Well here we are. We just got done watching Kobe Bryant rip our hearts out for the third straight year, Carlos Boozer forgetting to box out, and another year of watching Jerry Sloan give up the open three ball to opposing teams. Excuse me while I pour some Jack Daniels in my Coke Zero. With a 1 and infinity chance to come back and win this series, we need to take an in depth look on who should be staying on the Jazz and who should be packing their bags. Now obviously I may be a little bit biased because I dislike some players on the Jazz but I think they are realistic. It honestly gets emotionally draining watching the same end to the Jazz season over and over. They start slow to start the season, they catch fire the second half of the season, they lose key games down the stretch to get screwed on a seeding, and get blitzed by the Lakers. So with that being said, let's break down player by player who stays and who gets the hell out.
Deron Williams - K I really don't need to write anything here. D-Will is one of the top 3 point guards in the league. He obviously stays. That's like asking me if I'd rather be kicked in the butt or the nuts, pretty obvious answer right? D-Will has struggled in the Lakers series but he's still averaging 19 ppg and almost 9 apg. I'd take that all season long, hell I'd take 16 and 8 a night from him. He stays.
Wesley Matthews - Matthews has really grown on me this year. The kid is still raw and he's only going to get better. Plus, he's the only guy on the Jazz that doesn't tuck his hoo hoo in between his legs when he goes up against a superstar. In a past topic I posted that he gets punched but he punches right back. Tonight he wasn't afraid to play Kobe physical. Now with only paying him $457,000 a year, we will obviously need to pay him. He stays.
CJ Miles - Quite possibly could go down in Jazz history as my least favorite Jazz player. (Note: Greg Ostertag, Chris Morris, and Derek Fisher are the top 3) Here's the story of CJ's season. If he hits two shots in a row, it won't matter if he misses his next seven. He will keep casting away. He plays outside his abilities, he's a very average defender, and is streakier than a 4 year old's underpants. For 3.7 million a year over 4 years, I think we could honestly give that money to Matthews or half that to Matthews and deal Miles to Saudi Arabia. Miles is out.
Carlos Boozer - I'm neutral on this move. I had this discussion with Ike Tingey, and Ike would like to see Boozer go. I'm not so quick to execute Boozer. I agree with Ike that we need a defensive minded center, and the 12 million we are paying Boozer could be a nice payday for a center in the off-season. What if we could have both? What if we were able to shop Andrei Kirilenko's contract? That's 16.7 million off the books and 10 million of that we could add a defensive center to protect Boozer. 20 and 10 guys don't grow on trees, but this tree is almost dead. If we deal Kirilenko's contract, Boozer stays. If we don't, the Paul Millsap era begins in Salt Lake City.
Mehmet Okur - I don't mind Mehmet Okur, but for 9 million this year, 9.45 million next year, and 10 million the next year I mind. A 7 foot shooting guard isn't what the Jazz need and that's exactly what he gives you. Especially since Okur just turned his achillies into a fruit roll up in the first round of the playoffs. (Note: I just added fruit rollups to my grocery list) We unfortunately need a banger down low, but with the possibility of Boozer leaving, we could maybe move Okur back to the four, still bring Millsap off the bench and add a defensive minded center. Just maybe. For now, we hang onto Mr Uni brow. (Sidenote : While I was writing this blog topic, do you guys notice that the chicks on the single commercials saying "call now!" are all immaculate? I guarantee you they look like Sloth off the Goonies. I can just picture some guy calling and saying "well hey sweet cheeks" and the girl replying "HHHHEEEEEYYYYYY YOOOOOUUUUUUU GUUUUUUUUYYYYYYSSSSS!") Sorry back on task. If Boozer goes he stays, if Boozer stays, Okur has to be shopped.
Andrei Kirilenko - If he wasn't making more money than Yao Ming, Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Joe Johnson, Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and Vince Carter, I'd say keep him. If you don't believe me, go to HoopsHype.com, it's honestly sickening to see how much money that guy makes. It's pretty obvious, Kirilenko is not worth 16.43 million dollars. He's maybe worth 6 at the most, and that's pushing it. He can't finish a season healthy, teams don't have to guard him from the foul line and out, he weighs a 120 lbs being 6'9", and what the hell is up with his hair? He checked into the game tonight and I looked at my wife and said "Suuuunnnnnnssssshiiiiinnneeeee!" The look has to go Andrei, and unfortunately so do you. AK is out.
Kyle Korver - Probably the best pure shooter in the league. Tonight, you saw how deadly Korver can be. He spaces the floor, he makes other teams best defenders work through screens, he's automatic from the free throw line, he doesn't get enough credit for being a good help defender, and he could probably score with any chick in Utah. No one is a good on ball defender these days because if you sneeze on any player like Kobe you get a foul called on you. For 5 million a year I think Korver is priced right, I'd even pay him 6 million to stay. I think the Jazz hang onto him and I think he moves into the starting lineup next year as long as he stays healthy. He could be the new Jazz's version of Jeff Hornacek minus the two blown out knees that Jeff was on. Kyle stays
Kyrylo Fesenko - Fes is still extremely raw and Sloan never gave him an opportunity to gain any experience by playing in the regular season. In the first half, I saw Fes make it difficult for the Lakers to score in the paint, the only problem is that he doesn't give you anything offensively. He doesn't make the opposing centers work but I'd still like to give him one more year. I'd like to see him come off the bench next year and get regular minutes, around 15 - 20 next season. If he can get a little better offensively, I think he's a nice asset. I give him one more year for the lowest amount possible. Maybe 1 million per year.
Kosta Koufous - Kosta is on the all NBA hideous team. Here is my starting 5. Koufous starts at the 5, Pau Gasol starts at the 4, Richard Jefferson at the 3, Adam Morrison at the 2, and Sam Cassel at the 1. I know Cassel is retired but Cassel is the ugliest player in the history of the league. Some how this has taken over the topic of Koufous staying or going. It's simple, Koufous shouldn't be near an NBA arena nor a church gym. Find a poor team to take him off our hands, maybe the Clippers? WAIT! Chris Kaman takes the place of Koufous on the NBA all ugly team. Sorry, Koufous goes.
Ronnie Price - Boy I like Ronnie Price, I like his intensity, I like that he hustles, but at the end of the game, he just doesn't give you anything offensively. He has trouble getting the 2nd unit into the offense and when he bombs a three I almost stab myself in the eye with a pen. For 1.4 million to be a backup I can't argue but I'm just not sold on him. I think they release Gaines, keep Ronnie Price on but move him to the third guard. I think there is a better backup point guard out there. Hang onto him for now for 1 more year.
Well, it's the season's end. I will officially be cheering for the Orlando Magic. I haven't been shy about professing my love for Matt Barnes because he's a rockstar but I also love how the Magic play. It's disappointing how the Jazz season ended, I feel bad for people that are paying good money for season tickets because they see the same ending over and over. With that being said, I say goodnight. Well not really, I'm going to finish watching Lethal Weapon. Night.
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