Will the Jazz Re-Sign Boozer?

Posted by Brian McCann on September 03, 2009

I’m just going to throw this one out there. If you don’t like it, you can just send it right on back. What if Carlos Boozer not only doesn’t get traded this year, but also gets resigned by the Jazz at the end of the season? Most of you are probably flipping out at the thought of such an atrocity, but what if? What if he has the best season of his career, stays injury free, shows real leadership on the floor and in the locker-room, is an All-Star in Dallas, and leads the Jazz to one of the best records in the west and deep into the playoffs? Would the Jazz resign him? I admit, for a guy that has missed as many games as he has, and that likes to yap his trap as much as he does, this is an amazingly tall order, like Sears Tower tall, but what if it happens?

I have been thinking about the possibility of Boozer staying in Utah a lot lately, and I have come to the conclusion that while it is unlikely to happen, there is an outside chance that it will. Carlos has made some really stupid mistakes over his five year stint in Utah. In fact, Carlos has a history of making stupid mistakes. I don’t need to revisit them, because odds are you already know what they are, so we’ll just leave it at that. The one thing Carlos has going for him though is that he has the ability to silence all of his critics by just stepping on the floor, putting his head down, and going to work. If he can do that, and do it well, without any distractions or self-inflicted negative attention to himself and his team, I think more than a few of us would be more than willing to forgive and forget. To me, professional athletes are a little like politicians; they posses a set of skills that has helped them to naturally overcome a lot of the obstacles that us normal people have to face on a regular basis. They are given opportunities and attention that most of us never get, and they tend to think in a lot of cases that they are not regular human beings. In some cases, they never figure themselves out, and in others they do. The point is a lot of these guys are young kids that just need to mature a little bit. Carlos Boozer is no exception. Has he said things he shouldn’t? Has he been a distraction? Does he have an amazingly large ego? Yes, yes, and yes. But you also have to look at the flip side of things as well-is he easily replaceable on a team that runs a power forward centric offense? Does he enjoy playing in Utah?

Do his teammates like him? (You might assume they don’t, but I am a Jazz junkie, and I search the internet everyday for anything Jazz related, and I have never read anything from any of his teammates that suggest they want him gone. Nothing. In fact, most every time Boozer is brought up, they say they want him back).

I guess my point is, Carlos may not be as replaceable as some think. The absolute best thing I think he has going for him is that he is only 27. There have been many, many players that have been in his boat that have had to go through a little bit of a maturing process, and who is to say Boozer won’t do the same. Who knows? Maybe everything that has transpired this summer has humbled him a little bit? The point is, he is a member of the Jazz right now, and as a member, I want him to figure it out while in a Utah uni, and if by some chance he does, don’t be surprised if he is around next year as well. For that to happen though, the Jazz would most likely need to dump AK, so a lot also depend on how Andrei plays as well.

On the other hand…

Many of you have probably heard that Stephen Jackson has declared that he feels his stint by the bay is coming to a close, and that he wants to play for a contender. GS has expressed interest in Boozer in the past, and provided Jackson can keep his head on straight (something he has done pretty well over the last couple of years…again, that maturity thing), I think this might be an excellent trade. If Jackson wants out, Jackson wants out, and Booz would be a nice fit for Don Nelson. If the experiment didn’t work out, GS could let Boozer walk next summer, and have the money needed to be big players in next years free agent extravaganza. If it did, I’m sure Carlos would be open to signing an extension. Jackson on the other hand would give the Jazz exactly what they need; a gritty, tough-nosed, triple-double threat on the wing that is capable of locking down explosive two-guards. For some reason, over the last few seasons, the Jazz have been destroyed from that position, and I think Jackson would fit in with Utah’s system really well.

At this point, all we can do is speculate and over speculate what will actually happen. Don’t be surprised though by what Jazz management decides to do. The NBA is about winning, and like KOC has said many times, if a trade doesn’t make them a better team, he won’t do it. I guess we’ll all just have to wait and see what happens.

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Mal on September 03, 2009 said:

“Do his teammates like him? (You might assume they don’t, but I am a Jazz junkie, and I search the internet everyday for anything Jazz related, and I have never read anything from any of his teammates that suggest they want him gone. Nothing. In fact, most every time Boozer is brought up, they say they want him back).”

You don’t hear anything negative from Boozer’s teammates about him because they aren’t as dumb as Boozer and actually watch what they say to the media. Most know how to be politically correct. What most of the players say to the media is no more truthful than Jazz gossip. And all the inside gossip I’ve heard says that Boozer is a current locker room problem.

Boondock Saint on September 03, 2009 said:

Brian-
You are right, its a good question….what if? You were even more correct though when you said it was a Sears Tower tall order because there is absolutely no reason, unless you know something I don’t (which isn’t that difficult), that I have found ANYWHERE to indicate that he has done this. D-Will’s comments on Rome’s show actually lead me to believe that there is still a big problem. He didn’t come flat out and say it but then again pro athletes never do but the verbage and tone just left me shaking my head at Boozer again. I mean D-Will said he wanted to win and would play with Boozer but when you have to say “regardless if you like somebody on or off the court” that just speaks volumes to me about the relationship. You never say stuff like that with even mere acquaintences. However, it also leads me to believe that Deron is proving your other point and he realizes that Boozer isn’t an easily replaced talent. Yeah he is a crappy defender (and nobody hates him more than me for that) but he is a 20/10 guy and those don’t just appear out of thin air.
Stephen Jackson, I’ve been thinking about this trade ever since I heard Capt. Jack was ancy in GS. He’s a hothead and a thug but incredibly talented both offesively and defensively. However, I like it. I think the Jazz need someone who will get a vocally passionate on the floor (D-Will is a leader just not a vocal one). I don’t want his off-court antics but he is 31 (another problem cause we also get his 5 yr contract on a guy that may well be declining) and maybe will has matured a bit. I like his passion though and think he woud excite the Jazz . I’d do the trade if proposed.

Brian McCann on September 03, 2009 said:

Mal- I see your point. The problem is all of the gossip I have heard is from the fans and media, and not from the mouth of anyone affiliated with the Jazz. I have heard some of the players say that they talk to and hang out with Boozer regularly. All of the talk that there is a problem in the locker room is speculation. I think if there was a real problem, Deron and others would be pushing him out because they want to win too bad to deal with that crap. I agree with Boondock that the players realize that they want to win and Boozer helps them win. I absolutly do not agree with trading Boozer for an up and coming guy like Thomas from Chicago. Who is to say that Thomas will ever reach Boozers talent level? You can speculate that he will, but Boozer is already there. Boozer has maturity issues which may be easier to overcome than teaching a guy like Thomas to score 20+ a night on 55% shooting while grabbing 10+ rebounds. His defense does suck, but so does Memo’s, CJ’s, and a handfull of others. in fact last season our team as a whole was a very mediocre defensively. I don’t think you can justify trading away your most effective scorer (arguably) when he is not THE problem but only part of it.

People felt the same way about Malone for a lot of years. In fact people hated Karl. But Karl Malone won basketball games, and Carlos Boozer wins basketball games. Unless the Jazz can legitimately fill the gaping hole that he will leave when gone, I say don’t trade him. The cap space at the end of the season or re-signing him is better than taking on one or two projects with potential.

Now if a legitimate lockerroom problem does come up, that is a different story, but just to say that there might be one isn’t good enough for me. I want the Jazz to win, personal feelings about Carlos aside.

jAzZfAn on September 03, 2009 said:

Despite whatever Boozer may or may not be, he is still a great player. One that just doen’t appear, and one that you don’t find everyday. But you have to ask yourself, will his attitude affect them winning games and the chemistry of the team? Or will he finnally pull himself together and help the jazz win games this year? Because that’s something he really needs to do, he is an awsome player, but he shouldn’t say whatever he wants and risk messing everything up. I know i wouldn’t like to see him go, but i just wish he could put his act together and just start helping the team win more games, because that is something we really need him to do.

aka on September 03, 2009 said:

well said Brian.

tman11 on September 03, 2009 said:

Wait woah thomas’s defense sucks? are you serious Brian? That’s half the reason I wanted the jazz to trade with Chicago for him. He has the potential to be a 20+ 10+ kind of guy but even if he doesn’t he plays defence. We don’t need a scorer we need defence and, thomas gives us tons for that. During the reagular season he got almost two blocks a game and a little over 1 steal a game. in the playoffs that went up to 3 blocks a game. I remember watching those games and thats all the announcers could say about him is wow he shuting bostons down with his defence they were really amazing by it it sounded like. As far as Boozer getting resigned to me it kind of ended as far as his time with the jazz when Paul got resigned. Unless you are going to put Boozer at center and Paul play power forward then they shouldn’t have signed Paul to that much money. Then resigning Okur didn’t help with getting Boozer resigned either but, that’s just my opinion.
I was reading today that you can throw dallas into the trade mix for Boozer I don’t know how much of it is true but, that is what i was reading. I f you wanted a big deal to go down throw AK into that mix and trade AK and Boozer for Marion and Howard. Most likely that won’t be the case though I’m thinking since we need defence Shawn would be a great trade Boozer for Shawn and Carol. Great deal but, hey we will see what happens

J R Stewart on September 03, 2009 said:

Even at the end of the year, the Jazz can pay Booz more than any other team, even if it is a sign and trade. So, Booz needs to stop burning bridges and play well, which I think he will.

CJ’s and Jerry’s comments where quite positive. DWil had some mixed signals, but wants to make it work.

Trade for the “Shooting” guard? Personality aside, I don’t like the trade. Jax scores 21ppg, but his ‘effective’ scoring is below average for SFs. Beyond a relatively low level of productivity, Jax is also old and expensive. Before the next season ends, Jax will be 31 years of age. He is scheduled to receive $35m over the next four seasons. With a lower luxury tax threshold, that could be $70m for the Jazz. He’s scheduled to get $10m at 35 years old…OUCH!

If I were GS, I’d be happy to unload him and his salary, while he still has some trade value.

Jazzaholic

Brian McCann on September 04, 2009 said:

Tman- I never said Thomas’ defense sucks…that is the best thing he has going for him. My point is Thomas is not a go-to-guy, Boozer is. Will Thomas develop into a go-to-guy? Maybe, but he hasn’t yet and Boozer has. Your also right, the Jazz don’t need any more offense…except Boozer is their best scorer, so, logically, without regard for all of the stupid things he has said, you trade away one of your less effective offensive players to boost defense, not your best one. Memo is a fan favorite, but his defdense is worse than Boozer’s. Booz at least slaps the ball away from someone at least once a game. I’m not saying trade Memo either, but you can’t make the argument that we should trade our best scorer simply because he can’t play defense when hardly any of his teamates play D either. You should trade him if he cant come around and gell with the team, and that has yet to be seen.

JR- I agree with Jax’s age. If the deal did go down though, I would start him at the two and move Ronnie to the three. Jax is a combo guy who can play either position, and he is better defensively and offensively on the perimeter than Ronnie. RB has more of a power game and playing the three would allow him to get more garbage buckets.

ciadap2004 on September 04, 2009 said:

Chris Bosh! Chris Bosh! Chris Bosh!Chris Bosh! I like the idea of… of whats his name… Crap. I cant remember. I apologize. Sorry. I think he played for U.S.A… hmmmmm oh well.

Rick on September 04, 2009 said:

you cant really compare malone to booz because malone won games because he actually played! booz doesnt win games because he doesnt play haha simple. and yeah he may be their biggest facilitator of points but that doesnt do him any good if he isnt playing. he may have talent but he doesnt have heart. the jazz need heart. thats what got them to the finals 10 years ago, and thats what will get them going again. resigning booz would be a mistake no matter what. people might be surprised or upset about how booz acts but thats normal for him. he hasnt changed. he has always done and acted the same. he looks out for number one only… himself. jazz management would be foolish to resign him no matter how good of a season he has because he will still be the same as he always has been, after getting the deal he wants he will go back to being his old self give me somebody that might have the potential to be 20-10 guy any day over a heartless chump like our dear friend carlos boozer

Pelon on September 05, 2009 said:

How close do you guys sit when you go to games? ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_8CV6Y7oK4 at the 2:40 mark) I don’t want the crazy old gunner. (btw: Jax’s numbers were inflated by playing point-forward in Nellie’s run-n-gun system.)

jazz on September 05, 2009 said:

The jazz don’t need someone with potential right now! they need someone who is ready, most of the other jazz players are ready so why do they have to wait for someone else that we trade for booz to reach their potential? we need to win now!!!

Brian McCann on September 05, 2009 said:

Rick- Booz does win games when he plays. The Jazz run their offense through him and there is no one that can legitimately take his spot in the pick-n-roll system yet. Paul hasn’t developed into a guy that can run it affectively. I don’t want potential, I want to win. Boozer may not lead the jazz to a championship, but he may not have to. Scottie Pippen was Jordan’s number two and he wasn’t a leader. Trading him because you and others dont like him is a bad move, period. Trading him to make the team better is the only way you trade him and “potential” doesn’t do that.

Linda Kay on September 05, 2009 said:

See what happens during the season!!!. Boozer is not good at hiding it when he is acting like a _________ (donkey?) You can tell a lot afer a few months of games. If he continues to be his old self then out he goes. If he makes a big change, and yes it could actually happen, then talk to team members individually, review past games ans talk to Booze aout what he wants.

JRS on September 06, 2009 said:

He wont be here…. end of story. Everyone is sick of the drama. And it is no longer the Sears Tower…

Kameron on September 06, 2009 said:

What i think about this whole thing…..
Well Booz is a good player but really needs to mature if he wants to stay with the Jazz.
I also think if we are going to get rid of booz then we need to do it soon because i think if we wait for the season all the good players that we need will already be traded and we wont get such a good trade out of it. Im thinkin we should look into getting tyress Thomas or Stephen Jackson. But if we wait they could both be off the trading block. So i say HURRY IT UP!

j-mac23 on September 06, 2009 said:

why would we resign him when we’ve made it clear that we want millsap to be our power forward and given him 30 mil over the next few seasons? maybe if millsap wasn’t worth as much anymore we would, but now we would have to trade him too

jazz person on September 07, 2009 said:

Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you like someone off the court, its sometimes about winning games, and when boozer is healthy he can dang help us do that. And i agree we don’t need someone with potential right now, we need to win period.

Brian McCann on September 07, 2009 said:

J-Mac: I’ll tell you why: If Booz plays better than Paul and keeps his head on straight, the Jazz might decide to keep the better player. May the best man win! Just cuz you have a contract doesn’t mean the starting job is automatically yours.

French Dude on September 08, 2009 said:

Karl Malone, 2085 steals in career, All Time number 10……… not bad for a bad defensive player……

Utah Artist on September 08, 2009 said:

Bitch all you want. I love Boozer and sincerely hope he stays…

Brian McCann on September 09, 2009 said:

Malone was an AWESOME defensive player.

Shannon in Sacramento on September 09, 2009 said:

Well maybe Boozer’s best job/position won’t be a player, but a coach. Did you guys see the article that rates what players could be coaches? I about dropped off my chair when I read Carlos listed:

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/vince_thomas/09/08/player.coach/index.html

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