The big buzz around Jazztown is that the Jazz UNLOADED JASON HART!!! In related news, they acquired Brevin Knight. Now, I'm no expert, but any move that (1) saves money and (2) unloads Jason Hart is a good one. Kudos to Kevin O'Conner and the sons-of-LarryH for pulling this off.
But, what did the Jazz really get in Brevin Knight?
Positives: First and foremost he is not Jason Hart. Now, I don't hate Hart; he seemed like a classy guy. For instance, he wanted out of Utah, but never went public with it. He should be applauded for that. He should not be applauded, however, for his basketball skills. He was a terrible fit for the Jazz, and rarely looked like an NBA player. He admittedly struggled to learn Jerry's flex offense and shot a miserable 32% from the floor (which I think is generous). By the end of the season I preferred Collins to Hart. That is unforgivable.
Knight, on the other hand, is a crafty, heady ballplayer. Now standing proudly alongside Stanford grads/Jazz heroes Jarron Collins, Curtis Bordchardt, and Adam Keefe, Knight is a wily veteran that can give you 8-10 minutes per game without missing a beat. Or, if you suck like the Clippers, 22 minutes per game. Knight is a true point guard who gets others involved and is a combination of power and grace, just as Kirilenko prefers. OK, maybe without the power.
He is also a perfect Jazz character guy. Aside from his aforementioned pseudo-ivy alma mater, Knight possesses an outstanding resume with attributes that the Jazz love: he's not flashy, does charity work, is rarely involved in strip club shootings, and has nuns for groupies.
One last positive: Clippers fans (all 15) think the trade was a good move for the Clippers. Any group that has been watching nothing but Clippers basketball for the best few decades is probably not the best judge of NBA talent. But hey, if you're excited about the second coming of Jason Hart, go nuts.
Negatives: Let's not fool ourselves - this is not the Brevin Knight that nearly put an end to Keith Van Horn's college career, single-handedly. Knight is 32, and 32-year old 5''10' point guards are not in high demand in the NBA. Knight was once as quick as quicksilver, but has lost more than a step since then. His size on defense makes him a real liability against bigger (read: all) point guards. He makes up for it a little bit with his quick hands, but it's a little like Dee Brown without the cornrows when he's out there.
Lastly, one thing that has been true of Knight since his Stanford days: he can't shoot. A career 41% shooter, defenses simply collapse on him to deny penetration. But, as with everything in this deal, when compared with what the Jazz gave up, his shooting numbers seem like love at first sight.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
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6 comments:
So I went to the LA Times to find out how this trade was playing in Southern California and discovered. . . that it HASN'T EVEN BEEN REPORTED there yet. Seriously. It's not on the front page, the front page of the sports section, or the Times' Clippers home page, which still only features Camby and Brand articles.
Another fast fact: the LA Times has Dodgers, Bruins, Trojans, and Lakers blogs. Notice anyone missing?
Ah to be a Clippers fan. . .
I think to get the Jason Hart and other Clippers info you have to watch this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVNZoosrql8
Wow -- solid commentator. For his next update I might recommend that he actually look at the camera and not drop a random F bomb at the end of the segment.
If Knight has to shoot jumpers for the team, it's time to toss the towel in for the season.
All we need him to do is find the open guy and pass the ball. The rest of the team (for the most part) will handle the scoring.
I agree with Utesfan. We didn't get Brevin for his shooting. He'll be a nice change of pace from Ronnie Price.
I really can't believe the Jazz pulled this one off. Long live the Clip show!
For my part everyone ought to glance at it.
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