Draft report
According to www.x-rates.com, it takes 1.57 dollars right now to equal 1 Euro. This is significant for the Jazz's newest first-round draft pick, Kosta Koufos, who could probably make significantly more than his rookie NBA contract if he heads to Greece.
This is why Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor took great pains to emphasize after Thursday's pick that Koufos will be playing in the NBA. As O'Connor shared with reporters, Koufos reiterated as much when he spoke with Jerry Sloan by phone.
O'Connor also noted the Jazz's relationship with Koufos' agent, Mark Termini, who represented former Jazz guard Keith McLeod. O'Connor said Termini thought the Jazz would be a good fit for Koufos but doubted before the draft he would slide that far.
Koufos is eligible to sign a two-year, $2.3 million contract as the No. 23 pick, with the possibility to earn more if the Jazz exercise options for the third and fourth years. Given the exchange rate, though, Koufos probably could make more overseas.
This is an increasing problem for NBA teams, given the weak dollar and salary scale. San Antonio made Tiago Splitter a first-round pick in 2007, but is still waiting for him to arrive. Splitter's deal with a Spanish club pays several times more than a rookie NBA deal.
"NBA is the main priority for me," Koufos said, adding he wanted to make his name with the Jazz and help them win a championship.
There's no indication that Koufos wants to head to Greece, but it was interesting that O'Connor felt the need to address the subject before a single question was even asked about the pick.
* * *
Looks like Kyrylo Fesenko's got some competition in Koufos. The Jazz believe that it won't be the worst thing for Fesenko to get pushed a little bit. It's going to be a big challenge for the organization, though, to try to develop two young big men simultaneously.
It seems like inevitably there will be a winner and a loser in this situation.
* * *
It had to sting Koufos when the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers passed on him to take N.C. State's J.J. Hickson. Koufos also worked out twice for Phoenix. His last workout Tuesday was attended by the Suns, Cavaliers, Seattle, Toronto and Golden State.
Here was a quote from Koufos' high school coach in the Canton Repository newspaper. He evidently fielded calls from several teams that did background checks.
"The main thing I told them all was his character," Jack Greynolds Jr. said. "You're not going to have to worry about him embarrassing your franchise. He's not going to go out and buy a $75,000 car, hang out in strip clubs. He doesn't have three pregnant girlfriends or a family to free load off him. He doesn't have a posse of people to buy cars for in the summer. You give him a key to the gym, and he'll be there. That's it.
"Kosta was born for this. He loves basketball. He loves to travel. He's having the time of his life now."
* * *
Thought O'Connor summed up pretty well the feeling in the Jazz's war room by the end of the draft.
"We're sick of looking at each other," he said, "we're sick of having pizza, we're sick of being in this building, but it's turned out pretty well for us. That's what I feel."
--Ross Siler
This is why Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor took great pains to emphasize after Thursday's pick that Koufos will be playing in the NBA. As O'Connor shared with reporters, Koufos reiterated as much when he spoke with Jerry Sloan by phone.
O'Connor also noted the Jazz's relationship with Koufos' agent, Mark Termini, who represented former Jazz guard Keith McLeod. O'Connor said Termini thought the Jazz would be a good fit for Koufos but doubted before the draft he would slide that far.
Koufos is eligible to sign a two-year, $2.3 million contract as the No. 23 pick, with the possibility to earn more if the Jazz exercise options for the third and fourth years. Given the exchange rate, though, Koufos probably could make more overseas.
This is an increasing problem for NBA teams, given the weak dollar and salary scale. San Antonio made Tiago Splitter a first-round pick in 2007, but is still waiting for him to arrive. Splitter's deal with a Spanish club pays several times more than a rookie NBA deal.
"NBA is the main priority for me," Koufos said, adding he wanted to make his name with the Jazz and help them win a championship.
There's no indication that Koufos wants to head to Greece, but it was interesting that O'Connor felt the need to address the subject before a single question was even asked about the pick.
* * *
Looks like Kyrylo Fesenko's got some competition in Koufos. The Jazz believe that it won't be the worst thing for Fesenko to get pushed a little bit. It's going to be a big challenge for the organization, though, to try to develop two young big men simultaneously.
It seems like inevitably there will be a winner and a loser in this situation.
* * *
It had to sting Koufos when the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers passed on him to take N.C. State's J.J. Hickson. Koufos also worked out twice for Phoenix. His last workout Tuesday was attended by the Suns, Cavaliers, Seattle, Toronto and Golden State.
Here was a quote from Koufos' high school coach in the Canton Repository newspaper. He evidently fielded calls from several teams that did background checks.
"The main thing I told them all was his character," Jack Greynolds Jr. said. "You're not going to have to worry about him embarrassing your franchise. He's not going to go out and buy a $75,000 car, hang out in strip clubs. He doesn't have three pregnant girlfriends or a family to free load off him. He doesn't have a posse of people to buy cars for in the summer. You give him a key to the gym, and he'll be there. That's it.
"Kosta was born for this. He loves basketball. He loves to travel. He's having the time of his life now."
* * *
Thought O'Connor summed up pretty well the feeling in the Jazz's war room by the end of the draft.
"We're sick of looking at each other," he said, "we're sick of having pizza, we're sick of being in this building, but it's turned out pretty well for us. That's what I feel."
--Ross Siler
1:20 AM
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4 Comments:
I liked this draft for the Jazz. Koufos has a good stroke and will probably be an asset in some way. Honestly I still think Fess will be the guy, but Koufos could develop and become a decent trade chip or even a 3rd string for a few years. Good draft by the Jazz.
Although I really wanted for us to move up and get Hibbert you've got to be happy that a guy like Koufos who was rated so high (lottery-level) fell to us. I also think that Ante Tomic was an outstanding pick in the 2nd round. He's loaded with skills--he just needs more strength--and we don't have to pay why he hopefully develops thatover the next two years. When you throw Fesenko into the mix, I think we'll end up with at least one very good center out of these three, and very likely at least one more solid big man off of the bench. Time will tell.
with Fes, Tomic, and Koufos not part of the jazz future, it seems like the writing is on the wall for Memo. He'll be gone in the next three years. And Collins won't be back after next year, which leaves the Jazz open to bringing over Tomic and letting him learn the NBA game in the D-league for a year or two, while Fes and Koufos fight for a starting role on this Jazz squad. Have 3 7 footers on you team is never a bad thing. I do belive Kofous will win the starting role, simply because of his offensive tools. The compition between Fes and Koufos will be fantastic, and both will do well in the D-league this year. The Jazz future is looking bright all of the sudden. not next year, but the 09-10 season will be a big change. Sloan will more than likely be gone, and the Jazz will have DWill, Brew, Almond, Milsap, Price, Fes, Korver, and Kousfos and Tomic as a nice young core. Booz will hopefully stay, and the Jazz become a very athletic, deep, and young team. Memo, Collins, Hart, Harpring are all kind of looking like Jazz players who just got out of tune.
In short, the Jazz keep CJ one more year in hope that he will turn into something after too many years, give Almond (who hopefully is working as hard as brewer and dwill did after their rookie season...can you say scary?) the minutes he'll deserve and move Korver over to a 2/3 and start limiting harpring minutes. Fes and Koufos will stay in the D-league and keep improving. Time for Jazz fans to start getting excited again.
Memo is not going anywhere anytime soon I can guarantee it. You don't ship out an all-star just because you have too much size on your roster.
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