Wednesday report
Just in case anybody thought Jerry Sloan was getting soft by moving up practice Wednesday so his players could attend the Boise State/Louisiana Tech football game, the Jazz coach issued a reminder that this is still training camp.
Sloan staged what was by all accounts a killer morning practice. Kyrylo Fesenko said it was basically one set of sprints after another. "He made them pay for it this morning in practice," said Deron Williams, who was held out along with Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko.
Williams, by the way, said the communication between himself and Brevin Knight has been great so far. "He's definitely a guy that's going to help out this team, I think, leadership-wise and just keeping guys together," Williams said.
* * *
I was absolutely surprised by the response I got from Sloan after asking about Fesenko working out with Jeff Hornacek. The past two days, Fesenko has gone over early before evening practice to work on his shooting and post moves with Hornacek.
I thought it could only be viewed as a positive, but Sloan took issue with Fesenko's conditioning, saying that he was nowhere near where he should be in his second season and that it was contributing to him being constantly behind.
Hearing this, I'm not confident Fesenko will be a contributor in any way this season. It also makes Kosta Koufos' development that much more important.
In a way, Koufos is two first-round picks in one. If the Jazz finish with the NBA's seventh-best record or better this season, they will send their 2009 first-round draft pick to Philadelphia to complete the Kyle Korver trade.
(That pick, which is protected Nos. 1-22 this season, has since been sent from Philadelphia to Minnesota as part of the Rodney Carney/Calvin Booth deal that freed up cap space for the Sixers to sign Elton Brand.)
Assuming the Jazz don't have a first-round pick in 2009, that means Morris Almond, Fesenko and Koufos will account for three years' worth of picks. You'd like to hope one of them becomes a contributor.
So far, Almond has set D-League scoring records but seen little time with the Jazz. Fesenko showed up blond to the Rocky Mountain Revue and looked worse this summer than last. Koufos is only 19 and will be judged accordingly.
* * *
We get our first actual look at the Jazz with their open practice Thursday night. A lot of people mistakenly think we get to watch the team practice every day. Actually, we talk to the players before practice and have to leave soon after they start stretching.
One of our editors asked me today how Knight has looked so far. My best answer? Short.
A year ago, several of you voiced complaints that I failed to provide a more detailed report from the open practice in Boise. Ladies and gentlemen of the blog, I have listened to your complaints and promise to do better Thursday night.
--Ross Siler
Sloan staged what was by all accounts a killer morning practice. Kyrylo Fesenko said it was basically one set of sprints after another. "He made them pay for it this morning in practice," said Deron Williams, who was held out along with Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko.
Williams, by the way, said the communication between himself and Brevin Knight has been great so far. "He's definitely a guy that's going to help out this team, I think, leadership-wise and just keeping guys together," Williams said.
* * *
I was absolutely surprised by the response I got from Sloan after asking about Fesenko working out with Jeff Hornacek. The past two days, Fesenko has gone over early before evening practice to work on his shooting and post moves with Hornacek.
I thought it could only be viewed as a positive, but Sloan took issue with Fesenko's conditioning, saying that he was nowhere near where he should be in his second season and that it was contributing to him being constantly behind.
Hearing this, I'm not confident Fesenko will be a contributor in any way this season. It also makes Kosta Koufos' development that much more important.
In a way, Koufos is two first-round picks in one. If the Jazz finish with the NBA's seventh-best record or better this season, they will send their 2009 first-round draft pick to Philadelphia to complete the Kyle Korver trade.
(That pick, which is protected Nos. 1-22 this season, has since been sent from Philadelphia to Minnesota as part of the Rodney Carney/Calvin Booth deal that freed up cap space for the Sixers to sign Elton Brand.)
Assuming the Jazz don't have a first-round pick in 2009, that means Morris Almond, Fesenko and Koufos will account for three years' worth of picks. You'd like to hope one of them becomes a contributor.
So far, Almond has set D-League scoring records but seen little time with the Jazz. Fesenko showed up blond to the Rocky Mountain Revue and looked worse this summer than last. Koufos is only 19 and will be judged accordingly.
* * *
We get our first actual look at the Jazz with their open practice Thursday night. A lot of people mistakenly think we get to watch the team practice every day. Actually, we talk to the players before practice and have to leave soon after they start stretching.
One of our editors asked me today how Knight has looked so far. My best answer? Short.
A year ago, several of you voiced complaints that I failed to provide a more detailed report from the open practice in Boise. Ladies and gentlemen of the blog, I have listened to your complaints and promise to do better Thursday night.
--Ross Siler
8:49 PM
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3 Comments:
You said that Morris, Fes and Kosta will account for 3 years worth of picks. Where do Tadija and Tomic fit in?
Hey Ross,
My name is Jonny, and I'm hoping to interview you for a season preview series that I'm currently doing for thelakersnation.com if you are interested, my e-mail address is lerntuspeel@gmail.com
for examples of interviews in the series please take a look at this http://thelakersnation.com/blog/category/jonnys-take/preseason-perspective/
If you are too busy then I understand, but I would very much like to do this interview with you, especially considering your previous lakers ties.
Either way, I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
Jonny
What happened in the open to the public scrimmage that took place tonight that started at 6 p.m. in Boise State University's Taco Bell Arena.
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