Jazz select Udoka Azubuike with pick 27 & trade Tony Bradley + pick 38 to the Pistons

[NUMBERICA]

When we use a good chunk of our MLE to sign a center to play ahead of Udoka will the Udoka homers come and talk about how smart it is to groom and train a future backup center... I'd love to hear the argument.

Oh you mean like we did with Tony ****ing Bradley? It was fun watching people churn through excuses on that one, but it's more fun that we can all just accept that that whole ordeal was just clown shoes.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Oh you mean like we did with Tony ****ing Bradley? It was fun watching people churn through excuses on that one, but it's more fun that we can all just accept that that whole ordeal was just clown shoes.

Its exactly what I mean... but the good news is when Udoka doesn't get on the floor we will sign another center to help out for a year until he can get experience. Rinse, repeat.

 

[Ron Mexico]

I don't really understand the pick unless Rudy has outright said he doesn't plan on coming back. I think everyone in the world but the front office sees we need an athletic wing..... and we might get more Niang

Drafting a wing wouldn't help for a year or two and even then it's a gamble a late 1st will ever help. We need help there now. FA is a much better way to address this need than the draft.

 

[seattlejazzfan]

When we use a good chunk of our MLE to sign a center to play ahead of Udoka will the Udoka homers come and talk about how smart it is to groom and train a future backup center... I'd love to hear the argument.

As a Udoka homer, I’m already on record that if he doesn’t start getting minutes this season, it was a bad pick. One of the reasons this was a great pick is that he make can an impact now.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Drafting a wing wouldn't help for a year or two and even then it's a gamble a late 1st will ever help. We need help there now. FA is a much better way to address this need than the draft.

The Jazz still got the wing they probably wanted either way.

My guess is that they knew Green wasnt going to drop so they traded back for their next target, Udoka.

Only one wing went between then and Utah's next pick, McDaniels. Bane also went and Bey, but that's a guard and a PF.

So it seems like Utah probably got the wing they liked unless it was McDaniels.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

As a Udoka homer, I’m already on record that if he doesn’t start getting minutes this season, it was a bad pick. One of the reasons this was a great pick is that he make can an impact now.

I would guess they bring in some minimum big vet just in case he isnt ready.

 

[Nate505]

The more I watch/read about Udoka, the more intrigued I am by him. Of course that's probably a lot of post-draft optimism, but he at least looks the part to be a good defensive big backup.

 

[Ron Mexico]

The Jazz still got the wing they probably wanted either way.

My guess is that they knew Green wasnt going to drop so they traded back for their next target, Udoka.

Only one wing went between then and Utah's next pick, McDaniels. Bane also went and Bey, but that's a guard and a PF.

So it seems like Utah probably got the wing they liked unless it was McDaniels.

That's true as well. It still doesn't solve our wing problem even if we drafted multiple wings. We need to address that in FA. We also need a pf/c for depth as well. We can't mess up like last year in FA. Green and Davis seemed like they would give us the depth we needed but that was way off.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

One good thing about Udoka is that he's one of these guys who picked up basketball later. That would explain why he isnt the most natural feel player. The scouting video I watched said he's made some noticeable improvements though, so maybe with more coaching he can get there.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

One good thing about Udoka is that he's one of these guys who picked up basketball later. That would explain why he isnt the most natural feel player. The scouting video I watched said he's made some noticeable improvements though, so maybe with more coaching he can get there.

I have a hard time with this narrative. There aren't many guys that pick it up later that catch up. Pascal is like the only one I can think of and I would say feel is something he still kinda struggles with.

Kanter is the first guy I think of when I hear this thrown out there.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I have a hard time with this narrative. There aren't many guys that pick it up later that catch up. Pascal is like the only one I can think of and I would say feel is something he still kinda struggles with.

Kanter is the first guy I think of when I hear this thrown out there.

Rudy. Favors.

I would say they were both pretty trash passers coming to the Jazz and are both now just simply average.

(Not that they picked it up late, but bigs always have a lot of room for improvement in that area. Some guys just simply arent coached well in these skills early when they are so huge)

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Rudy. Favors.

I would say they were both pretty trash passers coming to the Jazz and are both now just simply average.

(Not that they picked it up late, but bigs always have a lot of room for improvement in that area. Some guys just simply arent coached well in these skills early when they are so huge)

that's fine... I guess I'm just bummed we never get to see a great passing big in this offense with our outside threats. I think it would open up so much **** to have a bit that can pass and has gravity outside of the paint.

 

[The Jazz Wonderbra]

I get Udoka. We addressed our biggest defensive need with Rudy 2.0 coming off the bench. Makes sense.

But a first round draft pick gets you a starter in the league right now and most of us think we could have drafted Udoka at #38. Why not #23 and Ed Davis for Josh Richardson or Ricky Rubio or Kelly Oubre or any number of starters that have flown around and then simply a future second for #38 or #39 to grab Udoka.

There are few teams that wanted Udoka at all.. we reached for him. Thats all.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Udoka really punished the rim as a lob threat in Kansas. It will be interesting to see how much attention he commands with NBA spacing.

 

[SteakNEggs]

that's fine... I guess I'm just bummed we never get to see a great passing big in this offense with our outside threats. I think it would open up so much **** to have a bit that can pass and has gravity outside of the paint.

You can get a similar effect if your C is able to consistently hit a post move or two. To your point they would still have to pass but that passing out of a block to a wing is basic.

 

[seattlejazzfan]

That's true as well. It still doesn't solve our wing problem even if we drafted multiple wings. We need to address that in FA. We also need a pf/c for depth as well. We can't mess up like last year in FA. Green and Davis seemed like they would give us the depth we needed but that was way off.

Part me thinks that if the Jazz had drafted Hughes at 27 and UA at 39, the critics wouldn’t be so upset. The result would have been the same but the optics would have been different.

either way, you are right- the place to address the wing issue is in free agency, not the draft. UA might be the most NBA ready guy in the draft due to having played four years and how ready he is physically.

 

[Carbon13]

Is it possible lindsey just thinks udoka is a major talent?

 

[seattlejazzfan]

Is it possible lindsey just thinks udoka is a major talent?

He is a major talent and a physical freak of nature. So yes.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Part me thinks that if the Jazz had drafted Hughes at 27 and UA at 39, the critics wouldn’t be so upset.

I would have drafted neither and neither would most of the people on this board.

 

[str8line]

I get Udoka. We addressed our biggest defensive need with Rudy 2.0 coming off the bench. Makes sense.

But a first round draft pick gets you a starter in the league right now and most of us think we could have drafted Udoka at #38. Why not #23 and Ed Davis for Josh Richardson or Ricky Rubio or Kelly Oubre or any number of starters that have flown around and then simply a future second for #38 or #39 to grab Udoka.

There are few teams that wanted Udoka at all.. we reached for him. Thats all.

It must mean we got him to replace Rudy.