Over in a Flash
I saw Utah Flash head coach Brad Jones at the Jazz-Rockets game Monday night.
He was working.
Despite the fact his NBA Developmental League season ended last weekend and he was anxious to get home to see his family in Louisiana, Jones spent an extra couple of days in Salt Lake so he could help the Jazz coaching staff put the finishing touches on a scouting report on the Rockets, just in case of a Utah-Houston series in the playoffs.
Jones left for home today after doing a nice job with the expansion Flash, who finished one game below .500 and stayed in the D-League playoff race until the final week of the regular season.
"Personally, I had a wonderful time as a coach," Jones said. "I feel like our players got better, and that's what this league is all about."
Like owner Brandt Andersen, team president Joe Brown and general manager David Fredman, Jones thinks the Flash's major accomplishment during their first season was cementing a relationship with their NBA affiliates -- the Jazz and, to a lesser degree, the Boston Celtics.
"Did we end up winning as many games as we wanted?" Jones said. "Probably not. But as far as setting a standard -- a blueprint for success, if you will -- it really seems like our organization has done that."
Jones was also gratified by how quickly things came together for a franchise that did not exist one year ago.
"It's been a great learning experience," Jones said. "It wasn't everything we wanted because, unless you win a championship, there's something you could have done better, right? But overall it was a neat experience."
Fredman thinks the D-League has a bright future, especially if the NBA's collective bargaining agreement is altered to make player movement between the parent clubs and their affiliates less restrictive -- like baseball.
"There is a belief among a lot of people," Fredman said, "that if the collective bargaining agreement is modified that franchise values will dramatically increase. So I see tremendous growth ahead for the D-League."
--Steve Luhm
He was working.
Despite the fact his NBA Developmental League season ended last weekend and he was anxious to get home to see his family in Louisiana, Jones spent an extra couple of days in Salt Lake so he could help the Jazz coaching staff put the finishing touches on a scouting report on the Rockets, just in case of a Utah-Houston series in the playoffs.
Jones left for home today after doing a nice job with the expansion Flash, who finished one game below .500 and stayed in the D-League playoff race until the final week of the regular season.
"Personally, I had a wonderful time as a coach," Jones said. "I feel like our players got better, and that's what this league is all about."
Like owner Brandt Andersen, team president Joe Brown and general manager David Fredman, Jones thinks the Flash's major accomplishment during their first season was cementing a relationship with their NBA affiliates -- the Jazz and, to a lesser degree, the Boston Celtics.
"Did we end up winning as many games as we wanted?" Jones said. "Probably not. But as far as setting a standard -- a blueprint for success, if you will -- it really seems like our organization has done that."
Jones was also gratified by how quickly things came together for a franchise that did not exist one year ago.
"It's been a great learning experience," Jones said. "It wasn't everything we wanted because, unless you win a championship, there's something you could have done better, right? But overall it was a neat experience."
Fredman thinks the D-League has a bright future, especially if the NBA's collective bargaining agreement is altered to make player movement between the parent clubs and their affiliates less restrictive -- like baseball.
"There is a belief among a lot of people," Fredman said, "that if the collective bargaining agreement is modified that franchise values will dramatically increase. So I see tremendous growth ahead for the D-League."
--Steve Luhm
8:00 PM
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