So who would of you picked?

[Nate505]

I would of me tooken Henry or Patterson. I'll give Elder Hayward a chance, though.

My thoughts exactly. Although I'm stunned anyone is willing to give the guy a chance. That's just crazy talk.

 

[gomretat]

There was no way to trade up given we had no desirable assets other than Deron and there were no bigs left worth looking at. I would have gambled on George. The draft is always a gamble so why not take a flier on this kid who might become real good. And for what its worth, trading down was not an option if you wanted Gordon. Many "experts" had him going to Indiana.

 

[LiemD]

I would have picked.....a black guy

 

[Archie Moses]

My nose.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

I think some of you folks are under the impression that "if only the Jazz had selected ????? they would beat the Lakers next year." There was no player in this draft, especially available with the 9th pick, that was going to make them better than the Lakers next year. Of all of the potential ways of improving a team, the draft is the least likely to pay dividends in the short run. The draft is a long term planning project.

How many people when Humphries and Jefferson were drafted were predicting which would succeed and which would be a marginal role player? Did you? I recall the consensus at the time being that Humphries was a good pick.

Those of you who proclaimed that you would find a new team to support if the Jazz didn't draft the player you wanted.... go for it.

Those who are miffed that Greg Miller is trying to avoid paying the luxury tax... he is a businessman. He wants the Jazz to win as bad as you do, but demanding that he spend until the team is no longer profitable is a recipe for disaster.

The Jazz have been one of the top franchises in the NBA precisely because they have taken a long term view of things and not fired coaches and traded players on a whim like many franchises have done. They have not always made the right decision, but they have done so with greater frequency than most. That is how they have remained competitive over the long haul despite significant disadvantages in markets and dollars.

Hindsight is great, and is great supply among the people who frequent this board, but none of you know what the Jazz are planning for the rest of this off-season or the next few years. Just because you can't see their plan, that does not mean that they don't have one.

I am confident Hayward will surprise, and that the off-season is not over, but is just getting started.

Step away from the edge!!!!!!

Xavier Henry. Mathews is not, IMO, the 'star' 2 guard capable of being on of 2-3 main players on the team (though a very serviceable backup), but I think Henry could possibly fill that role.

Oh well.

 

[Twin Towers]

Well sir, that is your OPINION. How exactly do you claim to be an expert on the subject? The Jazz worked out all of the supposed players that you claim to be "better pick at #9" than Hayward. They obviously don't agree with you. Of course, they only have years of experience and actual involvement in the process on their side. But you must be SO much better at scouting talent than they are, right?

I am sorry but I hate this argument. NBA GM's screw up more than they land good draft picks. So observing the players throughout there college career and looking at there strengths and weaknesses and the team needs is not hard to do. Or looking at how they will fit into the system. Or how they complement the players on the team already. Its not hard to do research and observe.
Websites like Draft Express which show a lot of information. You can easily make a very good assessment on players coming into the league. With technology now days you can make a very good assessment on the picks. Just because we didn't see the workout does not mean they know a lot more than us. I am sorry but we tried to trade up to get Cousin and we did not work him out. We drafted Brewer and we never worked him out. We never worked out AK. And we drafted him. So this whole process you are talking about is over blown.

All of us fans have questions about who we should be taking and what other teams should have done. And you can look at your own track record and study the game of basketball. Kevin O'Connor has a bad draft record. He finds hidden gems in free agency. But I would give him a C on drafting players.

 

[Twin Towers]

I hate the draft pick. Not that I hate the player. I would like him at a late teen pick or early 20's. But we had the 9th pick! And I am not comparing him to other 9th picks because I know this is a weak draft.
Luke Babbitt is going to be hurting us for years to come. I am not saying he is going to dominate us. But he will be one of those guys who drains 3's on us when we play him. He will complement Brandon Roy well at the 3 spot. I think Portland got a steal. He will become a very good role player.
Xavier Henry would of been a good pick also. He is a better defender and a better outside shooter in my opinion.

I think Hayward is going to get pushed around a lot and his outside shot really scared me. How he shot amazing his freshman year than sucked his second year. He isn't athletic enough to guard wing players in the league also. He is very crafty I will give him that. And I think he gives good effort like a lot of old Jazz players with less talent. But we should of been drafting talent at this pick. Not solid players. That is what the late first round picks are for.

Those are the only 2 guys I wanted. I think Aldrich would of been a bad pick for us there. But Aldrich would of been better than Hayward in my opinion. Close call though.

Our front office says we need to get tougher and longer............So we pass on Babbitt who has a 7 foot wingspan. Plays more physical, He more athletic, Better outside shooter, and better help defender..............So what am I missing here........Hayward is not a bad player but it just seems there were way more talented players available at our position. And I am not talking about projects either. Talented players who can play now. Henry and Babbitt were the 2 players we wished we would have picked. Maybe Aldrich but i am not sure on him yet.

 

[Zerol]

I hate the draft pick. Not that I hate the player. I would like him at a late teen pick or early 20's. But we had the 9th pick! And I am not comparing him to other 9th picks because I know this is a weak draft.
Luke Babbitt is going to be hurting us for years to come. I am not saying he is going to dominate us. But he will be one of those guys who drains 3's on us when we play him. He will complement Brandon Roy well at the 3 spot. I think Portland got a steal. He will become a very good role player.
Xavier Henry would of been a good pick also. He is a better defender and a better outside shooter in my opinion.

I think Hayward is going to get pushed around a lot and his outside shot really scared me. How he shot amazing his freshman year than sucked his second year. He isn't athletic enough to guard wing players in the league also. He is very crafty I will give him that. And I think he gives good effort like a lot of old Jazz players with less talent. But we should of been drafting talent at this pick. Not solid players. That is what the late first round picks are for.

Those are the only 2 guys I wanted. I think Aldrich would of been a bad pick for us there. But Aldrich would of been better than Hayward in my opinion. Close call though.

Our front office says we need to get tougher and longer............So we pass on Babbitt who has a 7 foot wingspan. Plays more physical, He more athletic, Better outside shooter, and better help defender..............So what am I missing here........Hayward is not a bad player but it just seems there were way more talented players available at our position. And I am not talking about projects either. Talented players who can play now. Henry and Babbitt were the 2 players we wished we would have picked. Maybe Aldrich but i am not sure on him yet.

I agree. That's the whole point with picking at #9. You have to take a risk that would give you the biggest reward down the road. Hayward can be averaging 17 pts, playing as good as Mike Dunleavy before he got injured, raining 3s for us like he did for Butler in his freshman year, but it still won't lead us any closer to championship because no matter how good he will become, he is not what we need.

It became very apparent that the Jazz needs size, length and/or athleticism in the front court when the Lakers toyed with us in the playoffs (or even way before that). Ed Davis may not be ready to play now, but if he pans out, he will be filling a need and improve the team. Cole Aldrich may not have too high of a ceiling, but potentially he can be the first shotblocker we have on our team since Ostertag left and the old AK died. If he pans out, not only our interior defense will improve, our perimeter defense will improve a great deal as well because guys can be more aggressive.

In order for the Hayward's addition to lead us closer to the championship level, he might have to average 25+pts and can't miss at the 3-point line, which we all know is not going to happen. KOC can turn it around and trade for Dwight Howard to fix the team, but it won't help justify drafting a rich man's Luke Walton at #9, much like what Dumars got when he drafted Darko and the Pistons won the champ that same year.

 

[vslice02]

This has been my feeling. I didn't like the pick but I can't overly criticize it because there wasn't another player available who didn't have as many questions or doubts as Hayward does.
Ed Davis: Probably my preferred pick but he has as good a shot at being a bust as Hayward: 6-10, athletic, mostly unskilled (although he is developing a jumpshot) and mostly underachieved in college. Plus, I've read that some beat writers in NC said he didn't always play hard or work hard. If you're raw and undeveloped, you better work like a dog.
Luke Babbitt To me, this is the player Jay Bilas should've been comparing to Luke Jackson.
Cole AldrichFive years from now, I think he's still a backup center. Don't see alot of growth in his game and he doesn't have the elite or even above-average size to be a difference maker inside.
Xavier Henry Obviously talented and has Steve Smith-type size at the 2 and an NBA body but prefers to shoot 3's rather than drive or post-up, and isn't real quick or explosive. Could be a solid player but could easily be the next Shawne Williams.
Patrick Patterson Obviously the safe pick, but I laugh when I hear David Locke say "at worst he's Paul Millsap." I'd say at-worst he's Brandon Bass and at best he's Paul Millsap. Good pick for Houston because he can fill the Carl Landry-void, but I have to see how offseason plays out because I'd rather have Boozer/Millsap than Millsap/Patterson.

Hayward obviously has his faults but I'm willing to see how he pans out before comdemming this pick.

 

[C l u t c H 385]

I would have taken Paul George.

But would you of taken Paul George?

 

[cyclo]

Well sir, that is your OPINION. How exactly do you claim to be an expert on the subject? The Jazz worked out all of the supposed players that you claim to be "better pick at #9" than Hayward. They obviously don't agree with you. Of course, they only have years of experience and actual involvement in the process on their side. But you must be SO much better at scouting talent than they are, right?

I am.

In 2001, the Jazz drafted Raul Lopez (24) over Gerald Wallace (25), Samuel Dalembert (26), Tony Parker (28), Gilbert Arenas (31).

In 2002, the Jazz drafted Ryan Humphrey (19) over Tayshaun Prince (23), John Salmons (26), Carlos Boozer (35), Matt Barnes (46), Rasual Butler (53), Luis Scola (56).

In 2003, the Jazz drafted Aleksandar Pavlovic (19) over Boris Diaw (21), Travis Outlaw (23), Kendrick Perkins (27), Leandro Barbosa (28), Josh Howard (29).

In 2004, the Jazz drafted Kris Humphires (14) over Al Jefferson (15) then Kirk Snyder (16) over Josh Smith (17), JR Smith (18), Jameer Nelson (20), Tony Allen (25), Kevin Martin (26), Anderson Varejeo (31), Trevor Ariza (44).

In 2007, the Jazz drafted Morris Almond (25) over Aaron Brooks (26), Carl Landry (31), Glen Davis (35), Marc Gasol (48), Ramon Sessions (56).

In 2008, the Jazz drafted Kosta Koufos (23) over Nicolas Batum (25), George Hill (26), Goran Dragic (45).

In 2009, the Jazz drafted Eric Maynor (20) over Darren Collison (21), Rodrigue Beaubois (25), Taj Gibson (26), Dejuan Blair (37), Marcus Thornton (43), Chase Budinger (44).

So don't tell me the Jazz know what they're doing in the draft.
The Jazz haven't a clue what they're doing.
Hayward will prove to be one of the biggest busts of all time as you can expect at least a dozen of the players drafted after him to end up better players in the NBA.

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

I am.

In 2001, the Jazz drafted Raul Lopez (24) over Gerald Wallace (25), Samuel Dalembert (26), Tony Parker (28), Gilbert Arenas (31).

In 2002, the Jazz drafted Ryan Humphrey (19) over Tayshaun Prince (23), John Salmons (26), Carlos Boozer (35), Matt Barnes (46), Rasual Butler (53), Luis Scola (56).

In 2003, the Jazz drafted Aleksandar Pavlovic (19) over Boris Diaw (21), Travis Outlaw (23), Kendrick Perkins (27), Leandro Barbosa (28), Josh Howard (29).

In 2004, the Jazz drafted Kris Humphires (14) and Kirk Snyder (16) over Josh Smith (17), JR Smith (18), Jameer Nelson (20), Tony Allen (25), Kevin Martin (26), Anderson Varejeo (31), Trevor Ariza (44).

In 2007, the Jazz drafted Morris Almond (25) over Aaron Brooks (26), Carl Landry (31), Glen Davis (35), Marc Gasol (48), Ramon Sessions (56).

In 2008, the Jazz drafted Kosta Koufos (23) over Nicolas Batum (25), George Hill (26), Goran Dragic (45).

In 2009, the Jazz drafted Eric Maynor (20) over Darren Collison (21), Rodrigue Beaubois (25), Taj Gibson (26), Dejuan Blair (37), Marcus Thornton (43), Chase Budinger (44).

So don't tell me the Jazz know what they're doing in the draft.
The Jazz haven't a clue what they're doing.
Hayward will prove to be one of the biggest busts of all time as you can expect at least a dozen of the players drafted after him to end up better players in the NBA.

Besides the Jazz, how many other teams passed over these players as well?