Are the Jazz going to trade Rudy?

[NAOS]

If we have Favs+Rudy, we should try out what MIL is doing. The are ahead of the rest of the league in their exaggerated, protect the rim scheme. They concede the most 3's, but it doesn't matter because their rim protection and rebounding is so good. As offenses continue to get better, I don't think the Jazz can rely on the "everyone stay home, Rudy defends everything else" strategy that limits both 3's and shots at the rim. It stretches us too thin.

Milwaukee is too unidimensional, though. You have to have some defensive versatility. This catches up to them in the playoffs.

We will be unidimensional, though. Bank on it.

 

[NAOS]

The defense was still good overall. And the last 3 games the Rockets were scoring like the Knicks because we got it figured out. Unfortunately, the Jazz were scoring like the Westchester Knicks so we still lost. It could not be more obvious why we lost against HOU twice...we couldn't score. I'm not here to put heat on Mitchell, he was asked to do too much...but it amazes me how he got away unscathed after having one of the worst playoff performances of all time.

My point is that Rudy catches all the blame. I know the truth of what happened is more nuanced than that.

 

[KqWIN]

Milwaukee is too unidimensional, though. You have to have some defensive versatility. This catches up to them in the playoffs.

We will be unidimensional, though. Bank on it.

I'd say the Bucks offense catches up to them in the playoffs more than their defense, but I definitely agree that we're too unidimensional. Quin very rarely deviates from our basic defense. What makes the problem worse is that our basic defense asks so little of everyone else besides Rudy. When it comes time for them to do more and do something else besides stay home, they have no awareness because it hasn't been practiced.

I've been hoping that Quin will add some versatility to our schemes for years even if it costs us a few regular season W's, but it hasn't happened. Like you, I'd be shocked if Quin tries to expand our defensive schemes.

 

[NAOS]

I'd say the Bucks offense catches up to them in the playoffs more than their defense, but I definitely agree that we're too unidimensional. Quin very rarely deviates from our basic defense. What makes the problem worse is that our basic defense asks so little of everyone else besides Rudy. When it comes time for them to do more and do something else besides stay home, they have no awareness because it hasn't been practiced.

I've been hoping that Quin will add some versatility to our schemes for years even if it costs us a few regular season W's, but it hasn't happened. Like you, I'd be shocked if Quin tries to expand our defensive schemes.

I’d put the Bucks’ unidimensional defense waaaaaaaay before their offense on the list of their problems. It isn’t even close. And they have the tools to be one of the most diverse defenses. This is Bud’s biggest problem.

 

[infection]

Additionally, Dok can catch a damn lob starting day one and stay on the floor as a lone big, if needed, just because of that.

Cool, so what you're saying is that if we were running with him, then we'd only really need a minimum guy. That's great. It means it gives us flexibility to not spend $10M on another backup center.

I would also be curious where this idea is that Ekpe was playing with Favors and that's why he looked good on defense. Can anyone actually look up that lineup data? I don't ever recall him playing with Favors. He certainly didn't share the floor with him during his last year.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Cool, so what you're saying is that if we were running with him, then we'd only really need a minimum guy. That's great. It means it gives us flexibility to not spend $10M on another backup center.

I would also be curious where this idea is that Ekpe was playing with Favors and that's why he looked good on defense. Can anyone actually look up that lineup data? I don't ever recall him playing with Favors. He certainly didn't share the floor with him during his last year.

It doesn’t just have to be about Udoh... there were many guys we could have signed for the minimum as a stop gap option.

Im fine with Favors in a vacuum. It’s the drafting of a guy to put behind Favs that makes sense and all the nickel and dime-ing they are doing to duck the tax because they paid Favs. They also have a guy in Morgan that they like and see as a backup 5 option. The Favs deal makes us better but it will need to be moved or we need to reconfigure other salary to accommodate it next year or two.

It’s really just poor logic behind the roster design. It’s a really strange offseason.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

And honestly I’m happy we brought back Favs but not if we get cheap about Rudy or if we go to extremes to avoid the tax that hurt other areas of the roster or asset base.

 

[framer]

Cool, so what you're saying is that if we were running with him, then we'd only really need a minimum guy. That's great. It means it gives us flexibility to not spend $10M on another backup center.

I would also be curious where this idea is that Ekpe was playing with Favors and that's why he looked good on defense. Can anyone actually look up that lineup data? I don't ever recall him playing with Favors. He certainly didn't share the floor with him during his last year.

No, Dok is third string, as was Udoh. Dok is a much better 3rd string at a better price (but not cap hit) than Udoh with exponentially more upside.

As far as playing with Favors, I don't know the number. I just know when Udoh was our primary big we just sucked and hemorrhaged until we got Favs or Rudy back in. He never held down the spot solo when he was in.

 

[infection]

No, Dok is third string, as was Udoh. Dok is a much better 3rd string at a better price (but not cap hit) than Udoh with exponentially more upside.

As far as playing with Favors, I don't know the number. I just know when Udoh was our primary big we just sucked and hemorrhaged until we got Favs or Rudy back in. He never held down the spot solo when he was in.

I'm not remembering us hemorrhaging. Anyone else remember this? And I'm trying reconcile two different things you're saying between 1) Udoh looked good because there was someone else on the floor backing him up and 2) we were hemorrhaging until Favors or Rudy got back in. Those two ideas don't seem to lineup,

Also, when you say he "never held down the spot solo when he was in," but acknowledge that perhaps he didn't really play with Favors, who was holding down the spot, Jerebko? Niang?

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I'm not remembering us hemorrhaging. Anyone else remember this? And I'm trying reconcile two different things you're saying between 1) Udoh looked good because there was someone else on the floor backing him up and 2) we were hemorrhaging until Favors or Rudy got back in. Those two ideas don't seem to lineup,

Also, when you say he "never held down the spot solo when he was in," but acknowledge that perhaps he didn't really play with Favors, who was holding down the spot, Jerebko? Niang?

All I remember from Udoh is as soon as he came in the game he’d block a shot a player thought they could get off over him.

I remember him sucking when catching the ball too. He was a decent passer though. I think Favs is definitely better. I think he is not 8M better in the 14-15 minutes he gets a night but I don’t care... as long as we don’t cut costs in other ways that hurt the asset base or basketball.

We might get through the season without major injuries or Covid issues so the 14th and 15th spots don’t matter this year.

The thing that has puzzled me is that Mike won’t be back... either because we don’t want his salary or because he wants something different. So why not pivot now and give yourself some flexibility. I think we are kinda sorta all in maybe? If there is some master plan I guess I don’t see .

 

[LoPo]

My point is that Rudy catches all the blame. I know the truth of what happened is more nuanced than that.

This is total bullcrap.

Rudy gets hardly any of the blame. Everybody blames too many defenders and nobody could hit a shot on the losses to Houston. Then last year, they said Rudy didn't have enough help because we let all the defenders go. Nobody is pointing out how Jokic absolutely outplayed Rudy. Nobody points out that Capella gave Rudy fits the 2 years prior.

The narrative is always "Rudy did his job but he didn't have enough help."

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

It’s more of a national narrative but I keep hearing “experts” say Rudy gets played off the floor in the playoffs. It’s completely false.