The Million Dollar Question

[Dwill4mvp]

Will the Utah Jazz ever win an NBA Championship?

I was watching TV today and saw this commercial for MLB: THE SHOW and it had the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series. It was a pretty great commercial mostly because I have been there. I have done the same with NBA 2k quite a few times and it really feels good to see your team on top.

I really got deep into thought about our future core; Burks, Favors, Kanter, and Hayward. I think all of these guys could potentially be all-stars. I don't think any of them will be superstars. I could be proved wrong though. I really don't know if this core is enough. We will need a superstar built around them.

I was also thinking is this core better than when we had Williams, Boozer, Okur, and AK? All of which were All-Stars and it was never enough. AK went downhill. Boozer was too small and couldn't play defense. Okur was a good scorer, that is about it. Deron's game was something I never really had to question , it was more his attitude.

Now we have Favors, who plays great defense and is improving with his offense, also feel he is an underrated rebounder. Then we have Hayward, streaky shooter but, can go off any given night. He plays hard, and his defense is heavily underrated. Burks who is looking like a gem, can score at will. Is not a *****. He is a consistent shot and a couple summers in the weight room, from being a force. Kanter is interesting. Not a lot of playing time, but we for sure have seen flashes. Post moves and foot work at times look excellent. His athleticism is not so good. Shot looks pretty nice too.

If this core lives up to the potential and with a star in there and obviously more building blocks. I think this team could take the NBA by storm over the years. But, I have a hard time accepting the fact that we may not be able to compete with the Kevin Durants, and Lebron James' of today. Those guys will attract talent where ever they go. I just hope we can get someone that could do the same. I feel that is our best chance.

So what do you guys think?

 

[Dr. Jones]

I think it's certainly possible. Small market teams need to build their core through the draft, first, then they can sometimes get lucky and add the final piece through FA. We've gotten some much needed picks (would like to have at least one more this year) and are seemingly assembling a core that can be steered to contender status within a few years. A few draft picks, elite coaching, hard work, and a little luck ..

 

[Chargers Jazz Angels]

Also with the new CBA there is going to be more and more parity. Teams won't be able to spend and spend. Okc might lose Perkins or harden because the cant pay the salaries, lakers lost odom for salary reasons. If a small market team is smart and drafts well. Brings in cheap solid vets they will contend.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

I think Favors and Hayward can be stars, and Burks can be a third good player that can score. This young core has what the Deron Boozer teams never had..... Defensive ability, and length, if they can develop offensively this core can be better then the Williams, Boozer, Memo, and AK teams. AK was never the same defensively when he got his max deal. At times we had the smallest front court with Boozer and Millsap, who often played together, and the softest big tandem of Boozer and Memo. We need the young core to realize how good they can be and get confidence that they can carry this team, and build a support group around them that will not try to upstage them.

One big reason we should make the playoffs is do we want to have a young core of 6 players. At what point does it become over kill, with that many players trying to be the man, is that going to hurt the locker room setting, are players going to be upset with playing time with that many players. Right now I feel we have the perfect mix with the young core we have now. Hayward and Favors as the stars, and Burks and Kanter being able to carry the team during stretches, kinda like Horny was to John and Karl who were the two stars.

Now we need to find players that will mesh with the young core, who will not compete for playing time or the spotlight. With that said there is Millsap to consider. I'm not sure you can win a championship with an undersized pf as a starter, and at some point Kanter will be ready to start on this team. Can Millsap except a lesser roll. Instead of starting, and playing 35+ minutes can he come off the bench be our 6th man playing 25+ minutes at both pf and sf. I'm convinced he can play sf in small stretches of time. If not he needs to be traded right along with Al.

I think it will take time, at least 6 or 7 years, but I do think if Hayward, Favors, Kanter, and Burks develop they can one day win it all.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

No I do not. Even with the new CBA, I think it's still a very long-shot for small market teams to win an NBA Championship, particularly the small market, less desirable cities. (Let's be honest, few top tier players want to come to Salt Lake City--the whole Mormon thing. As much as many here don't want to admit it, the rest of the world see Mormons as a kind of strange and associate them with polygamy and sobriety.). To be fair, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Cleveland, et al. aren't getting any top tier free agents any time either. San Antonio is the recent rare exception, which got lucky in the draft, but also has a great front office and a great coach. (The city itself is a dump.) The only way we'll do it is to draft well, or get lucky in the draft, and that doesn't happen all that often (again, San Antonio and Cleveland with LeBron as recent exceptions for small market teams).

I lived in Portland when the Blazers won it in '77. It was a lot of fun, but the heady feeling wears off very soon, and then before you know it, it's back to 'what have you done for me lately.' It's not the epochal, life changing event some here seem to think it is. Don't get me wrong, I want to win it--badly, but at the end of the day, I'm happy to a team that is a legit contender year in and year out. We're not there now, but I'm hoping we will, soon.