Olympic Preview

Next week marks the official start of the Beijing Olympics, but the USA men's basketball team is playing some exhibition games there right now. If the most recent game against Turkey is any indication, here's what hoops fans can expect from Team America:

• A totally logical starting lineup of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant and. . . Jason Kidd. That's right. On a team that features Deron Williams AND Chris Paul, Coach K is starting Jason Kidd at point guard. Apparently Bob Cousy and Nate Archibald were unavailable for duty.
• Improved shooting. FG% is a bit irrelevant in an exhibition game against the Turks, but Team USA did shoot 81% from the line and 43% from beyond the arc. Pretty solid numbers and definitely an improvement over past Olympic squads.
• Somewhat limited minutes for our Jazz men. Deron played 20 minutes last night (I guess Coach K woke up halfway through the game and realized that Jason Kidd is 35 and terrible) and the Booze got 10. Carlos's minutes could improve if we don't hit the boards hard (no player had more than 8 last night).
  
• Kobe Bryant whining about his minutes, lack of shots, and failure to get calls from the international refs. Actually, that didn't happen last night -- it's just a prediction of the future.
  

Sizing Up The West

With the recent news of the Houston Rockets obtaining Ron Artest via trade, I couldn't resist but think of how incredibly tough the Western Conference continues to become. The arms race presses forward with each team still trying to "best" the other. Will the Jazz be able to keep up?

As I begin to size up the Western Conference (mid-summer), this is how I see the teams playing out this coming year:

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Until otherwise beaten, the Western Conference champs remain the champs. The Lakeshow will return every noteworthy player back from last years squad (except for the Rockstar energy of Ronny Turiaf). In addition, the Lakers get back young center Andrew Bynum, who was looking like a legit, daunting force in the paint last season until he got hurt. Who knows how good Bynum will become? In essence, with the addition of Bynum to the frontline of Odom and Gasol, and Kobe playing out on the wing, there's no question that these guys are the team to beat.

2. Houston Rockets

I hate to admit it, but if this team is fully healthy...look-out! Artest gives the Rockets a comparable big three to that of Boston. McGrady, Yao and Artest, all of the sudden become a scary contender. The Rockets also boast an impressive supporting cast with Battier, Scola, Alston, Landry and new acquisition Brent Barry. In the 2007 and 2008 playoffs, the Rockets took us to 7 and 6 games respectively. With a healthy team and the addition of Artest, the Rockets overcome our dominance over their playoff suckitude.

3. New Orleans Hornets

I believe Chris Paul is honestly good enough to get this team even further. With some established continuity and improvement from the other players, the Hornets could be just as good or better than last season. James Posey will help provide some additional shooting, defense and experience to an otherwise in-experienced team.

4. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs have remained essentially the same this summer. Only, they're getting another year older. Gone so far are Barry, Finley and Horry. There's still time to advance their cause with additional FA signings, but many of the preferred free agents are falling to other teams. Duncan, Ginobili and Parker will keep the Spurs playing at a high level. But, they need to infuse the team with younger talent. We'll have to wait and see what else transpires this summer.

5. Utah Jazz

Perhaps I need to be more optimistic regarding the Jazz? For two years straight, we've finished in 5th place for playoff seedings. The West coninues to get better while we stay the status quo. I like our talent, especially with Deron Williams being a legit superstar, but something needs to happen for us to improve upon last year's performance. Boozer and Kirilenko, in particular, need to step-up bigtime or else we need to make an earth-shattering, groundbreaking trade.

6. Phoenix Suns

The Suns could actually finish better than 6th next year. With Shaq, he'll only become better acquinted with his teammates. Amare Stoudamire is turning into an amazing frontcourt star... legit powerhouse. And because of it, Shaq doesn't have to carry his team anymore (nor is he able). He and Nash may be getting older, but there's still enough impressive talent on this team to make one last run.

7. Portland Trailblazers

Here's the surprise team! I believe the Blazers have the makings to become a monster. Roy and Aldridge are already playing at a high level. Oden, although young and a rookie, will provide them some defense, at the very least. And the rest of the team is extremely talented...Webster, Outlaw, Frye, Bayless and Fernandez. This will be a playoff team.

8. Dallas Mavericks

I'm not sold on the Mavs. I think they have enough experience to make the playoffs, but I believe they're definitely on the downward slope of their run. Dirk can play at a high level still and Josh Howard is pretty good, but can Jason Kidd lead the team every night? He's starting to get older himself. They'll battle for the last spot in the playoffs with the Nuggets.

9. Denver Nuggets - Traded Camby away for nothing! Don't play defense.

10. LA Clippers - Baron Davis isn't enough to get them there, even with a team-overhaul

11. Golden State Warriors - Too young and inexperienced.

12. Sacramento Kings - Starting over with a new cast of characters. It's Kevin Martin's team.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves - Will be slightly improved with Kevin Love and Mike Miller.

14. OKC - Long ways to go!

15. Memphis Grizzlies - Yuck! These guys will be downright awful.

How do you size up the West? Go Jazz!

Big Spenders

I came back from an extended weekend (in which I experienced my first earthquake) and discovered that the Jazz matched CJ's offer. I'm still in shock. I mean, the deal wasn't a bankbuster, and CJ has shown "flashes," but for a team that is loaded with bloated contracts (read: AK) and mediocre swing players, inking the team's 10th man for at least 3 years seems a little bit ostentatious. Since when do the Jazz sign $15 million deals with 3rd stringers? We're the new Mavs!




But I wonder if the Jazz brass decided to keep CJ as a hedge against the possible apocalyptic tidal wave of player defections that could occur over the next two years. The Tribune has a nice overview of next summer's contract situation, but the gist is that half the team's status is up in the air. To wit: after next season Boozer, Okur, and Korver can opt out, Ronnie Price, Jarron Collins, and Brevin Knight will be unrestricted (and, in Collins' case, undesirable) free agents, and Millsap will be a restricted free agent.


Could it be that the Jazz see CJ as a cheap insurance policy in case Korver and Price look for big pay raises next year? $3.7 million isn't too much to pay for a half-decent back-up swingman, especially when the only other option is player/coach Harpring. If Korver decides to stick around, and the Jazz extend Brewer, they can shop Miles around to teams willing to take a cheap risk on a talented young 2-guard. If Korver leaves, Miles fills the backup shooting guard spot and gives the Jazz some leverage in negotiating an extension with Brewer.


So, just because the Jazz have invested in CJ Miles, don't expect him to cut into Brewer's, or Korver's, or Harpring's minutes next year. CJ's time to shine may not have arrived, just yet. His role on next year's team may well be identical to his present role: brooding bench enigma.

Tune in to TCG

TCG took to the airwaves again today, as the Draft Guru blessed the residents of the Wasatch Front with his basketball knowledge. Listen here for the Guru's take on Carlos Boozer's recent comments about Miami, his breakdown of the Revue, and his unabashed love for a Luol Deng-Andrei Kirilenko trade. Excellent work, Guru. . .

Boozer & Williams arrive in Beijing!

Let us all pray that they both wear face masks when they are not on the court.

Jazz Match

Welcome Back CJ! Hope you enjoyed your week of Oklahoma City bliss. The Jazz decided to match CJ's offer sheet with Oklahoma City, which will give him a 4-year deal worth $15.8 million.

In just a year's time, the Jazz have gone from a dearth of talented, experienced wing players to an absolute plethora of them. With Morris Almond playing well in the Rocky Mountain Revue (29!), CJ's matched contract ensures that there will be limited time and minutes for all of the six wing players vying for gametime.

Kirilenko, Harpring, Korver, Brewer, Miles and Almond make up the crowded back court positions. Only two of them will end up playing at one point in time during a game. Which of them will stick around in the years to come?

With CJ going nowhere, the Jazz make it perfectly clear that he becomes their future.

To Europe . . .

Josh Childress has sent shock waves through the NBA this last week by defecating on the "NBA Dream" and heading to Greece. This story has no immediate effect on the Jazz, but just wait . . . I have a feeling that this trend will grow. Already this Summer, the NBA has lost Juan Carlos Navarro, Tiago Splitter, Bostjan Nachbar, Carlos Delfino, Primoz Brezec, and Loren Woods. They all said no thanks to the NBA because they got better money from a team overseas. But the truly interesting thing about Childress is that i) he is not European, ii) he has no European connection, and iii) he easily could have stayed in the NBA. But he is hopping the Atlantic anyway.

The Bottom Line: the euro is currently destroying the dollar, and the European leagues (especially Greece & Spain) have had huge injections of capital and can now afford to pay players more than the NBA. Remember this guy?

Most of us assume that Raul's NBA career with the Jazz was a bust, but what we fail to realize is that he is making BANK with Real Madrid, more than the Jazz ever paid him (he never even made $1 million a year in SLC).

For the first time in NBA history, the NBA Draft was riddled with commentary about European players drafted by NBA teams that would subsequently stay home because the money is better is Spain and Greece.

Players turning down offers to play in the greatest basketball league in history? Players turning their backs on the NBA and all its money? Really? Keep your head on a swivel, because we'll be hearing this a lot more.

Brevin Knight: Not a Total Waste

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.

Welcome, Brevin

Kevin O'Connor made a sweet move. It may not win us a championship, but at least Brevin Knight will help us out more than Jason Hart did. It was obvious that Hart didn't belong on the Jazz. Ronnie Price eventually took over his back-up duties near mid-season when Hart just wasn't effective running the team.

What Knight brings to the Jazz is floor leadership, passing, ballhandling and play-making ability. He gets players the ball and lives off of his assists. No doubt, he'll fit in perfectly with the Jazz and the motion offense. Knight, in his 22 minutes per game, averaged 4.6 ppg and 4.4 apg. He also recorded 1.4 steals per game and had a 4 to 1 assist to turnover ratio. Essentially, he provides some quality defense and doesn't turn the ball over. Those are good qualities to have.

While he may not save the Jazz from noteworthy contenders (like Batman sparing Gotham from the Joker), Knight should at least offer the Jazz some savy point guard play. Long live Brevin Knight to Salt Lake!

Revue Notes...

Almond Scores Big

Morris Almond had his best RMR performance on Tuesday night. He outplayed both Chris Douglas-Roberts and Julius Hodge to post 24 points and 4 rebounds in a Jazz victory. Almond kept attacking the rim with ferocity and was rewarded with 18 free throw attempts while making 14 of them. He possesses a sweet jumper and impressive mid-range game. In fact, it seems that he has a better mid-range jumper than 3-point shot. He plays really well within the offense and has shown a willingness to play some better defense. To me, he looks a little more active and a little more athletic (more bounce to his step). Can he show that he's ready to replace CJ's vacated spot? I think the Jazz will probably let CJ go, knowing that Almond is prepared, waiting in the wings.

Koufos and the Fes

On the other hand, our big guys aren't looking so good. In particular, Fes isn't performing up to par. He hasn't shown to be a consistent performer yet. He played a lackluster 18 minutes last night, scoring only 4 points and gathering 5 boards. Last season, even Hajael Ara-ooojo looked better in the Revue than Fes does now. Fes has a long ways to go. The question is, will he ever get there...fulfilling on his immense potential? He's young... so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Koufos, on the other side, seems to show flashes of brilliance. Occasionally, he'll make a remarkable play or impressive move in the paint, only to then disappear into the night. Koufos also, has a lot to learn and experience. In the mean time, the Jazz STILL have a need for an effective back-up center who can play defense. If it's not going to be these two, and it's not Collins (that's a given!), then who will it be?

Brazleton for the Win

Tyrone Brazleton, the impressive PG from Western Kentucky, broke out his Sweet 16 moves in the 4th quarter to pull out the Jazz victory. Brazleton scored 12 of his 16 points in the final quarter to help the Jazz secure the win. Way to go Tyrone!

See you in hell Hart!

The Jazz finally got rid of perhaps the most worthless back-up point guard since Jim Les (this point may be debateable). Good riddance! I doubt Brevin Knight will be a revelation, but he cannot be worse than Hart. Now let's put Collins on the trading block.