Brad Stevens: "DAMN, their defense is good."

[Stifle Tower]

But they are not winning now, unless they can reel in a harden or lillard or durant. Not gonna happen. Next year they compete and get to the PO, year after they are competitive in the PO, then we can think about the finals the next year, and that is a very very rosy scenario. So, we have time for Dante, but we do not get there without him turning into some sort of stud and I think he can.

Agree about Joe and Sap, hope we have no need for them next year. It is amazing how well we play with those guys getting big minutes. A stretch 4 sounds very interesting to go with Rudy, favs, and book.

If we are to retain Hayward in 2 years when he can opt out, I think we need to start competing NOW. That's not to say I think we can/will win a championship. Gobert is just a pup. Favors can still get better, etc. But even to make the playoffs, the Jazz have to get a LOT better. And that means letting Exum develop as a backup and in practice, just like Stockton did. We need our Ricky Green, who was a damn good PG (former all-star) to guide the team until Dante grows a pair and is ready to use them. And heaven forbid if that NEVER happens. There is STILL a HIGH bust potential with Dante. Or he becomes a guy like Marvin Williams: a player with marvelous athletic skills and a pretty good defender, but never a stud. Was always a very good teammate, never caused problems, but just never had that killer attitude/hunger to get to the next level. Right now - and I hope I'm wrong - I see that trajectory for Dante.

My ONE hope is that Favors showed the same passivity when he came over in the trade. That first year he was very soft-spoken, kept to himself. We had some of the same concerns. And probably still did to a certain extent until Rudy took charge. Now the two play tough. Favors still isn't demonstrative with his reactions (like Rudy and Trevor) but he is tough on the court. Maybe Dante can be the same type of player. Reaching for straws here...

 

[jope]

Experience counts for a lot. And Millsap has very little NBA experience. I think you play to the level of those around you in many respects. He is built like a brick and probably has a few years till he reaches his peak physically. I don't think he'll improve like the youngsters, but as he becomes more comfortable he'll continue to improve.

I think he has potential to improve in his role, but not really as a player.

 

[str8line]

But they are not winning now, unless they can reel in a harden or lillard or durant. Not gonna happen. Next year they compete and get to the PO, year after they are competitive in the PO, then we can think about the finals the next year, and that is a very very rosy scenario. So, we have time for Dante, but we do not get there without him turning into some sort of stud and I think he can.

Agree about Joe and Sap, hope we have no need for them next year. It is amazing how well we play with those guys getting big minutes. A stretch 4 sounds very interesting to go with Rudy, favs, and book.

I agree that a win now mentality might be overrated. We are better off to focus on world domination in 2-3 years and get the pieces in place for that. Let's face it, Rudy will be much better in two years. So will Dante. In the meantime we need to build a culture of toughness, togetherness and sacrifice. I see a guy like Sap as integral to that process. I loved DMC for the same reason. Lucky for us Rudy brings that toughness. I think of past champions and there were always one or two players that might not look great on paper, but helped determine the winning character of the team.

 

[str8line]

We have plenty of time for dante to develop. Gobert is still on the way up, as is Favors and Hayward. I bet we will see Dante approaching what he is going to be at the end of the 2016/17 season, which is perfect. If we are getting to the second round of the playoffs and have a chance for conf finals at that point, that is even ahead of schedule.

I think this is super realistic.

 

[Stoked]

If we are to retain Hayward in 2 years when he can opt out, I think we need to start competing NOW. That's not to say I think we can/will win a championship. Gobert is just a pup. Favors can still get better, etc. But even to make the playoffs, the Jazz have to get a LOT better. And that means letting Exum develop as a backup and in practice, just like Stockton did. We need our Ricky Green, who was a damn good PG (former all-star) to guide the team until Dante grows a pair and is ready to use them. And heaven forbid if that NEVER happens. There is STILL a HIGH bust potential with Dante. Or he becomes a guy like Marvin Williams: a player with marvelous athletic skills and a pretty good defender, but never a stud. Was always a very good teammate, never caused problems, but just never had that killer attitude/hunger to get to the next level. Right now - and I hope I'm wrong - I see that trajectory for Dante.

Well the first step towards that is DL singing someone with the money he saved in the Kanter trade. Get a shooter that doesn't need to "develop". Get one that is ready to go.

Then mix in a healthy Burks and improvement to the players under contract and I think the Jazz will be a lot better.

Jazz are already a lot better. At the pace after the 6-19 start for the season the Jazz would have around 34-37 wins right now. A record of 37-24 would place the Jazz in 8th and only a 1/2 game out of 7th.

So DL MUST get a shooter, return with a healthy Burks and push the team hard to improve this offseason.

 

[latin jazz]

I listened to the Celtics broadcast because that was the only illegal steam I could find :3 I lol'd when I heard Brian Scalibrene say "The Jazz are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA" then their sideline reporter after the next break said that the Jazz were the best defensive team in the NBA in the last 10 games.

Yeah, remember that. He was really bad. At some point he said that exum was a big 6-4 guard (not big deal) and confused elijah with booker several times. And to him all the calls against them were unfair

 

[str8line]

Well the first step towards that is DL singing someone with the money he saved in the Kanter trade. Get a shooter that doesn't need to "develop". Get one that is ready to go.

Then mix in a healthy Burks and improvement to the players under contract and I think the Jazz will be a lot better.

Jazz are already a lot better. At the pace after the 6-19 start for the season the Jazz would have around 34-37 wins right now. A record of 37-24 would place the Jazz in 8th and only a 1/2 game out of 7th.

So DL MUST get a shooter, return with a healthy Burks and push the team hard to improve this offseason.

That is a great post. 1/2 game out of 7th. That IS the team they are today. When I think of how much stronger this team will be by next fall, and how much stronger than that they will be by the end of next season, it nearly gives me goosebumps. I want season tickets.

 

[latin jazz]

If we are to retain Hayward in 2 years when he can opt out, I think we need to start competing NOW.

This. If we don't start making the playoffs and being contenders there is a very good chance Hayward could be gone in a few years. We need to add talent during the offseason, a couple of veterans (a pg) and a shooter or big man, depending on who we draft. This offseason is very important, it might be the last in which we have both a high lottery pick and tons of cap space (unless DL pulls a Harden type of trade). It's time to accelerate the rebuilding.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Jazz are already a lot better. At the pace after the 6-19 start for the season the Jazz would have around 34-37 wins right now. A record of 37-24 would place the Jazz in 8th and only a 1/2 game out of 7th.

Not sure I get your math. We're 18-17 since the 6-19 start. That pace would give us 31 wins right now, which puts us where Phoenix is (they're 32-30). Although the Suns are only 2 1/2 games out of the 8th seed, it's really more, given that OKC has been so injury prone and is now on a tear. More than likely, it will take 47-50 wins to get even the 8th seed in the WC.

Edit: Oh, I think I do see where you made your error. You took 13 wins (assuming a 13-12 record) and added it to our current total. But since we already had 6 (6-19) the number to be added is just the difference, which is 7 additional wins. But basically, we're a .500 team right now. So unless Utah gets moved to the EC, Jazz HAVE to make changes just to have a shot at the 8th seed.

 

[Stoked]

Not sure I get your math. We're 18-17 since the 6-19 start. That pace would give us 31 wins right now, which puts us where Phoenix is (they're 32-30). Although the Suns are only 2 1/2 games out of the 8th seed, it's really more, given that OKC has been so injury prone and is now on a tear. More than likely, it will take 47-50 wins to get even the 8th seed in the WC.

Sorry, was distracted and my math is off. It would be few less wins. But that still places the Jazz firmly in the playoff hunt and fighting for the 8th seed with they way they are playing now.

Add to that the hopeful improvements...

Just what ifing

 

[str8line]

Not sure I get your math. We're 18-17 since the 6-19 start. That pace would give us 31 wins right now, which puts us where Phoenix is (they're 32-30). Although the Suns are only 2 1/2 games out of the 8th seed, it's really more, given that OKC has been so injury prone and is now on a tear. More than likely, it will take 47-50 wins to get even the 8th seed in the WC.

Right now it's a case of ****ty teams getting up to play the Jazz and the Jazz getting up to play good teams. But you need to factor in that the Jazz have recently beaten the # 1,3,7,10,11,13,14 rated teams in the current power rankings; and beaten most of them convincingly. That skews the impression of their record since going 6-19 to start.

 

[zman1527]

Not sure I get your math. We're 18-17 since the 6-19 start. That pace would give us 31 wins right now, which puts us where Phoenix is (they're 32-30). Although the Suns are only 2 1/2 games out of the 8th seed, it's really more, given that OKC has been so injury prone and is now on a tear. More than likely, it will take 47-50 wins to get even the 8th seed in the WC.

5-2, very close to 6-1 or even 7-0, since Kanter got traded. I would like to think that is more indicative of our potential. There is no reason to think the defense will drop at all next year.