Greatest Trade Ever?

The greatest acquisition (via trade) in Utah Jazz history may very well be Tom Gugliotta.

Tom Gugliotta? What? You can't be serious? What if I told you that the Trade for Tom Gugliotta directly led to the acquisitions of Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, and a top 3 overall pick and future NBA superstar? Here's how the trade went down.

Utah Jazz sent to the Phoenix Suns:
- Keon Clark (was injured)
- Ben Handlogton (was injured)

Phoenix Suns sent to the Utah Jazz:
- Tom Gugliotta
- 2004 1st round Draft Pick (later became Kirk Snyder)
- Future 1st round Draft Pick from the New York Knicks (protected, will be the unprotected 2010 pick)
- 2005 2nd round Draft Pick (later became Robert Whaley)
- Cash Considerations

Results of the Trade:
Gugliotta had a huge contract that came off the books at the season's close, leaving the Jazz well below the salary cap, with positioning to make a run at major free agents. The Jazz capitalized on the move and snatched up Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. The draft picks were considered investments in the future.

Kevin O'Connor should have been hailed as a genius for the move. The closest thing to praise that O'Connor received was from himself, saying "we've put ourselves in a situation where we got three draft picks for two players that were hurt".

History of the Knicks' 2010 Pick:
At the time, the New York Knicks were a middle of the pack team. After being swept by the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the 2003-04 playoffs, Isaiah Thomas took an aggressive approach to building the team and sent the conditional pick to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Stephon Marbury. The results could not have been worse for the Knicks. The Knicks gave up a future investment for a cancer that has since doomed the Knicks.

Moving Stephon Marbury seemed to make sense for the Suns, as he clearly wasn't a player that could lead the Suns back to respectability in the Western Conference. After unloading Marbury's contract, the decided to move some other over-sized contracts (Gugliotta) to free up some space under the Salary Cap. The Suns took advantage of the extra salary cap space and signed Free Agent PG Steve Nash. History has proven Suns' management to have made wise decisions throughout the summer of 2004.

Downfall of the Knicks:
It didn't take long for the Knicks to start falling. In the following years, the Knicks won 23 games, 33 games, 23 games and 33 games. As team President, Isaiah Thomas deflected much of the blame toward coaching. Larry Brown was asked to step down, and Thomas named himself as Head Coach. Thomas didn't improve the performance of the Knicks, and was asked to step down as Head Coach after the conclusion of the 2007-08 season. Thomas left his mark on the franchise with many terrible contracts, and little talent on the team.

After Thomas was asked to step down as Head Coach, the Knicks appointed former Suns coach Mike D'Antoni as their next head coach. While D'Antoni is a significant upgrade over Isaiah Thomas, the contracts left in Thomas' wake will keep the Knicks down for a couple more years. It is widely known that the Knicks are looking to clear as much space as possible for the 2010 offseason when many big name Free Agents become available such as LeBron James and Dwayne Wade.

Last season, the Knicks finished with the 5th worst record in the NBA. The only teams worse than the Knicks were the Miami Heat (will be significantly better next year), the Seattle Supersonics (a team full of rookies will definitely improve), the Memphis Grizzlies (mortgaged any chance at success in the Gasol trade, but may improve in a couple of years), and the Minnesota Timberwolves (the future doesn't look bright). I project the Miami Heat and the Seattle Supersonics to surpass the Knicks in coming seasons, leaving the Knicks as the 3rd worst team in the NBA.

2010 Draft:
In honor of the Knicks' horrendous situation, I'll be posting periodic outlooks on players at the top of the 2010 draft. It is very possible the Jazz could end up with a top 3 pick in the 2010 draft, which would only add to New York's hatred of Isaiah Thomas.

2010 Draft Prospect: Xavier Henry, Shooting Guard, 6'6, 205 lbs
Xavier Henry is an extremely gifted swing-man entering his senior year of high school. Henry has not yet declared where he will be playing his college ball, and he will pretty much have his choice of anywhere in the country. Henry currently plays for Putnam City High School, in Oklahoma City. Henry is said to be fond of Memphis, Kansas and North Carolina as potential schools he may attend in a year. Henry's father played college basketball at Kansas University. Henry's brother was a first round draft pick of the MLB draft by the New York Yankees. Henry has grown taller and stronger each year he has been in High School, and has shown an excellent desire to lead his team to victory. Henry is also said to be a reliable student and leader in the locker room.

Henry attacks the basket with athleticism and balance as well as any other high schooler in the nation. Henry has the leaping ability and strength to finish around the basket, and the creativity to position himself advantageously. Henry already has an advanced shooting ability from long range also, which not only makes defenders respect him on the perimeter, but crowd him to prevent an easy jumpshot. Henry shows advanced basketball IQ and fundamentals, choosing to use the glass on any jumpshot inside 15 feet, and finishing with both hands around the hoop. When Henry attacks the rim, he reminds me of Kobe Bryant the way he hangs, maneuvers, and somehow gets the shot to fall gently through the basket. Like many young players, Henry will need to improve his defense, but he has the athleticism, quickness and intelligence to be a strong defender in the future.

The sweet shooting lefty is no doubt on his way to stardom in the NBA. Could Henry end up in Utah? If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on the Knicks to be one of the bottom 5 teams in the NBA for the next two years. The thought of a back court featuring Deron Williams and Xavier Henry is scary to imagine. Both players attack the rim (and play above the rim), both players cannot be guarded 1 on 1, and both players have a sweet stroke from the outside. Deron will be only 26 by 2010, and could possibly play 10 years alongside Henry. If the Henry is currently projected as a top 5 pick in the 2010 NBA draft.

It may not be easy to fathom, but a simple trade for Tom Gugliotta may end up yielding Boozer, Okur and Xavier Henry. Factor DWill in that lineup and that's a lineup built to bring home many NBA championships. Props to Kevin O'Connor!

Take a look at these highlight films on YouTube, and you'll fall in love with Henry also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hD2a-MpXd8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg3w7xon99I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMPfjS4ZsQ0

Here is a link to a website dedicated specifically to Xavier Henry:

http://www.xavierhenry.org/

Offseason Plan Comes Into Focus

Don't be fooled by the silence coming from the Jazz this off season. Sometimes it's the biggest news that gets passed through whispers. So what are the Jazz whispering?


1. Lock up Deron Williams - done
2. Prepare for Summer of 2009
3. Sign and Trade for Restricted Free Agent - pending
4. Solidify depth at PG - done

We Jazz fans have been told on many occasions this summer that the Jazz brass have been as active as any team in the free agent market. The difference between Jazz brass and other team's management? Jazz brass keep their workings in house.

The Jazz are at a CRITICAL junction which will decide the future of the franchise. The next two summers could either send the Jazz on their way to Utah's first NBA championship...or could send the Jazz down toward the bottom of the NBA's cellar. DWill is locked in for 4 years, with a player option for a 5th (1 year left on rookie contract in addition to new contract). DWill clearly wanted to see the state of the team after 4 years before committing to anything beyond that. Let's take a look at the Summer of 2009, and what it will likely entail:

Under Contract:
Deron Williams - $17.5 M
Andrei Kirilenko - $15.1 M
Matt Harpring - $6 M
CJ Miles - $3.7 M
Kosta Koufos - $1.8 M

Not Under Contract:
Carlos Boozer - Free Agent-opt out {current = $11.5 M, expected = $17 M}
Mehmet Okur - Free Agent - opt out {current = $8.5 M, expected = $12 M}
Kyle Korver - Free Agent - opt out {current = $5 M, expected = $6 M}
Jarron Collins - Free Agent
Ronnie Price - Free Agent
Brevin Knight - Free Agent
Ronnie Brewer - Eligible for extension {current = $2 M, expected = $6M}
Paul Millsap - Eligible for extension {current = $1 M, expected = $6M}

In order for the Jazz to re-sign the key pieces they currently have, their overall payroll will increase by an expected $19 million (not including luxury tax implications)! That is HUGE for any team, let alone a small market team like the Jazz. Larry Miller has always been willing to open his pockets and pay players, but if he were to open his wallet that much, the team would be in such financial problems, it would be have to be sold or moved to a bigger market.

Needless to say, the Jazz have know what's coming, and have been preparing for that day. Any Free Agent they signed with the MLE this year, would increase that number even more. If Boozer jumps ship and Memo jumps ship, Deron won't be happy with his supporting cast and may opt to leave in 4 years (3 from that point).

So what can the Jazz doing to prepare? The Jazz HAVE to clear some roster space. They can do this by trading for expiring contracts, or for a combination of players, some which may stay on as a piece to the puzzle, some which will expire and come off the books just in time. The Jazz can also trade a young up and coming player in exchange for a future draft pick (knowing the payday that will be necessary next year).

With a maxed out roster, and upcoming financial demands, the Jazz have not pursued any significant Free Agents...word regarding Unrestricted Free Agents usually gets passed around the NBA pretty quick. Now Restricted Free Agents, that's a different story.

Luol Deng for Andrei Kirilenko Rumors:
Not that the Jazz don't have a spot and a need for AK on the team, but when you realize there is only so much money to pass around, Memo and Boozer are simply more valuable than AK. AK makes $15M, and comes off the books in 2 years. There is very little chance AK returns to Utah after this contract. The Jazz may just let his contract run out and see what happens. Or the Jazz could move AK for a cheaper contract combined with expiring contracts. Rumors are floating about the Jazz going after Chicago Restricted Free Agent Luol Deng (SF), who would fit in perfectly with the Jazz. Deng will likely receive around $10M per year, and a second player may need to be included to match salaries. The second player would need to be an expiring contract who could come off the books next season or be bought out of their contract. (Drew Gooden $7M, Tyrus Thomas $4M, Thabo Sefolosha $2M, Cedric Simmons $1.5M) Considering the value of Deng for Kirilenko is pretty much even, the pieces would need to be insignificant players.

Welcome Brevin Knight!

The Jazz pulled off a minor trade on Tuesday sending Jason Hart to the Clippers in exchange for Brevin Knight. While Brevin Knight may be a familiar name, many fans don't remember why they know his name so well. Brevin has had many shoulder rubs with Utah in the past. There are two major positives about this trade, although Knight will likely only get a few minutes each night. #1, the Jazz got rid of Hart, who never was a good fit in the system, and #2, the Jazz will save about $1M next season. Considering luxury tax implications, and upcoming expenses, that $1M will grow significantly in terms of savings.

In light of the recent trade, here's some info about Brevin, his career, and his ties to Utah.

Brevin Knight - PG

5'10, 170 lbs

11 years pro

Stanford University:

Knight had a terrific collegiate career, earning many honors both in the PAC-10 and on the national level. In the 1997 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen, Knight and his Staford Cardinal fell to Keith VanHorn, Michael Doleac, Andre Miller and crew 82-77. Knight led all scorers in the game with 27 points. VanHorn scored 25, Doleac scored 16 while Miller scored an always efficient 19 points. Knight went on to become the Stanford all-time leader in assists and steals.

http://gostanford.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/events/stan-m-baskbl-ev-game32.html

Professional Career:

Knight was selected with the 16th pick in the first round of the 2007 nba draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Knight started his NBA career by averaging 9.0 ppg and 8.2 apg as a starter for the playoff bound Cavaliers. Knight's numbers didn't improve much over the next couple of seasons as opponents began to sag off of Knight, forcing him to shoot over the top (which is not his strength). Knight always managed the team well and took care of the ball. In 2000, Knight reconnected with his collegiate nemesis Andre Miller, who stepped right in and took the starting role. Knight was sent that same season to Atlanta where he played spotty minutes on a bad team. Knight struggled to find a role for the next few seasons, before landing a spot with the Charlotte Bobcats, where he played well in a starters role. In Charlotte, Knight achieved career highs in both scoring (12.6) and assists (9.0) in consecutive years. The assist number is pretty astonishing considering he had a very poor supporting cast which often struggled to finish plays for Knight (which would have led to assists). Last season, Knight played reserve minutes for the Clippers who struggled all season.

His Game:

Brevin Knight is a Jerry Sloan Point Guard in that he is highly intelligent and runs an offense very efficiently. Knight is undersized as an NBA player, but makes up for any physical deficiencies with his intelligence and quickness. Knight's biggest strength is his passing ability. Year in, year out, Knight ranks among the NBA's best in assist to turnover ratio. As a scorer, Knight scores most of his points attacking the rim. As a shooter, Knight leaves much to be desired. It may be his inability to shoot from the outside that really hurts Knight's effectiveness with the Jazz. While the Jazz always preach a pass first mentality with their Point Guards, the pick and roll demands that a player knock down a perimeter shot. This was Jason Hart's greatest defficiency last season. Let's take a look at two pick and roll scenarios:

Scenario A: Hart gets the ball on the wing, the middle of the lane is cleared for space as Boozer comes out to set a screen for Hart. Immediately upon recognizing the screen and roll opportunity, the defense falls back into the paint and goes underneath the screen, daring Hart to shoot from the outside. Hart either forces a low-percentage outside shot which looks like he's throwing up a half court buzzer beater, or Hart passes the ball to Kirilenko or Harpring who then try to take their man off the dribble or force an outside jumpshot...trouble.

John Crotty catches the ball on the wing. The middle of the lane opens up as Malone comes out to set a screen for Crotty. Crotty's extremely slow feet allow the defense to give heavy ball pressure without fear of getting beat to the basket. Crotty comes off the screen, with the defense following over the top of the screen behind Crotty. Malone is the bigger threat, so the defensive big man follows Malone instead of providing help on the slowest PG in the history of the NBA. With his defender on his back, Crotty maneuvers his way to 15-20 feet where he uses every bit of strength left in his now artificial knees to pull up for the jumpshot...nothing but net.

It's really sad how effective terrible Point Guards can be in the Jazz offense if they can simply shoot the ball. Nearly every play the Jazz run have an element of a screen and roll. If the PG can't shoot, he better be pretty dang good with the ball. I do believe Knight will be a HUGE upgrade over Hart for the Jazz, but I don't know if Knight will ever take Ronnie Price's spot as the primary backup to Deron Williams. The big advantage Knight has over Hart, is that when the opposing defender goes underneath a screen, Knight possesses the quickness to take advantage of the open space. Knight also possesses the vision and passing ability to take advantage of the passing lanes that open up when a defender goes underneath a screen.

Trade Grade: B+

In all, this was a great move for the Jazz. Knight has a great personality, and will provide true veteran leadership that the Jazz missed last season. I expect Knight to be excited to play for a winning team again in the Jazz. Hopefully this new additional will lead to a few more road victories this season for the Jazz (its amazing the affect that veteran leadership has over young teams on the road). If the Jazz get 5 more road victories next season, we'll have home court advantage at least until the Western Conference Finals, and I still believe next year the Jazz win it all.

CJ Miles Discussion

Most of you have probably heard by now that CJ Miles may be on his way out of town. On July 17th, CJ signed an offer sheet with the Oklahoma City (fill in the blank). The contract offers CJ nearly $4M over the next four seasons. The Jazz will be given until the end of this week to make a decision on Miles. Considering the Jazz had given CJ a qualifying offer of approximately $1.5M, it looks unlikely the Jazz will match the OKC offer.

Before addressing what choices the Jazz have, let's examine CJ's years with the Jazz.

CJ was drafted in the second-round of the 2005 NBA draft (same as DWill). CJ never signed with an NBA agent, which meant he could have played his freshman season at the University of Texas where he had signed a letter of intent prior to declaring for the NBA draft. Despite influence from Jazz officials to go to college (for development), CJ chose to follow the money to the NBA.

Most of CJ's rookie season was spent in Idaho playing for the Jazz Affiliate at the time. While in Boise, CJ stood out as a potential star in the NBA. The Stampede Head Coach at the time offered CJ much praise and even predicted CJ would become a star in the NBA one day. During camp, Miles' teammate Carlos Boozer offered similar praise saying that CJ would become a huge star in the NBA. Jerry Sloan and other Jazz coaches were not quite as generous, but still praised CJ's basketball IQ, especially for his age. Mostly due to strength and consistency issues, CJ spent most of his first two seasons in the D'League.

In the 2007-08 season, CJ found a consistent role with the Jazz. CJ became the "utility infielder" (for lack of a better term). In baseball, most teams keep a utility infielder who can play multiple positions, and fill in for normal starters to give them relief on different nights. If any player on the Jazz went down during the season with an injury or illness, CJ usually was the guy to step in. CJ performed well enough that Coach Jerry Sloan didn't even hesitate to place CJ in the starting lineup (so as not to interfere with the normal rotation). Despite being the Jazz "utility infielder", CJ never was able to move up the depth chart into consistent minutes. Other than utility minutes, CJ only played when the Jazz faced foul trouble or when Gordan Giricek annoyed the Jazz coaches enough to stick him on the end of the bench.

CJ played in 61 games last season, averaging 11 minutes per game. In those 11 minutes, CJ averaged 5.0 ppg, and 1.3 rpg. CJ scored a career-high 29 points against the Washington Wizards on 3/31/08. CJ's greatest attribute is his shooting ability, although he possesses very good athleticism and jumping ability.

In Oklahoma City, CJ may be able to play with less pressure than Utah. Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook all have very high ceilings, and CJ may have found a team with which he can spend many many years, and produce at a consistent level.



So, that leaves essentially three scenarios the Jazz can pursue:

#1). Match the OKC offer for 4 years, $15M total. (unlikely)
#2). Let Miles go untouched to a division opponent, and promote Morris Almond to the backup spot previously occupied by Miles.
or
#3). Explore Sign-and-Trade opportunities

As was stated early in this post, it is unlikely the Jazz will be willing to pay CJ as much as Oklahoma City. That means the Jazz are likely to either let CJ walk, or find a sign-and-trade partner. In a sign-and-trade scenario, the Jazz would match the OKC offer, then immediately turn around and trade him to OKC for something in return.

So who could the Jazz look to get in return?

Untouchable:
Kevin Durant (SG)
Jeff Green (SF)
Russell Westbrook (PG)

Available?
Chris Wilcox (PF) - Wilcox is a freakish athlete and an excellent rebounder. He is in the final year of his contract which makes him much more attractive to other teams. It is highly unlikely that OKC would be willing to part with Wilcox.
Nick Collison (PF/C) - Collison is a very nice player who can play either big position. He has struggled with injuries in the past, but still fills a major role with the Sonics. Given the Sonics deficiencies for big men, I wouldn't expect them to part with Collison.
Earl Watson (PG) - With Russell Westbrook and Luke Ridnour on the roster, Watson may be expendable. If the Jazz were to include Jason Hart in the deal, salaries would match fairly close. This is a real possibility for the Jazz.
Donyell Marshall (PF) - Been there, done that.
Damien Wilkins (SG/SF) - A possibility, though unlikely. Why would the Jazz send Miles for Wilkins. Neither player would make a significant impact next season.
Mouhamed Sene (C) - He was raw and long when he entered the draft, and he's still raw and long. Had he been available when the Jazz picked Ronnie Brewer a couple of years ago, he'd probably be a Jazz man right now. We know the Jazz liked him when he was in the draft, but have they seen enough to know he isn't any good? I think so.
Johan Petro (C) - He's long and has good athleticism. He's been a rotation player since entering the NBA. He's not anything extraordinary, but brings some skills that Jarron Collins does not. That said, he may be a nice addition.
Luke Ridnour (PG) - Luke has been a disappointment for a long time in Seattle. He has shown flashed of being a quality guard in the NBA, but too often leaves fans and teammates longing for more. He's in a contract that isn't favorable to the Jazz, and may have better trade value on the open market.

From the list above, I only see the Jazz interested in Johan Petro, Nick Collison, Chris Wilcox, or Earl Watson. Watson could step in and battle for the backup PG position with Ronnie Price, while the other bigs could contribute as a 4th big off the bench. The question is, how much are you willing to pay a guy who may not get more than 10 mins/night?

The other scenario would have the Jazz receive a future 1st round draft pick (protected) in return for Miles.

***UPDATE***
The Jazz have matched the contract offered to CJ Miles and will retain his rights for 3-4 years. The terms of the offer are not verifiable at this time, but will be posted when made known.

Checkpoint

We're halfway through the Rocky Mountain Revue. As expected, some things become apparent, while some things will remain a question for years to come. Here are some thoughts and analysis on what I've seen from the first 3 days of the Revue.

Utah Jazz:

- Morris Almond - Mo has come to Summer League in shape and with something to prove. Mo has shown an improved effort on the Defensive end of the floor, with a better attitude toward team-offense. Mo has shot the ball well, and scored within the offensive scheme. Most of his points have been somewhat quiet, but consistent. One thing Almond really has going for him is his ability to create shots for himself. The Jazz have a HUGE need for another player who can create for himself when the situation requires. Too often last season, players on the Jazz would give the ball to Deron at midcourt with 10 seconds on the shotclock, and simply expect him to do the rest. DWill is unquestionably worthy of the respect, but a second creator would really add a new dimension to an already stellar Jazz offense. The best teams always have a second creator from the perimeter (Spurs = Parker and Ginobli, Celtics = Pierce and Allen, Lakers = Bryant and Odom). With CJ Miles likely headed toward Oklahoma City, Almond may emerge as a role player this season.

- Kyrylo Fesenko - The new look is very symbolic of the sort of off season Big Fes has demonstrated through the first half of the Revue. Fes is still big as ever, but he has looked completely out of control for every minute he has been on the floor. Offensively he rarely is in the right spot. His low-post offensive game has shown even less creativity than Trent Plaisted (one dribble baseline, turn back to middle, jump hook). The one thing Fes has always had going for him is his ability to block shots and rebound. Unfortunately for jazz fans, neither of these skills looks to have developed much since his first showing in the Revue. Fes has struggled to remain on the floor for any stretches longer than a few minutes. Usually his playing stretches end with the coaches yanking him out in frustration, and sending him to the bench with some colorful words. Unless big Fes improves drastically for the second half of the Revue, he could be in real trouble. Unfortunately, I have seen enough of Fes to make me believe he will never be a real NBA player. I wouldn't be surprised if Fes was left off of this season's roster. The truth about Fes is that he has been outplayed by Koufos, Fuller, and Lyde. The higher likelihood is that the Jazz let him go after next season (when his rookie contract ends). As for this season, hope he enjoys Orem.

- Kosta Koufos - The thing that has initially stood out to me with Kosta is his footwork and work ethic. Koufos seems to have a very good basketball IQ as he plays, while demonstrating good focus and drive. Before anyone chooses to dismiss Koufos as a prospect, it should be noted that he has played the majority of his minutes in the Revue at PF. This seems like a big complement, as Jazz coaches trust him to learn two positions right off the bat. The few instances when Koufos has played at Center he has looked much more comfortable and confident. Offensively, Koufos has shown an excellent first step, with good agility to maneuver his way around the paint. Thus far he hasn't shown the explosiveness and strength necessary to finish around the rim. Kosta can get to the rim, but he's got to learn how to finish better. Koufos' passing ability has also been better than I expected. Defensively Koufos has been OK. It's obvious from the beginning that he won't be the "defensive stopper" the Jazz have been looking for, but he has provided good help defense, and good rebounding ability. Once again, Kosta must get stronger as he was overpowered on multiple occasions near the rim. I'd like to see Kosta matched up more against the opposing center on defense. Thus far, Kosta has spent most of his time on the perimeter chasing smaller Power Forwards. Koufos has shown me enough to expect him as a future rotational player, who will stick in the NBA.

-Britton Johnson - Britton has really played well so far in the Revue. Those who have seen Britton at the Revue the past few years, know that Britton can score in a variety of ways. What I've seen from Britton this year has really impressed me. He's been an excellent defender, a good rebounder, and extremely sound in the fundamentals. Johnson's focus has clearly been on doing the little things necessary to win, which I'm sure the Jazz coaching staff has noticed. It will be interesting to see if he gets an invite to the Jazz camp. With few roster spots available, he is a long shot to make the team. But his skills are definately at a high enough level to make me believe he can play in the NBA once again.

- Kevin Kruger - Kruger has emerged as the best PG on the Jazz roster. Kevin has the immediate advantage of having played for the Flash last season (and this season also), which has allowed him to be more familiar with the offensive philosophy. Kruger has shown better quickness than I anticipated, and a very very good basketball IQ. He has run the team very efficiently, and shot the ball very well when the opportunity was available. It is unknown whether or not Kruger's sprained ankle will allow him to play anymore in the Revue, but he has done enough to earn him an invite to Jazz camp. Jazz coaches (Sloan and Johnson) made a specific point to praise Kruger each time he came out of the game. Kruger may not make the Jazz roster (though I far prefer him to Hart), but I wouldn't be surprised if he got a couple of 10-day contracts this season to come up from the Flash.

- Tyrone Brazelton - Brazelton is a young player that has shown flashes of quality skills. He has shot the ball pretty well, and shown good quickness. The transition at PG from College to the Utah Jazz is extremely difficult, and Brazelton looks to be struggling with this at times. He has enough upside, I'm sure the Jazz will take a long look at whether or not they want to invite him to camp. His progress in practices from the beginning of Summer League to the end of the Revue will be his key point. I expect Brazelton to play in the D-League this year before taking another shot at the NBA next year.

- Yaroslav Korolev - The young Russian has been very streaky. He's still only 20 years old, despite being a lottery pick a couple of years ago. His shot is very good, and he has good length and some athleticism. It's apparent the Jazz are trying to see if he can become a rounded player, and not just a shooter. Because of his youth, he may get a good hard look with the departure of Miles. I expect Korolev to return overseas and have a long, quality career there.


Other Teams:

- George Hill (San Antonio) - Hill has grown quite a bit during his Summer League experience. From Vegas to Utah, he seems to be getting better each outing. Hill is a load on both ends of the court, and I still expect him to battle with former Jazz-man Jacque Vaughn for the backup PG position behind Tony Parker.

- Gerald Green (Dallas) - The veterans in Summer League are so much more comfortable and advanced in the small areas, that they excel in the Summer League. Green has improved his outside shooting each year in the NBA, and will need to continue to work on all aspects of his game to become a rotation player for the Mavs. Green's athleticism is unmatched in this, or any Summer League. It will be interesting to see how Green fits in to Dallas' long-term plans.

- Acie Law IV (Atlanta) - Another veteran who looks to dominate the younger opposition. Law has shown excellent shooting ability and court awareness. The question on Law out of college was whether he could ever transition into a true NBA Point Guard. From what I've seen, he's already there. I expect Law to backup Mike Bibby in Atlanta this year, and replace him when Bibby retires.

- Brook Lopez (New Jersey) - When I walked into the gym and saw Lopez going through warmups, I was immediately taken back by how huge he is. The first thing I thought of was how I may be wrong about my predictions of Lopez being a bust in the NBA. Five minutes into the game, I fell back into my previous predictions. Lopez came out of the gate with a commitment to help defense. That lasted about 1 quarter before Warriors were getting layup after layup as Lopez was late to help. Lopez had finished the game with 3 blocked shots, all of which can be contributed to his massive frame overmatching his smaller summer league competition (the warriors had not centers on their roster). Lopez left his feet WAY too much, and was killed on defense as a result. I never saw Lopez go after a rebound like he really wanted it. At Lopez's size, he should be able to average 5+ boards his rookie season in NJ, but he never gets good rebounding position because he leaves his feet at every shot, and never goes after the boards with a purpose. Offensively Brook got good position on the low-block, but never was able to do much with it. In Lopez's defense, the Warriors were doubling the low post every time the ball went in to any player, not just Lopez. Lopez saw the floor well, but struggled to execute the passes. After a while, Brook got frustrated and went outside to shoot more. Lopez did flash well from off the ball, and demonstrated good IQ on offense. At times Lopez showed clumsy hands. Lopez had a couple of easy baskets when the Nets were already down by 20 in the fourth quarter which made his stats look better than they actually were. Did I mention Lopez was horrendous in transition?

- Sean Williams (New Jersey) - The one year veteran showed exactly what he is advertised as; an athletic defensive big man. While Williams showed very little on offense, he played with awesome energy throughout, and played excellent defense both inside and on the perimeter. The referees didn't help Williams out much, but he definitely outplayed his teammate Lopez.

- Chris Douglas-Roberts (New Jersey) - CDR is not a real "smooth" basketball player. He lacks a fluidity which makes it hard for him to get in rhythm. The Nets were often slowing the game down early to help Lopez get comfortable, but once Lopez went out of the game, CDR led the attack as the Nets pushed the ball hard. Twice the Nets cut the lead down to 5 after both times being extended near 20. CDR ran the floor extremely well, and finished with strength and precision. It will be interesting to see what CDR can do with Devin Harris in the backcourt running the show.

- Jaycee Carroll (New Jersey) - Jaycee is a local kid, but the player I saw for the Nets was not the same player I saw at Utah State. At USU, Carroll ran all day, coming off screens and hitting jumpers. For the Nets, Carroll ran the point much of the night, and played fairly well. Jaycee didn't look real comfortable, but his focus was to distribute and run the team. I'm not sure Jaycee has what it takes to be a PG in the NBA, but he's real close. Carroll can definately shoot the ball, and if he were in the right situation with a bigger PG who can defend a SG, or with SGs and SFs who can help relieve pressure, Jaycee may make an NBA roster. Jaycee is a great kid, and he played more than the veteran Marcus Williams.

- Marcus Williams (New Jersey) - Williams should have been the best PG in the Revue. The effort level and focus Williams showed kept him from achieving that success. Most of the time, Marcus looked like he didn't want to be playing, and his play suffered as a result. Williams looked for his own shot all night, and his team struggled as a result. In stretches, Williams was the best player on the floor. In other stretches, Williams was very mediocre.

- Anthony Randolph (Golden State) - I expected Anthony Randolph to play more like Stromile Swift than he actually does. Randolph was excellent in transition and showed a wide variety of offensive skills I didn't know he had. There is no question Randolph has superior athletic skills, but he doesn't like to spend much time in the painted area. Randolph looked most comfortable on the perimeter with his face to the basket. Randolph showed excellent ball-handling ability, and a good first step. Too often Randolph committed to the rim far too early and left his team in transition trying to prevent an easy basket. Defensively Randolph wanted no part of the game.

The D-League Ambassadors - I think it's safe to say most fans didn't want to watch the Ambassadors play. About 4 minutes into the game, the crowd was in full support of the Ambassadors. They played very hard, with great athleticism, and great energy. As a result, they stayed right in the game. Glen McGowan, Josh Gross and crew played high above the rim, and quickly became fan favorites.

I.R. Iran - The Iranian national team had a strong following of fans all week. The fans appreciated their team, and the team rewarded the fans with whistle to whistle hustle. Mohammad Nikkhah Ba stood out as the teams best perimeter player. Hamed Afagh outplayed Kyrylo Fesenko for every minute he was on the court. Hiram Fuller and Kevin Lyde played with extra energy to outplay Afagh. Unfortunately the Iranian big man went down with a hip/back injury and never did return to the game. Jaber Rouzbahini has been the most promoted of any Iranian player, but did not play all week due to illness. I really wanted to see the 7'5 big man play.



It's been an interesting week at the Rocky Mountain Revue. The play has thus far been somewhat disappointing. With Kruger and Johnson likely missing tonight's game against New Jersey, it will be a real good chance to see where Fesenko, Lopez, Koufos stand in comparison to each other. Also, Marcus Williams, Jaycee Carroll and Chris Douglas-Roberts will be fun to watch against the Jazz backcourt.

Go Jazz!

Note: With about 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter of the Jazz/Iran game, Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor received a phone call to which he promptly responded "I'll call you back from a secure room". After a couple of minutes, O'Connor returned with a private message for Coaches Jerry Sloan and Phil Johnson which brought all of their heads together for a private whisper. After the short huddle, the coaches gave their consent to something, and O'Connor grabbed his director of scouting, and they both pulled multiple binders from their briefcases which they took to a private room for a phone call. Neither returned for the rest of the game. I'm sure these exchanges occur multiple times every day, but it was fun to watch from a few rows away.

Ready for the Revue

One of the greatest weeks of the year is heading our way...the Rocky Mountain Revue. I can't get enough of it. So here's how I'll do this, I'll start by breaking down the Jazz roster, who to watch, what to expect and so on. From there I'll discuss some of the other teams and what/who to watch.

Utah Jazz: One thing about the Jazz is they reward all players on their summer league rosters with playing time. After all, there are many more leagues scouting the revue than just the NBA. Teams from the NBDL, Europe, South America, etc. will all be on hand to search for players to fill these rosters.

Point Guard - This will be a very interesting battle. The Jazz have 3 true point guards on their roster, all who may be worthy of getting an invite to the official team camp:
Kevin Kruger - Many of us fans from Utah saw Kruger play against BYU and Utah in college. Last season Kruger played for the Utah Flash in the Developmental League. The Flash ran a similar offense to the Jazz in Orem so he may have an advantage early on. Last season for the flash Kruger averaged 13.3 ppg and 7.1 apg while shooting 38.8% from behind the arc. Kruger has a lower ceiling than many players out there, but he is efficient and plays under control; something the Jazz like in their PGs.
Earl Calloway - Calloway had an excellent season last season playing in the D-League. It is somewhat surprising that the Jazz were able to land Calloway on their summer league roster. Just last week Calloway was playing extremely well for the Indiana Pacers summer league team in the Orlando Summer League. Calloway earned second-team all tournament honors after afteraging nearly 5 apg and over 14 ppg. Many expected the Calloway to be offered a contract from the Pacers. It's unclear whether the Calloway's presence on the Jazz for the RMR will change that. Nonetheless, Calloway is an excellent guard and will impress many during the Revue.
Tyrone Brazelton - Brazelton had a very successful collegiate career at Western Kentucky, and most experts had Brazelton projected as a second round draft pick in mock drafts. The draft didn't go Brazelton's way in terms of landing a partially guarranteed contract, but at least this way he gets more options when choosing teams to try out for. The Jazz were said to be very fond of Brazelton leading up to the draft, and I'm sure the jazz strongly considered taking Brazelton with one of their second round picks. Brazelton is an explosive guard, and may have the most potential of any of the point guards on the Jazz summer league roster.

Shooting Guard:
Morris Almond - Many eyes will be on Almond in this year's camp. It would be disappointing if Almond didn't earn first team all tournament honors. Almond's scoring abilities are second to none in this summer league. The Jazz will be watching closely to see if Morris has worked at his defense this summer. The Jazz have generally been quiet in the free agent market until after the Revue. This marks a crucial point in Almond's career. His success in the Revue may mean the departure of CJ Miles. His failure to play within the jazz system during the Revue may cause Almond to have to pack his bags. Don't forget, of the "log jam" at SG for the Jazz, Almond is the oldest of all the young guards.

Small Forward:
Yaroslav Korolev - Not too long ago Korolev was a highly regarded prospect out of Russia. He played overseas for a couple of years and never did quite develop to meet his expectations. Korolev possesses a variety of skills and will play professionally somewhere next season. I'm sure the Development League would love to land Korolev, but he is much more likely to land a large contract overseas. Nonetheless, I expect Korolev to play significant minutes and he very possibly could raise a few eyebrows in the stands and the Jazz front office.
Britton Johnson - We've seen Britton play ever since the 1998 Utah Utes run to the final four. Britton is no longer young enough to be considered a prospect, but Britton's skills have never been in question. Britton is an excellent shooter from the outside, has great length (6'10), is an excellent rebounder, and would love an opportunity to show the Jazz what he can do. The Jazz know Britton can score, but Britton will likely take the opportunity to show Jazz brass that his is willing to fill a role as a defensive specialist that can rebound and hit open shots. An interesting fact about Britton, he is so naturally gifted that he started his first professional game with the Magic. Things didn't work out for Britton then, maybe they'll go better this time with the Jazz after fine tuning his skills overseas for the past couple of years.

Power Forward:
Brian Jackson - Played last year for the Utah Flash, and got an invite to the Jazz summer league team. This is likely more of a move to try and help the Jazz affiliate in Orem than to actually help the Jazz. He's a solid player that doesn't do anything spectacular. It's possible he's a guy the Jazz keep an eye on in case of a midseason injury to Boozer or Millsap.
Hiram Fuller - The big fella has been coming around for years. He always gets significant minutes in the Revue, and seems happy with the way he has been treated. Between Fuller and Jackson, this is where the majority of the minutes at PF will be divided.

Center:
Kosta Koufos - Kosta will have loads of pressure to perform in the Revue. Jazz fans want to know if he can step in and fill a need. The reality is, Koufos is not going to be the defensive specialist most fans wanted for next season. However, Koufos will raise eyebrows with his skills and will seem somewhat redundant in some areas. Koufos was drafted as a prospect, and he is unlikely to find a spot in the rotation for the next couple of seasons. Koufos will surprise many with his shooting range and his overall offensive repertoire. He's an above average rebounder, and will likely have great games and poor games. Look for Koufos to struggle with foul trouble that will take him out of rhythm in about half of the Revue games.
Kyrylo Fesenko - Big Fess comes into the summer with much to prove to Jazz brass. Fess is still a huge body with good athleticism. More than anything, he needs to mature as a person. I expect Fess to step in and lead the Jazz in rebounding in the Revue, while picking up a few dunks and blocked shots on the side. This is a great opportunity for Fess to progress and earn back some of the respect he's lost this offseason through the acquisition of two centers in the draft.
Kevin Lyde - Lyde has come very close to making an NBA roster the past few years. He's struggled with weight in the past but worked very hard last season to get back in shape. If his weight is not under control this summer, I doubt the Jazz give him a look at all. He's a big body at 6'10, 270, and an insurance policy in case Fesenko and Koufos pull up lame during the


San Antonio Spurs:
Ian Mahimni - Mahimni was a first round draft pick a few years back who played overseas before finally coming to the States. He made the Spurs team last year but never broke into the rotation. This year will determine a lot about his future in the league. He's got lots of raw ability.
George Hill - The Spurs snatched Hill with their first round pick in this year's draft. He's a small school guy (IUPUI) with huge upside. He slid in the draft because of his "small school" status, but many teams below the Spurs would have loved to have him on their team. I expect Hill to step in next year as the backup to Tony Parker in a significant role.

New Jersey Nets:
Mo Ager - Ager has played in the Revue for years with the Mavericks, and this year was traded to the Nets. With the departure of Jefferson, Ager could be a role player for a young team with some real talent. He's an athlete with a good outside stroke.
Jaycee Carroll - Carroll has played terrific so far this summer. He played in the Orlando League with the Nets, and also with the Toronto Raptors in the Vegas League. He's averaging double figures, shooting over 50% from behind the ark, and doing the little things to help his team win. The question with Carroll is whether or not he can play the point. Jaycee may be the only player listed here that doesn't make the Nets team. He may get an NBA camp invite, but Jaycee will be a star in Europe.
Julius Hodge -Hodge was a former first round draft pick out of NC State. He's never broken into a solid role with an NBA team, and this may be his last chance. He's always been a heady player. He was a victim of a stabbing before starting his NBA career, and never has seemed to be a major prospect since (whether the stabbing has anything to do with that I don't know).
Sean Williams - Williams will be in an NBA rotation throughout his career. He was considered a lottery talent out of Boston College until he got kicked out of school for drug problems. He seems to have gotten his act together and started many games last year for the Nets. He is the best shot blocker in the tournament, and a guy the Jazz would likely have picked in the first round last year if he had been available.
Chris Douglas-Roberts - A huge talent and first team all-american out of memphis. Roberts finds a way to score, but never really looks pretty doing it. He has an excellent mid-range game and gets to the foul line. Many called him the steal of the draft. I don't know about that, but I do think he will stick in the league.
Ryan Anderson - Thank goodness this guy wasn't available when the Jazz picked. The Jazz worked hard to get him in for a workout but never could. Anderson has some good skills, but I never see him as anything better than a 10th man in the NBA. He should be fun to watch in the Revue though as he possesses good athleticism for a big, and has some good skills.

Golden State Warriors:
Marco Bellineli - Bellineli and Morris Almond were called the best scorers out of last year's draft. Bellineli was expected to earn a starting role with the run and gun warriors last year, but never did break the rotation. With the departure of many guards off the Warriors roster, Marco will be gunning for sure this year. He's a tremendous shooter with good athleticism. He'll be fun to watch because he has one mindset; score.
Anthony Randolph - Might have the highest ceiling of any big out of this year's draft. He's long, athletic and has good skills. He played 1 year at LSU before entering the draft. He had great games and poor games in the Vegas Summer League, and I expect similar from the RMR.
Louis Amundson - Former Jazzman still trying to find a home. He'll be a career 10th-12th man in the NBA. Athletic hard-nosed player who may be looking for the chance to replace Stephen Jackson in the Warriors rotation. Probably not, but good luck to him.
Brandan Wright - Wright was a top 10 pick last year by the Charlotte Bobcats before being sent to GS in the Jason Richardson deal. A tremendous talent out of North Carolina, but he really would have benefited from another year in Chapel Hill.

Dallas Mavericks:
Gerald Green - Green just signed with the Mavericks out of free agency, and hopes to find a long-term home. Green is one of those few athletes in the NBA who will blow your mind with their dunks. Mark him down for one jaw-dropping dunk for every game in this year's Revue. He's also a former slam-dunk contest champion who lost the close battle to Dwight Howard this year. Who will ever forget the cupcake dunk?
Keith McLoed - Former Jazzman. It'll make you sick to see how average he is in the Summer League...and to think he started some games for the Jazz. It makes me sick. Thought I'd mention him.

D-League Ambassadors:
James Lang - He's a guy that came very close to being a Jazz Man. He played for the Flash last year and if he gets his weight down to a better playing weight, he could find a spot on an NBA roster.

FIBA Asia Champion (IRAN):
The Iranian National Team will be headed to the Olympics to play in the bracket opposite of the USA. There has been bad blood of late between Greece and Iran, so let's hope they don't get unnecessarily rough with Koufos (despite him being as American as they come). I guess if they want physical we can always send in our Ukranian man-child (Fesenko). I'm actually very interested to see their different style of basketball.
Jaber Rouzbahani - The 7'5 monster made himself eligible for the 2004 NBA draft but went undrafted. I don't know what to expect from their best player, but I'm expecting the next Pavel Podkolzine. He's only 22 and is said to have solid skills for a big man...and he's very big.

It should be a fun year at the Revue with some new teams and different looks. The Jazz will sell out every night, but I'm also really looking forward to watching the Nets and Warriors. What a great week.

Go Jazz!