Andrew Kasmarek, Mitch Pratt and Charlie Tritschler are getting you ready for the NBA season. The previews feature all sorts of information to get you ready for the start of the season.
The Utah Jazz are one of my personal favorite teams in the NBA. The Jazz run their organization like a well-oiled machine. They sold high on Deron Williams and got some good stuff out of that deal. Even though they haven't been terribly competitive since the days of Malone and Stockton, they're headed in the right direction. Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter and Gordon Hayward (Horizon League shoutout) are now the faces of the franchise after Paul Millsap and Big Al Jefferson have moved on.
Favors is a happy man after having signed a huge extension and he's primed to breakout for good and Hayward is reportedly close on a huge extension himself. They took on the toxic contracts of Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins for this year but they got a first round pick out of it and those guys both will expire after this year, leaving the Jazz some nice cap room to get a deal done with Kanter, should he be what they expect.
The X-Factor: C Enes Kanter - Kanter will finally step out of the shadow of Al Jefferson and show the world what he's fully made of. He has all the potential in the world on both sides of the ball. It's just a matter of realizing that potential and taking that next step. If he lives up to his third overall selection in the 2011 draft, he'll be a no-brainer for an extension before next season. If not, it'll be an even longer year for the Jazz that it already will be.
The Big Question: Can this obvious youth make strides? - The Jazz' projected starting five was going to be: PG Trey Burke (rookie) SG Alec Burks (third year) SF Gordon Hayward (fourth year) PF Favors (fourth year) and C Enes Kanter (third year). That's an average age of 21.6 years (yes, we can do basic math here at SnoTap). However, Burke went down with an injury that ESPN's Chris Broussard is reporting will keep him out six weeks. Take that with a grain of salt. Anyway, the Jazz are riding their youth this year and may be primed to add to that great young core with another high pick in the vaunted 2014 NBA Draft. I think the Jazz are just looking for strides from their youth for this year, nothing more.
Key Additions: None.
Key Departures: F Paul Millsap, C Al Jefferson - These guys were the cornerstone of your older brother's Jazz teams but they are now moving on from them...without any compensation. It was curious to let them walk for nothing but trades don't work themselves out.
Jazz Draft: PG Trey Burke, C Rudy Gobert - The Jazz used their two first round picks to move up and nab the ninth overall pick (Burke) from the Minnesota Timberwolves. I loved Burke at Michigan and think he'll be a capable pro despite being undersized. Just get healthy, young grasshopper. Gobert is as lanky as lanky gets but I'm not sure what he can do on a basketball court, having not seen a lot of the Frenchman to this point.
Prediction: The Jazz are looking to move on from the Millsap/Jefferson as soon as possible. The future looks really bright in Salt Lake but it's more than likely going to be a tough season in Utah. If Favors can become an All-Star in his first season as full-time starter and the young starters mesh, the Jazz might have enough to sneak into the playoffs as an up and coming eight seed but that is a stretch. However, this team is a no-brainer League Pass watch for me.
Key Additions: None.
Key Departures: F Paul Millsap, C Al Jefferson - These guys were the cornerstone of your older brother's Jazz teams but they are now moving on from them...without any compensation. It was curious to let them walk for nothing but trades don't work themselves out.
Jazz Draft: PG Trey Burke, C Rudy Gobert - The Jazz used their two first round picks to move up and nab the ninth overall pick (Burke) from the Minnesota Timberwolves. I loved Burke at Michigan and think he'll be a capable pro despite being undersized. Just get healthy, young grasshopper. Gobert is as lanky as lanky gets but I'm not sure what he can do on a basketball court, having not seen a lot of the Frenchman to this point.
Prediction: The Jazz are looking to move on from the Millsap/Jefferson as soon as possible. The future looks really bright in Salt Lake but it's more than likely going to be a tough season in Utah. If Favors can become an All-Star in his first season as full-time starter and the young starters mesh, the Jazz might have enough to sneak into the playoffs as an up and coming eight seed but that is a stretch. However, this team is a no-brainer League Pass watch for me.
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