No, the chance was higher. Much higher than him not re-signing, as evidenced by him re-signing with Nets for 30+ mil extra, in spite of short history and losing record all the time. So, what you just said is complete and utter poppycock. KOC paniced and set Jazz back 5-10 years, because he didn't have the balls to take a risk and keep his superstar. Plain and simple.
No, the chance was higher. Much higher than him not re-signing, as evidenced by him re-signing with Nets for 30+ mil extra, in spite of short history and losing record all the time. So, what you just said is complete and utter poppycock. KOC paniced and set Jazz back 5-10 years, because he didn't have the balls to take a risk and keep his superstar. Plain and simple.
There are only 5 position on the floor. By diluting quality with quantity, you are not doing yourself any favors. Besides, our starting line-up remained the same with average PGs Harris/Mo instead of superstar Deron. KOC is not God, all right, but it seems apparent he joined eunuch ranks recently.
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
In the 1 1/2 years NJ has had Deron, how many times have they made the playoffs? Can we say the Jazz WITH Deron would have been in tghe same shape? I think so. They weren't going to make the playoffs two years ago WITH him. The team was already in a death roll after a hot start and Deron hurt his wrist.
Deron has admitted he ALMOST signed with Dallas but the Joe Johnson deal swung him back to Brooklyn. So ya think the JAzz could have/should have traded for Johnson, who may have the WORST contract in the NBA, paid $40M for Wallace AND signed Deron to a MAX deal? At least we wouldn;t have been on the hook for $12M/per for Kris as we already have a PF. Brooklyn will probably be a 2-4 seed in the East. They're not going to win a championship.
What WOULD have set the set the Jazz back 5 years is losing Deron for nothing. Let me give you two words: Toronto, Cleveland.
Not ONCE did Deron say he wanted to stay in Utah. Not in public, and according to Greg Miller, not in private during his several meetings with Deron and his agent. The Jazz did everything they could to give Deron the keys to the franchise. They offered him a 5 yr MAX deal; he signed for 3. KOC even asked Deron his opinion about players they were thinking about signing at one point. In the end, yes, it comes down to conjecture. Jazz simply weren't willing to gamble on a guy whose attitude had soured to the point he wouldn't even run the plays any more. Actions speak even louder than words and Deron was counting the days until he got the hell out of Dodge.
Deron did not tell Nets he would re-sign either. Yet he re-signed, hence your point of saying that because Deron did not say 2 years in advance he would definitely re-sign, he therefore would certainly leave, is simply illogical. Yes, there was a risk, because he wanted to have options while still in his prime. But Jazz would have been one of the few options he would have, a MUCH more lucrative option – 30 mil extra guaranteed year as a 33 year old – than any other team could offer. KOC just didn’t have balls to take the risk, which would give us a great chance to have a superstar for years to come, and instead thought getting a few back-ups was sufficient just to be competitive. Basically, a loser’s ball-less mentality. Even if he wanted to trade Deron, why settle for questionable draft pick (Favors I thought was a big reach at #3 with Cousins on the board) and scrubs? I mean, New Orleans waited longer than us, and got a young star in return for basically same player - Paul. KOC didn’t even want to risk waiting. Play it safe, and as a result King is one who has superstar on his team and we may not get one for years to come.
A few interesting tweets about KOC.
First, from @saltcityhoops:
Kevin O'Connor is like that guy who does all his shopping at Nordstrom Rack. He picks up some good deals, but also occasionally gets some weird jeans with way too much stitching and never wears them.
A reply from @utefan99:
I see him as more of a Plato's Closet type of guy... secretly envies players in their prime then goes and gets them once they are a few years out of style...
First, from @saltcityhoops:
Kevin O'Connor is like that guy who does all his shopping at Nordstrom Rack. He picks up some good deals, but also occasionally gets some weird jeans with way too much stitching and never wears them.
A reply from @utefan99:
I see him as more of a Plato's Closet type of guy... secretly envies players in their prime then goes and gets them once they are a few years out of style...
TheSilencer1313
Well-Known Member
I can't believe anybody would worry about trading Deron Williams for as much as we got back for him.
I'll bet you we got more for him than Orlando will end up getting for Dwight and more than Denver ever got for Carmello.
He was starting to become a distraction in the lockeroom, and now the Jazz have a mucho amount of quality bigs that the Jazz franchise have never experienced before.
We've had good point guards, and decent wings, but never had serious talent at all 4 big positions.
This is why I believe that none of the bigs should be traded.
Injuries are always an issue for big guys playing more than 30 minutes a game.
Sure, keeping Deron would have been nice, but let's say it's a 50% chance. Do you really risk setting yourself back 5 years on a coinflip? Especially when we weren't true contenders even with him? I like the package we got, Favors has a chance to be really special. Let's give it a few years before we make a final decision.
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
And it's pretty funny that I didn't read one article critical of the Jazz for making the trade. They were almost uniform in their praise of Utah not losing the next season with the spectacle that Denver and New Orleans went through with the daily Carmelo and CP3 watch. And the national media praised KOC for not letting the Jazz suffer the same fate as Cleveland or Toronto. All Greg was looking for was an affirmative word from Deron. I hate Deron for quitting on his teammates halfway through the season by refusing to run plays, but I'm grateful he didn't hide his discontent. Deron, Millsap, Jefferson, Hayward and another MAX player (like Johnson) was never going to win a championship.
Maybe we have a chance with a more balanced team, maybe we don't. But seeing Deron's egoism and petulance had grown wearisome. Good for the Jazz for not letting a single player take over the organization.
Mission Accomplished
Well-Known Member
I will write one then
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
Clever boy. And what magazine/newspaper/web site employs you? Or are you a front office employee for one of the teams?
The Fresh Prince
Well-Known Member
KOCIlluminati.
Boom, make that your handle, bitches.
Boom, make that your handle, bitches.
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
Where were you when I was asking for suggestions?
Lakers_Slapper
Well-Known Member
I don't think the Deron trade was a bad decision, I would actually say KOC did the right thing. But making one good decision for every 5 bad decisions is not quite "God" worthy. I like to believe people can change, but not KOC. Has everyone just forgot about the beyond stupid decisions he's made for our team? Squeezing a championship team out of KOC is like squeezing water out of a rock. Everyone talks about how KOC has built a deep team to go deep every year and we get dismissed in the first or second round. We can't attract all star players to Utah because they don't want to play for a team overseen by Ronald McDonald. Koc needs to go away or just die so we can move on as a team. The sooner the better.
The Fresh Prince
Well-Known Member
I couldn't tell ya Mo.
I think I should have kept that name to myself, though. Names straight fire, son.
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
Wow, just changing the GM would bring us Dwight Howard. I'm all in.
Out with KOC. In with a big-3 of Howard, CP3 and Love.
TheSilencer1313
Well-Known Member
Yeah I'm not down with Love. (Insert Mansap)
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
I was just trying to think of 3 FA's that will be available next sunmmer (that aren't playing for Utah already) since Lakers_Slapper asserted it was KOC's presence that was preventing major FA's from signing with the Jazz.
Hmmm, I guess he doesn't remember KOC negotiating deals with Boozer and Memo and getting offer sheets the previous year from Terry and Maggette, which were matched.
D
Deleted member 848
Guest
Not to steer this thread into another direction, but lets take a moment to appreciate what an epic thread this has become.
Did I jump the gun initially a bit? Yes.
Did KOC come through a la Ron Jeremy?
Well.....does pinocchio have wooden balls??
Yes.
Did I jump the gun initially a bit? Yes.
Did KOC come through a la Ron Jeremy?
Well.....does pinocchio have wooden balls??
Yes.