...here's the basic answer to your question, Dawg! There is virtually NOBODY worth 80 million dollars to the Jazz...and here's why! The Jazz play a "system" structured offense....and they don't NEED an 80 million dollar player to fill any of the 5 spots on the team to make it work and work well! We can get by on way less expensive guys and make the playoffs, win any number of 7 game series' and even make it to the finals, as we did with Stockton and Malone, neither of which ever made max money or were the highest paid players in the NBA! Basketball is, has been and always will be a TEAM game...in which the sum parts is greater than the whole! Who had the highest payroll this past season? Was it the Lakers? Even so, they still needed a number of contributing lower priced players to win the whole thing! The Jazz need not be the highest or the lowest pay rolled team to win the whole thing. You need some superstars, but you need major contributors from the lesser paid players! Now, someone else can take up my cause and continue answering this question....perhaps in clearer terms!
I agree with this, pretty much 100%, CJ.
On the one hand, you must have talent to win. On the other, ya gotta remember that individual talent alone does not win championships (see Cleveland, or Chicago with Jordan trying to do everything himself for years). The Jazz beating Denver is just one more demonstration that smart, disciplined team play, even with less talent, can prevail over superior talent relying on "random basketball" for wins.
I know that many are of the opinion that, if there is one position where a "superstar" helps a team the most, it is the center position. Wilt Chamberlain was probably the greatest (relative to his peers) individual player of all time, but Russell and the Celtics won all the championships. Howard is a great individual player, but he seldom even gets to take a shot, because they really don't play "team" ball down there.
I think the Jazz are in a good position. If you're gunna emphasize team play, which I agree that you should, then the most important position for your team is your point guard, not any of your bigs. The Jazz are fortunate to have a highly talented point guard who is both willing and able to consistently play "team ball." Now they need good talent, but not necessarily any certified "superstars," at ALL other positions, not just at the PF spot, or the center position.
It remains to be seen how well LeBron, Wade, Bosh, et al, play together as a team. To the surprise of many, Allen, Garnett, and Pierce played very well as a team, and not just as individuals. Even so, Rivers and at least some of the other players (Garnett, I know), see Rondo as absolutely essential to their success. I'm not predicting it, but nor would I be surprised, if Miami ultimately falls short of a championship. Three ballhogs and only one ball is not conducive to team success at the highest level.
