Kanter can defend centers. He's probably our best post defender actually. Last night Gasol put some good moves on him, but if we cared, we would have sent a double team like we did earlier in the game.
Time to trade Fool's Gold
- Thread starter The Thriller
- Start date
freakazoid
Well-Known Member
I think team success is a factor, but we only have so much control over that, and I don't think sending Al to the bench is the difference between winning 20 games and winning 35. Al was a beast in the second half of the season last year, and I think our best bet to maximize his value would be for that trend to continue up to the trade deadline. 14 million for a guy we don't even start doesn't scream trade value. If Utah was a bordeline playoff team, then I think a move like this would be worth a shot. As it is, I don't think that's the case.
I think it's possible the Jazz might win a few more games, but I don't think it would make the team good enough to improve Al's value. Like I said, this move would make sense to me under certain conditions, but with the position I think they're in, I think it would do more harm than good going forward.
I'm not going to pretend I remember the exact conditions of each one of those players leading up to those trades. What I do know is that Al was beasting to end the season last year, and I believe our best bet in cashing in, would be to hope for that to continue.
Damn, I seem to be repeating myself a lot. Sorry, but I'm not editing, since I'm too lazy.
freakazoid
Well-Known Member
Sorry if you can't see past one year. Playing better is great for teams that will make the playoffs. For teams not making the playoffs, moves have to made with the future in mind. If the Jazz make the playoffs, I will gladly eat my crow. Until then, I'm going to discuss what I think our FO should be doing moving forward.
bjunior
Well-Known Member
I still believe we can make the playoffs. Until I believe that I'll discuss the moves that can make this team better right now, this season.
orangello
Well-Known Member
I really like that idea. I know that they have the Knicks unprotected first round pick plus they have their own. That could be a great move.
freakazoid
Well-Known Member
I didn't say anything about what we should be discussing, you did. And there's nothing wrong in hoping for the playoffs, but keep in mind that our FO has to be more realistic about the big picture. There are plenty of teams that shoot themselves in the foot by making shortsighted moves. The result can be many years of missing the playoffs, instead of one or two.
As for me, I will still care about the Jazz, playoffs or not. I will happily follow them in the rebuilding process, while the fair weather fans are off doing other things.
BluesRocker
Banned
What I dislike about the Jazz the most is how they use the idea that they should be playing the players who are making the most or are older. For what? I don't get it. So we can fool the rest of the league into thinking we have something that we really don't? So we can pump of the value of them like a stock? All the while it hurts the team. Seems kind of self defeating. Especially when you don't even make a trade, and the player just ends up walking for nothing.
I don't know if that is what they are really doing. But it sure seems like it. Can they not see what we see? Are they too close to the action? Does knowing the players personally effect their thinking? Who knows. All I know is this is getting old. Same old story.
Look at how Chicago is not afraid of benching Boozer whenever they feel he is being worthless. They rarely play him in crunch time. And Taj Gibson ends up getting the minutes.
Why can't the Jazz ever have the stones to do that?
I don't know if that is what they are really doing. But it sure seems like it. Can they not see what we see? Are they too close to the action? Does knowing the players personally effect their thinking? Who knows. All I know is this is getting old. Same old story.
Look at how Chicago is not afraid of benching Boozer whenever they feel he is being worthless. They rarely play him in crunch time. And Taj Gibson ends up getting the minutes.
Why can't the Jazz ever have the stones to do that?
orangello
Well-Known Member
I am with you. I am a true fan through and through. If they miss the playoffs it is too bad but if they are missing it because of development reasons then it is more than good.
bjunior
Well-Known Member
I don't understand what is "fair weather fans" because of my english. If that's a discussion about who is a better fan - than I'm not involved in that.
We all want that our team to be the best and of course we must care about our FO. That's some obvious things.
But hey, let's have some fun of our conversation.
GVC
Well-Known Member
Stackhouse was coming off a bad season (sub .400 shooting) and Laettner was old, but the 5th overall pick in an average draft is a good haul for a player who I consider very similar to Big Al.
I'm more than a little disturbed at how everyone treats Al's good 28-game stretch last season as what we should expect, and the other 54 games as an aberration. Al will probably shoot 50%-ish this season, while drawing very few fouls, with 9 or 10 boards. His team and transition play will likely be more of the same (read: God awful). Other teams (GM's) know what Al brings as the centerpiece of an offense, and I don't think the Jazz will be able to collect very much in a trade if they use him the same way he's always been used. If, instead, they bring him off the bench, and he dominates opposing teams' bench players, upping both his field goal percentage and drawing more fouls, as Jamison did in his year in Dallas, other teams might see him a bit differently and gamble on him.
And yes, I'm saying this somewhat out of selfishness. It's going to be very painful watching Devin, Raja and Al come out and play like clueless idiots all season. It would be nice to have a starting unit with some clue how to play as a unit, and actually put pressure on opposing teams' starters.
InGameStrategy
Well-Known Member
A better interior offense and defense will help the perimeter on both ends of the court.
Corbin preferred to condone poor performance by Jefferson when Favors and Kanter were arguably doing better than the Weezy (but not wise) vet. And even if they weren't, the development minutes were more worthwhile. Same goes for Burks over Bell (after Raja had his chance in the first quarter); Raja should've been relegated to a total of five minutes for the rest of the game. Instead, Burks got a pittance of minutes--not significantly advancing his progress--and Bell merely exposed his patheticness further.
I don't think there's a better example than Orlando trying to build a championship team to appease Dwight Howard and his constant crying. Look where that's gotten them. Way over the cap and Howard is still crying. What will this have gotten the team and fans when he leaves other than a big *** bill?
freakazoid
Well-Known Member
Well, it's possible that he'll regress, but I don't think it's unrealistic to hope he'll continue playing the way he did towards the end of the year. I don't see any reason to expect him to suddenly change back, rather than continue his most recent play.
Sure they do, but obviously his trade value is affected by his most recent play. Teams also know that sometimes a player like Al can make a difference when put in a different situation.
Because of his contract, you may be right, but I think you have to play the odds. It's entirely possible that other teams see him putting up big numbers and hope to do more with different players surrounding him.
I just think it's a pretty big stretch to think his trade value might increase by telling the league we think we're better if Al's not starting.
I'm just not convinced we can avoid the inevitable, regardless of switching the lineup around. That's why IMO, maximizing Al's trade value should be at the top of priorities.
MattMan
Active Member
Couldn't agree more.
Al's definitely not the the answer for this team, long or short term. However, benching him is even worse of an idea. Let him get his numbers and let a team with a need of a big pay as high a price as possible. Hopefully we'll get a real long-term backcourt boost in the process.