DeronAfter Deron Williams proved to be one of the most versatile members of Team USA this summer, killing the comp at the point and at the shooting guard slot when Chris Paul was in the game, he’s made his feelings about playing the position perfectly clear.
“I hate playing the two,” said Deron. “I don’t like playing the two. I’m a one. I like to have the ball in my hands.”
Not that the Jazz need to spend their time worrying about anything else - the worth of Kirilenko and possible relocation of Boozer is troublesome enough. But add in that Deron and Jerry Sloan might not be on the same page about their star’s role? Sloan said that “there might be times we do that,” referring to sliding D-Will to the two with a smaller lineup of Brevin Knight or C.J. Price at the point.
“It’s not a guarantee or anything,” he added. “It’s (just) that some of the teams you play against probably will be able to play smaller, and Deron can play there because he’s done it in the past. It’s not a big deal for him.”
If you’re a Jazz fan, do the occasional rumblings out of Salt Lake worry you this season?
Source: Deseret News
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October 6th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Lady Luck says:
No, as a Jazz fan (which I am not) I would not be worried. Your starting PG would rather play his natural position. OK. That is a good thing. One of the biggest complaints about PG’s is that they want to be a shooter rather than a facilitator. Deron is a pure point. I’m sure that it will not be for extended minutes becuase he would be required to guard the two spot on the other end and they are not going to wear him out by having him chase the likes of Kobe or Rip Hamilton around.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Daily boy says:
It’s kinda like those cats who play QB all of there lives and when they get drafted a GM wants to make them a WR. Williams is a true PG. Let him run the team like he’s been doing.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:50 am
smity far away says:
not a jazz fan but i dont think theres a need to worry. as long as sloan is there running the show things are cool. the players still respect him tremendously (i imagine) and if they don’t respect him then they fear him (cause i know they’ve heard about him being un-f***-witable and hard as hell.) and kirilenko may fit that that last category (player that fears sloan). He might be the sonny of the league. But when sloan is gone…(i can picture deron in a bigger market…)
October 6th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Amar says:
*cough* C.J. Price *cough*
you mean Ronnie Price, right? [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shFKExLuS_M ]Nice “reporting” Dime.
Anyway, do the occasional rumblings worry me, as a Jazz fan? No, these are nothing compared to the constant thunder that comes out of more high profile teams’ preseasons (Knicks and their junk, Lakers with Odom and Pjax this season, etc). Utah has a very stable roster and if you cherry pick quotes from all teams you’re going to find things to make a stink about. No one on the team actually sees eye-to-eye with Sloan more than Deron, as much as I hate it.
Sloan wants to keep the team versatile (he’s hinted at playing AK47 everywhere this season but the point, which he last played against Golden State in the playoffs back in ‘07), hence, keeping the door open for Deron at the 2 when playing against teams that sport a small backcourt (like carter and AI in denver, or previously what NOH would do with Paul and Pargo).
Deron’s POV is that there are enough SGs already, just keep him at the point, and not add to the problem there. After all, Deron wants to get some burn for his ‘little brother’ CJ Miles this season at the 2. Of course, all of this has been documented before on the net: http://allthatjazzbasketball.blogspot.com/2008/08/making-guard.html
October 6th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Hugo says:
Hmm … If they want a PG who wants to play the SG position, please contact the mavs, we have Jason Terry, we could make a swap straight up and even include Gerald Green to makes things fair
… Come on, you have one of the 3 best PG in the league, with potential to be a legend some day, and you want him to play the 2? … That’s so dumb! …
October 6th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
NYCBalla says:
Did Utah merge C.J. Miles and Ronnie Price into one player to clear up a roster spot? I wonder who they’re planning on bringing in?!?
October 6th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Brado says:
Who the hell is C.J. Price? Where’d he come from? Is he any good? Should I pick him up for my fantasy team? Maybe he should be featured in the next issue…
October 6th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
dagwaller says:
Not saying that Williams is like Magic or anything, but when you have a great player that can play multiple positions, as long as it helps the team, why should it matter? It’s like LO coming off the bench in LA. If it helps the team, the player needs to learn his place.
Kind of like when people bust on George Karl for not recognizing that JR Smith should see the floor, or when they bust on Larry Brown for not playing rookies. Sometimes, coaches and players need to work outside their comfort zones, and it’s not like Jerry Sloan is a rookie at this.
October 7th, 2008 at 2:23 am
Ernesto says:
Ain’t sure why I need be concerned. He don’t mention that he’ll refuse to play well or will do a bad job if he’s at the two. It’s not even implied. He won’t even play the the position anyway. Talk of this arises every year in Utah because of the system and personnel.
Still, unless I’m mistaken, there are plenty of people in all walks who do a great job of something other than what they really want to do for a living. Just like you guys, right? Wouldn’t y’all rather be ballers for money?
October 8th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Lady Luck says:
Well said Ernesto.