Memo's First Game in Europa
- Thread starter aybars
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InGameStrategy
Well-Known Member
One 'small' weakness in your analysis <<rolleyes>>: Utah was 27th--even worse--in 3p% during 2008-2009, the season before Okur was reupped, and 26th in 3PA. (They went up 7th best 3p% but that couldv'e been aided by the presence of Wesley Matthews, shooting 38% in his rookie year from the three, only underscoring my argument, that the money was better spent elsewhere).
In other words, with Okur out most of the year last season, Utah's ranking didn't slip (not that there was far to slip) vs. 2008-2009 and arguably improved. Okur's rain wouldn't have been missed.
https://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/...rt/avgThreePointFieldGoalsAttempted/year/2009
The Jazz probably re-signed him because they feared the lack of availability of high-quality centers. But that money was better spent on the likes of Matthews, and Koufos + Fesenko (+ Elson) could've produced better defense at the 5 spot while staying out of the way of Boozer (or Jefferson) offensively. And, as has been stated so eloquently (including Numberically) elsewhere, there was no rush to tie up the Turk one year early. He was not a playoff piece (despite being ranked as a top 10 center), and the wheels were starrting to wear down.
for Okur! he is the same age as Haywood, who got a 6-year deal for nearly the same per-season salary. Okur could be out of the NBA altogether after this season (if there is one).
at the time Okur was extended: Matthews was an undrafted free agent yet to play a single second in the league, Koufos was coming off his rookie season in which he imploded after the first half, Fesenko played all of 156 minutes the previous season, and Elson was under contract with another team.
and yet you wonder why KOC chose to extend Okur for just two seasons (Haywood got six) instead of going with your plan.
the truth is, after getting Okur to sign for just two more years he probably figured you haters would rejoice. if he got injured, he'd be gone in just three seasons, instead of the six that Boozer was insisting on getting.
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
No on the Matthews assumption. I don't think the Jazz were willing to go that high, even had they not been into the luxury tax. It was an outrageous offer for a guy who was undrafted, had 1/2 year as a starter and didn't play that well in the post-season. Portland took a HUGE risk that Matthews still had a lot of upside. And now we know why...Roy can barely play on those knees.
If Utah had matched Portland's offer, and Matthews responded with an average season (say 13 pts/per), 80% of this board would be screaming for KOC's head, calling it the 2nd worst contract in Jazz history behind AK's deal.
GVC
Well-Known Member
1. $8.7mil is nearly the same as $10.4mil?
2. How does one bad contract excuse another?
3. Wes Matthews.
4. Mark Cuban.
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
Crystal ball, IGS. You're assuming the Jazz could have known that they would draft Hayward and he would go on a tear the last half of the season. Also, that they could get a trade exception from Chicago for Boozer and turn that around into a viable center. Yes, you're exactly correct that the extension was to get Okur to remain. Had Utah NOT acquired Jefferson, do you think a rotation of Fesenko, Koufos and Elson would have have been sufficient at the 5?
The last time Boozer went out for a long stretch with injuries, Okur and Millsap were on fire: Millsap posted a string of double-doubles and Okur shot nearly 60% on his 3's for a month. Elson and Koufos providing better defense...REALLY? And Fesenko? Koufos PERHAPS has a chance to become an 15 min/per backup. The other two will never see another NBA game except on TV.
we get it that you don't think Okur can play.
take off your blinders for a moment and you'll see that in the summer of 2009 he was a competent player at a position that is difficult to fill. what were the plausible alternatives for the Jazz at center for the next three seasons? Koufos had shown nothing and Fesenko was even worse. there were no high draft picks for the Jazz on the horizon.
the deal that Haywood got from Cuban seems to show that KOC hardly went ape-s**t crazy when he extended Okur for (all of) two seasons.
for an impartial take on the Okur deal, see:
https://jazzfanz.com/showthread.php?781-Hollinger-thinks-the-Okur-extension-is-quot-genius-quot
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
Millers have never made a championship a priority. The objective has always been to make the playoffs, thereby keeping up season ticket and merchandise sales and ensuring a profit. Re-sign Memo and you've ensured yourself a quality 5 who is probably going to play in 90% of the games (unlike Boozer). The achilles injury was unfortunate and unforeseen, Until then, Memo had been pretty durable. With a core of Memo, Millsap, AK and Deron, you're probably going to win 40-50 games.
You also have to take a look at what you have and what's available. Jazz had Koufos and Fesenko and the 5 is the toughest position to fill. On the other hand, KOC could afford to let Boozer go because he had Millsap ready to start.