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Jazz to sell 2nd round pick?

GlassEater said:
Because then you're competing with 29 other teams to sign that undrafted FA. How many would choose Utah as their preferred destination?

Utah got lucky with Matthews. Jazz should have drafted him over Suton if they liked him that much so they would be assured of having his rights.
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Well put.
 
Archie Moses said:
If this costs us Nemanja, I'll be pissed.
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We agree. Kind of.

The other thing worth considering with a 2nd round pick is that it's the best way to get European talent. If Bjelica makes some strides in his lateral quickness and shooting or strength, he'll be a great asset. The Jazz would have no chance at him (or any other Euro prospect) without using a 2nd round pick.
 
Hopper said:
Thing is, they weren't that high on him. That's why they didn't draft him. That's why they didn't offer him a 3-4 year contract at a low salary from jump street. But, still, hindsight, it ROCKS, eh!?
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What?

Anyway;
1) According to KOC, they had an eye on Matthews the whole way through and had deduced that he'd go undrafted while they had information that someone would draft Suton if the Jazz didn't.
2) According to KOC, they had a good relationship with Matthews' agent and thought they had him bagged without burning a pick.
3) There are a million things that could've gone differently to where Matthews is either not playing for the Jazz or playing in the NBA at all.
4) There's no assurance the Jazz would have any kind of sweetheart relationship with a player or agent the way they had one with Matthews.
5) There's even less likelihood the Jazz would have any kind of relationship to get a coveted Euro UFA as opposed to gaining the player's rights in the 2nd round (and that's assuming a team doesn't scoop them up after #55, which is likely)
6) Suton sucked, sucks, and didn't deserve to be drafted. Refer back to point 3.

The bottom line is that both the Jazz and Matthews lucked out. If a team can find a way to root out factors that might make a player less available (competition) or unavailable completely (being drafted by another team) by drafting, then draft. The likelihood that the Jazz stumble upon undrafted FA gold 2-seasons in a row is insanely unlikely.

I'll say again, if Bjelica or Randle is on the board at #55 and the Jazz sell the pick, I'll be pissed (but will understand).
 
NUMBERICA said:
1) According to KOC, they had an eye on Matthews the whole way through and had deduced that he'd go undrafted while they had information that someone would draft Suton if the Jazz didn't.
2) According to KOC, they had a good relationship with Matthews' agent and thought they had him bagged without burning a pick.
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Well, I dunno what KOC says, but that don't seem to be what Matthews says his own damn self:

"Draft night was one of the worst nights that possibly could have happened to me..." ....all 30 NBA teams passed on him at least once and sometimes two or three times during that nightmarish June draft. No club would spend so much a second-round selection on him...He played for Utah's team of rookies, youngsters and free agents at the Orlando Pro Summer League...Yet the now 23-year-old had no idea what his future held, so he also joined Sacramento's offseason team at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas."

LINK (This whole article, from Fox, is good)

Mebbe his agent only talks to KOC, and not Wesley, eh?
 
One time a guy offered me a choice between two things:

1. A valid lottery ticket which gave me the "right" to claim the $11 million prize if it wuz the winner, and

2. The plans for the secret route the Brink's Truck was gunna haul the prize money along.

Now, I ax ya, which one ya gunna take? Purty obvious, aint it?
 
NUMBERICA said:
What?

Anyway;
1) According to KOC, they had an eye on Matthews the whole way through and had deduced that he'd go undrafted while they had information that someone would draft Suton if the Jazz didn't.
2) According to KOC, they had a good relationship with Matthews' agent and thought they had him bagged without burning a pick.
3) There are a million things that could've gone differently to where Matthews is either not playing for the Jazz or playing in the NBA at all.
4) There's no assurance the Jazz would have any kind of sweetheart relationship with a player or agent the way they had one with Matthews.
5) There's even less likelihood the Jazz would have any kind of relationship to get a coveted Euro UFA as opposed to gaining the player's rights in the 2nd round (and that's assuming a team doesn't scoop them up after #55, which is likely)
6) Suton sucked, sucks, and didn't deserve to be drafted. Refer back to point 3.

The bottom line is that both the Jazz and Matthews lucked out. If a team can find a way to root out factors that might make a player less available (competition) or unavailable completely (being drafted by another team) by drafting, then draft. The likelihood that the Jazz stumble upon undrafted FA gold 2-seasons in a row is insanely unlikely.

I'll say again, if Bjelica or Randle is on the board at #55 and the Jazz sell the pick, I'll be pissed (but will understand).
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If they were that high on Matthews, it was a big risk not to draft him. What if some team had called with a GUARANTEED 1-yr deal after the draft - like a team that had drafted high in the 2nd and had him rated as mid-round talent?

KOC is right in one respect: Matthews was definitely on their radar. It's been reported KOC was on the phone to Matthews (or his agent) even before the draft ended. But no, I can't possibly think he was THAT high in their minds. Belief was probably that he could come in and compete for a backup job.

And I agree with numberica, there are a few players with good value in this draft. Jazz now have little depth at the wings. Korver may or may not be back. AK might be traded by the deadline. Even if he isn't, count on him to miss at least 10 games. Do we really have faith in Jeffers backing up CJ and Matthews? And we could always use an upgrade behind Deron. Gaines is a hero for hitting ONE shot. What else did he do? He's not a good shooter and he can't hit a FT to save his life.
 
Oh yeah, one more point:
Seeing as how the Jazz generally screw up their 1st-rounder and then draft very well in the 2nd, I wouldn't be surprised to see KOC draft a big who becomes nothing more than a backup at #9 and get a "Millsap" at #55.
 
Ya wanna know why Matthews, and the Paperboy, for another, greatly exceeded expectations based on their demonstrated physical abilities? Just ax Deron, eh?:

"If there's one word that best describes him, though, it's "tough." "That's how he is. He's a tough kid, physically and mentally," point guard Deron Williams said. "He's a physical defender, he does a great job moving his feet. And he doesn't give up on plays."

Or ax CJ, even:

"He's tough, man. He's tough as they come, on and off the court," small forward C.J. Miles added.

You would have more luck lookin at Rucker park for that kinda player than all over Europe, eh?
 
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