"Cash" is paying for all those workouts and scouting that helps us land Gobert. Are you positive that Paige and Wallace aren't going to play in Europe after summer league? If they do, what is the difference between taking one of these guys and a random Euro other than these guys have done something at the college level? Jazz might have asked them their intentions, no? Jazz also might help them land with a Euro Club keeping their rights and doing these players a solid.
Utah is never a major player in free agency.. Whats best free agent they have gotten lately? boozer, lol?
And to those who say it was a weak draft, the "Burke" draft was likewise considered one of the worst ever for depth. Yet players like Giannis, Schroeder and Gobert were picked after #12. There are ALWAYS gems to be found. You don't just burn assets needlessly. DL didn't really care about this draft. So he didn't get a better deal for our lottery pick. And that's a shame. If in 4 yrs were not talking about a couple of all-stars or very good starters that emerged from this draft at #12 or lower, I'll quit the board.
What I find so amusing is reading how happy everyone is to get Hill, a solid vet, but not all-star caliber.
And this on top of so many threads moaning about the lack of stars on the team...pointing out how it takes stars to contend.
So with that in mind, DL should be trading up, or AT LEAST drafting someone who COULD develop. Instead, the team DOES improve with Hill, but we KNOW he'll never be an all-star. So Utah just burned what might be their last lottery pick on a solid, but non-star player.
Oh, I forgot: Hayward=Lebron and Exum=Irving. So Utah just needs solid vets to surround those two. Reserve me a spot for the championship parade!
No I'm not positive. You are correct that it could be the plan. But the odds of it? Slim. It's not very often that homegrown players sign deals with overseas teams and the NBA team that drafted them retain their rights. Hanlan was an anomaly in a lot of ways. It's easier to draft a Euro because they usually already have a team and contract. Harder for a homegrown player to find a team. If it works out that Wallace and Paige go that route I will back off my stance and applaud DL. Until then I see it as a poor decision.
The Boozer-Memo FA signings bought us the WC Finals, as well as a number of 2nd rounds. So yeah, pretty successful FA acquisitions.
So, except for the last guy the Jazz drafted in the 2nd round, it is pretty rare? Hanlan signed with BC Žalgiris. Guess who else signed with BC Žalgiris. Brock Motom. It could be coincidence, but two players moving from the Jazz Summer League team to the same European team would seem to include some level of cooperation, no?
Deron Williams took you to that WCF. That's when he was playing his best ball.. He was the leader on the court, Oh and a guy named Fisher I think to right