So do we still need a star?

[framer]

I disagree in part. I think we have some very clear pieces (Favors, Gobert, Hayward) and some are still up in the air (like Hood and Exum). I'd say that base don that it gives us areas of focus. Such as looking at back up 4-5s instead of wodnering if we have our starters at those positions.

With this team I think the jazz should focus on back up C, back up SF/SG (possibly starter depending on Hood) and back up PG.

We are going to have a tough time finding great players who are going to want to sit behind Gobert, Haywood, and Exum. Those three should be playing MAJOR minutes for years to come. I'm not convinced that Hood and Burks are not just as good as whatever we are going to overpay in FA. I'm really coveting Tomic, he fits a need AND we have his rights. . .

 

[NUMBERICA]

Nearly every NBA champion has had a great defense and at least one elite offensive player. Color me skeptical that Gordon Hayward being your best offensive player is going to get you there.

I'm really hoping Exum hits the gear that we've been hoping he would in the coming years and/or Hood is surprisingly good/consistent.

 

[Litany]

The guys at the top of the PER list are superstars.

Favors is 11th in PER in the entire league. Gobert is at about 16 and Hayward not far down from there. I think Favors is a star and Gobert will be one. Hayward is a great player, but I wouldn't say star yet.

Gobert exploded so the attention is on him, but Favors is that player we need him to be. Having said that we still need Exum to become that star level talent. If these guys continue the upward trent (Favors, Hayward, Gobert, and Exum) I legit believe we could hoist that trophy several years from now. Probably three years.

Now its about finding the right pieces around them. I don't go into games anymore hoping we can win. I think we have a shot any night now.

Our losses have been by such a small margin, even against the Wiz it was 4 pts. We are like 8 pts diff from about a 15 game winstreak arent we?

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Favors is now ranked 4th in rim protection. So we have 2 of the top 5 rim protectors. We just have to get pretty good offensvie players at the other 3 positions. Hayward is good enough, now we just have to have Hood and Exum to develop further, or go out and sign another good FA. If we can get a super-star, great, but there is no reason to give up a lot of our players to get one. What super-stars are even available? I mean, a lot of teams have tried to go out and get super-stars under this line of thinking, but they got a dude like Carmello Anthony or Dwill and it hurt them. It's not like getting a super-star equals automatic success.

 

[Coach Ellis]

Like most other situations, I think Utah will have to look to the draft to add that missing element (which is inherently risky) but I don't see any other way to really add that scoring punch. Free agency is about to become really inflated and the Jazz don't want to be like the Thunder and have to get rid of a star (Harden) because they invested in a mediocre player (Perkins) first. That's why it was good to trade Kanter before having to deal with his impending free agency.

If the Jazz had a clear upgrade at the wing over Burks/Hood (especially if that player was an alpha scorer who didn't hurt the team defensively) added to the other 4 core players. . . that would be hard to beat. Imagine James Harden on the Jazz. That kind of offensive firepower plus the defensive abilities of Gobert, Favors, Hayward and Exum would be devestating. I'm not moving those 4 guys for anything right now, but every other asset (even Hood or Burks reluctantly) should be on the table for adding that piece - even if it is for a rookie.

The Jazz have cap space to add depth, but not enough for real difference makers - who are unlikely to leave anyways. Adding a player on a rookie contract or through the draft would be the best way to try to add that element. They have 15 draft picks over the next 4 years (including 6 first round picks in that time frame.) The Jazz will have to make a ridiculous offer to land one, but they should at least be exploring that possibility.

 

[Stoked]

We are going to have a tough time finding great players who are going to want to sit behind Gobert, Haywood, and Exum. Those three should be playing MAJOR minutes for years to come. I'm not convinced that Hood and Burks are not just as good as whatever we are going to overpay in FA. I'm really coveting Tomic, he fits a need AND we have his rights. . .

Your list still leaves 2 starting positions. Personally I'd limit to one started and make it look like this for example:

Gobert/Tomic
Favors/Booker
Hayward/Hood
Middleton/ Burks
Exum/Burke

The current team will make the playoffs next year but we are still clearly an all star (especially offensively) from being contenders. Basically stack the team until you know longer can.

Maybe Hood becomes that Allstar but Id still sign one.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

1) Need Exum and Gobert to develop to be reliable offensively.

2) Need Hood or Burks to be reliable for 18 pts.

3) Would be a good idea to upgrade Burke and Booker.

Then we might be able to get by.


Right now, the Jazz are about as good as the Wizards or Raptors overall. They're a playoff team, but they need to improve offensively for sure to reach the upper echelon.

 

[framer]

Your list still leaves 2 starting positions. Personally I'd limit to one started and make it look like this for example:

Gobert/Tomic
Favors/Booker
Hayward/Hood
Middleton/ Burks
Exum/Burke

The current team will make the playoffs next year but we are still clearly an all star (especially offensively) from being contenders. Basically stack the team until you know longer can.

Maybe Hood becomes that Allstar but Id still sign one.

No doubt that right there is a contender with ridiculous depth. However, if you have Booker, Tomic and Burks, you get no Middleton. You would need to forget about Tomic and cut Booker, or trade Burks in a salary dump to get Middleton. That is assuming that Milwaukee doesn't match, which they will. In reality, Burks has slightly better stats than Middleton. Burks shoots with a lower efficiency, but gets to the line 2 and a half times more often. I'd have to see Burks in the new defense before I could comment if Middleton is a lot better on defense, because Middleton has a pretty solid supporting cast helping him. Jazz were pure trash when Burks was playing.

That is completely discounting that Hood turns into something special. I think he will. For the next three years, Burks, Hood, and Ingles combined will be making less one Kris Middleton, probably significantly so. At some point we may need to set aside some money for Gobert's max contract, or adding in a ring chaser.

 

[framer]

1) Need Exum and Gobert to develop to be reliable offensively.

2) Need Hood or Burks to be reliable for 18 pts.

3) Would be a good idea to upgrade Burke and Booker.

Then we might be able to get by.


Right now, the Jazz are about as good as the Wizards or Raptors overall. They're a playoff team, but they need to improve offensively for sure to reach the upper echelon.

What is this "OR" business. How about "AND?" The churro frowns on you.

 

[Coach Ellis]

No doubt that right there is a contender with ridiculous depth. However, if you have Booker, Tomic and Burks, you get no Middleton. You would need to forget about Tomic and cut Booker, or trade Burks in a salary dump to get Middleton. That is assuming that Milwaukee doesn't match, which they will. In reality, Burks has slightly better stats than Middleton. Burks shoots with a lower efficiency, but gets to the line 2 and a half times more often. I'd have to see Burks in the new defense before I could comment if Middleton is a lot better on defense, because Middleton has a pretty solid supporting cast helping him. Jazz were pure trash when Burks was playing.

That is completely discounting that Hood turns into something special. I think he will. For the next three years, Burks, Hood, and Ingles combined will be making less one Kris Middleton, probably significantly so. At some point we may need to set aside some money for Gobert's max contract, or adding in a ring chaser.

Agree with all of this. While the Jazz can theoretically make it work, they'd be paying a premium price (in salary, assets given AND losing depth) for a guy who might not be a whole lot better than the guys he's being brought in to replace. I'd rather just keep Burks, Booker and Burke and add Tomic and another mid-level free agent on a two year deal (with the 2nd season inflated and un-guaranteed.)

I'd try extremely hard to trade up in the draft this year (with my top two targets being Russell or Johnson) and if that failed, I'd pick the best player on my board, add them to the bench with a couple of free agents and start loading up for the inevitable trade machine to create an unexpected opportunity for me to utilize my assets at the trade deadline. Keep adding assets until a really good opportunity presents itself.

Gobert, Favors, Hayward, Exum (and to a lesser extent Burks and Hood) all are safe, but everything else is on the table. Unless they're getting a top 5 pick in the draft or a true all star, I don't want them burning their assets just yet.

 

[FalseFlagg K]

I think Favors can still be an absolute monster superstar, still has so much potential. I would rather let the team develop organically and add bits & pieces. Oh and subtract one piece

 

[framer]

I think Favors can still be an absolute monster superstar, still has so much potential. I would rather let the team develop organically and add bits & pieces. Oh and subtract one piece

Agreed. That Joe Ingles is a locker room cancer.