What's new
By:

Competing while allowing Dante Exum to develop

Ellis269 said:
13 - 9 as a starter

8 - 2 since the All-Star Break and Trade Deadline.

I think that the simple answer is that the Jazz are very competitive with Dante Exum in the starting lineup while he's developing, despite having to play Jingles and/or Millsap as SG starter for most of those games. . .

. . . imagine how well he might do with 5-10 lbs of muscle, a better grasp of the offensive and defensive schemes, much better conditioning, Burks back and healthy, Tomic/Booker as the 3rd and 4th bigs (respectively), a shiny new rookie drafted 11 or 12, a free agent or two (as needed), Jingles and Millsap playing spot minutes as role players and continued improvement from Gobert, Favors, Hayward, Burks, Hood and Burke?

I think that the Jazz and Exum will be just fine letting him play while he develops.
Click to expand...

I think he is gonna take a huge jump next year
 
I like the idea of finding a good option behind Exum but I'm fine with Exum as a starter while he develops. I have been a bit of a doubter, but his defense is great. He is showing signs on offense... These last games are important for him. One small sign last game he got the switch and had the big on him... He waved off an oncoming pick to go at the big. He ended up shooting a three which you could tell he immediately knew was a mistake but I liked the aggression.

If we were going to go this route we missed on the best player to get... Isiah Thomas. I would have loved to have him and we definitely had the assets to get him. Burke is a homeless mans version of Thomas so I guess he'll do. He's cheap and I don't see many better options out there. Lin... Really? Knight would be great but I'll bet he gets maxed.

Let's see how Exum closes out the year and see what he looks like after an off season of work.
 
Ben10 said:
Wait so your saying that Steph Curry, Damion Lillard, and Tony Parker aren't the some of the best players on the planet at PG? Those are guys he as gone up against since being a starter.

I guess I don't understand your comment
Click to expand...
nicolas-cage.jpg
 
We have been competitive with Exum as our starter & we do have huge room for growth next year, but our success is based on a small sample size & internal growth is never a guarantee. Considering our recent success, which is as much of a testament to what a core of GH, DF, & RG is capable of (considering who is around them- especially offensively) as it is to the defensive improvement that Exum has contributed to. I maybe should have suhgested that Burks be our primary backup PG (given that we can acquire an offensively efficient 2/3). This would give us the versatility to be able to play Burks/FA SG/Hayward/Favors/Gobert when we need baskets & Exum/FA SG/Hayward/Favors/Gobert when we need stops. This way Exum doesn't feel demoted & can continue building chemistry with his teammates, while (hopefully) speeding up his development.

I would be fine with:

Exum/Burks/Neto
FA SG/Burks/Hood
Hayward/Hezonja/Hood
Favors/Booker
Gobert/Tomic/Pleiss

Trade #12+Burke for #8 (Hezonja-if he slips that far-if not, add OKC 1st)

I think that is a potentially elite defensive team, with enough offense, depth, & versatility to be more than just the fringe playoff team (next year) that we would likely be should we not make any significant changes.
 
Last edited:
karl malone said:
We have been competitive with Exum as our starter & we do have huge room for growth next year, but our success is based on a small sample size & internal growth is never a guarantee. Considering our recent success, which is as much of a testament to what a core of GH, DF, & RG is capable of (considering who is around them- especially offensively) as it is to the defensive improvement that Exum has contributed to. I maybe should have suhgested that Burks be our primary backup PG (given that we can acquire an offensively efficient 2/3). This would give us the versatility to be able to play Burks/FA SG/Hayward/Favors/Gobert when we need baskets & Exum/FA SG/Hayward/Favors/Gobert. This way Exum doesn't feel demoted & can continue building chemistry with his teammates, while (hopefully) speeding up his development.

I would be fine with:

Exum/Burks/Neto
FA SG/Burks/Hood
Hayward/Hezonja/Hood
Fsvors/Booker
Gobert/Tomic/Pleiss

Trade #12+Burke for #8 (Hezonja-if he slips that far-if not, add OKC 1st)

I think that is a potentially elite defensive team, with enough offense, depth, & versatility to be more than just the fringe playoff team (next year) we would likely be should we not make any significant changes.
Click to expand...

This sounds a lot more reasonable, but I question if Burks has the basketball IQ to play multiple positions. I'm of the mind that you figure out ways to get your best players on the court as much as possible, and I have Burks as a key player for the Jazz. I'd be fine with Burks replacing Burke as the key playmaker off the bench, but I still see him as a poor fit for PG. If the Jazz trade Trey Burke to move up in the draft, I think that they would be best served to sign or trade for a veteran PG or combo guard to back up Exum. I just think that Burks best role will be as a dynamic scorer at the wing, instead of as a facilitating point guard role.
 
Future Utah Jazz is here already. It'd be foolish to expect any major moves from now on. Internal development, scouting/drafting. That's all.
If you asked "who'll the #1 option on this team?" I'd say "All of them", while Dante Exum is likely to turn out to be the most valuable piece.
 
jjscap said:
Future Utah Jazz is here already. It'd be foolish to expect any major moves from now on. Internal development, scouting/drafting. That's all.
If you asked "who'll the #1 option on this team?" I'd say "All of them", while Dante Exum is likely to turn out to be the most valuable piece.
Click to expand...

Overall, I agree with this. I see Gobert, Favors, Hayward, Burks, Exum and Hood as all key pieces moving forward. I hope that the Jazz want to bring Tomic over because I think he's a great fit and would be fantastic value vs. what they'd pay on the open market. I think that they really like Booker and will keep him for 2015/16, unless there's a deal that needs to be made and requires his contract to facilitate it. I think that they really like Millsap and Jingles as reserve wings and glue guys. After that, I think that they should be looking to upgrade their 5th big guy (Evans), their backup PGs (Burke and Clark) and maybe add some more depth to their wing positions. There's room to add depth and talent, while still focusing on the development of the young core group.
 
With Exum being drafted in the NBA as young as he is and as talented as he is, I think he is doing very well and needs to maintain the starting PG position. The Jazz are in desperate need of upgrading the bench and adding some depth to our team. I think the return of Alec Burks is going to make a huge difference as far as how we play. Regardless we need to upgrade the bench.
 
Stifle Tower said:
AS for the OP, Burks is NOT a PG, so wipe that off the board right now. He and Hayward would get KILLED defensively at the 1/2.
Click to expand...

I agree that Burks is not a pg, but I actually disagree with your 2nd sentence.
I think burks guards 1's better than 2's. He shut down lillard and cp3 and I think he is much better at dealing with speed and ball handlers than strength and guys moving without the ball.
 
Ben10 said:
Wait so your saying that Steph Curry, Damion Lillard, and Tony Parker aren't the some of the best players on the planet at PG? Those are guys he as gone up against since being a starter.

I guess I don't understand your comment
Click to expand...
Plant bro. Not planet
 
Ellis269 said:
13 - 9 as a starter

8 - 2 since the All-Star Break and Trade Deadline.

I think that the simple answer is that the Jazz are very competitive with Dante Exum in the starting lineup while he's developing, despite having to play Jingles and/or Millsap as SG starter for most of those games. . .

. . . imagine how well he might do with 5-10 lbs of muscle, a better grasp of the offensive and defensive schemes, much better conditioning, Burks back and healthy, Tomic/Booker as the 3rd and 4th bigs (respectively), a shiny new rookie drafted 11 or 12, a free agent or two (as needed), Jingles and Millsap playing spot minutes as role players and continued improvement from Gobert, Favors, Hayward, Burks, Hood and Burke?

I think that the Jazz and Exum will be just fine letting him play while he develops.
Click to expand...
Good post ellis. (Like usual. Ellis 269 is one of the best and most under-rated posters on jazz fans)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page
Back
Top