Diamond Discovered

The Jazz have done it again. Their 2nd round drafting prowess has proved miraculous.

Jeremy Evans has been a welcome addition to the Jazz roster after playing his way onto the team during the pre-season. Nobody expected it to happen. No one had heard of him coming out of Western Kentucky. But, here he is... making all of us (so called) draft experts look bad.

The pogo-stick leaper has been electric during the pre-season. He's played to his strengths (rebounding and garbage-man hustle plays) and provided the team with a boost of athleticism that has been desperately needed. It should be interesting to see if he'll be able to break the regular season lineup. I can't wait to see his 1st alley-oop dunk!

The Jazz need to be calculated and intelligent as they move forward with Evans. We ought to sign him to a low-cost, 3-year deal, similar to what Millsap got when he was drafted. Evans' has the abilty, athleticism, and attitude to contribute and improve our team. I'm excited to eventually see how he progresses.

It was a sad day to see our reserve hopefuls get cut from the team. Sundiata, Othyus, Demetris Nichols, and Ryan Thompson all gave strong pre-season showings. It was the most competitive group of hopefuls that I can remember trying out for the Jazz. Sundiata was unfortunately stuck behind 3 solid guaranteed contracts at PG. Othyus had trouble shooting from the perimeter despite showing skills, activity and toughness in other aspects of his game. Nichols had two strong pre-season shooting nights. And Thompson was the one with perhaps the most "potential" of the group. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jazz keep each one of these guys on speed-dial for the next time an injury hits our team. Frankly, I like each one of them, especially Othyus and Ryan Thompson.

Re-Birth

I feel refreshed and excited about the Utah Jazz season. While football season still reigns supreme during the fall, I can't help but look forward to our new Utah Jazz come October. The new logo returns, our uniforms are back to the old-school style, half our roster has changed, and Deron Williams seems happy about it. There's just such a new sense of enthusiasm about the Jazz.

I can't say that the "newness" of our team will translate into more wins or a better season, but I think we'll have more fun cheering on our team and following our progress and improvement. I like our roster. Al Jefferson brings an exciting element of power under the basket in replacement of Boozer. I'm looking forward to seeing him play in a Jazz uniform. Gordon Hayward should be able to contribute and get some immediate court time. It'll be fun to see him progress as a Jazzman. It's great to have Raja Bell back in a Jazz uniform. Watson and Elson should at least play some important minutes in reserve for us. And frankly, I like the rookies we brought in to fight for a roster spot. Jeremy Evans and Ryan Thompson could be welcome surprises for our youth movement (or for our passionates fans in Orem). Othyus and Sundiata could have a battle on their hands to keep their positions. There's a lot to look forward to this season. I welcome the excitement and fresh start. Bring on training camp, pre-season, and the start of the new-age Utah Jazz.

Potential Blockbuster

Could Andrei Kirilenko be on his way out of Utah? Reports are scattered throughout the major news streams about a possible blockbuster deal that would send AK47 to Denver in a 4-way trade. The Jazz, in turn, would receive Boris Diaw from Charlotte. The main attraction from the trade would be Carmelo Anthony joining the New Jersey Nets with Devin Harris shipped off to Charlotte and Derrick Favors to Denver to join AK. Could this trade actually happen? As a Jazz fan, it looks like a total salary dump. I'd rather have AK than Boris. Though, there's not a huge difference in performance from the two players. In addition, I certainly wouldn't enjoy watching Andrei suit up for the Nuggets. Regardless, it looks as though the Jazz make-over could be on full display this coming season. New additions abound on the Jazz roster.

Watson Joins Jazz?

I'm not sure how confident we can be about someone's twitter post being a true, viable source of legitimate Jazz news... But... we'll go with it anyway. Apparently, there's a rumor suggesting that Earl Watson will sign with the Utah Jazz. I'd imagine it'd be for the vet minimum. He apparently worked out for the Jazz last week. I think Watson would be a terrific addition. He's the kind of blue collar, unheralded worker that would fit nicely into the Jazz scheme. Hopefully, the rumor is true. The SL Tribune just makes it official... Watson will join the Jazz.

Elson Signs with Jazz

Francisco Elson has signed with the Utah Jazz. He's expected to play limited, but meaningful minutes for the Jazz while Mehmet Okur recovers from his achilles surgery. What then does this mean for Fess?

Did LeBron set a trend? Dime Magazine thinks Deron Williams will leave to Dallas during the 2012 free agency period. As a Jazz fan, this will be the most feared possibility. And frankly... I think the liklihood could be high... that DWill eventually leaves. Perhaps he wouldn't go to Dallas, but maybe Orlando, New York, or somewhere else. Let's sure hope not...

The Missing Piece at Center

Our boy from Croatia, Ante Tomic, got a chance to showcase his talents against Team USA yesterday. In his debut side-by-side with these NBA stars, Tomic produced a solid line of 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Tomic impressed me with his agility, skill level, and size. He was clearly Croatia's primary target in the post. While Croatia got dismantled and Tomic did have trouble holding ground in the post (he's still very weak), it was apparent to me that he'd eventually have a terrific future playing in the NBA someday. Could Tomic be the missing piece at center to our Utah Jazz future? We may have to hope that he joins our ranks in SLC next year in order to give DWill an extra motivation to remain a Jazzman.

Until that time comes, we're still waiting upon Kyrylo Fesenko, the Fess, to agree upon our qualifying offer. According to this article from Hoopsworld, Fess has had some opportunities to go elsewhere but nobody has committed to him based upon his restricted FA status. I'm not certain how much better Fess will get, but for now, we're in dire need of another center. Apparently, the Jazz have also looked at Francisco Elson as a possible fill-in center prospect. Are there any other centers out there who could possibly make a difference to our team? The center prospects are definitely numbered (DJ Mbenga? Earl Barron? or perhaps just maybe... wait for it... our long lost former Jazzman, Jarron Collins).

Hall Of Famer

The Mailman's time has come. Welcome to the Hall! If only he was still playing...

The Awakening of My True Jazz Fanship

This weekend, I was able to attend a fundraising golf tournament which included a "Who's who" grammy list of Utah icons. Some of the Jazz brass were in attendance, along with Senator Orin Hatch and several other prominent folks. However, the figure that I reveled in the most was the presence of Frank Layden. I wanted to take the opportunity to shake his hand and talk about the Jazz, yet, felt the rush to get onto the golf course and start my round of 18. I didn't get that opportunity to meet Coach Layden (What a legend he is!).

Thinking about that missed opportunity, I thought about what I'd say to Frank Layden if I had another chance to meet him. And if I could, this is what I'd say to him... "Coach, 'Thank You' for turning me into a true Jazz fanatic. Your 1988 playoff team was the team that awakened me to my true Jazz fanship. Because of you and that team, I've been a dedicated and devoted Jazz fan ever since." While I grew up enjoying Ricky Green and Darrell Griffith, nothing turned me onto the Jazz more than John Stockton, Karl Malone, and Frank Layden. The Jazz became a serious franchise in 1988 when we laid a tremendous scare into the back-to-back Showtime Lakers. It was then that our team and organization jumped onto a path of NBA relevance and competitiveness. We became a serious contender from that point forward. And for it, I'd like to thank Frank Layden... the funniest, goofiest Coach to ever walk the sidelines of an NBA court. Here's to you, Coach!

Ryan Thompson to Fall Camp

Ryan Thompson has accepted an invitation to participate in the Utah Jazz fall camp. He played for Sacramento during the Summer League and had an amazing Portsmouth Tournament prior to the NBA Draft (despite not getting drafted later). He's an intriguing player... someone who I thought the Jazz would really consider drafting in the 2nd Round. I really like this kid. He's got great ability and may have a chance to make the roster. He'll be in a battle with Othyus Jeffers to make the team.