We had the luxury of perhaps the best backup center in the league making ~$17 million a year playing ahead of him during that time. Udoh was an elite defensive player. Yes, elite, and he probably hasn’t just suddenly fallen off a cliff since then . He knew his limitations and the game quite well. He would be a boon on this team because Tony Bradley tends to get exposed against good teams.We've had this conversation before but I'm sorry, Epke is an awesome human but he was worthless outside of a few moments for us. There's a reason he had many DNP's and only 6 total garbage time minutes in the playoffs when were getting slaughtered by Houston in games 1 and 2.
He wasn't that good. Did he have a few awesome impactful moments? Yeah.
Edit: that doesn't mean I'm satisfied with our current crop. I like TB but he's about as fringe of an NBA player as it gets. Ed Davis is a terrible fit.
It's strange epke is so elite that he isn't on any nba teams roster.We had the luxury of perhaps the best backup center in the league making ~$17 million a year playing ahead of him during that time. Udoh was an elite defensive player. Yes, elite, and he probably hasn’t just suddenly fallen off a cliff since then . He knew his limitations and the game quite well. He would be a boon on this team because Tony Bradley tends to get exposed against good teams.
I would prefer a backup that gives us something different than Gobert, but our options are limited right now and Quin doesn’t trust Morgan.
All that being said, if we can’t sign him then this conversation is a nothing-burger.
Well they would be wrong. *shrug*It's strange epke is so elite that he isn't on any nba teams roster.
Last team he was on before the jazz (when he was younger) he averaged 3.9 minutes per game.
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The thing about Epke is that we need someone to protect the rim when Rudy is out, and we don't have anyone now. He would play a major role for us now. I don't understand why the Jazz didn't resign him during this hiatus.Well they would be wrong. *shrug*
Also, true 5s with weak offensive games are very much not in vogue, and Ekpe wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice as a backup either. What’s more likely the case for why he isn’t in the league is that he’d rather play and get a bigger paycheck than be an out-of-rotation player in the NBA making the minimum. He’s basically said as much.
The Jazz ran off Willie Reed last summer. He is a tough, smart journeyman. He would have done better than Bradley today.Only one center besides Rudy can cover up this pathetic perimeter D in this entire league. his name is AD. Maybe you can throw Giannis in there but he's not a center.
doesn't matter. everyone is getting blown by everyone on the perimeter. that means the center needs to stop the blown-by, cover his own man AND box out for rebound in case of a potential miss. just because we have no PF to help the center cover inside and our perimeter D has been terrible. we are asking too much out of our center. Tony/Ed will look 100% better on other teams that don't rely so much on their center.The Jazz ran off Willie Reed last summer. He is a tough, smart journeyman. He would have done better than Bradley today.
Jerry Sloan is shaking his head right now.doesn't matter. everyone is getting blown by everyone on the perimeter. that means the center needs to stop the blown-by, cover his own man AND box out for rebound in case of a potential miss. just because we have no PF to help the center cover inside and our perimeter D has been terrible. we are asking too much out of our center. Tony/Ed will look 100% better on other teams that don't rely so much on their center.
You can play Willie/Ed/Ekpe/ whoever and i guarantee you that they will look just as bad under our current defensive scheme in which we are asking our center to do everything. It's just not a human job that Rudy is doing for us this season. As impressive as his stats look, it still doesn't tell the full story.