post draft off season part II-bring on the roster moves!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/09/19/uta...layoff-dagger/

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/468429/30-jazz-opening-night/

Favors helped oversee a total Jazz rebuild after the departure of Deron Williams before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans to clear room for Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic in 2019. Then, after resigning with the Jazz in 2020, he was traded to the Thunder to trim the team’s luxury tax bill in July.

I'd say they'd be happy to pay the luxury bill if he hadn't sucked but than again Clarkson and COTY suck too

Gay will step into the role left absent by forward Georges Niang, while Whiteside will be tasked with filling Favors shoes. Paschall and Butler will compete for a spot in the rotation throughout the year.

what spot exactly?

Opening night will also mark a rematch of Donovan Mitchell and Lu Dort, one of the most exciting head-to-head matchups in the NBA last season.

it was? Shai/Conley should be good

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat...a-azubuike-dok

The big man looked dominant in the summer league. How could he fare in the big league?

how bout we see how he fares in the Gleague first?

WhenWhen Udoka Azubuike was drafted 27th overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2020 NBA Draft, many Jazz fans were unhappy. Utah was expected to sign Derrick Favors as their backup center in the coming days. Why draft a center?

because they had 6 rookies and non of them was a big center. Gobert and Bradley were free agents. They had young guys to develop everywhere else. The draft isn't for immediate help ideally. As good as Butler might be where will he get minutes?

This was where the big man dominated. In summer league, you can almost always pinpoint who the NBA-level players are by watching a single quarter of basketball. NBA talent just stands high above college talent. Udoka Azubuike was one of those guys. He was physically dominant. There were other guys with NBA size there, but they couldn’t handle him. As a reminder, Azubuike is 6’10”, 280 lbs. He tries to dunk the ball every time he has a chance to, and when you’ve got that kind of size combined with aggression, it’s almost impossible to stop.

We'll see. Forrest made it easy for him

Dok is still young and raw. He will likely not be in the regular rotation, as Hassan Whiteside was brought in to be Rudy Gobert’s backup. However, if either Gobert or Whiteside misses any time, expect Azubuike to fill in.

We'll see. Morgan was ahead of him last year and later Ersan

The best-case scenario for Azubuike is that he performs so well in practices, G-League, and his spot NBA minutes, that he begins challenging Whiteside for the primary backup role. I don’t see this as likely, but I also don’t think it’s outside of the realm of possibility.

I don't expect much of Whiteside so this is the ideal situation. Trade Whiteside at the deadline

Right now, it’s hard to imagine watching Azubuike playing 15 minutes in an important NBA game and feeling comfortable with his defense. He has the physical tools to be an even bigger Rudy Gobert. He has such a tantalizing combination of size, length, athleticism, and pure power.

outside of a few guys on the team who do you feel comfortable with on D?

The other big thing Azubuike needs to improve on is his free-throw shooting. In college, Dok shot 41% from the line. So far in his NBA career, we haven’t seen much improvement in the small amount of time he’s played. While he’s 8-10 from the line in the NBA, he went 12-29 between the two summer leagues. If he’s unable to get his free throw percentage up over 60%, “hack-a-Dok” would be a viable strategy for any opponents. When you’re fighting for NBA minutes, having an exploitable weakness of that magnitude can be a major roadblock.

60 is still hack a Dok as we've seen with Gobert. Ideally high 60's at least

All that said, Dok will have a positive impact every time he steps on the court. His potential is through the roof. If he can make significant improvements to the weak areas of his game, it will be nearly impossible to keep him off the court.

how can you say a guy that has done absolutely nothing in an NBA game will make a positive impact?

DOK looked great to me and in my book, those stats indicate we have a diamond

13.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks per game in the Salt Lake City Summer League



I get the conservative assessment that he is not ready now, but I think he should get serious non-garbage mins to make sure he develops. Even if it means taking some mins away from Gobert and Whiteside today.

the Gleague is there for a reason as is practice. Many ways to develop. Needs to earn his minutes

His offense is easy to see translating to the NBA. He doesn't try to do too much (except sometimes he tries to dunk from ten feet away). He just takes the easy shots. We wouldn't need anything more from him.



We'd need everything from him on defense. The Jazz scheme is built entirely on the center being superhuman. He needs to be the last line of defense for every singles teammate, and I'm not at all confident he can be that right now. In a few years, yeah probably. Now? No way.

Need him to set screens and crash the offensive glass. Again he hasn't proven anything in an NBA game. Summer league was encouraging. See soon what he looks like in pre season and than probably in the Gleague. One step at a time

reply In reply to Kira Argonova
I agree. I think he could be special. Maybe he can be the starter when Rudy declines.

tank!

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https://thejnotes.com/2021/09/21/uta...training-camp/

The Jazz boast one of the strongest backcourt rotations in the entire National Basketball Association. Donovan Mitchell is a star, Mike Conley Jr. just submitted the first All-Star season of his 14-year career, and as mentioned, Jordan Clarkson was deemed the best reserve in the league last year. After those three, however, the rotation thins out somewhat quickly, and it’s unclear who will be the fourth guard in Quin Snyder’s rotation.

Ingles?

Jared Butler seems like the obvious first choice. Selected with the 40th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, many observers feel that Butler has a chance to be a steal. He could make an immediate contribution with his solid, low-usage, high-IQ brand of basketball.

No reason to think anyone will make an immediate contribution under COTY especially if they didn't attend Duke. See what he does with the Stars first

Miye Oni and MaCio Teague round out the guards on this Utah Jazz roster. They both project as unlikely to feature as regular members of Quin Snyder’s rotation, but they’ll both be looking towards training camp as an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and earn a spot as the fourth guard in the rotation for the Jazzmen.

Oni should be ahead of the others until proven otherwise

The Jazz acquired two very similar players this offseason in Rudy Gay and Eric Paschall. Both men at this respective stage in their careers project as a quality backup 4 / small-ball 5. A look at their statistical profiles from last season provides little clarity regarding which is likely to earn more minutes in Snyder’s rotation.

they aren't similar and there should be no battle unless Mitchell demands it

Indeed, it would seem likely that each of these players was acquired primarily to beef up Utah’s defensive versatility, after watching Rudy Gobert struggle against the Los Angeles Clippers’ small-ball attack in last season’s Western Conference semi-finals. With that in mind, the veteran Gay must have the advantage over the younger, less developed Paschall.

changing the coach would have made more sense

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/09/21/uta...-phoenix-suns/

Ultimately, however, this didn’t look like a blockbuster trade on first glance. Gugliotta would finish the season with the Utah Jazz after this midseason exchange, and depart for the Boston Celtics the year after. That season would be his last in the Association, as he was well past his prime.

I liked Gugliotta that year

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https://thejnotes.com/2021/09/20/uta...-off-physique/

Plus, due to added bulk this offseason in addition to some refined post moves while helping Team France capture a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, chances are Gobert will display considerable improvements on the offensive end as well.

his moves weren't refined. Only difference was actually passing him the ball

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/468475/29-trac...fan-favorites/

While that may seem like a steep price to pay to unload a contract, it’s a more than reasonable move considering Favors deal would have cost the Jazz more than $35 million in luxury tax penalties on top of his existing contract, a staggering price for reserve center.

no matter how much you say it they got rid of him because he sucked. They'd pay him if he didn't

Dante Exum had one of the more unique stretches in Utah, but still has one of the most dedicated followings among former Jazz players.

he does?

After proving unable to stay on the floor due to a series of serious injuries, the Jazz moved on from Exum in a trade for guard Jordan Clarkson. While the trade has proven to be one of the best in team history, Jazz fans still are vocal in their support of the former lottery pick.

again I'd say they moved on from him because he sucks as does Clarkson

Whether it was his consistency on the floor or his boyish good looks off the court, Raul Neto endeared himself to Jazz fans in four seasons with the team between 2015-2019.

he did? Rudy and I liked him. The coach certainly didn't

While several former Jazz fan favorites have gone on to find promising roles in the league after their tenure in Utah, Ricky Rubio has had one of the tougher runs in recent years.

because he sucks? Poor guy has it rough at 17 mill a year though

The last of the Jazz’s recent fan favorite, Jae Crowder has been terrifically successful since leaving Utah.

Burks?

While the Jazz needed to clear his roster spot to make room for Bojan Bogdanovic on the team, Crowder has gone on to make consecutive Finals appearances for the Miami Heat and the Suns.

traded for Conley. Do your homework at least!

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Ira Winderman: Heat broadcaster John Crotty assisting with sale of Surfside collapse site. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… “It’s absolutely more personal. Just from being in this area and really making this my home with my family, this was such a tragic, shocking thing that you would never expect.”
– via Twitter IraHeatBeat

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Michael Scotto: The Utah Jazz have agreed to a two-way deal with Justin James, agents Austin Walton and Adam Papas of @nxtsportsagency told *********.
– via Twitter MikeAScotto



Ben Anderson: Justin James is entering his third NBA season after two years in Sacramento. He was the 40th pick of the 2019 NBA draft out of @wyo_mbb and has career averages of 3.2 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists. At 6’7, 190 lbs, he shoots 44% from the floor and 34% from three.
– via Twitter BensHoops

He's got some potential. Would have liked to see that spot left open for camp for a change though

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https://kslsports.com/468554/28-the-...ry-of-the-nba/

Malone, Stockton, and Maravich are all likely to make the list once again, but any additional Jazzmen will be a longshot. Though Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert could eventually carve their places out as some of the best players to ever step on the basketball floor, they aren’t there yet.

but Mitchell is the best player in franchise history!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/9/22/22...s-vegas-nevada

When Conley re-signed with the Jazz this summer he mentioned feeling healthy and ready to go. Mitchell has been working out in Miami with teammates Royce O’Neale and Eric Paschall and looks to be in tip-top shape. So, there’s no reason to believe that either player is still rehabbing from their late-season and playoff injuries (Mitchell’s sprained ankle and Conley’s hamstring), but those are assumptions.

let's let the doctors and trainers do their job and decide eh?

With Conley suffering multiple hamstring injuries the past couple of years, there is likely to be a more focused plan for keeping Conley healthy throughout the regular season and into the playoffs. What is that going to look like?

what else can they do? He was resting on back to backs

Is Jared Butler going to be ready to be part of the Jazz rotation?

based on the fact that no one has under COTY I'd say no so why even ask?

The Jazz have not been a team that usually throws rookies in the deep end, save a few exceptions over the years. It’s usually pretty clear by the start of training camp which players at the end of the roster will stay there through the season and only receive minutes in garbage time or under other special circumstances.

the past two years anyway it's been pretty clear. Maybe now that he got rid of the Wizard he might try something different?

This time though, we don’t really know what to expect from Butler. He hasn’t been able to play competitively since Baylor’s NCAA title run and didn’t play for the Jazz in Summer League. He might surprise in training camp or he might have an underwhelming week. It’s definitely something worth keeping an eye on and could dictate how he is developed and utilized this season.

who would he play ahead of?

It’s been largely assumed that newly acquired Rudy Gay will probably be taking over the minutes that Georges Niang had as well as playing some small-ball five in situations that call for it. Is that how Snyder sees things playing out?

why assume anything with COTY. He had small ball centers last year. Refused to even try them

The Jazz could be looking to integrate Forrest a little more and priming him to be the next reserve point guard for the Jazz. The Jazz could be looking elsewhere for someone to fill that spot with the open roster spot they have available. Butler is also an option depending on how quickly he acclimates to the NBA. Are they Jazz looking to make a change with the point guard rotation or are we going to be seeing more of the same?

If they were looking to integrate Forrest more he wouldn't be on a two way. Why would you expect change with COTY? He's has his chances the past two years and refused

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/9/22/22...-way-deal-news

Though James played in a limited capacity with the Kings, owning career averages of 3.2 points on 44.6% from the field, when he was given more minutes he often took advantage of the opportunity. His per-36 numbers likely tell a story that’s closer to James’ real potential — 15.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists.

it tells you nothing. How much of that was garbage time and how much was real time?

James scored a career-high 31 points in the Kings’ third to last game of the season last year, on 12-of-17 shooting included going 4-of-5 from 3-point range.

now that's potential

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/9/22/22...nba-kings-2021

He has good measureables at 6'7" with a 7'1" wingspan. He grew up on Florida, and then played for University of Wyoming in college. His senior year of college he played point guard for the Cowboys, so he has some point-forward skills. Let's see what he can do. At least he's not a smallish player for his position who has no skill other than shooting--so that if his shot is off he is a net negative as a player.

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more of a more with that length

Please be better than last year's Shaq Harrison who we all got excited about but was terrible at basketball things like shooting, passing, dribbling, defense, etc. Until he went to Denver and at least had a few decent performances.

we never really got to see what he could do

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https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/9/22/22...bogdanovic-nba

Bojan Bogdanovic was arguably the Jazz’s biggest free agent signing ever. Can he recapture some of his previous mojo?

sad

One recurring theme us Utah Jazz fans have experienced over the years has been the disrespect towards the organization and the state. From Dominique Wilkins refusing to play for the team, Rony Seikaly’s refusal to be traded, and Derek Harper’s “You go live in Utah”, to needing to overpay on second year players Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, Derek Fisher lying to get out of his contract to play for the Lakers, and Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert being picked last in last year’s All Star Game, it always feels like Utah’s being overlooked and disrespected.

Don't think Dominique refused to play here. Sold him to keep the franchise in SLC. Fisher's daughter needed care. Bad contract. Thank you! I think Utah fans are just too sensitive. Who cares!

It looked like the Jazz had started to figure things out in playoffs, with Bojan averaging 18p/4.3r/3.2 3pt alongside Donovan’s 32.3p/4.2r/5.5a and Mike’s 15.3p/3.5r/7.7a. He even played lockdown defense on Kawhi Leonard for the first few games of the Clippers series, a callback to the excellent stint he had on Lebron back in 2018.

how about playing some D in the regular season too?

I suspect with Mike’s injury/planned rest and Joe’s slowing down, Bojan will again step into the role of second option and wing release valve, especially in one-of-Don-and-Mike minutes. Bojan’s best minutes came last year with Joe Ingles, Royce, and Rudy, and almost never with Jordan Clarkson, per Basketball Reference. (Clarkson was best paired with Georges Niang and Mike Conley.) With his wrist fully repaired and the Jazz figuring out the kinks in the offense and rotation, I hope Bojan can capture what made that 2019-20 season so excellent for him at near 20 points per game in a slightly reduced role at around 28 minutes per game. While he likely will never average more than about 4 rebounds or 2 assists per game, Bogey’s elite gravity and ability to create his own shot in mismatches is something the Jazz will rely on throughout the season.

Bojan needs a smaller role. 6th man

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50246474...t-for-the-jazz

Frankly, in the offseason Jazz fans saw the type of financial commitment that typically only fans in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York enjoy. For perspective, Utah's tax bill is currently about $6 million more than the Lakers'. It really is a new era in Jazz basketball.

seems the same to me. A coach that can't be fired no matter what he does or doesn't do. Crappy players getting paid a ton of money. Other players being hyped before they actually do anything

And with the Jazz choosing to waive Jarrell Brantley last week, they'll have an open roster spot to presumably use in the buyout market — adding further salary to the team's book.

they had that either way. He was likely gone before the season started

Utah was shrewd with their money, though, opting to trade away Derrick Favors and then use his $9.7 million salary to bring in Rudy Gay, Eric Paschall and Hassan Whiteside to try and bolster the squad.

Eric brought in because he's the bff. Whiteside brought in because he's cheap

If this year's squad disappoints, how eager will Smith be to take on those big tax bills?

more importantly how long of a leash does COTY have after refusing to make changes the past two playoffs?

The Jazz saw that first hand with Joe Johnson. One year he was hitting game winners in the playoffs and shouldering some heavy offensive responsibility, the next season he proved to be unplayable. He was 36 when that happened.

and how long do the Jazz hold on to those players after they should be gone? That's always bneen an issue