First impressions
After not seeing most of the Jazz players for four months, some of the transformations you see on media day can be a little striking. Mehmet Okur, for example, showed up with a new beard and looking very much in shape.
The Jazz expressed their belief last season that Okur would benefit from a summer without Turkish national team duty. That appears to be the case. Okur said he'd been working out twice daily for a couple of months and was back in town by early September.
That gave him the chance to run full court with most of his teammates for nearly a month. Okur weighed in at 265 pounds and with his lowest body fat percentage since he signed with the Jazz back in 2004.
"He looks good," said Mark McKown, the Jazz's player development coach. "I think he did what he was supposed to do. We talked about things and maybe a little bit of a different approach in some of his training and he took it to heed."
The different approach, McKown added, was more explosive training and less endurance training. Okur also said he was 100 percent healthy after being bothered by back and Achilles injuries going into the playoffs.
"I've been out here the last couple weeks watching [Okur] work out," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "He's had a guy working out with him. I think he wants to do well.
"I give him a lot of credit going back two or three years ago. He had a bad first year here, and then next time he learned a lesson to get in shape. I know that always sounds strange when you have to say that and people pick it up and read about it.
"That's the bottom line in this business: Get yourself in great shape so you have a chance to succeed."
It's worth noting that Okur averaged 17.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and hit 41.8 percent of his three-pointers after the All-Star break last season. The Jazz can only hope Okur picks up where he left off.
Ronnie Brewer, meanwhile, has gotten bigger. The third-year guard weighed in at 235 pounds, up about 10 to 12 pounds from last season. Brewer now has the size to match up pretty much against any shooting guard or small forward in the NBA.
"I think that does help me," Brewer said, "but at the same time, I've got to continue to keep my quickness up because I think that's one of the things that helped me last season, to be able to run the floor with D-Will and finish at the basket."
He also put work into his shooting. "I've just got to shoot it with confidence and continue to work on it," Brewer said. "It's a long year. I can't really be down on myself if it's not falling at first and I can't get overexcited if it is falling at first."
C.J. Miles also expects to have a strong training camp. Unlike last season, when he didn't even sign until media day, Miles knew he was coming back to Utah as soon as the Jazz in July matched his four-year, $14.8 million offer sheet from Oklahoma City.
Miles returned to Salt Lake in early September and went on a couple of hikes to readjust to the altitude.
"I feel like this year is the best shape and the best I've felt since I've been in the league," Miles said.
McKown said that Kyle Korver might have gotten the unofficial "Most Improved" award for his summer work. Korver made a couple of trips to Santa Barbara, Calif., where the Jazz work with the staff at Peak Performance Project.
"I feel like I've worked hard the majority of my life. I don't think I've always worked really smart," Korver said. "With the people down there, it was a combination of both."
We'll see if some of these initial impressions are confirmed during training camp and the preseason.
* * *
There were a lot of questions Monday about the situation the Jazz are in, with seven players who could become free agents after this season.
The Jazz note that they are far from alone in this regard in the West. The Lakers, for example, have to be concerned about Kobe Bryant opting out after this season, Lamar Odom becoming a free agent and agreeing on a contract extension with Andrew Bynum.
With the Jazz bringing back 13 players from last season's team, there also were regular comparisons Monday to the Spurs, who have won championships by keeping their core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili together. The Jazz hope to do the same.
* * *
I think we all had the same feeling upon learning the Sonics would be renamed the Thunder after relocating to Oklahoma City. Miles learned about a month before everybody else, during the week he spent in limbo after originally signing with OKC.
He was as diplomatic as possible about things Monday: "I don't think it's bad, but it caught me off guard when I heard the name."
* * *
Even before the Jazz left for Boise, Idaho, Carlos Boozer already was talking about potentially going to Las Vegas in the future. Deron Williams said it really didn't matter since nobody was going out during two-a-days. That said, Williams does have a preference.
"I'd rather go to St. George, personally," Williams said. "The weather's better. I like St. George. I went there this summer. I don't like that we don't have any whirlpools and things like that to get into [in Boise]. You're going twice a day, the things you need are whirlpools and stuff we don't have there."
--Ross Siler
The Jazz expressed their belief last season that Okur would benefit from a summer without Turkish national team duty. That appears to be the case. Okur said he'd been working out twice daily for a couple of months and was back in town by early September.
That gave him the chance to run full court with most of his teammates for nearly a month. Okur weighed in at 265 pounds and with his lowest body fat percentage since he signed with the Jazz back in 2004.
"He looks good," said Mark McKown, the Jazz's player development coach. "I think he did what he was supposed to do. We talked about things and maybe a little bit of a different approach in some of his training and he took it to heed."
The different approach, McKown added, was more explosive training and less endurance training. Okur also said he was 100 percent healthy after being bothered by back and Achilles injuries going into the playoffs.
"I've been out here the last couple weeks watching [Okur] work out," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "He's had a guy working out with him. I think he wants to do well.
"I give him a lot of credit going back two or three years ago. He had a bad first year here, and then next time he learned a lesson to get in shape. I know that always sounds strange when you have to say that and people pick it up and read about it.
"That's the bottom line in this business: Get yourself in great shape so you have a chance to succeed."
It's worth noting that Okur averaged 17.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and hit 41.8 percent of his three-pointers after the All-Star break last season. The Jazz can only hope Okur picks up where he left off.
Ronnie Brewer, meanwhile, has gotten bigger. The third-year guard weighed in at 235 pounds, up about 10 to 12 pounds from last season. Brewer now has the size to match up pretty much against any shooting guard or small forward in the NBA.
"I think that does help me," Brewer said, "but at the same time, I've got to continue to keep my quickness up because I think that's one of the things that helped me last season, to be able to run the floor with D-Will and finish at the basket."
He also put work into his shooting. "I've just got to shoot it with confidence and continue to work on it," Brewer said. "It's a long year. I can't really be down on myself if it's not falling at first and I can't get overexcited if it is falling at first."
C.J. Miles also expects to have a strong training camp. Unlike last season, when he didn't even sign until media day, Miles knew he was coming back to Utah as soon as the Jazz in July matched his four-year, $14.8 million offer sheet from Oklahoma City.
Miles returned to Salt Lake in early September and went on a couple of hikes to readjust to the altitude.
"I feel like this year is the best shape and the best I've felt since I've been in the league," Miles said.
McKown said that Kyle Korver might have gotten the unofficial "Most Improved" award for his summer work. Korver made a couple of trips to Santa Barbara, Calif., where the Jazz work with the staff at Peak Performance Project.
"I feel like I've worked hard the majority of my life. I don't think I've always worked really smart," Korver said. "With the people down there, it was a combination of both."
We'll see if some of these initial impressions are confirmed during training camp and the preseason.
* * *
There were a lot of questions Monday about the situation the Jazz are in, with seven players who could become free agents after this season.
The Jazz note that they are far from alone in this regard in the West. The Lakers, for example, have to be concerned about Kobe Bryant opting out after this season, Lamar Odom becoming a free agent and agreeing on a contract extension with Andrew Bynum.
With the Jazz bringing back 13 players from last season's team, there also were regular comparisons Monday to the Spurs, who have won championships by keeping their core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili together. The Jazz hope to do the same.
* * *
I think we all had the same feeling upon learning the Sonics would be renamed the Thunder after relocating to Oklahoma City. Miles learned about a month before everybody else, during the week he spent in limbo after originally signing with OKC.
He was as diplomatic as possible about things Monday: "I don't think it's bad, but it caught me off guard when I heard the name."
* * *
Even before the Jazz left for Boise, Idaho, Carlos Boozer already was talking about potentially going to Las Vegas in the future. Deron Williams said it really didn't matter since nobody was going out during two-a-days. That said, Williams does have a preference.
"I'd rather go to St. George, personally," Williams said. "The weather's better. I like St. George. I went there this summer. I don't like that we don't have any whirlpools and things like that to get into [in Boise]. You're going twice a day, the things you need are whirlpools and stuff we don't have there."
--Ross Siler
11:40 PM
| 
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home