Highs and Lows: Utah Jazz
Deron Williams (photo. Christian Kozowyck)NBA training camps are underway. While we wait for the games to start, we’re going team-by-team, from 1 to 30, exploring what each team’s ceiling is for the upcoming season and where their basement is. In other words, what are the realistic best-case and worst-case scenarios for each squad?
Additions: C Kosta Koufos, PG Brevin Knight.
Losses: PG Jason Hart.
Ceiling: NBA Finals
With two All-Stars on the roster (Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer), a quality center (Mehmet Okur), a defensive stopper who can play four positions (Andrei Kirilenko), an athletic get-after-it rebounder (Paul Millsap) and a guy who can shoot your face off (Kyle Korver), there’s no way Jerry Sloan is gonna win less than 50 games. You can take that to the bank. What matters is how the Jazz play when the games really matter, an arena where Sloan has always fallen just short in his 20-year tenure in Utah. Is this the team that finally wins the big one? It wouldn’t surprise me if this is the year Deron vaults Chris Paul — or at least gets right on his level — and takes the “Best Point Guard in the NBA” crown from his rival. Although anyone who knows me knows I’d still take Tony Parker in a do-or-die situation, Deron gets better every season and is battle-tested from having to carry the Jazz in two straight playoff runs. He’s primed for a monster year, and the only things standing in his way are possible fatigue from playing with Team USA all summer and a possible (but not likely, knowing Deron) feeling of being content now that he’s signed a max contract. Even if Deron doesn’t set the world on fire, Boozer is a 20-and-10 workhorse, and Okur is one of the best centers in the West (even if he’d rather be a small forward). After coming over from Philly in a midseason trade, Korver looked like a longtime Sloan disciple with his understanding of Utah’s system. Now having a whole training camp and a whole season to develop chemistry with a group of guys who hardly experienced any roster turnover and fully grasp their roles, Korver and the Jazz will be that much better.
Basement: First-round exit
Why would I pick the Hornets to have a shot at winning a championship, but put the Jazz a notch below them when Utah actually owns N.O. in head-to-head matchups? Because from what I saw in last year’s playoffs, Deron hasn’t gotten the same support from his teammates as CP, meaning the Hornets could withstand a not-at-his-peak CP for a game or two and not completely fall apart. I’m not sure the Jazz can afford that luxury. Utah is right up there with L.A., N.O. and San Antonio in the West, but there are some issues that have to be sorted out. Boozer and Okur can opt out of their deals after this year, so there’s that contract-year thing hanging over their seasons if they let it. Ronnie Brewer improved in Year 2 from his rookie campaign, but he’s still not quite that scoring two-guard the Jazz need who can create his own shot. Kirilenko, whom this team relies on to do so many things, has been getting progressively worse over the last couple of seasons and seems to mentally check out too often. Last year’s postseason run came down to Deron vs. The Lakers, as his teammates weren’t pulling their respective loads. Was this just a simultaneous bad stretch, or does Utah have legit postseason performance issues to overcome?
‘08-09 NBA preview archives
10/1 — Charlotte Bobcats
9/30 — Memphis Grizzlies
9/26 — Toronto Raptors
9/25 — New Orleans Hornets
9/24 — Atlanta Hawks
9/23 — Sacramento Kings
9/22 — Miami Heat
9/19 — Portland Trail Blazers
9/18 — New Jersey Nets
9/17 — Minnesota Timberwolves
9/16 — Cleveland Cavaliers
9/15 — Phoenix Suns
9/12 — Milwaukee Bucks
9/11 — L.A. Clippers
9/10 — Orlando Magic
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Homeless J says:
The only problem I have with this is the assertion that Okur is one of the best centers in the West.
He’s mobile and he can hit a 3 (and tries WAY too often to do that) but he’s soft as fuck. When your small forward and undersized power forward are head and shoulders above you on the defensive end, as a center, that’s just embarassing. Hell, I’ve even seen Ronnie Brewer block more shots than Okur.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Ray says:
The Utah Jazz know what there capable of now does the rest of the West. The focus will be more on the Jazz’s role-players than their starters. D-Will, Boozer and AK47 will get the game going, but it’s guys like Korver, Brewer and Koufos who need to end it. The Jazz can go deep in the playoffs but don’t have the experience or talent to take in home.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Ansonious says:
I would say it depends on AK-47 how far this team goes if AK can get back to the moster he was a few years ago I would say the sky is the limit. But just like Austin Burton would rather have Tony Parker than Deron at point I’m still putting my money on the Suns. GO SUNS!!!!!!! And please youngfed don’t follow my lead your posts are dumb, dumb as hell.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:42 pm
that's whats up says:
what the fn F?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1002-sex-denial,0,2150341.story
no other options? did the girl have no roommates?
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:04 pm
P_Dizzle says:
Jazz can win it all.
Like Dime says, Deron Williams took the Lakers to 6 games. If he had Boozer put on his jockstrap before the games and AK to quit planning his vacation then the Jazz take the Lakers down and who knows how far they go.
The Memo being one of the best centers is a stretch. Also, D-Will hasn’t even made it to an all-star game yet so I don’t think he can be one of the 2 All-Stars on the roster yet.
I like the Jazz chances this year. They are my sleeper pick. Everyone has jumped on the Lakers and Hornets bandwagon and has forgotten about Jerry’s Kids.
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
T Dubbs says:
I agree with Homeless J… Okur is a candy ass.
The Jazz aren’t going to make it to the finals. Did you catch Boozer’s elite performance against the Lakers last year? Nuff said. They have a good future though, with Williams running the point. I tell you what, when Millsap got some starts last season, he put up some good numbers… offensively and defensively. I’m looking for him to have a big season, when Boozer doesn’t show up to play.
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
Talk about sleeper picks I think you gotta put the Rockets right up there either in that four or five spot
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Young Lebron 23 says:
WHEN ARE THE SIXERS COMING?!?!?!?!?!?
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
ML says:
Utah’s a good team no doubt. But what happen’s Next Year? @ AB Is this their last year to make it to the Finals?
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Mehmet Okur says:
So, no one else remembers that I was an All-Star recently? kthnxbye
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Amar says:
for the record, first half of the season, okur was injured. after the all-star break he was a 17-10 guy. that’s pretty good for a 3rd option. (your fav team would want a 17-10 guy as a 3rd option) he had some monster rebounding games down the stretch (including the playoffs, where he had games of 18 and 19 boards) — that’s pretty good for a ‘candy ass’.
his blocks / foul ratio is better than everyone on the team not named kirilenko, millsap and fesenko. (and almond, but he’s a guard)
deron is the man of this team, and if he can shoot better at the FT line, and decided to kobe it the jazz will be better. he tried to get other guys going too often when he should have been attacking d-fish in the playoffs. the jazz only got good when deron was in attack mode, and not pass mode.
main problem is interior defense, as boozer make okur look like hakeem in the paint on defense. they’re going to need a true back up 5 who rebounds and blocks shots. probably not going to be koufos (who is memo lite), maybe fesenko if he can cut down to 3 packs a day and gets in shape.
brewer’s been working on his jumper all summer and got bigger, he’s 230 lb. now. miles is up to 210+ as well (no longer 180 lbs). okur is in shape to start the season for once (down to 260 lb.) and fesenko looks like he spent all off-season in the gym. people talk about bynum looking bigger. the one guy in the L who made bynum scared just got bigger too. fes is 7′1, 300 now, and it’s muscle.
utah will be solid this year, hopefully another 7+ playoff wins. that’s the only thing that matters now, not division titles and shit.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:53 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
If they wanna go for the crown, they need to get a gritty veteran for the playoff push.
Do you think they’d add on AI at the trade deadline? I dont think Sloan would want him, but maybe some other vet chasing his first ring?
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:25 pm
it ain't easy being green says:
okur is wet saltines
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:03 am
solomon says:
they need to sign a reggie evans / danny fortson type of player – coz boozer is a softie in a thug’s body…
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 am
Damon says:
tony parker is a top point guard, no question. but he is not better than paul or williams. come on now
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:20 am
karizmatic says:
I can’t hate on the Tony Parker nod
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:43 am
Nick says:
As far talent goes for Utah, from top to bottom, its the best in the NBA. You have D Will who I think is better than Parker and CP, You have an renewed C Booz, AK47 that can play anywhere on the court he wants, Money Mehmet from all over, Korver is going to have an all-star season, Ronnie Brewer and Ronnie Price are also going to open some eyes. And not to mention a veteran coach. The only thing that would Prevent any success is their center position. I pick the UJ to go to the NBA finals for the 09 season.
October 3rd, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Amar says:
why would the jazz need to get reggie evans because they already have paul millsap, who is better than him?