Is there legitimate reason to fear Utah next season?

[BenDavis503]

I mean, they are pretty good as is. And if they get a top 3 pick from NY next year? Does anyone know if that pick is protected? If they get Evan Turner or Wesley Johnson to fill that terrible 2 spot they have. Ouch. Watch out.

 

[barfo]

I mean, they are pretty good as is. And if they get a top 3 pick from NY next year? Does anyone know if that pick is protected? If they get Evan Turner or Wesley Johnson to fill that terrible 2 spot they have. Ouch. Watch out.

I believe I've read that it is not protected.

barfo

 

[Natebishop3]

I mean, they are pretty good as is. And if they get a top 3 pick from NY next year? Does anyone know if that pick is protected? If they get Evan Turner or Wesley Johnson to fill that terrible 2 spot they have. Ouch. Watch out.

I'd take John Wall and trade him. BPA is always the best way to go.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

I'd take John Wall and trade him. BPA is always the best way to go.

Think they'll take Jarryd and Dante?

 

[Natebishop3]

Think they'll take Jarryd and Dante?

Why the hell not? Seriously though, why not take Wall and turn him into a player they need? If I were Utah, I'd try to work some kind of sign-and-trade for Joe Johnson. Atlanta might do it if they could get Wall.

 

[ehizzy3]

Think they'll take Jarryd and Dante?

probably just dante

 

[J_Ray]

If Utah could add Evan Turner, or replace Memo with someone like Cousins (w/ maturity) down the line, Utah could be a legitimate contender for years to come considering Okur is their only old rotation player.

 

[rocketeer]

utah with evan turner is scary. utah with anyone else from this draft doesn't change all that much.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I'd take John Wall and trade him. BPA is always the best way to go.

IMO, Turner is BPA. Bigger, stronger, great rebounder, comparable passer, better scorer, and MUCH better defender.

 

[MIXUM]

thats only if the knicks win the lotto or get a top 3. is it likely? no. can it happen yes.

As of today... the Knicks are the 8th worst team. Clippers are 1 game ahead. Therefore if the knicks win some games.... utah will need some luck as of right now.


Dont forget they are gonna lose Boozer and Milsap hasnt been great as a starter. A.K. is old, Korver is like Rudy (3 or nothing) and Okur is a very average center.

But damn our division is brutal! OKC and Utah.... nto to mention Denver will be solid for a few more years at least.

 

[tlongII]

OKC is the team to worry about in our division. Those kids are damn good.

 

[craigehlo]

Boozer will likely walk for a max deal that the Miller family is too cheap to shell out. They aren't that great w/o him.

The Knicks still have more wins than 8 other teams in the NBA so it's a long shot they land the #1 pick.

 

[MIXUM]

tlong is correct. okc is scary

 

[gatorpops]

Just to answer your question, Utah is almost always very good. To ask if we should fear any team is an unknown because we don't know its make up.
Let's ask should the Blazers should be feared next year? Should we be feared? I think so.

 

[STOMP]

Boozer will likely walk for a max deal that the Miller family is too cheap to shell out. They aren't that great w/o him.

the Jazz were kicking some ass just a short while ago but that stopped with Kirilenko's back and leg issues. With their main guys healthy they are formidable, without not so much. Unfortunately for them AK's health seems shakier then most.

btw, I'd guess that a sign and trade with Boozer is more likely then any other scenario. Dude is having a monster year and should have plenty of teams after him. There are a lot more teams that could acquire him with a S&T then have the cap room to just sign him as a UFA. They should have an interesting offseason for sure

STOMP

 

[e_blazer]

There's still the whole Carlos Boozer/luxury tax issue facing the Jazz. Unless he's willing to come off of his price by a bunch, I think it's pretty likely that they let him walk this summer. Without Boozer, I find the Jazz a lot less worrisome than say the Thunder with another max contract player this summer, the Rockets with Yao back, the Clippers with Blake Griffin healthy...

Did anyone think that the Blazers were a lock for future championships?

 

[ebott]

I think there's legitimate reason to fear Utah regardless of that pick. They're better than us. But lots of teams are better than us. I'm not especially scared of them. And if we're talking about some hypothetical future where Greg Oden is a healthy beast I'm not "afraid" of anyone.

I think the question is whether they can use this pick such that we continue to fear them even though they lose Boozer for nothing. So it's entirely likely that the use that pick on a big man. That pick could easily end up anywhere from 4th to 10th. If they pick up Derrick Favors or Patrick Patterson are we still afraid of them?

 

[ebott]

Did anyone think that the Blazers were a lock for future championships?

Millions of people did on draft day 2007. Oh how the times have changed.

 

[MIXUM]

wow... i was expecting to see these famous blazer fans words...

depends on oden


lol... depends how long he plays till the gimp is hurt

 

[Minstrel]

wow... i was expecting to see these famous blazer fans words...

depends on oden

Yeah, it kinda does. Good point.

 

[Nikolokolus]

If sloan stays and the Jazz add somebody like Cousins (with NY's high lottery pick) then I think they are going to be a major thorn in the Blazers side for a while to come ... even without Boozer

 

[gatorpops]

I think there's legitimate reason to fear Utah regardless of that pick. They're better than us. But lots of teams are better than us. I'm not especially scared of them. And if we're talking about some hypothetical future where Greg Oden is a healthy beast I'm not "afraid" of anyone.

I think the question is whether they can use this pick such that we continue to fear them even though they lose Boozer for nothing. So it's entirely likely that the use that pick on a big man. That pick could easily end up anywhere from 4th to 10th. If they pick up Derrick Favors or Patrick Patterson are we still afraid of them?

Bull

 

[J_Ray]

thats only if the knicks win the lotto or get a top 3. is it likely? no. can it happen yes.

As of today... the Knicks are the 8th worst team. Clippers are 1 game ahead. Therefore if the knicks win some games.... utah will need some luck as of right now.


Dont forget they are gonna lose Boozer and Milsap hasnt been great as a starter. A.K. is old, Korver is like Rudy (3 or nothing) and Okur is a very average center.

But damn our division is brutal! OKC and Utah.... nto to mention Denver will be solid for a few more years at least.

When Milwaukee won the lottery they were #8, but I think you may be overlooking the stretch the Knicks have to end the season. It's one of the tougher remaining schedules left as they make a trip, or 2, to the West coast and play several playoff teams. There is only a 2.5 game difference between the Knicks and the 3rd worst record in the NBA. Also when Utah got Deron Williams as you may remember, they were picking @ #6 and moved up.

As for losing Boozer, there is a very good chance he does stay in Utah. If you haven't noticed, Utah have shed quite a bit of cap and there current cap # is around 56M committed. Thanks to the Blazers, Millsap's original 10.3M drops to 6.2M, Brewer is no longer going to be looking for a raise from Utah, and Boozer is already making 12M, so that could be the difference between the 3M more he would want. Utah's GM said today they would be talking to Boozer about contract extensions before free agency too. Kirilenko and Okur's contracts expires the next year also, so it's not like they will be committed to a bunch of huge contracts in the long term.

Utah's roster is also hitting their prime as Memo is the only current player in his 30's while Kirilenko just turned 29...(you just made a bunch of posters feel over the hill if that's old).

 

[hasoos]

Why are you concerned with next year. This one isn't even over yet, and we have no idea what team we will b facing from them next year. They could very well retain Boozer.

 

[Ed O]

IMO, Turner is BPA. Bigger, stronger, great rebounder, comparable passer, better scorer, and MUCH better defender.

He's also two years older and doesn't play a position of scarcity.

The difference from age 19 to 21 is pretty significant physically and two years of college experience is, too... and while 6'6" shooting guards are pretty common, 6'4" PGs are much less so.

I think, if Utah has the chance to get Wall, they take him and run. Williams and Wall are big enough, IMO, to potentially play together in the same backcourt, and you can always move one of them later if not.

Ed O.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

while 6'6" shooting guards are pretty common, 6'4" PGs are much less so.

6'6" SG's are common. 6'6" SG's that pass like a PG and rebound like a PF are decidedly not common. IMO, Turner brings more to the table than Wall does, especially for a team already sporting an Olympian/All-Star at the point.

 

[Ed O]

6'6" SG's are common. 6'6" SG's that pass like a PG and rebound like a PF are decidedly not common. IMO, Turner brings more to the table than Wall does, especially for a team already sporting an Olympian/All-Star at the point.

If you're looking at BPA, the presence of Deron Williams is irrelevant. I also question Turner's athleticism and perimeter shooting. If he were younger, too, I'd like his upside more.

Wall just looks like a FAR better prospect to me.

Ed O.

 

[BGrantFan]

If you're looking at BPA, the presence of Deron Williams is irrelevant. I also question Turner's athleticism and perimeter shooting. If he were younger, too, I'd like his upside more.

Wall just looks like a FAR better prospect to me.

Ed O.

Based on what? He certainly isn't an upgrade over Deron Williams, and I'd argue that Wall isn't even a true point.

His stats at Kentucky don't blow me away.

16.9 ppg/6.4 apg/4 TO game/31% 3pt/46% FG/4 rpg/77%FT

Wall will be a very good to great NBA player, but the same can be said for Evan Turner, who had this stat line.

20.3ppg/5.9apg/4.2 TOpg/37% 3pt/54%fg/9.2rpg/74% FT.

I watched a lot of Ohio State this year, and I have to say that Evan Turner reminds me A LOT of Brandon Roy at times, except his rebounding as a big SG is off the charts.

 

[Ed O]

Based on what? He certainly isn't an upgrade over Deron Williams, and I'd argue that Wall isn't even a true point.

You would argue based on... what? That he plays the PG spot at both ends of the floor and leads his team in assists? Or just out of stubbornness?

His stats at Kentucky don't blow me away.

16.9 ppg/6.4 apg/4 TO game/31% 3pt/46% FG/4 rpg/77%FT

Those are pretty good for a freshman.

Wall will be a very good to great NBA player, but the same can be said for Evan Turner, who had this stat line.

20.3ppg/5.9apg/4.2 TOpg/37% 3pt/54%fg/9.2rpg/74% FT.

Again: Turner is TWO YEARS OLDER. Of course his stats are going to be better.

Who had this stat line when he was Wall's age as a freshman?

8.5ppg/2.6apg/2.7TOpg/33% 3pt/47% FG/4.4rpg/69.9% FT.

Evan Turner, of course.

I watched a lot of Ohio State this year, and I have to say that Evan Turner reminds me A LOT of Brandon Roy at times, except his rebounding as a big SG is off the charts.

Rebounding as a SG is almost irrelevant, both in the NBA and especially in college. Turner's inability to make three pointers (about .6 a game) is much more relevant. He also doesn't get to the line very much considering how often he shoots.

Ed O.

 

[craigehlo]

I think there's legitimate reason to fear Utah regardless of that pick. They're better than us.

Better coached. Same with OKC. When you watch either team play help defense, it makes me sad as a Blazer fan. This team could have easily been in the top 5, even with all the injuries, had we gone the direction of hiring a coach that simply spent the needed practice time to teach these player proper help defense.