Letting Paul Millsap leave killed the Utah Jazz

[Stifle Tower]

He's some questions for the Millsap crowd:
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Say Utah retained Millsap, and now they have Favors, Sap and Rudy. Who starts?
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Say we keep Sap and never trade for Rudy because we were filling other needs. Worth it?

Favors and Sap, which was never a great combination. Or is that Kanter and Sap?

We should be rejoicing that Gobert has developed because neither Favors nor Kanter is a decent starting center. Rumor has it that in the Burke/Gobert draft, the Jazz had their eyes on a big, but heard he'd be gone before they picked (which means it was either Adams or Olynyk). So it sounds like DL knew the answer at the 5 was not on the roster.

Twist my arm and right now I'd take Millsap and Gobert as my starters if I could choose any two. But Favors isn't far behind. And his age and recent play indicates he just may catch up by the end of the season or the next 1-2 years at most. As for Kanter, what's the harm in continuing to develop him? Seriously, who are we going to sign if we let him go? It only puts us about $8M under the cap...if we renounce our exceptions. I'd "trade" Kanter for Millsap or Matthews. And by that, I mean contacting either one to gauge their interest in signing with Utah as a FA. If one bites, then clear space by withdrawing the QO from Kanter, finding a buyer for Novak, etc. And if they don't? Then keep Kanter. Make a trade when his contract is seen as a bargain. Or if he comes back for just the QO, no problem...you can probably still get a late 1st from a contender in a trade.

 

[Lakers_Slapper]

Hindsight is for people who don't have foresight.

The Jazz made a huge mistake not matching on Mathews and signing Bell. Retool mistake number #1

#2 The Jazz made a big mistake trading for Jefferson. They should have done their homework on him and not get bullied by Deron if he indeed did ask for Jefferson. I was appalled at the move the day he was traded for and so were other intelligent basketball fans.

3. Jazz continued to drag out the mistakes by not bailing on the so called retool, even after the writing was on the wall. Something many people observed far before Millsap and Jefferson walked. And in the process delayed the development of its young players.

These were dumb decisions then and now. It was debated back then too. This isn't a big surprise revelation. Most people wanted Jefferson traded, but the minority (Jazz FO included) didn't.

It's ok to criticize decisions. I'm not gonna say they made all good decisions the last few years, because they didn't.

The Jazz decision to trade for Big Al was being talked about as the steal of the year (when it happened). May I say now that I am not and never have been a KOC fan. But acquiring Al Jefferson was exactly the kind of change the Jazz needed to make and nobody saw it coming. He re-invented himself while in Utah and established himself as one of the top reliable centers in the NBA. It was a great move. Letting him walk for nothing though??? Whether its in the past or not, its there and can't be ignored that it was dumb for business. You don't let a player like that just walk with nothing in return.

 

[The Midnight]

He's some questions for the Millsap crowd:
-
Say Utah retained Millsap, and now they have Favors, Sap and Rudy. Who starts?
-
Say we keep Sap and never trade for Rudy because we were filling other needs. Worth it?

Good point... with Sap & Favors may be we never did that trade to get Rudy.


Favors is averaging what 16 and 9? He's getting near that All Star level. Rudy is a potential DPOY. Millsap is OK but he's on the decline. I'd rather have Rudy & Favors going forward.

 

[Lakers_Slapper]

He's some questions for the Millsap crowd:
-
Say Utah retained Millsap, and now they have Favors, Sap and Rudy. Who starts?
-
Say we keep Sap and never trade for Rudy because we were filling other needs. Worth it?

I'm not necessarily a part of the Millsap crowd, but you have to admit that he got it done night in and night out. I wouldn't have let him walk without receiving an asset out of him.

 

[QuinSnydersHair]

If healthy, the Hawks are going to the ECF, but I'm not betting $1000 dollars on sports. Sorry. What else will make you sure of my convictions, sweetie? Or is money the only thing left between us?

Color me shocked. You're so convinced but are a eunuch when push comes to shove.

 

[Harambe]

Letting a stud player who was also the teams heart and soul walk to another team just so you can give undeserved minutes to some untried kids was the worst mistake the Utah Jazz ever made. They showed him no respect .

Look what Millsap has done for Atlanta, they are a legit contender 28-8, 1st in the East and Sap was an All Star last season, and probably this season too..

Meanwhile the Jazz let him walk so they could give time to overrated kids in Kanter and Favors and of course, the amazing Marvin Williams and Richard Jefferson. Brilliant strategy.

No wonder this organization is a basket case with no hope in sight. You reap what you sow.

Dumb... Hiring Corbin as a head coach killed the Jazz. Not letting Milsap leave.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Color me shocked. You're so convinced but are a eunuch when push comes to shove.

"Not making asinine bets with one of the boards resident rabble-rousers makes one a eunuch" said the rabble-rouser.

BTW, who is getting to the ECF if not the Hawks? Are Bulls/Cavs a lock to you?

 

[NAOS]

Color me shocked. You're so convinced but are a eunuch when push comes to shove.

**** off, guy. But I'm not shocked that gambling is your favorite metric of manliness. And that you lack imagination or values outside of what money measures.

 

[Jamezz]

**** off, guy. But I'm not shocked that gambling is your favorite metric of manliness. And that you lack imagination or values outside of what money measures.

Have you tried ignoring him? You should give it a shot

 

[silesian]

Two late first rounders, and second rounders for Jefferson and Millsap is a joke!

Also, save the argument that their weren't any deals to be had. That's a stupid notion. Look at Boston and how easily Danny Ainge is collecting picks from auctioning off its players. Old, bad, it doesn't seem to matter, you can do it if you want.

Boston exchanged Rondo and Green for two late firsts and three seconds.
Utah exchanged Milsap and Jefferson for two late firsts and three seconds.

Please explain to me how Boston’s approach is so much better than Utah’s?

We agree that you are perplexed.

 

[silesian]

Not only that but the Jazz could have done both things. Take back shorter, but still bad contracts from teams you trade Millsap and Jefferson too, and then take the GS deal.

By "shorter contracts" I guess you mean "expiring this year" since otherwise the GS deal would not be possible. This would require a counterparty team to be willing to give you an expiring in addition to other assets, which is quite a leap of faith (expiring contracts are very valuable). The counterparty would also be taking the risk that Millsap/Jefferson would bolt in free agency (see Dwight Howard and the Lakers fiasco)

I'd sum up by saying that by oversimplifying the situation you may be missing the big picture.

 

[NAOS]

That GSW pick in 2017 isn't necessarily a "late-first." It's still the Warriors we're talking about...