Jazz Christmas Wish List.
Posted by Keith Haney on December 24, 2008
I’ve been on a trip to India for a while and missed a significant amount of Jazz games for the first time in four years. Luckily, I still had frequent access to Internet cafes and was able to check out box scores and recaps occasionally. It just isn’t the same as watching it though. So it’s been great to be back. Watching the Jazz play since my return, I should be happy just to have a team to watch but I find myself out of the Christmas spirit and wanting more! Here’s my Jazz wish list:
1) A defensive post player. This requires a trade because Boozer and Okur aren’t going to cut it. Look at the championship teams of the last 20 years. They all had defensive post players. Even the Bulls had Rodman – not a shot blocker, but a heckuva an enforce and rebounder. So who is out there? Here are my favorites that seem attainable:
a. Marcus Camby or Chris Kaman for Boozer or Okur. This trade was much more likely to involve Boozer before the Clippers picked up Zach Randolph. I could see this happening for Okur now because the Clippers would get an outside scoring presence (exactly what they gave up with Mobley and Thomas) at the expense of a rebounder/shot blocker that they don’t need in either Camby or Kaman. I’d take either one. If the Jazz had to throw in a first round draft pick, I’d even throw that in.
b. Emeka Okafor for Carlos Boozer. Look – Boozer isn’t going to stay in Utah and I don’t blame him either. I can’t envision a scenario where the Jazz give him the Max Contract he is going to demand and get from some other team. So why not get something for him in Okafor. A player who has never lived up to his potential but might be a perfect fit in a Jazz uniform where he isn’t expected to score. Leave the scoring up to Okur, Williams, AK, and Millsap.
c. Rasheed Wallace for Boozer. I know a marriage between Sheed and Sloan doesn’t make sense at first take, but I believe it would work. Rasheed is a serious guy who has reigned in his temper just enough to not kill his team like he use to. I would take his all-around game over Boozer’s for the second half of the season in a heartbeat. Detroit does this deal for two reasons. One, it saves them money this year (Wallace makes $3M less than Booz) and they have been rumored to be chasing Boozer in free agency anyways.
2) If Boozer ends up getting surgery and missing significant time this year, my Christmas wish is to actually miss the playoffs. Without Boozer, there is no way they are going to win the championship this year. So why not collect a good draft pick as a trading chip or a steal if they got in the top three and got this guy.
3) An All Star appearance for Williams. If not Williams, then Millsap. Millsap has climbed up to ninth in the Power Forward PER rankings on ESPN. I’d say he’s a borderline all-star right now even. There are just too many bigs in the West ahead of him though – Amare, Dirk, Duncan, Gasol, Camby, Yao, and Shaq. Williams isn’t even sniffing a selection yet. With the games missed, and the sub-100% games he has played, it would take an outstanding January to move into a spot on the roster. I’m not counting him out yet.
4) A coach of the year award for Sloan. He has deserved it many times over the course of his tenure in Utah. If Boozer comes back in early January and the Jazz go on the run they are capable of, I think Sloan has a chance this season. Even with stiff competition from the likes of Doc Rivers and Mike Brown he could win it with a stellar second half combined with the publicity around his 20th anniversary of coaching in Utah.
5) A second half resurgence by Ronnie Brewer. Where has he disappeared to? He started out so strong and has just vanished as of late.
6) A couple of year end awards for Kirilenko and Millsap. AK is in the running for 6th man and Millsap is nipping on the heels of Devin Harris for Most Improved.
7) NO MORE FRIGGIN INJURIES!!!!! Nuff said.
Merry Christmas all.
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carl h on December 28, 2008 said:
I’m not sure what you’re saying about the jazz missing the playoffs, but, I’d have to disagree about that, big time. If they play their hardest and best and miss the playoffs, that’s one thing, and I’ll still love them; but if they roll over for a draft pick, it’s going to be hard to believe in them. Besides, the chances of the jazz not making the playoffs are slim, even with all the injuries. For any team, it’s better they make the playoffs then don’t, regardless; unless you’re a good team andl win the nba lottery and you can draft tim duncan, ala spurs. Or bulls last year. I’m not saying it is rigged, but the nba lottery sure looks suspicious. Besides, good players can be found anywhere in the draft, the jazz track record shows that; on top of that, the jazz are so deep, they really don’t need another player who is going to want minutes.
As for a trade; If there were a trade, my wish would be okafor. He’d be a great fit with the jazz, he’d be an easy guy to want to support. I’m not going to support a trade right here, but it wouldn’t ruin my christmas if one or two soon to be free agents won’t be coming back.