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!