Hold onto your shorts!

[santeesioux]

Wesley Mathews' agent, Lance Young, says Blazers are finalizing offer sheet, expected to be completed today.

 

[Sug]

Why are the Jazz gonna come pull them down and spank us again?

 

[santeesioux]

Latest

Word is Matthews offer from Portland is going to be five years and $25 million. That's unconfirmed but what the Jazz are bracing for.

 

[ppilot]

Latest

Basically what Martell was making.....I haven't seen enough from Matthew's to judge how much we are over paying him....

 

[Pinwheel1]

Why are the Jazz gonna come pull them down and spank us again?

Did they spank us last year when they had to release two players that they liked due to the salaries? Depending on the offer, it could hurt them again this year. Although getting the trade exemption from the bulls will help them replace Boozer.

 

[Sug]

Did they spank us last year when they had to release two players that they liked due to the salaries? Depending on the offer, it could hurt them again this year. Although getting the trade exemption from the bulls will help them replace Boozer.

You forgot neener neener neener at the end of your post.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Hopefully they front load the hell out of it (again) I don't really care if we get Matthews or not, but I'm never unhappy to see the Jazz put in uncomfortable situations.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

The Jazz were comfortable letting Brewer go due to Matthews' emergence. I'm a big Brewer fan. So, something tells me I'll like Matthews at least as much....

 

[Pinwheel1]

Hopefully they front load the hell out of it (again) I don't really care if we get Matthews or not, but I'm never unhappy to see the Jazz put in uncomfortable situations.

I agree. I think that may work too. Especially if they do intend on using the trade exemption to land someone like Okafur. Although I am not positive they did get the exemption. I have read conflicting reports. Does anyone know?

 

[santeesioux]

More from the Jazz guy

Now they're waiting to see just how crushing the offer from Portland is. It is not a given that they're going to match anything.

 

[Nikolokolus]

More from the Jazz guy

Is anybody else hoping that we can just send them Rudy in a sign and trade?

 

[Tortimer]

Is anybody else hoping that we can just send them Rudy in a sign and trade?

I would love to get rid of Rudy for Matthews. The only problem I could see is Matthews started at SG for most of last year and I hope he wouldn't mind coming off the bench.

 

[Minstrel]

Is anybody else hoping that we can just send them Rudy in a sign and trade?

We do that and it'll turn out that Rudy is the kind of player who flourishes in the Jazz system and is meh everywhere else. He'll just have done the meh part first and the looking-good part second.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I would love to get rid of Rudy for Matthews. The only problem I could see is Matthews started at SG for most of last year and I hope he wouldn't mind coming off the bench.

He played small forward at Marquette so presumably he'd be able to slide between the 2 and the 3 (depending on lineups and matchups).

 

[Pinwheel1]

I would love to get rid of Rudy for Matthews. The only problem I could see is Matthews started at SG for most of last year and I hope he wouldn't mind coming off the bench.

I was think of that before. He has to be is OK with it or he will not sign the offer sheet. Plus he has to understand that Utah will eventually bring in other players that could start over him. I like Mathews, but he is not a starting sg for most teams. Just like Rudy isn't.

 

[Nikolokolus]

We do that and it'll turn out that Rudy is the kind of player who flourishes in the Jazz system and is meh everywhere else. He'll just have done the meh part first and the looking-good part second.

Hmmm ... That's a good point, but at 25 years old and no handle to speak of, nor much defense it's a chance I think I'd be willing to take. I'm comfortable that Nic (or Matthews) can cover him

 

[Pinwheel1]

Is anybody else hoping that we can just send them Rudy in a sign and trade?

I would rather save Rudy for a trade. Plus I doubt Rudy's agent would give his "blessing" to a small market .

 

[Ed O]

Is anybody else hoping that we can just send them Rudy in a sign and trade?

No. Why wouldn't we want to have both Rudy and Matthews?

Ed O.

 

[Minstrel]

Not really sure I understand the interest in Matthews. He's 23 and put up a 12.3 PER last season. It's not like he's super young, and he wasn't even terribly close to average last year. He'd better be a defensive ace to be worth a deal of any significance.

 

[Ed O]

Not really sure I understand the interest in Matthews. He's 23 and put up a 12.3 PER last season. It's not like he's super young, and he wasn't even terribly close to average last year. He'd better be a defensive ace to be worth a deal of any significance.

I agree. I'd rather have us going after another big guy who can play at the same level than another swingman.

Ed O.

 

[Nikolokolus]

No. Why wouldn't we want to have both Rudy and Matthews?

Ed O.

I guess I thought it had been made pretty clear that Rudy has no intentions of coming back to Portland? And I'm not really sure how much use a petulant, sulking Rudy, rotting on the bench is going to be to this team.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Not really sure I understand the interest in Matthews. He's 23 and put up a 12.3 PER last season. It's not like he's super young, and he wasn't even terribly close to average last year. He'd better be a defensive ace to be worth a deal of any significance.

Forget the PER. Everyone always says we need to consolidate and have players on the bench that will be happy to be role players. I think this kid fills a hole that we currently have. A guy off the bench that can come in and play some D if Roy gets into foul trouble. Jazz fans love the guy. When I watched him play I could see why. He plays hard every time down court.

 

[Ed O]

I guess I thought it had been made pretty clear that Rudy has no intentions of coming back to Portland? And I'm not really sure how much use a petulant, sulking Rudy, rotting on the bench is going to be to this team.

I'm not sure, either. But he'll be worth more than nothing.

Why would we hope to just give him away?

Ed O.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I agree. I'd rather have us going after another big guy who can play at the same level than another swingman.

Ed O.

I have no idea who is available. Who did you have in mind?

 

[RoyToy]

Not really sure I understand the interest in Matthews. He's 23 and put up a 12.3 PER last season. It's not like he's super young, and he wasn't even terribly close to average last year. He'd better be a defensive ace to be worth a deal of any significance.

48% from 2, 38% from 3

?

 

[Tortimer]

I'm not sure, either. But he'll be worth more than nothing.

Why would we hope to just give him away?

Ed O.

It is not giving him away if it keeps the Jazz from keeping Matthews. I like Matthews game from what I watched of him last year. I for sure like Matthews game better then Rudy's game last year.

 

[maxiep]

WTF? Are we trying to recreate the Trent Hassell mistake? On that one we were saved by Minnesota. I'm not sure if Utah will be that stupid.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm not sure, either. But he'll be worth more than nothing.

Why would we hope to just give him away?

Ed O.

I don't really feel like giving him away, but I do worry a little bit about him becoming a locker room cancer. You're right though, you might as well hold onto him for the summer and look to move him in a larger package deal with other assets.


ps. I freely admit that my distaste for Rudy clouds my objectivity. Can't help it

 

[Nikolokolus]

WTF? Are we trying to recreate the Trent Hassell mistake? On that one we were saved by Minnesota. I'm not sure if Utah will be that stupid.

What do you see as being similar between Matthews and Hassell? Trenton was coming off of a year where he shot 30% from three when the Blazers made him an offer (Jesus, what was Nash thinking?!) I'm not 100% sold on Matthews either, but if Chad Buchanan and Mike Born like him I guess I'm willing to give their track record the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Biggie]

I think he is a solid player. Isn't he restricted though? So Jazz can just match the offer after losing Boozer and Korver.