The playoff series between with the Jazz and Nuggets was arguably the most entertaining of the first round. It featured a brilliant guard duel between Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray and wasn’t decided until the final buzzer of Game 7.
Denver advanced to play the Clippers, while Utah left Orlando facing an interesting and difficult off-season. Mitchell certainly solidified his status as the team’s star and most dynamic player.
The question hovering over the franchise is how can it go from a playoff team to a serious title contender? It’s hard to take that next step without multiple All-Stars.
Rudy Gobert is, of course, one of the league’s premier defenders but he’s limited offensively in a league where big man are now expected to expand their offensive games beyond the paint.
Mike Conley, who will almost assuredly opt in for the remaining $34.5MM on his contract, didn’t have as big an impact on the franchise as hoped when Utah traded for him last summer. His expiring contract, should he opt in, could be their best trade asset.
Royce O’Neale and Joe Ingles are solid, if unspectacular, role players with multiple years left on their contracts. The Jazz were missing a key piece in Orlando in Bojan Bogdanovic and they have expressed strong interest in re-signing free agent sixth man Jordan Clarkson, though other teams will be pursuing his services. Bogdanovic could have easily been the difference in the opening-round series, though it must be mentioned that the Nuggets advanced despite injuries to multiple rotation players.
That brings us to our question of the day: What should the Jazz do improve their roster and get to the next level?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
They would be smart to trade Gobert since true centers are now obsolete.
Someone needs to let Marc Gasol and Nikola Jokic know.
They know that they’re both stretch-fives who can shoot threes, not traditional true centers like Gobert and Howard.
Gasol is busy letting a lot of people in the league know he’s a dinosaur heading for extinction. Age is likely the biggest thing working against his effort but he’s a man hanging on as desperately as he can in his current series. It takes a lot of energy for such a big man to survive in the league now. Jokic still has it in him, but age will cook big 5s faster than most no matter how intelligent or talented.
Marc Gasol acting as a facilitator and offensive hub was almost as important as Kawhi in last year’s title run. It’s still a factor in this surprising season without Kawhi.
Just because the Rockets have no idea how to use a center does not make them obsolete.
DPOY are obsolete. You understand basketball is a 2way sport right. Their value is not what it use to be. Basketball is a sport where size matters. At every position. Every team needs seven footers. Cause you can’t teach size. There are different type of bigs. You ever wonder why Rockets are only team left who doesn’t play a real Center. They are the only team in playoffs, out of 16. Who don’t play one. And you think it’s obsolete. Homerblinders are dangerous lol. You should learn to appreciate the whole gm.
I’ll give you an example. If It’s a tied gm. And any team comes down on Rockets for last shot. 20 sec on clock. You think they are going to shoot a three. They are all going to the basket. Cause everyone knows you can’t stop it unless you foul. Playoffs are possession gms. You have to have a descent center. To able to matchup. Adebayo is not traditional center. But he is a center with reach. The NBA is a 2way game. You should be able toappreciate that. if you follow it.
Gobert needs to work on his passing. Abedayo wont and Draymond cant shoot they work on offense because they are good passers.
Utah needs to see if they’re any takers willing to trade an overpaid wing for Conley’s expiring contract and whomever the other teams wants them to draft with 23rd pick. (Maybe to the Bulls for Otto Porter?) Use the MLE to sign a stretchy big. Resign Clarkson using his Bird rights. Then finally just move Mitchell to the lead guard. They also have their bi-annual to fill out the roster.
Unless they can shed salary by getting rid of Conley, or he does them a huge favor and opts out which is highly unlikely, they probably won’t be in a position to use their BAE. If a team uses that exception then they become hard-capped and cannot exceed the luxury tax apron, which would become very difficult if they re-sign Clarkson.
O’Neal and Ingles would be best suited coming off the bench. Brogan returning would take care of one of those slots. They need to develop, sign, or trade for that last piece without breaking up the rest. Rudy and Mitchell are still young enough to continue to improve, but they need one more very good player to get to the next level.
Trade Mike Conley to the Kings for Buddy Hield.
Donovan to the point Jingles becomes 6th man, Bogdan pushes O’Neill to the bench.
CB
Why would the kings do that unless you attach some picks/swaps to it?
To get Hield’s contract off the books.
Conley is not opting out. But he could be traded to team that wants to drop salary. Or even bought out at deadline. He’s been hurt, but played well. I like Clarkson. A PG needy team should sign him. Always liked him. I’d be happy if Knicks went after him 15 mill. Sixers don’t have cap room. But he would fit nicely there. Have to be a sign n trade three way, doubt it. Jazz have said they want to resign him. He had nice yr, chk out his stats. I’d also be happy to sign Whiteside for three yrs 20 mill. Mitch gets in foul trouble. He could start for a yr or two and mentor Mitch. I know Thibs likes a D center. East eight seed is not far away. Thibs will shoot for it. Next yr we should be one of youngest teams. So it’s a good goal for Thibs. Draft night first.
Try convince the Nets thy need Gobert
1. Trade Rudy Gobert for Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen and T. Prince
2. Resign Jordan Clarkson on a reasonable deal, 2 years 30mil.
3. Trade Mike Conley for Otto Porter Jr
4. Sign Courtney Lee in F/A for the vets min
5. Draft a PG like RJ Hampton, Nico Mannion or Kira Lewis
1. Dinwiddie. Clarkson. Hampton/Mannion/Lewis
2. Mitchell. O’Neale. Lee
3. Porter Jr. Ingles. Niang
4. Bogdanovic. Prince. Morgan
5. Allen. Bradley. Davis
With Dinwiddie Mitchell Porter Bogdanovic and Allen you have 4 good shooters/scorers, 2 natural leaders in the guard positions, and decent defence. Off the bench you have great depth now with scoring, shooting, defence, youth and experience.
Your going to have a solid starting 5 and when you go to the bench you won’t be let down with consistent scorers and good defenders. Then some vets for the locker room and I’m case you need.
Conley for Porter makes sense for both teams. Bulls get a mentor for Coby White for a year, maybe re-sign him on a small single-year contract afterwards.
I suspect the Bulls will draft Avdija and slot him into Porter’s role, as he can do the job cheaper and hopefully keep from getting injured all the time, meaning he is expendable and they also need to determine whether White can be a true PG or he is a combo.
Yea Conley for Porter makes a lot of sense. Unsure what the Bulls do I’m the draft,
I wouldn’t be surprised if they traded Carter Jr and draft James Wiseman. Can get a SF in a trade or in FA but in the draft I think with a top 5 pick the Bulls should use it to get something good. I don’t rate Avidja that much at all and think if you have a top 5 pick it has to be (Edwards, Ball, Haliburton, Toppin, Okungwu or Wiseman).
End of the Day the Bulls best chance realistically of finding success in the next 5-10 years is either in the draft or signing Anthony Davis in Free agency. Avdija wouldn’t bring success and doesn’t attract Davis. I think having Conley LaVine Markeneen and Wiseman would look better.
“Bogdanovic could have easily been the difference in the opening-round series, though it must be mentioned that the Nuggets despite injuries to several rotation players.”
??
Dana, that last part needs to be rewritten.
Gary Harris & Will Barton OR…
Just replace ‘despite’ with most simply ‘also had’. I didn’t even notice it.
The team looked dangerous in game 1 when Mitchell brought the ball upcourt in Conley’s absence. But in game 2 he did not play with the same attitude… maybe tired, maybe teammates complained about touches, or maybe the HC noticed they lost that game and Jamal Murray played over his head.
Mitchell playing lead guard may not be a sustainable option. They seem to have been avoiding that option in setting the roster.
Conley got better & better throughout the season. It seems a waste to use his expiring in trade and they apparently need Mitchell at the 2.
The Otto Porter trade idea would need to include a PG. So:
Conley for OPorter + Satoransky or Kris Dunn S&T.
Shaq Harrison is also FA but despite my advocacy, Utah would not go through with an S&T for him. (Maybe Dunn isn’t worth it either, the rules are complex.)
Better to trade Gobert IMO since he could become a problem with a salary reduction. Also keeping Mitchell is a priority. Backup Tony Bradley looks okay statistically and in summer league for more time. Still, the team is built around having a force in the middle so that would have to change.
With Otto Porter still as a goal… Chicago’s Daniel Gafford gets more blocks than Gobert but is not a rebounder. Wendell Carter rebounds but neither he nor Markkanon gets many blocks and the new GM there is moving slowly. But if he drafts a SF he might want to help him with Gobert in the middle???
Only reason Gafford gets more blocks is because no one will go to the rim if Rudy’s there. Same thing in the NFL where teams won’t throw to a certain side of the field if a really good CB plays that side.
May be true, but Gafford is young and has decent potential as a defensive backup. I would let that play out before trading him, but then again I am not the genius Karnisovas.
Yes, I used that stat for more of a comparison. Gafford gets 3.3 per 36′, very good, but I haven’t seen that much of him. Him & Bradley & probably another could get a look at replacing a traded Gobert… if Boston gets a center, Rbt Williams may come open.
Someone else said Wiggins & a pick for Gobert… that would be good if they cannot retain Clarkson.
Time to Analyze! One thought or route I like is:
I like the rumor that the Jazz Trade Conley & 1st round pick for Julius Randle!
2020-21 Salary Randle 18.9 mill Conley 34.5 mill & Jazz give their 1st round pick. Jazz at 102.3 Million Cap of the salary cap of 115 and tax threshold of 139 Million…
Jazz trade Joe Ingles, Niang 12.6, future picks for TJ Warren 11.75. Jazz gain 0.85 mill in cap… Warren a Great fit at back up PF who can do more things than Niang could! Plus Joe is aging and it is showing and he disappears in the playoffs!
-Jazz sign Justin Holiday (one of the top shot blocking SG’s and 7th among them in steals per minute. Brings a defensive prowess and length we need on the wing along with 40.5% 3pt shooting, Jazz sign him on the MLE of 9 million for 2020-21’ (a 4 year 38 million deal). Jazz now at 110.45 million cap.
Jazz extend Clarkson to a 4 year 60 million deal with 2020-21 at 14 million. Jazz finish out at 124.45 cap, not that much into lux tax, which is nicely done!
Roster:
Starters:
Gobert, Randle, Bogey, Holiday, Mitchell… (wingspans of 7’9”, 7’0”, 6’11”, 7’0”, 6’10”) compared to 2019-20’s line up: 7’9”, 6’10”, 6’11”, 6’10”, & 6’5”) overall increase of 9 Inches in length in the Starting Line-Up. More vertical and long and more capable on the defensive End! Plus Randle is just barely 25 years old and has so much talent and power at 6’8” 250! Plus this allows Mitchell full Point Guard, spread his wings type of duties!
Bench:
Bradley, Warren, O’neale, Tucker, Clarkson… Warren’s better presence on switches at the end the rim over having Niang last season is a good plus as Bradley still develops defensively. Bradley is super-efficient on offense already and a rebounding beast! O’neale finally plays his more accurate position as a back up SF with defensive chops and amazing 3pt %. Clarkson balls out again this year and in some line-ups will sub in with Donovan to spray in buckets!
Morgan, Brantley, Oni, NGW… This is the 3rd string, but athletically Morgan, Brantley, and Oni stand up to the challenge and NGW Is a smart player.