Forget the poll - Jazz just DID sign Raja Bell

[Stifle Tower]

IIRC, Bell was totally interested in staying in Utah way back when. However, at the first moment of free-agency, Phoenix threw a full mid-level at him. Raja spoke to KOC, who had no intention of matching because the Millers were more committed to saving money. Was that the same summer they let Mo Williams walk and allowed Sasha Pavlovic to be picked up in the expansion draft (Sasha was left unprotected instead of Jarron Collins)?

There were some moves back then that I wasn't too happy with. A year or two later, they signed Harpring to a long, expensive deal (I think it was done out of fear of losing Matt the way they lost Raja - who went on to be a stud for the Suns).

A liitle off on the timing. Mo was let go the year before because the Jazz didn't want to spend $3M on an undersized 3rd-string combo guard, not with Arroyo and Lopez at the point. It was a decent decision. Mo can score, that's for sure, but he averages less than 5 assists - and that was true in Milwaukee as well as in Cleveland. The Jazz actually left Pavlovic unprotected becasue they hoped Borchardt would recover from his injury. That wasn't bad thinking. A healthy 7'0" Borchardt would certainly be more valuable than a shot-chucking guy named Sasha who only hit 39% of his FG's and 27% of his 3's.

As for Bell, he wanted the full MLE. The Jazz expected him to shop the market and then get back to them. I remember the Suns swooped in and wanted him right off the bat. He agreed to the deal during his first call with them, citing his friendship with Nash. IIRC, he didn't let KOC match. And I don't think the Jazz would have. Bell was a good player, but only a part-time starter who averaged 12 pts/per with a career shooting percentage in the low 40's. Kind of like the Matthews situation, except Wesley was a much better shooter (albeit with a very small sample size).

 

[carolinajazz]

If you need lateral quickness, it means your guy is already beating you off the dribble.

Defense is mostly about effort and determination.

...could be Raja is also a good ball denier! That in itself, is worth the 10 million for 3 years!

 

[The Ghost of Blue Edwards]

And why are people opposed to signing Brown? He's a supreme athlete with good measurements, heady, can hit the open 3, handle the ball, make plays inside, and defend.

When David Stern tells you to calm down you do it.

 

[The Ghost of Blue Edwards]

An injury to his non-shooting wrist. That's certainly less risky and a shorter recovery time than coming back from a hamstring tear.

I'm on board with the move. Raja certainly isn't the palyer he once was, but he can give Utah 10-15 mins at SG and is still a decent outside shooter.

10-15 mins? I was expecting 25-30. He hasn't played under 30 MPG since he was a youngster.

 

[Lost_Jazz_Fan]

Holy ****, he's 34???

eeeeee

34 in September and he basically had last season off. He'll be fine.

 

[Jazz4ever]

Holy ****, he's 34???

eeeeee

He didnt really start playing until he was 25, so it will be a young 34.

 

[jazzmanian devil]

Holy ****, he's 34???

eeeeee

and Kobe is 32, so Bell should be good enough to still kick his smug arse, that's all we need him for I thought.

 

[TroutBum]

from this statement I can tell your a BYU fan.

And I can tell that YOU'RE a Utah drop out.

 

[Stifle Tower]

10-15 mins? I was expecting 25-30. He hasn't played under 30 MPG since he was a youngster.

Well, I hope he doesn't get that many minutes at the expense of Hayward. Gordon is the future. And we no longer have Larry H. to say the word "fire" in order to get Sloan to play our lottery pick.

If Raja is healthy and feels great, maybe he and CJ split mins at the 2, like he used to do with Giri. That wouldn't be so bad. Then AK plays 30 at SF and Gordon can get 18. Of course, if Okur isn't ready to go on opening night, AK will be needed part-time at PF, so Raja will have no problem getting 25-30 mins.

 

[kwb]

I think the Jazz should play the clip from Next Friday when Bell comes into the game. "It's Mr. Nasty time!" Ok not really but anytime I see the Jazz and this, "Nasty" stuff, I think of that part on Next Friday.

 

[VINYLONE]

Gordon is the future.

Lofty aspirations.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Lofty aspirations.

Better believe it. Honz was all over his jockstrap before the draft, so I can't say I'm the first. But I was extremely impressed by Hayward's summer league performance. It wasn't that he was dominant...far from it. But for a rookie, thrown the Jazz sets for the first time, Gordon was cutting, coming off screens, hitting the curl routes, getting in passing lanes and chasing down rebounds. He needs to work on his drives (a little out of control), but he's a player. At worst, he's going to be a great 6th man. Now that Raja is aboard, Sloan probably plays Gordon less than what I had hoped. I mean, Deron sat behind Palacio for some reason only known to Jerry.

But mark my words, Gordon is at least a 12/4/4 player in 2011/12. And I wouldn't be a bit surprised to eventually see Hayward in the closing 5. Jazz can take advantage of his ball-handling and FT shooting late in games. And he's also a nioce complement to have with Jefferson in the low post. Another guy who can kill an opponent with a mid-range jumper if they use his defender to double down on Al.