‘Points about Points’ (M. Majchrzak/David Kyle - NBAE/Getty Images)

Throughout the summer, pre-season, and early going, the main concerns for the Jazz centered on AK’s future and the starting two spot. At least for now, those issues seem to be resolved. Andrei is all smiles and playing as well (or better) than in the 03-04 season. Brewer owns the shooting guard job averaging 15.3 points a game. Happily he is showing some stuff on the other end too, currently ranking second in the league in steals.

Unfortunately, I think the bright spotlight on those problems sort of hid another issue that is perhaps potentially dangerous. Namely-what are we going to do about a backup point guard?

Unless Hart has some miraculous epiphany really soon, I for one don’t think he’s it. When I read the news in July that we had picked him up, my first thought was What?!? We are going take some guy who has been with 5 teams in 6 years? A guy who left the Kings cuz he didn’t like his minutes behind Bibby. Like he would get many behind Deron? And apparently wasn’t too desirable as a Clippers backup guard, even though he was their starting point for the second half of last season. Still, I told myself to reserve judgment (yeah, I talk to myself a lot). Our coaching staff has a good reputation of taking less than stellar players and making them at least serviceable.

However, watching him get some more minutes in the blowout against Seattle Saturday night increased my doubts. Talking to my New York brother on Sunday pretty much clinched it. This brother is a huge Syracuse fan, so I asked him what he thought of the guy. Apparently, Hart didn’t start off on the right foot there, nearly backing out on his commitment to play. He then came in with a lot of hype that (according to my brother) he never lived up to. He said people there were kind of surprised that Hart made it into the NBA at all, let alone last through six plus years, particularly given his inclination to foul and turn the ball over. I know the season is young, but if my brother who bleeds orange isn’t sticking up for the guy, I am officially ready now to throw him under the bus.

I think we really need someone who can spell Deron so he’s got something left in the tank come play-off time. Someone who can deal with limited minutes, but who can lead the floor while he’s out there. Someone who could take over if-heaven help us-something happens to Williams. Admittedly I know little about Price, and I am pretty sure Sloan was giving Hart a chance first as he had the greater experience. But I think now is the time to give Ronnie a chance to show what he can do.

It’s probably also a great time to second guess whether the Jazz should have put a little more effort into keeping Dee Brown. He’s leading his team in the TBL in scoring, though the Galatasaray Cafe Crown group is now 6th in the rankings. Kind of hard to keep up on his doings in Turkey, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Dee might be more interested in a spot on the Jazz now, guaranteed contract or not. Maybe he is still an option.

Of course we could look at other trades, but money is still the same issue it was this summer, when we couldn’t get anyone better than Hart or Price. If you take a look at unemployed guys, there is Earl Boykins to consider. But we already had sort of a younger version of him in Dee, and with his even smaller size, Earl is probably not a great option. Keith McLeod is sitting by the phone in Canton as well, he knows the Jazz system, and would definitely fall within the budget. Maybe he would fit the bill okay.

While I don’t have have the answers, I do think the question needs to be addressed. What do you think?