz after spending his first four NBA seasons in Washington, where he averaged 6.4 points and 5.1 minutes per game in 235 career games, including 105 starts. He averaged 6.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, when he helped the Wizards reach the first round of the NBA playoffs.

He's well aware that, in joining the Jazz, he's going to have to earn his playing time