2021 training camp/pre-season!

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Joe Mussatto: Derrick Favors and Vit Krejci didn’t do much today, per Mark Daigneault. Both are dealing with knee issues.
– via Twitter joe_mussatto

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League sources say that the Mavericks explored the trade market for Trey Burke, 28, in the offseason before signing Frank Ntilikina in hopes of clearing a roster spot for Ntilikina’s addition. No trade materialized, so Dallas has 16 guaranteed contracts (if you include Moses Brown’s partially guaranteed deal) and has to shed one before the start of the regular season. Releasing Burke would be a costly move, since he is owed more than $6 million this season and next season, but Dallas is expected to continue to explore trade scenarios to try to address its roster overload.

– via Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com

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So did it all work? Did the Jazz get what they wanted out of their Vegas trip? “It almost forces you to kind of hang out and spend time together,” Joe Ingles said. “Obviously, like the bubble, which was a very similar feeling, obviously, to this.” The newer players started to get a feel for their teammates and picked up on some of their tendencies while also getting a deeper understanding of their personalities. Make no mistake, this wasn’t just about team-building and bonding. “This isn’t vacation,” Snyder was quick to point out. “This was a real training camp, and at the same time, I think it provided us opportunities to be around one another.”
– via Sarah Todd @ deseret.com

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https://kslsports.com/469190/19-jazz...eric-paschall/

Now in Utah, Paschall has a chance to redirect his carer on a Jazz roster that may rely heavily on him on the wing.

not a wing right?

Coming into training camp, it was difficult to see where Paschall might find minutes on the floor, showing up as the 10th man in the Jazz nine-man rotation.

he should have to earn the 10th man but he is bff

With Gay out over the four preseason contests, Paschall could assume his role, a strong indicator that his role is dependent on Gay’s availability throughout the season. Considering Gay is entering his 15th year in the NBA, is coming off offseason surgery, and has played fewer than 70 games in eight of his last 11 seasons, there should still be ample opportunity for the forward to see the floor if he’s used primarily as emergency depth at the forward position

hard to imagine him not assuming the role

However, Snyder could also use Paschall alongside the Jazz’s bigger forwards or at the center position, testing out the team’s ability to go very big, or very small for short stretches on the floor.

don't expect that

During his rookie season, Paschall played the majority of his minutes at the power forward position but was more effective while playing at the three. Due to the Warriors roster make up last season, the newest Jazzman saw almost no minutes at the three which may have been partially to blame for his drop in production.

3 through 5 I guess. I'd expect him at the 4 for the Jazz even though it looks like his worst spot

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https://www.deseret.com/2021/9/30/22...h-jazz-channel

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https://thejnotes.com/2021/10/01/uta...ovan-mitchell/

Without question, it’s a dilemma. However, is Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell a particularly notable culprit? The numbers suggest otherwise. Last season, Mitchell shot 6.0 free throw attempts per night. In comparison to two of his contemporaries most frequently associated with unnatural shooting motions, it appears Mitchell was either unable or unwilling to trick NBA officials.

he's just not been very good at it

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Rudy Gay, the Utah Jazz’s primary addition in free agency this summer, will miss all of the coming four-game preseason schedule and the start of the regular season, as well.
– via Salt Lake Tribune




The team spokesman said Gay’s heel was not expected to be a long-term situation, though it will keep him out for the entire preseason and the beginning of the regular season.
– via Salt Lake Tribune

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Butler looked good in the practice. Hopefully Clarkson will be gone by the trade deadline. Whiteside and Rudy were going at it pretty good too

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The Dallas Mavericks, NBA sources tell DallasBasketball.com, want to trade Trey Burke. And in addition to the usual trade complications and stumbling blocks that might come with any trade idea, in play here is the fact that Burke, who has demonstrated himself to be at times an explosive scoring point guard, is still “studying” whether he wants to vaccinated against COVID. Medical facts? We won’t go there. Transactional facts? We know for a fact that in the NFL, if you are a street free agent looking for work, the first question prospective employers ask you is, “Are you vaccinated against COVID?” And if your answer is unsatisfactory, said NFL team will not sign you.

– via Mike Fisher @ Sports Illustrated





The Mavs would have to eat money to release him, but why would they retain a non-vaccinated “threat”? What is the down-side cost of that? So, let newcomer Frank Ntilikina serve as the new deep backup to Luka Doncic at the 1, and swap out Burke. But to whom? Exactly which NBA team wants to swap to Dallas some value for a third-string point guard … with a non-vaxx status that might render him unavailable? Burke, to his credit, has rejuvenated his career as a creator and scorer. But medicine – and, if you wish, politics, stand in the way of a trade.
– via Mike Fisher @ Sports Illustrated

worked his back into the league and on the way out again for being stupid

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https://kslsports.com/469316/jazz-zo...behind-scenes/

“It makes the big have to be up a little bit more to kind of respect that,” Mitchell said of the spacing Whiteside creates, “and then I’m able to get by.”

Favors and Bradley did that too.

Jazz fans will get a better look at the team Monday night when they travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs in their preseason opener.

they will? it's radio only

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https://www.deseret.com/2021/10/2/22...zz-this-season

Can Trent Forrest have an expanded role for the Utah Jazz this season?

he's on a two way and is probably now behind Butler as well so no

Barring significant injuries for Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingles (fingers crossed), Forrest will probably have limited opportunities this season. He’ll be able to play some minutes when the core players are resting, might get some time in blowouts, but he’ll pretty much be at the end of the bench.

he'll pretty much be with the Stars because of his contract

The Jazz obviously aren’t putting all their eggs in one basket. There’s competition at the position with rookie Jared Butler, but Forrest sees the competition as something that can make him stronger.

and Oni was ahead of him most of the year as long as multiple guys weren't out

One of the most important things that players such as Forrest or even Butler and Elijah Hughes, Udoka Azubuike and Miye Oni can learn is patience. Because even though there are slow years and limited opportunities in the NBA, no career lasts forever, and for those that can stay committed to getting better, there’s a possibility that a door can open right in front of you.

good luck with COTY

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https://thejnotes.com/2021/10/02/uta...rtant-players/

That’s because the Utah Jazz rostered both the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in Jordan Clarkson, and the league’s runner-up in Joe Ingles. Between Quin Snyder’s platoon of wings and guards, the designation of starter is almost arbitrary.

unfortunately it's not. The starters play the most minutes. Ingles might close instead of someone

Bojan Bogdanovic made a strong contribution to the Jazz’s ability to hoist so many deep balls. He managed 6.4 attempts per contest, drilling an efficient 39.0% of those attempts. Furthermore, Bogey willingly played the role of pure floor-spacer, as a remarkable 96.1% of those made threes were assisted-on.

ahead of Royce?

If you’re still picking your jaw up off the floor from Ingles’ placement, here’s a spoiler: there won’t be any more surprises to be found here.

bet there is. Conley was ahead of Mitchell and most NBA players last year

We’ll compare him to Donovan Mitchell, as a comparison between Conley Jr and Rudy Gobert veers too closely into apples/oranges territory. Over 2020-21, Conley Jr.’s BPM was significantly higher than Mitchell’s, at 4.4 to 3.5. Meanwhile, Mitchell barely edged the veteran floor general in VORP, at 2.5 to 2.4. Mitchell did enjoy a significant advantage in PER, at 21.3 to 19.2, but again, PER is a metric that particularly favors players who rack up basic counting stats.

so why is Mitchell ahead when he wasn't?

Here’s where we willingly throw away the advanced metrics: we already know Donovan Mitchell is the most important player on the Utah Jazz.

we do? Why did they still win without Mitchell and or/Conley? They've never won without Gobert and would be a lottery team if he went down

That’s the weight a player carries with a team-leading 26.4 points per game. As valuable as Gobert’s rim protection, Conley Jr.’s IQ, Ingles’ versatility and Bogdanovic’s floor-spacing are to this squad, the game, as they say, is ultimately about a bucket.

and the offense revolves around Gobert

There’s not a player on this roster Quin Snyder is more likely to turn to in pursuit of one. Furthermore, Mitchell isn’t just the player whose most important to the Jazz’s present, he’s also the most important player to their future.

that you could argue

The depth of this Utah Jazz team makes them a challenging proposition for any opposing defense. It’s notable that in this ranking of the five most important players on the roster, we did not include reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson, or 3-and-D glue guy Royce O’Neale. Quin Snyder’s top 7 players should be the envy of teams across the National Basketball Association.

anyone that envies Clarkson can have him please!

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https://thejnotes.com/2021/10/02/uta...-game-mystery/

“Michael Jordan grabbed some food off the TV craft services leaving the building. And so did I. I know the documentary. I know Michael Jordan has this theory about this mystery pizza that was delivered. I’m pretty sure he actually got food poisoning from the craft services table in the Delta Center at that time because I did too.”

interesting

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https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/02/ut...-final-record/

This isn’t to suggest the Jazz were unworthy of their lofty record or that they were merely lucky to find so much success. However, it’s safe to say that terrible things won’t happen to ALL of their top competitors in the Western Conference next season, which will certainly complicate the path to getting that No. 1 seed back for a second straight season.

Murray, Klay and Kawai are still out. Lebron has been hurt the past 3 years and Davis is always hurt. Paul has had his share. So not really safe to say

As great as Donovan Mitchell and the rest of their high-scoring guards and wings are, it remains to be seen if they have an answer for elite offenses. The Jazz were exposed by the Clippers as guards like Reggie Jackson and Terrence Mann devastated them inside with drives to the basket, once again raising questions about how effective Gobert can really be in the playoffs.

Gobert can't stop a team by himself. The questions should start with their coach and the guys around Gobert

Make no mistake, the Utah Jazz are going to be formidable, but the Lakers look like just too much if they can stay healthy. Given the depth they added in the offseason, the Lakers are the team to beat in the West. The Jazz, unfortunately, are not.

big if for the Lakers and Westbrook is a negative to me regardless

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Eric Walden: Bojan Bogdanovic (shoulder soreness) and Rudy Gay (heel surgery) are both OUT for the Utah Jazz’s preseason opener Monday in San Antonio.
– via Twitter tribjazz