Hey, Jazz fan here. Just wanted to pitch a trade idea here, see what all you think (sorry, not much else to talk about during lockout)

Utah sends: Al Jefferson

Atlanta sends: Zaza Pachulia, 1st round pick (protected top ten)

Straight across this wouldn't work, salary wise. Atlanta would have to either put in Kirk Hinrich or Marvin Williams. Now, I don't think Atlanta has any interest in including Hinrich, and the Jazz have no interest or need to overpay M. Williams (though, personally, wouldn't mind taking on Williams if it included a second future 1st rounder)

 I think this trade works for both clubs fairly well. For Atlanta, it allows Horford to slide down to his more natural position of Power Forward (Jefferson prefers Center, and has played the 5 for most his career). Al H in the high post with Al J on the low block would give the Hawks a few more options on offense. 

For Utah this clears up a serious logjam. They recently acquired Derrick Favors through trade and drafted Enes Kanter. Mehmet Okur is likely to return to action next year, and while he'll never return to his pre injury form he still has some juice in him. Add in a solid Millsap and a promising sophomore in Jeremy Evans...the Jazz just don't need Al Jefferson so much. Pachulia, who doesn't play as many minutes as Jefferson, would be a good stopgap to allow the Jazz to ease Kanter into the NBA, and being a rebuilding franchise, an extra pick never hurts.

Through the medium of my Nintendo Wii I have seen a vision of the Jazz. They played the Detroit Pistons, thoroughly trouncing them by 31 points. The box score looked something like this (appropriately purple for our Utah Jazz):

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   I'm not a regular on this site, in fact I'm not a Spurs fan, but I have looked forward to Tiago Splitter coming to play ball. He's an exciting prospect, and being a big fan of FIBA and Olympic basketball, I like to see International players do well. Just a few quick questions about Splitter.

  Why hasn't he been playing morel? Has the speed and physicality of the league been a tough adjustment? Has he just not cracked the Spur's rotation? Injury issues? A combination of the above? I had expected Splitter to make an immediate impact like other International players did right off the bat, such as the Gasol brothers, Andrei Kirilenko and Arvydas Sabonis did. He seems to produce well when he does play, and Popovich is a genius at developing players, so I'm just curious why he's not playing more right now.

   Congratulations on the great ball the Spurs have been playing, and I hope the team's players continue to stay healthy. Thanks in advance for your insights on Splitter's game. 

   Where ever you are- at home, work, campus library, whever--raise your hand if you remember John Stockton's game winning shot over Charles Barkley that sent us into the NBA finals? 

   I would have been 10 or 11 at the time. I don't remember what I said, or what I did, but I know I saw that shot. I know I was excited and pumped. 

   I remember playing Jr. Jazz for several years. As part of the program, you got to meet, in a group setting, a real Jazz player. Bryon Russell and Howard Eisley are two I remember "meeting"

   Jaaque Vaughn. There's a name you haven't heard for a while. I thought he was the bees knee, the cat's meow (remember, I was a pre-teen in the 90s). He wasn't. But I have a mint condition rookie card of him. 

   I remember coveting Armen Gilliam for our team for the longest time---and we finally got him! 

   I won a drawing once to attend an Antoine Carr basketball camp. Nice guy, really laid back. 

More Recently, I have a friend who used to live by the JAzz Bear. I helped the bear move. Nice, class act guy. You wouldn't believe the Jazz memorabilia he has. He keeps his identity as the bear under tight wraps; I doubt his current neighborhood all knows who he is.

Now, the point of this fan shot isn't to dribble off pointless memories of ut2006 to the 4 or 5 people that will read this. Rather, my hope is that maybe this will jog your own Jazz memories. Whether you remember back to Pistol Pete Maravich or you only starting following Jazz basketball since Sundiata Gaines, you've had moments to cheer on  your team.  Really, history of the game gives as much excitement as the game itself. Go watch old highlight reels and remind yourself of just how amazing that Stockton shot was- or just how crushing Jordan's final shot as a Bull was. Both extremes contribute to the fan experience. I recently told a Blazer fan that they had picked up Moses Malone in the 1976 dispersal draft--and traded him. The significance of that was lost on him. Moses Malone? You gotta know the history, it makes it so much more fun. Jazz fans are the best in the league, we have the loudest arena, toughest to play in. We're a part of that. And a great thing about being a JAzz fan? We don't have to worry about bandwagon trolls. Nothing worse than a bandwagon fan. 

I've been pretty down in my recent comments. In fact, I've been downright cranky. I think D Will will go, this is true. The lineup conundrum is perplexing. Cold starts are frustrating. It's tough to lose to bad teams. 

But we'll figure things out. We always do. Our worst year recent memory is 42-40. Barely missed the playoffs. Our worst year. I suspect we'll hit another hot streak and finish 4rth, maybe even 3rd seed.  And at the end of the day, we may not win the championship this year. We may, but we may not. The important thing is that we're not fans just to see our team win. If that's all we were about, we'd join the other trolls and root for the Lakers, Celtics and Heat. 

   This isn't intended to be a cop out or pep rally talk in the midst of this slump we're in.  It's not meant to be a primer because I think we're turning into a cellar team (we're not, by the way). Rather, the slumps  like this are a part of the fan experience. It's true. I'm a Packers fan- we almost missed the playoffs. It's been exciting to see the rally that had them in the Super Bowl. How excited were Red Sox fans after winning the World Series after a nearly century drought? Why are Cleveland Browns fans so loyal after years of disappointments? 

Fans experience the ups and downs of a franchise- we live our live's rooting for them through thick and thin. I don't think we're in thin now, no, we're not. But what if we were? What if we were the Nets? I hate the thought...but I'd still check in to this blog and wear my Jazz gear proudly. Really, we're lucky to have such a storied and history rich franchise. When all is said and done, the memories of rooting for a team throughout your lifetime will mean much more than those who pick their team based on the winds of dominance. Count yourself lucky you picked a solid franchise. We're in for the Jazz experience- and we stay through it whether the final score gives us a W or an L. 

It's why we're fans. 

  As a kid I loved to trade sports cards. I remember once, I was offered a rookie (or maybe high school) Kevin Garnett for, I think a Bryon Russell. I was young at the time, didn't know yet who KG was, and turned it down.

I turned down a rooke Kevin Garnett.

Sometimes a great trade is presented to us and we just have to have the smarts to take it. They are a lot of rumored players out there who are "available" A lot., very many. I'm going to look at a few of these available players, as well as a few other intriguing options. 

First a baseline: 

A trade must be practical. As much as we'd all love to trade for Dwight Howard, it ain't happening unless we hire Leo and Joseph Gordon-Leavitt to incept the idea into the Magic's head. 

A realistic view of assets: very, very little. AK's expiring. Maybe Okur. Millsap. Our picks aren't going to amaze anyone. Tomic. Other than the Wolves, he probably wouldn't fetch much (I'm sure Kahn has hired Leo to incept the idea of trading Tomic for Love into KOC's mind though)

  Also, let's be clear on what the Jazz's needs are. As Clark said in his recent post, a wing who can create their own scoring would be great. Also, a strong interior defensive presence/rebounding fiend. 

Okay. Let's look who's out there.

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Last night game's was refreshing. We didn't start slow. We actually scored a good number of points. And, best of all, we won. Amidst the doomsday predictions that we would get run out of the ESA, we actually won.

Here's a few observations on the game, made from the comfort of my own couch. 

1. Who predicted Memo could be this effective?

The general consensus on Memo seemed to be that when he came back from injury he would still be effective- he'd give us something--but the old Memo would never again be seen.

Last night was close to vintage Memo. 4/5 shooting. We saw Money shots. A nice slashing layup. He was backing people down. He didn't seem overly slow or clumsy either. Now, I'm not declaring All Star Memo has returned, but you have to be encouraged by what you saw from him last night. 

2. Al Jefferson shoots 69% from the field

69.something to be exact. With all the frustrations about his efficiency problems, 69% is great. Now, it will be said "let him do that consistently", and "he only shot two free throws-he needs to get to the line more." 

Both those are true. When he can consistently shoot high percentages like this, I think there will be a general satisfaction. And he does need to get to the line more. He's got to draw those fouls- And 1s are a lifeblood. 

But we should also be encouraged by this, partly because we've now seen Jefferson is capable of shooting a high percentage. Also, his shot selection was great. I don't recall a single time being frustrated by a shot he took. He doesn't seem to force it as much as he did earlier in the season, and his passing and ball sharing acuteness has certainly made strides. 

8. We played with aggression and energy

Finally, some aggression was shown. Millsap, AK, and Jefferson all went into the hoop with authority. WIlliams was playing pesky defense. Deflections were being made, turnovers forced.

Lately the Jazz have just seemed to soft and too lethargic. Last night's game was a breath of fresh air. It always bothers me when guys play slow- D Will at times seems to take his time bringing the ball up the court. (last night I literally saw him skipping while bringing the ball down- not cool) 

When the Jazz made huge runs last night, energy and aggression were the hallmarks of the scoring binges and defensive stops. This needs to be made a habit. 

Related to the energy and aggression is the fact we won the rebounding battle 36-26. I've been harping on our rebounding all season. I suspect the energy and aggression (from here on out to be called "aggrenergy") had a lot to do with that. 

4. Assists and spreading the scoring load

31 assists last night, Not bad, our season average is 23.8. Last night the announcers showed win-loss stats relative to our assists. I don't recall the specifics, and really, I don't think anyone here needs convincing that we play our best basketball when we share the ball. 

7 of our guys (all the starters, plus Memo and CJ) scored in double figures. A team is tough to beat when good ball sharing and point spreading is happening.

The Knicks did not play a bad basketball game last night. They really didn't. What we saw last night is a good example of the juggernaut we're capable of being when we play Jerry Sloan basketball- because we all  know he is about sharing the ball and playing with aggrenergy. 

Now, if we can capture the good things that happened and put it in a bottle (I"m all in favor of a water bottle labeled "Jerry's Stuff" ala Bugs Bunny in Space Jam writing "Michael's Stuff") then I think we have a real shot at being competitive in a very competitive league. 

Let's play the basketball.

Ante Tomic had a very pedestrian game today. 9 points, 4 boards, 1 block, 1 assist 2 TOs in  28 minutes and 3 seconds of playing time.

European basketball seems to be slower paced and lower scoring than American basketball. The final score was in the low 80s...45 minutes of play (it went into overtime) And it was the highest scoring game I saw.

Hopefully Moni can get us some highlights...doubt there will be many for this game though

Ante Tomic played today. His team Real Madrid beat Virtus Roma 74-56.  Not quite sure how European basketball works. This Euroleague appears to be tournament format with teams playing once a week. Is Euro ball a collection of tournaments, or do they have a 'regular' season like the NBA? I'm also not certain the differences between NBA style and European style play. If anyone knows answers to these questions, I'd be interested to know. 

Tomic's Stat Line

In 23:44 minutes He had 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 assist, 0 blocks and a turnover.  Not bad. To put those in perspective of the other players in this game, the leading scorer had 13 points, leading rebounder had 8. 

Next game is in a week vs. Brose Baskets.

.

What is the most important position in basketball? 

A case could be made for each position. Poor point guard play causes an offense to crumble. A good wing such as Wade, James, Bryant, Anthony, Durant can be a relentless scorer. A dominate power forward or center, your frontcourt, can be impossible to stop in the low post and get every board for your team. The short answer to this question is that there is no right answer. Every position is important. It's like arguing whether your car, the physical road or agasoline is most important to driving; you need all three.

While I won't state that PF/C is the most important position, I will point out the trend of champion teams having dominant frontcourts:

Boston Celtics: Bill Russell, McHale/Parish, Garnett 

Los Angeles Lakers: George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain (took them to finals, no championships; won championship with Philly though) Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Gasol/Odom/Bynum.

San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan and David Robinson

Miami Heat: Shaquille O'Neal

Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwan 

Chicago Bulls:Their success was more with two dominant wings, but don't underestimate the effect Rodman's rebounding and defense had to their success. Ditto for Ben Wallace with the Pistons. 

The trend is inescapable. Solid frontcourts win championships. There are many, many other factors ( for instance, those teams included the likes of Magic, Bird, Jordan, Bryant, Drexler). But the fact that a dominating player(s) in the low post is a hallmark of many of these teams can't be a coincidence. 

So how do the Jazz stack up?

I believe the Jazz's frontcourt has the potential to be a championship caliber frontcourt. Now, before you call me crazy and stop reading, hear me out. 

Note: For purposes of this article, I am including AK as a member of the frontcourt. Granted, he mostly plays SF, but his style of play and the fact he often plays PF (even C in pre-season) makes his inclusion in the discussion permissible.

Part One: The Ceiling

Against the Thunder, AK, Millsap and Al combined for 72 points and 30 rebounds. Against Toronto, 58 points and 15 rebounds.  That is solid production, and while two games doesn't a habit make, I think it is a good indicator of what they are consistently capable of. I base this on the fact that Jefferson is still not 100% integrated and Millsap hasn't yet reached his personal ceiling. Once those two things occur, I believe the per game average for those three combined will be in the neighborhood of 50-55 points with around 25 boards. By December, I expect Jefferson to be mostly in sync; by March he will tear things up. 2004 AK is due for a resurgence. Millsap will only continue to see all aspects of his game improve. This trio should have better chemistry than when Boozer was here. For one the D will be better. For another, Jefferson has far better low post skills. And plantars warts won't keep these guys out of the lineup. 

And let's not forget the 4rth guy. For now, that is Mehmet Okur. When he returns he will bring another scoring threat with the unique ability (for a center) to shoot outside shots. That ability will draw big defenders out of the post onto the wings. It remains to be seen how Okur will play once he returns, but I am confident that he will more than fill his role as our fourth frontcourt man. 

Fesenko deserves mention. We've seen flashes of what he is capable of. As he continues to develop his game, he will provide much needed depth at center.

Ante Tomic. He may never come, but let's hope he does. I've heard him compared to Pau Gasol. I don't think he will be as good as Gasol. But he will be a scoring threat and grab rebounds. In his last game he ahd 14 boards in only 20 minutes. Scoring wise, he is a low post threat. From watching highlights, I gather he isn't real physical. His game is more about finesse and footwork. Watching him is like watching a ballet about basketball. Now, his defense may not be stellar and unless he gains weight he will get pushed around. A bigger issue--he may never want to come over. But he certainly has the potential to be a stellar player, and he gives us much needed height. 

By the end of the season, expect the Jazz trio to be among the best frontcourts in the league. The potential is there. The chemistry is already coming (how many times did we see AK to MIllsap?) Okur will be returning. And their ages are only  around 25, 25 and 30 (AK) Fesenko and Tomic are each 23, I believe. 

So while none of these players will ever likely be mentioned in the same sentence as Chamberlain, Jabbar, O'Neal and Russell, the sum parts are capable of providing champion level frontcourt play. Especially in the current league. Think about what the Jazz really have. The 97-98 Jazz counterpart would've been Russel, Malone and Ostertag. Malone is the greatest PF ever (no, that is not an opinion)--but would you honestly take Russel and Ostertag over AK and Jefferson? The Jazz have something special here.   

Part Two: The frontcourts of the Current League

What frontcourts are currently dominating? Here is a snapshot look.

Lakers. Odom/Gasol/Bynum. A most unholy trinity of basketball players. They are still bigger than our trio. But Jefferson gives us a much better chance of competing. The future outlook is better  for us as Odom and Gasol are both over 30, while Bynum is frequently injured. 

Miami Heat: Center is a weakness. I think Bosh is overrated. Haslem is a great rebounder and defender. But looking at sum parts....Jazz have the edge. 

Boston Celtics: The O'Neals, Garnett., Davis, Perkins. Respectable, but aging. 

Chicago Bulls: Noah is becoming elite and Boozer is Boozer.  Our trio could handle them, especially since Boozer does not play tough D. Jefferson would eat him in the low post like Boris Diaw eats McDoubles. 

Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard is the best center in the league, but he can't do it alone. The combined pressure of the trio with D Will and Miles pressuring in the backcourt, may well be too much. 

Houston Rockets: Yao and Scola. Offensively and on the boards they are great. But Yao's health is always a concern. They are also at or near 30. 

San Antonio Spurs: Duncan is aging. Splitter could turn into a great NBA player, but he would need help.

New Jersey Nets: Lopez, Murphy, Favors. They could become another elite trio in the league. But the team as a whole is far from being competitors. 

I'm not going to go team by team. But suffice to say, the Jazz trio, when it all comes together and when everything is clicking, can go head to head with any frontcourt in the league. 

And that is important, because championship teams often have great frontcourts. 

  Jazz European Prospect Ante Tomic, October 28, Real Madrid V. Unicaja

His stat line:

In about 20 minutes of play he scored 8 points on 4/11 shooting, 14 rebounds (7 def, 7 off), 2 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls.

I didn't see any of the game of any highlights, so I can't comment on his defense or any intangibles, but his stat line is certainly respectable, especially for only playing about 20 minutes. 

The Jazz are 6-0 in pre-season play. They've outplayed division rivals, the defending champs and the other team in the last year's Western Finals. We've seen impressive play from rookies and encouraging play from most veterans. Listed here are a few questions about the upcoming season that could use some serious discussion. If you have any other burning questions, throw them in the comments too and let's discuss it.

But before I list them, Real Madrid's Ante Tomic played last night. His stat line. In 22:42 minutes he had 10 points and 6 boards. His FG % was a bit low- 4/11 and he had 4 fouls. Somebody should start a recurring post updating us on Tomic's play--maybe call it the "A-Tomic Radar" or the "Geiger Counter". Anyhow, good to see Tomic having some overseas success.

1. What is the ceiling THIS year (not career) for the following players?

Fesenko. Hayward. Miles. Jefferson.

2. How would we do in a series against the Lakers?

8. Millsap's play in pre-season has been disappointing. Was he holding off to let others play, slump or bad sign?

4. Okur's role when he returns?

5. Best case record scenario and worse case record scenario.

   With training camp underway and the season opener about a month away it's time to hand out my pre-season report card for the Utah Jazz. The Jazz have had nearly half of their roster turn over, with big name trades and free agents brought in. As usual, we can expect the Jazz to be good. My latest win total prediction is 56. I'll explain why in a bit. But first...

1. Batman and Robin

Since being traded to the Jazz, Al Jefferson has said and done all the right things. He has potential. He now has a real team around. A great coach. And he has the right attitude as well. That's a lethal combination. Says Jefferson

I’m still young, man. With this opportunity I got with the Jazz, that’s one of the reasons I was happy that I didn’t get traded to Dallas. I got traded here. Because we’re all young here. We’re all around the same age, and we can grow old together.

The thing is, I think I can really take my game up to a whole other level. Because nobody is going to remember a guy who averaged 20 [points] and 10 [rebounds] on a team that’s only winning 14 games a year. But you will remember a guy who averaged 16 and 12 on a team that’s making the playoffs every year. I just think I’ve only scratched the surface.

And says Tribune writer Brian T. Smith

Williams is already Batman. He just wants to be Robin. And after a career filled with big but empty numbers and mid-April exits, Big Al is dreaming in navy blue, gold and green.

Batman and Robin. Head to head against Superman and the Super Friends. Which makes Bryant and Gasol...the Joker and Two Face? I'm not up on my superheroes, work with it. 

2. Fesenko Re-signs

Fesenko has officially re-signed with the Jazz. Welcome back, Fes. Glad to have you back. I've said this a couple times before, and despite the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'll say it again: Fesenko can be Ostertag 2.0. He has the raw talent. He showed promise in the playoffs. I expect his playoff play to be his normal play by mid-December. If he's willing to work he will get there. It will also help to have low post Al to practice with. Don't give up on Fesenko. I think he'll surprise people this year and be solid for us in years to come.

8. Jazz pre-season report card.

Point Guard....A

We all know what to expect from Deron Williams. He's the top point guard in the league who elevates the players around him. He's going to run this team like a well oiled machine. The addition of Earl Watson will provide more solid backup play than we've had in a while, allowing Williams to rest more during long stretches. Easy A. 

Shooting Guard...B

It's tough to really put a finger on what the Jazz have here. Smart CJ is brilliant. But will we always have Smart CJ? I'm thinking Smart CJ shows up about 70% of the time now. Bell's 3 point shooting and defense are known commodities; his return from injury and aging are not. I think Bell will do just fine, but there is a certain amount of that unknown that could play a factor.

Small Forward....B+*

Cross our fingers, AK is here to stay. He can do it all. And now that the Jazz have figured out how to use him, and with Boozer gone, I think we can see a bit more 2004 AK than usual. With Jefferson playing a lot of center, AK will do some spot duty at PF, where he was an All Star in 2004. As our own El Aguacil said, "He is a double team." AK is a player that can elevate the whole team when he is one fire. 

Gordon Hayward is a smart rookie, and Sloan likes smart rookies. I suspect Hayward will pickup on the Jazz system very, very easily. His cinderalla run at Butler also shows he has great intangibles. Leadership and a competitive spirit. 

The asterisk is because this grade will do down if AK is traded or has a prolonged injury, both possibilities.

Power Forward...A-

AK and Jefferson will both see time at the PF position, and both will be among the upper tier of PFs in the league. But it is Millsap who will get most of the PF minutes. You've got to appreciate Millsap's hustle. He is small for his position but battles it out with bigger PFs night in and night out. Watch for Millsap to elevate his game to a higher level this year. 

Center....A-

Moses Malone. Hakeem Olajuwan. Ben Wallace.Bill Russell. George Mikan. All great centers who were under 7 feet. For reasons mentioned in earlier in this post, Al Jefferson is poised to be among the best centers in this league, despite his being under 7 feet tall. Throw in the improved play of Fesenko and and by midseason Okur should be back giving solid contributions (though I'm afraid his 43 point nights are over), and Elson for depth and the Jazz are set to have their best centers in years--possibly ever.  I think Jefferson will explode enough, Fesenko will improve enough and Okur will bounce back well enough that this grade will be an easy A come playoff time.

All in all, I put the Jazz at 56 wins, barring major injury or meshing problems. 56 because they will be too good to get less, but the rest of the league has gotten too tough for any more.

LET'S PLAY THE BASKETBALL!!!!!!!!!

ESPN is reporting that the Heat won't be signing Dampier.

Maybe the Jazz have plans to add him to the roster, which they are more financially able to do?

He is a decent rebounder, blocker, can score okay. He'd be a decent inside presence, perhaps better than Fes?We could keep him on for a year or so, maybe bring over Tomic?

It's highly unlikely we'd get him, but if it happened it would turn the pending AK trade from a 10 on the crap scale down to maybe a 6 or 7. Think of it as the government announcing a doubling of income taxs but 4 more mandatory holidays. Do the taxs still stink? Big time. But at least we have 4 more 3 day weekends.

Now, it's probably a 10% chance the Jazz could get Dampier, and it would notm, in my opinion, make up for losing AK. But it'd be a small bone thrown our way after a sirloin was taken away.

Just a few thrown together thoughts on the Jazz and the rest of the basketball world

1. Filling out the roster

By my count the Jazz have 11 players with guaranteed contracts. (Williams, Price, Watson, Bell, Miles, Hayward, AK, Millsap, Al, Okur, Elson...did I miss anyone?) Which means we have 2 roster spots left. Who do they go to?

If Fesenko re-signs he gets a spot. That's a given. He doesn't need to "earn" his spot. Assuming he re-signs, who do we put at that last spot?

It's between Jeffers, Gaines, Thompson, Evans, and possibly one or two other guys the Jazz invited. Sorry Gaines, but the Watson signing did you in. I'd be surprised if Jeffers beats out Thompson. So between Thompson and Evans....

Thompson shows a lot of upside. He could even be Matthews 2.0. But would that rotation be too logjammed?

Evans could be a nice player, I've read he could bet Tayshaun Prince type of a player. But I'm afraid he'd have an even tougher time than Thompson getting playing time. 

As much as I like Evans, I'd pickup Thompson.  If Fes doesn't re-sign I'd take Evans as well. Your thoughts?

2. Harpring Exception

I read an interesting piece on Raptors HQ. (http://www.raptorshq.com/2010/9/14/1687438/pick-one-player-to-join-the-10-11)

The premise is they have to add one player to their 2010-2011 Raptors team. Any player in the league up to $10 million dollars, caveat on obvious picks like James, Bryant, etc (though their salaries are over 10 mil, not sure why that was included.)

Using the Harpring exception of $6.5 million as the max, who would you put on the Jazz? (Sans Durant and his 4.79 mil 2010 contract)

I've put little thought into my selection, I'm just opening this up. Someone like Marc Gasol or Brook Lopez might be a nice pickup at center, but I don't know. Haven't really thought it through. Please include your hypothetical pick under $6.5 mil in the comments section.

3. The International Series

 The recent FIBA tournament got me excited about the international basketball world. Golf has the Ryder Cup. The top US players against the top European players. I think a best out of 5 series between the top US basketball players and the top International players would be a fun event to watch. The competition would be fairly evenly matched. The US could put together some form of the Redeem Team, with the Internationals sending out the likes of Nash, Rubio, Ginobli, Fernandez, AK, Turkoglu, Scola, the Gasols, Nowtizki, Noah, Okur, Yao Ming, Yi JIanlin, Bogut, Bargnani, etc. Have the series every two years, alternating between an international venue and a US venue. It'll never happen, but I'd sure watch it.

During the heyday of the Stockton-Malone era Utah's own version of Weird Al released a CD of Utah Jazz parodies to the tune of popular and famous songs. One of those songs was to the tune of Elton John's hit "Rocket Man", called, if I remember right, "Rocket Fan" The chorus goes something like

"I'm a Rocket's fan...why we had to play the Utah Jazz..."

That song is about to become the anthem of  non Jazz fans league wide. Simply put, the Jazz are poised to enter an era of dominance not seen since the Stockton-Malone age. 

Here's why.

1. Father Time

What do the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs have in common? If you answered "teams that are about to be dominated by the Jazz", you wold be correct, though that's not the answer I was looking for. Try, "teams that are aging. Let's face it. Tim Duncan, the Boston trio, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd and DIrk Nowitzki spend more time getting their dentures fitted then they do any other non sports related activity. Not quite, but it's true that age is catching up with them. They have some good basketball left in them, but the windows for those teams to dominate with those players is shutting quickly. The Jazz on the other hand are build around guys in their mid 20s. Big difference. Young Jazz stars are poised to fill the competitive gap left by soon to be retiring stars. 

2. The Frontcourt

I firmly believe that given playing time Fesenko can be Ostertag 2.0--and that's not bad for a backup center. Teams aren't going to know what to do with the combo of Millsap, AK and Jefferson. If you don't double team Jefferson he'll torch you. If you do, AK and Millsap will get uncontested points. How do you deal with that? You don't. And don't forget Ante Tomic could be coming as early as next year. Go to Youtube and type in "Ante Tomic vs Barcelona" Absolutely outstanding basketball by Tomic. After watching it you'll want to start a fundraiser to raise bribe money to pay Tomic to come here. He's young and he has a future. He probably won't be the next Ewing or Robinson,  but after a season or two he'll be cracking Kelly Dwyer's top ten list for centers. Perhaps I'm overly optimistic, but everything I've read, seen, and how he did at FIBA leads me to believe we have a real winner in Ante Tomic. Sure he needs weight, he needs time and experience in the NBA style of play, but the talent is there. Also, don't forget that AK is 6'9" and Hayward is 6'8".  We can have some interesting lineups that'll give teams fits. In 4 years or even less the Jazz could give teams frontcourt matchup problems the same way the Lakers do to teams now.

8. Number 8

I lived at Portland, OR for a couple years.I wasn't following the Jazz or NBA much at all, but a local guy knew I was a big Jazz fan and rubbed in a Blazers victory. I asked him how Deron Williams did. 35 points. The guy stopped his trash talking. The Blazers may have gotten a victory, but the Jazz had the best player on the court. Why does that matter? Because the difference between good teams is that good teams with the best players may lose games--but they win series. And the playoffs is where it matters. When talking about the top players in the NBA, D Will has to come up in that conversation. His leadership on and off the court is going to be a glue for this Jazz team. He'll turn the tide of games when he needs to. He is an elite player that will bring out the best in his teammates around him.

4. Pick your poison

Offensively the Jazz are already lethal. In time it can only be described as machine like. The Jazz will simply have too many weapons for teams to stop. Jefferson and Tomic will be wreaking havoc in the post. Double up. Great, give the ball to Millsap and AK. Leave Miles open? He'll score. Gordon Hayward had great FG% at times in his college career. A smart player like him in the Jazz system is going to thrive. You can't leave him open. And don't forget Deron Williams could be a 20+ scorer per game if he had to. So go ahead teams. Pick your poison. You're not going to make a game plan to stop the Jazz, you're simply deciding which Jazz player will get the best looking stats that game. 

5. The Jazz organization

The Jazz are among the best run and best coached teams in all of sports. That means that new talent is going to be integrated quickly and effectively into the Jazz system (see Wesley Matthews.) It means draft gems will be found (see Paul Millsap), quality role playing free agents will be brought in(See Raja Bell), smart trades will be made (see Al Jefferson). The Jazz are coached and managed well enough that small problems will never become big. Gaps will be filled, players will be taught to fill a role. We're not talking a fly by night organization. The success starts in our offices, continues to practice and is shown in our win tallies.

With the FIBA World Championship wrapping up yesterday with a USA victory over Turkey, a few lessons and interesting side notes stand out.

1. USA basketball is here to compete on the international level

The US has shown increased willingness to remain competitive on the international stage after some embarrassing performances at tournaments in the late 90s and early 2000s. In fact, this is the first World Championship gold medal since 1994. After the Redeem Team's gold meal in Beijing and Team "B" bringing home the gold in this tournament, it's safe to say the USA is committed to remaining competitive. While big names like James, Wade, Bosh and our own D Will did not play, the US has enough depth to consistently field competitive teams, and enough of the top players seem committed to representing their country.

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The NBA season kicks off  the end of next month. After a hyped free agency period and a number of trades, the teams in the West have taken a significantly different look. Here's a team by team look at the competition in the West. No attempt is made to rank the teams. Note, the predicted win total has a margin of error +/- 3 games, unless otherwise noted.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Utah Jazz

No review is needed of the roster moves made this summer. The questions for this team going into the season are a) How will Al Jefferson fit into the Jazz system? and b) Can Kirilenko stay healthy, and c) how will Okur bounce back from his injury? If any  of those have a negative answer I see the Jazz at about 47 wins. If all three questions turn out well, I see a ceiling of 55 wins.

Playoffs? Very likely

Wins?      51

Denver Nuggets

Will this be the same team after the recent Carmelo Anthony troubles? Will the head coach be on the bench all season? The team went south during the playoffs, and I this this is indicative of what is to come. Expect them to be competitive, but not to be in the race for the Western Championship.

Playoffs? Likely

Wins?    48

How would the Jazz do against them in a playoff series? Win in 5-6 games.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The team ended last year playing on fire, nearly beating the Lakers.Was their success last season a fluke? Did they catch the NBA by surprise? Or is this a legitimate threat?  The truth lies somewhere in the middle. I predict the 2nd or 3rd seed, and with Durant they will always be in contention; their frontcourt concerns me.

Wins? 52

Playoffs? Very Likely

How would the Jazz do against them in a playoff series?  This boils down to whether the Jazz have a tougher time stopping Durant, or the Thunder's frontcourt has a tougher time with Jefferson. Game 7 could go either way.

Portland Trailblazers

I don't buy that this team  is a real threat yet. Injuries plague them, and I doubt their ability to beat the Jazz, Mavs, Thunder or Spurs in a playoff series, much less the Lakers. They look good on paper, but my gut says they aren't there yet--take that with a grain of salt.

Wins? 49

Playoffs? Very likely

How would the Jazz do in a playoffs series?  Jazz in 6

Minnesota Timberwolves

This team is still in rebuilding mode. They gave away Al Jefferson for practically nothing. They have undue confidence in Darko Milicic.  But, Kevin Love looks promising. 

Wins? 27

Playoffs? Not likely

PACIFIC DIVISION

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are the defending champs, and likely to repeat. They made minor improvements over the  offseason, but injuries could nag them. Certainly  still the team to beat in the West.

Wins? 56

Playoffs? Almost certainly

How would the Jazz do in a playoffs series? Lakers in 6. I think Jefferson helps with the frontcourt, and a healthy AK helps, but this isn't the year we'll beat the Lakers.

Phoenix Suns

Their season hinges on how the adjust to losing Stoudemire. HIs scoring and rebouding will be missed, but they did make some nice additions that could help. I see them making the playoffs as the 7th or 8th seed, but no making it back to the Western Conference Finals

Wins?  47

Playoffs? Likely

How would the Jazz do in a playoffs series?  Jazz in 6. I don't think the Suns can handle Jefferson and Millsap without Stoudemire. 

Sacramento Kings

Their frontcourt is shaping up to be among the league's best in coming years with Cousins, Whiteside, Dalembert and Landry. They are young, have free cap space to spend in coming offseasons (and re-sign current talent), but they are still a good 2 seasons from being playoff contenders.

Wins? 33

Playoffs? Not Likely

Golden State Warriors

David Lee and Ekpe Udoh are solid additions, but not enough to turn a 26 win team into an instant playoff contender. Monta Ellis could end up being a headache. Bright future. Emphasis on future.

Wins? 33

Playoffs? Not Likely

Los Angeles Clippers

They've built solid talent, and have a strong starting 5. Blake Griffin could make a run for rookie of the year, as he maintained his eligibility as a rookie. Like the Kings and Warriors, their future holds better things, but lack of good management and coaching could sink this team.

Wins? 35

Playoffs? Not likely

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

San Antonio Spurs

Tim Duncan is aging and Tiago Splitter is only a rookie. But the team is well run and well coached. Expect similar things as last season. Solid season with a second round exit.

Wins? 48

Playoffs? Very Likely

How would the Jazz do in a playoffs series? Last season they finally burst the bad streak against the Spurs. Jazz win after a tough fought 6th game.

Dallas Mavericks

Jason Kidd's age could finally catch up to him, and their playoffs dropoff exposed some serious flaws. The Mavs are always a dangerous team, but repeating as the second seed will be tough to do.

Wins? 49

Playoffs? Very Likely

How would the Jazz do in a playoff series? The Jazz play well against the Mavs and D Will will be especially tough for them to deal with.

Houston Rockets

I don't know if it is Scola's impressive play at the FIBA tournament, or if I've been impressed by some well written pieces on their upcoming season, but I see the Rocket's as a Dark horse for a top 5 seed in the west. They have solid depth and a healthy Yao Ming could make all the difference. But will Yao be the same after his injury, and will he be healthy all season? Will Scola, Martin and Yao be able to co-exist and defer to each other? And was it really a good idea to give a 5 year $47 million dollar contract to 30 year old Luis Scola? Not many players are worth that money at age 35. Winning the division is a far possibility, but winning the West is very unlikely.

Wins? 47

Playoffs? Very likely

How would the Jazz do in a playoff series? The health of Yao Ming and AK will play a big part in this, but the Jazz could win in 6 games.

New Orleans Hornets

They have some good talent on their team, but will CP3 stay content all season? Can he stay healthy all season? The Hornets will be good, and possibly in contention for the 8th seed, but they can't contend with the upper crust of the West. 

Wins? 42

Playoffs? Possible, not likely

How would the Jazz do in the playoff series? D Will always outperforms CP3 head to head, and the Jazz have played very well against the Hornets in recent season. Jazz in 5.

Memphis Grizzlies

They overpaid for Rudy Gay. Mayo, Randolph and Gasol are valuable players, but the team lacks the depth and cohesiveness to really compete. Like the Hornets, they will contend for the 8th seed, but don't expect them to make it, or get out of the first round if they do.

Wins? 41

Playoffs? Possible, not likely

Overall, the teams of the West should all show improvement, and none will be automatic rollovers for any team. This Conference still belongs to the Lakers. The Thunder are a likely second, with the Jazz threatening, while the Texas teams battle for the 4-6 spots. Those 6 teams will be the ones contending for the West.

Your comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.