Udunka bout to get some-Today 1:00 PM

[NUMBERICA]

No joke, Udoka was just at the bottom of the list of dudes I would've drafted, and I felt good about ten different players. I was NOT high on McDaniels, but could easily see the case for drafting him and would've been happy night of.

This all would've been true regardless of Udoka's injury or however well he played when his number was called. The point is there was not a path for him to contribute and/or build up league-wide value. The injury just makes it a dark comedy, especially since I'm pretty damn sure they could've drafted him with their 2nd round pick.

Hopefully Elija Hughes is legit.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Scored 8 pts on FTs, which is a good sign.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Elijah Hughes siting today. He got 20 points in 21 minutes in a rare victory for the Stars over Austin. The Stars were led by Mavs players Tyler Bey and Josh Green. Trevon Bluiett, Malcom Miller and Yogi were in double figures for the Stars.

Still high on Tyler Bey, who is shooting 40% on 2.5 attempts a game from 3. Could've been our answer at the 4. Oh well, at least we have another center.

 

[homeytennis]

Still high on Tyler Bey, who is shooting 40% on 2.5 attempts a game from 3. Could've been our answer at the 4. Oh well, at least we have another center.

I wonder if the Jazz allowing Bey, Josh Green and the Bucks dude who was Spida's college teammate to play with the Stars is interest in them in the future.

 

[jom2003]

Scored 8 pts on FTs, which is a good sign.

Kid is not shy from taking shots in defender's face. A Clarkson clone. Could generate some much needed offense for us in those garbage minutes.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Still high on Tyler Bey, who is shooting 40% on 2.5 attempts a game from 3. Could've been our answer at the 4. Oh well, at least we have another center.

Bane was my dude... would have settled for Bey, Mcdaniels, Woodard. If we went with a big I wanted some variety and thought Tillman would be disruptive, switchy big that also had some good rolling and passing potential.

Sadly we decided to go with a true center... at least this one should be able to protect the rim. I just still don't see how you could justify all the draft capital and cap assets into the center position while getting absolutely no damned variety.

We really won't feel how bad this pick is for 2 years when Ingles is gone, Mike is either gone or much older, and Bojan is close to done as well. Imagine if we had just played Morgan as backup 5 last year and felt good enough about him to either roll with it or just find a vet at the minimum. I'm glad we have Favs and I think he brings a lot on and off the court. I'd have understood if we had drafted Dok and went cheap on backup 5 or drafted a wing and signed Favs (very much preferable). Both just seems dumb and leads us to speculate on @infection 's GM calendar... we have like 5 of them so let each one handle a different day of the week... closed on weekends.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Kid is not shy from taking shots in defender's face. A Clarkson clone. Could generate some much needed offense for us in those garbage minutes.

JC is one of one my dude. Hughes is a gunner... hopefully hes a maker too.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

Does anyone really believe Udoka was the #2 guy on their entire draft board? I mean I guess it’s plausible, I can’t think of any other reason why the jazz would draft him in the first round.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Does anyone really believe Udoka was the #2 guy on their entire draft board? I mean I guess it’s plausible, I can’t think of any other reason why the jazz would draft him in the first round.

If so then whoever does the board needs to be fired... at least from drafting duties... having him #2 is much worse than taking him in the late first.

 

[idiot]

I can’t wait to hear the reports about how we were really high on Bane and others that become good... just like the report that we really like Dort... I mean not enough to take him with one of the three second rounders we bought... but we had that prospect nailed!

A month ago I posted a podcast with former Jazz analytics guy Cory Jez. Among other things, he had expressed amazement that Bane and Tillman went so low in the draft.

I think the simplest explanation is that in the Jazz's analytical model (which Jez was likely in charge of, since he moved on only in December), both Bane and Tillman were quite high, though not as high as Azibuike.

Has moved on to Austin in the MLS, but great insights for anyone interested in analytics -- also great for Jazz content

Some tidbits (more in the second half, as the first is more process oriented):

• Loves De'Anthony Melton
• Some of the reasons the Jazz pursued Conley so hard
• Loved Desmond Bane and Xavier Tillman in most recent draft
• Has really high hopes for Oni and Morgan having long, useful careers
• Was asked who he would want taking the shot in a last-shot situation. Was told he couldn't choose Jordan for obvious reasons. Legitimately thought the hosts meant Clarkson, not MJ, and then chose Clarkson when he realized that the hosts meant MJ

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

A month ago I posted a podcast with former Jazz analytics guy Cory Jez. Among other things, he had expressed amazement that Bane and Tillman went so low in the draft.

I think the simplest explanation is that in the Jazz's analytical model (which Jez was likely in charge of, since he moved on only in December), both Bane and Tillman were quite high, though not as high as Azibuike.

The "analytics" were good on Tillman and Bane... the tape was even better. I quoted analytics because Bane was basically the best shooter in the draft and it didn't take advanced numbers to see it. Since shooting is the most important skill a player can have in the NBA today... I have no idea why he lasted and why we had seemingly locked into another true big with no ball skills, shooting, or passing ability.

It made even less sense since they knew damn well they were getting Favs. Basic bigs are the easiest commodity to find in the nba. When you draft a guy they need to have a chance to get some playing time or they never develop and their value tanks... while Bane likely isn't in our rotation if we drafted him he could be as soon as next year. If Udoka was higher on their draft board I'd suggest they weight for positional scarcity and not be so rigid in their thinking.

The Jazz seem to lock into a guy and then not adjust as the draft plays out.

 

[idiot]

If Udoka was higher on their draft board I'd suggest they weight for positional scarcity

OK -- this seems to be the heart of the disagreement. Guess we'll see how it all turns out.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

OK -- this seems to be the heart of the disagreement. Guess we'll see how it all turns out.

Most of it... yes. Non-shooting center is the least flexible player type in the league imo... so not sure we will ever see how it plays out. See Bradley, Tony.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Most of it... yes. Non-shooting center is the least flexible player type in the league imo... so not sure we will ever see how it plays out. See Bradley, Tony.

And if there was a non-shooting center I really liked in the draft I would take one... but not if I already had an All-star who is a non-shooting center... and not if I planned to allocate my MLE to another non-shooting center.

We drafted a third string QB and we got Aaron Rogers on the roster and issues at the skill positions in the next few years. Not a great use of an asset imo.

 

[homeytennis]

And if there was a non-shooting center I really liked in the draft I would take one... but not if I already had an All-star who is a non-shooting center... and not if I planned to allocate my MLE to another non-shooting center.

We drafted a third string QB and we got Aaron Rogers on the roster and issues at the skill positions in the next few years. Not a great use of an asset imo.

Analytics are a great tool but if you use just that tool only, there are probably going to be a lot of busts.

 

[idiot]

And if there was a non-shooting center I really liked in the draft I would take one... but not if I already had an All-star who is a non-shooting center... and not if I planned to allocate my MLE to another non-shooting center.

We drafted a third string QB and we got Aaron Rogers on the roster and issues at the skill positions in the next few years. Not a great use of an asset imo.

We risk re-litigating this all over again. I see your point and think it's possible you're right. It's just clear to me that the Jazz have differing priorities than you do when it comes to centers.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

We risk re-litigating this all over again. I see your point and think it's possible you're right. It's just clear to me that the Jazz have differing priorities than you do when it comes to centers.

I mean I proved em wrong once. Definitely not trying to convince you of anything but I think its fairly obvious that prioritizing non-shooting bigs over wings and guards is an oversight.

At this point it isn't even a fair argument to have because we don't know the seriousness of his injury. It may be something that derails his career.

 

[homeytennis]

I mean I proved em wrong once. Definitely not trying to convince you of anything but I think its fairly obvious that prioritizing non-shooting bigs over wings and guards is an oversight.

At this point it isn't even a fair argument to have because we don't know the seriousness of his injury. It may be something that derails his career.

If they are being straight about his injury it will heal. It is the same injury Hughes had and he was out for awhile.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Does anyone really believe Udoka was the #2 guy on their entire draft board? I mean I guess it’s plausible, I can’t think of any other reason why the jazz would draft him in the first round.

Leverage in the negotiations with Gobert may have been a factor.

 

[One Brow]

Does anyone really believe Udoka was the #2 guy on their entire draft board? I mean I guess it’s plausible, I can’t think of any other reason why the jazz would draft him in the first round.

He could easily have been '#2 among the guys we think might still be on the board'.