Is Favors in the long-term plans at this point?
- Thread starter David Stern
- Start date
Jack Strop
Well-Known Member
I have to take back everything I said about trading Favors.
Three things have become very apparent - at least to me - in the past several games.
1. Mitchell can be a helluva PG. When he's not playing with Rubio, he's out there making plays, pointing his teammates to where they should go. As a PG, I also think he gives us a greater advantage because Utah then can bring in Burks (or Hood when healthy) and have 4 shooters.
2. Rubio isn't the answer. His shot is just awful. And his defense, IMO, is overrated. He gets beaten a lot. He's just too much of a liability offensively. Sure, one game he may shoot 45%. But then the next he misses most of his shots. The Pelicans came back late because they just allowed Rubio to shoot and miss at will.
3. Favors and Mitchell have a great relationship. I know both would see a trade as just part of the "business," but I think Favors leaving on his own accord (if he gets a great offer) would be far better and wouldn't cause Mitchell to lessen his opinion of the FO.
The problem, IMO, is not Favors/Gobert. While less than ideal, it's a great defensive pairing and perhaps more than offsets the decrease in offense. The problem, I believe, is introducing Rubio into that mix. Once Gobert returns, the solution, IMO is:
A. Those three should NEVER play together.
B. Either continue to start Rubio and bring Favs off the bench.
C. Or make Mitchell the starting PG. Burks or Hood start at SG. Rubio comes off the bench when Favs or Gobert go out.
D. For example, Favors and Hood could play until the 6 min mark. They go out and Rubio comes in, with Mitchell then sliding to the 2. Jerebko comes in at PF. Then, at the quarter break, Gobert rests and Favs comes in at the backup 5.
IMO, Rubio trending down (or at least flat as in still struggling), while Burks and Jerebko are trending up. Cut Rubio's minutes to ~20/per and keep Alec's minutes up, even when Hood returns. I'd also sacrifice some of the minutes Thabo plays in order to continue to get Jerebko playing time when Gobert returns.
Three things have become very apparent - at least to me - in the past several games.
1. Mitchell can be a helluva PG. When he's not playing with Rubio, he's out there making plays, pointing his teammates to where they should go. As a PG, I also think he gives us a greater advantage because Utah then can bring in Burks (or Hood when healthy) and have 4 shooters.
2. Rubio isn't the answer. His shot is just awful. And his defense, IMO, is overrated. He gets beaten a lot. He's just too much of a liability offensively. Sure, one game he may shoot 45%. But then the next he misses most of his shots. The Pelicans came back late because they just allowed Rubio to shoot and miss at will.
3. Favors and Mitchell have a great relationship. I know both would see a trade as just part of the "business," but I think Favors leaving on his own accord (if he gets a great offer) would be far better and wouldn't cause Mitchell to lessen his opinion of the FO.
The problem, IMO, is not Favors/Gobert. While less than ideal, it's a great defensive pairing and perhaps more than offsets the decrease in offense. The problem, I believe, is introducing Rubio into that mix. Once Gobert returns, the solution, IMO is:
A. Those three should NEVER play together.
B. Either continue to start Rubio and bring Favs off the bench.
C. Or make Mitchell the starting PG. Burks or Hood start at SG. Rubio comes off the bench when Favs or Gobert go out.
D. For example, Favors and Hood could play until the 6 min mark. They go out and Rubio comes in, with Mitchell then sliding to the 2. Jerebko comes in at PF. Then, at the quarter break, Gobert rests and Favs comes in at the backup 5.
IMO, Rubio trending down (or at least flat as in still struggling), while Burks and Jerebko are trending up. Cut Rubio's minutes to ~20/per and keep Alec's minutes up, even when Hood returns. I'd also sacrifice some of the minutes Thabo plays in order to continue to get Jerebko playing time when Gobert returns.
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IIRC, you can't extend a player mid-season? I'll have to look that up.
To answer the question, it's really hard to say, especially since there are still so many kinks to work out with the roster and offense.
What I do know is that if Favors is finally settling in on being healthy (S/O to the seemingly-improving medical staff) and we're seeing who he is, the Jazz need to figure out how to make him shine, make him feel valued, and try to keep him (at a salary that doesn't cripple).
The starting point is that Favors is starting and that Rubio isn't allowed to share the floor with both Favors and Gobert. And it goes without saying that Gobert starts, so Rubio comes off the bench and gets what minutes he can with only one of them on the floor, and there's at least one of them on the floor at all times. Closing games, you go with the flow and see what's working. Sometimes that will be both, sometimes one or the other. But you generally try to not have them share the court.
Mitchell/Rubio
Hood or Burks/Burks, Hood, or Mitchell
Ingles/Sefolosha/Hood/
Favors/JJ1/JJ2/Ingles
Gobert/Favors/Udoh
In this scenario:
-SPACING. Spacing, spacing, spacing.
-Rubio would have more room to operate, would have less pressure, face less scouting, and operate on a milder incline in acclimating to the offense and personnel, thereby rehabilitating his play and his value and ultimately either finding his way on this roster or off of it.
-Mitchell gets the reigns and plays what I believe is his best role and the role the Jazz most desperately need someone to fill moving forward. I am not one of those that is concerned with Mitchell's size on the wing as he is incredibly long, built, and gritty. However, as a PG, he's a beast, and it increases the Jazz's switchability (which when Favors plays as the 5, I think the Jazz could seriously explore the switching of everything).
-Opens up some opportunity for Burks and Hood if their recent play starts to sustain (and are both healthy, naturally).
-This isn't a point of emphasis for me and is rather tangential, but I would really like to see Ingles play some more 4 with Gobert. I think that would be crazy lit.
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I kinda don't get it. He doesn't impress me. Hardly better (if at all) than Gobert offensively except his FT shooting will lose a lot of games, and his defense isn't elite. Young enough to play for some years, but old enough that you know he's not getting better.
NAOS
Well-Known Member
you call that "lulz", eh?
It will be funny. I bet we'll get at least 2 threads about how we should keep Favors and trade Gobert.
NAOS
Well-Known Member
those sentiments are already circulating.
Which is kinda funny, but not as much as it is clinically r-worded.
His FT has gotten to the point where it doesnt kill a team, as much anymore.
He just requires so much attention on offense because of his ability to catch lobs and he really is an elite rebounder. His defense isn't the top tier of centers, but it's really close and out of those types of centers he is the best at switching. He doesnt demand post touches or anything like that, and he seems to play consistently hard.
He’d be a perfect backup to Rudy, getting 20 MPG.
♪alt13
Well-Known Member
^fixed
For the sake of rotations, keeping 1 of Rudy/Derrick on the floor at all times, and spacing I don't think Favors should start.