What's new
By:

Zach Lowe on the Jazz

A

aussietin

Well-Known Member
Zach Lowe talking a bit about the Jazz. Didn't see it posted yet.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/17734638/30-crazy-predictions-2016-17-nba-season-zach-lowe

Utah wins 50 games

Yup, even with Gordon Hayward missing perhaps the first 20 games. Utah has the wing depth to tread water without him, despite a road-heavy early schedule. The Jazz won 40 games last season despite major injuries that forced Quin Snyder to overexpose a blah bench. They went 12-21 in games that were within three points in the last three minutes, one of the worst such records in the league.

They've upgraded at point guard from "total black hole of incompetence" to "George freaking Hill." Hill can take on more ball-handling duties with Hayward out, just as he did when Paul George missed most of the 2014-15 season.

They should be a top-five defense even if they have to separate the Derrick Favors-Rudy Gobert tag-team a little more than expected to juice the offense. When those two share the floor, Utah eviscerates teams on the glass.

I get the skepticism about Utah. The Jazz haven't won anything, or proven they can score enough with their super-big lineup. But this team is versatile and deep, and those things win big in the regular-season slog.
Click to expand...
 
Gotta love Zach, always talking about the Jazz.

15. Utah extends Derrick Favors

Favors becomes extension-eligible on Oct. 19, exactly three years after he signed his current deal. In theory, he should wait a year before re-upping with Utah; this will be Favors' seventh season, and once players hit that mark, they qualify for a larger maximum contract.

But Utah needs cap room to bump Favors up, and the Jazz may not have enough next summer if they extend Gobert this month. (Bonus prediction: I think they will do that.) Favors' current deal is such a bargain, he could double his salary this season -- from $11 million to about $22 million -- if Utah jacks him up to his current max. That is a lot of guaranteed present-day cash to pass up, even if Favors could net more by waiting for unrestricted free agency in 2018.

Locking up Favors would also be a strong signal to Gordon Hayward ahead of his free agency: "We are serious about winning, so maybe stick around?"
Click to expand...

16. Gordon Hayward re-signs with Utah

There is probably more buzz surrounding Hayward's impending free agency than about Paul, Griffin, Kyle Lowry and other starrier names. Hayward is 26, in the meat of his prime, killing it at the thinnest position in the league. Utah waited for Charlotte to max him out last time around, and Hayward has a long memory. The Jazz have a ton of guys to pay, and if they down enough beers (just kidding, it's Utah!), they might convince themselves they have the wing depth to withstand Hayward bolting. His beloved college coach runs a rising team with an easy roadmap to max cap space -- and real interest in Hayward, per several league sources.

But if Utah makes a leap, the smart money is on Hayward sticking. The Jazz can offer a winning young core, an extra fifth season, and if the new CBA breaks right for them, a little more cash than home teams can dangle under the current deal.
Click to expand...
 
Was just about to add those when I saw you added. Whopping 10% of the article (3/30 points) are directly related to the Jazz haha
 
Yup, even with Gordon Hayward missing perhaps the first 20 games.
Click to expand...
I wish the Jazz would give an update on Hayward. Surely they've had more time to evaluate the finger situation.
 
Shhh, don't tell log, shad, gvc, or frank.
 
Hayward's absence can be looked on the bright side. A lot of players that are capable of handling the ball are on the roster and this is a good chance for getting more depth in play making scenarios in Hayward's future foul troubles.
 
obviously it's fair to say Zach Lowe would be predicting more than 50 wins if we were healthy at the time of his prediction.

He's obviously irrational


paging:
Log-lady-quote-6.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page
Back
Top