Name them

[Dr. Jones]

I think what he his hinting towards is the fact that Al always attracts a double. If you pull a man off of 4 well shooting players, someone is going to be open for three every given time.

If the Jazz Had Howard averaging ~35% and Hayward averaging ~42% from three this year, we would've locked up a much higher seeding spot. Note how our team began surging late in the season, once Devin started hitting his threes. Al would bring in the double, Devin would drop the three, the paint would open up.

So yes, I agree with Cyrone in terms that Al could be decently functional in "his perfect team". Unfortunately for him and us, this Jazz team isn't anywhere close to that. This might be a stretch but offensively, a team like Golden State could be functional with Al at the 5, and Lee playing Hi/Lo with Jefferdad (among several long-range shooters like Curry, Rush, Thomspon, et al.). It would also be the biggest defensive joke in the NBA. So although I am not as negative on him as some, I still want him to be traded. It just doesn't seem like a good fit.

All of that is true, if Al were a consistently good passer out of a double. Did he improve? Meh, I guess .. but the double only helps if he who is getting doubled both recognizes it and finds the open guy. I don't see it.

 

[Deleted member 848]

All of that is true, if Al were a consistently good passer out of a double. Did he improve? Meh, I guess .. but the double only helps if he who is getting doubled both recognizes it and finds the open guy. I don't see it.

In all honesty, I felt that this was his biggest improvement, along with his midrange jumper this year. He was getting pretty good towards the end of the all-star break. Plays like him passing the ball to Devin Harris in the end of the Miami game were plays that he would've never made earlier in his career.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Okay, okay, you don't have to all yell at me and stuff!

 

[Deleted member 848]

Okay, okay, you don't have to all yell at me and stuff!

 

[mellow]

So is this like the "contender or pretender" bit they do on the radio? Okay, I'll play.

Big Al--Contender, but he shouldn't be finishing games.
Favors--Contender

Everyone else--pretender the jazz need to improve the roster to get real starters at the other 4 positions. Maybe the summer league will magically cause Hayward to rebound or shoot consitantly or turn Burks into the awesome combo gaurd and then I will be wrong.

 

[//r00t 4 Jazz]

All of that is true, if Al were a consistently good passer out of a double. Did he improve? Meh, I guess .. but the double only helps if he who is getting doubled both recognizes it and finds the open guy. I don't see it.

IMO (which isn't much since I'm about as smart as a box of rocks... that's only half full) I looked at it like he is willing to pass out and did improve BUT his issue was two things. Recognition, he can be slow to recognize and part of that could be because he's never done it so as much as people wanted to see the physical side of the passing I think the mental recognition developed slower. Also even if he did recognize sometimes it was to late and then the pass wasn't there or he would panic and goes with what he knows best.


Now back on topic as far as no doubt about it starters Favors is the closest thing but even then that requires him developing like we all expect he can. Hayward I can be talked in or out of, he's part of the core for sure but starter depends on how the team is put together (well can say that with almost any player) and how he continues to develop.

Kanter & Burks should be TBD since they are rookies and are so hard to predict but I see flashes that both could be.