Midseason grades
With the Jazz officially reaching the 41-game mark with Saturday's loss to Dallas, it's time to compile a midseason report card. Feel free to offer your own opinions as well. The Jazz have underachieved relative to their preseason expectations and probably overachieved at the same time considering all their injuries. It's hard to believe, but they actually were a game worse last season at the midpoint than they are this season at 24-17.
The report card:
Paul Millsap - - A
Comment: As much as Millsap improved his first two years in Utah, the Jazz couldn't have expected this kind of leap with Carlos Boozer out. Millsap's productivity has helped keep the Jazz afloat even with Boozer missing 29 games and counting. More than just a rebounder who cleans up around the basket, Millsap has shown a greatly expanded game, especially in regard to his shooting. He's also regularly outplayed elite power forwards around the league from Kevin Garnett to David West. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan already is talking about playing Millsap for stretches as a small forward to maximize his minutes once Boozer returns. It will be interesting heading into the second half to see how long it takes Millsap to overcome his two knee injuries as well as how high he can push his free-agent value this summer.
Deron Williams - - B-plus
Comment: Expectations for Williams had to be reset in a hurry after he went down a sprained left ankle during that preseason game in Chicago. Williams probably never expected to struggle so much the season after he played in the Olympics and signed a max contract but it's been the case. As Sloan noted, Williams never has had to deal with a serious injury before in his career. He missed 13 games officially with the injury and still wasn't playing like his former self well into December. But Williams appears to have turned the corner the past couple of weeks and has averaged 26.3 points and 11.8 assists the last four games. Williams also has talked more and more about taking leadership of the Jazz to try to break through and win on the road.
Ronnie Brewer - - B
Comment: After being used exclusively as a first- and third-quarter player last season, Brewer got the opportunity to play an expanded role with Kyle Korver struggling to start this season. He has gotten the opportunity to play more, including back-to-back 43- and 38-minute games on the Jazz's most recent trip. But Brewer has yet to find a consistent role. As always, the things to watch remain his shooting and defense. Has he done enough to push the Jazz to talk about a contract extension this summer?
Andrei Kirilenko - - B
Comment: An early Sixth Man of the Year candidate, Kirilenko's productivity tailed off after he suffered a finger injury in November followed by an irritated ankle in December. His shooting also has suffered in the bench role, with Kirilenko hitting only 11 of 44 three-pointers this season. It seems inevitable that the Jazz will consider returning Kirilenko to the starting lineup at some point in the second half of the season, especially if their pattern of slow starts continues. As is the case with Mehmet Okur, the Jazz also could benefit from greater consistency out of Kirilenko night in and night out.
Kyle Korver - - B
Comment: The numbers say that Korver has shot 38.6 percent from three-point range, but for whatever reason it feels as if he's had a down year shooting. Some of that has to do with an injured right wrist that was still bothering him into December. Korver also hasn't had the same automatic fourth-quarter role as he did last season after coming to the Jazz. There's a fourth-quarter role just waiting for Brewer, Miles or Korver to claim . . . and they might want to do so in a hurry before Boozer returns and Sloan has to find creative ways to get Millsap on the floor.
C.J. Miles - - B
Comment: When the Jazz matched the offer sheet he signed with Oklahoma City this summer, Miles never envisioned that he'd be starting after finishing last season out of the rotation. The Jazz made a $14.8 million investment in Miles and have tried to give him a chance to prove what he can do. He's on the verge of averaging double-digit scoring, but still has to win over Sloan with his defense, shot selection and conditioning. But Miles has had an expanded role over the 15 minutes a game it appeared he would average starting the season as a placeholder for Kirilenko coming off the bench.
Mehmet Okur - - B
Comment: Nobody knows just how troubled Okur has been with his father ailing in Turkey or how bothered he has been with his back. He has been the Jazz's leading scorer this season with Boozer out and had a strong second half last season. Okur had a streak of five consecutive 20-point games, including his career-high 43 against Indiana, before scoring 9, 13 and 23 on the Jazz's most recent trip. One question is whether Okur will lose minutes in favor of Boozer and Millsap once Boozer returns from his left knee injury.
Ronnie Price - - B
Comment: It took 50 games for Price to find his role last season. Maybe this season will be more of the same. He's tended to be used either all or nothing as a player, starting in Miles' absence and playing major minutes with Williams injured or falling out of the rotation altogether. Price brings an unmistakable energy to the game and (along with Knight) helped the Jazz stay afloat when Williams was out with a sprained ankle. Sloan seems to have concluded, though, that Knight, not Price, will be the Jazz's No. 2 point guard.
Brevin Knight - - B-minus
Comment: Knight has been an upgrade over Jason Hart - - especially when it comes to the two-for-one possession game at the end of the first and third quarters. He helped keep the Jazz together at the start of the season with Williams injured as well. He played major minutes in Charlotte and with the L.A. Clippers the last four seasons, but has not complained about a limited role with the Jazz. He should get a greater taste of the playoffs than he's ever had before in his career.
Kosta Koufos - - C-plus
Comment: Nobody expected a 19-year-old rookie to play this much, but Koufos has endeared himself to Sloan with his hard work. He has shown range on his jumper and surprising athleticism in addition to playing well when being thrown in the fire. Koufos does have a tendency to get lost in the offense and defense. The question is whether Sloan will trust Koufos to handle more as the season goes on or less as the games become more critical.
Jarron Collins - - C
Comment: Collins season was setback from the start when he flipped a golf cart this summer and injured his right elbow. He has been out of the rotation since returning and didn't hit his first shot of the season until Jan. 16. If the Jazz need a backup center going forward, the question is whether Sloan will go with the veteran in Collins or the rookie in Koufos?
Matt Harpring - - C
Comment: Credit to Harpring for making it back from a devastating ankle infection that cost him the entire preseason for the second consecutive season. He hasn't been able to reclaim his old minutes, but Sloan has been turning more and more to Harpring to hit shots off the bench and bring some general toughness to the court.
Morris Almond - - Inc.
Comment: Strangely enough, as soon as Almond had his contract option declined for 2009-10, he started to earn playing time from coach Jerry Sloan. Almond already has played six times as much this season than he did as a rookie. He'll have to prove he's better than a 39.2 percent shooter to stay in the league. It will be interesting to see if Almond makes a trip to the D-League should the Jazz get healthier the second half of the season or if he's moved before the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
Carlos Boozer - - Inc.
Comment: The Jazz have been able to play Williams and Boozer in the same lineup for all of two games this season. There is no guarantee when Boozer will return from his left knee injury, but the Jazz are hopeful it will be in time to make a push at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. Boozer needs to prove he is healthy and finish the season strong if he has any hope of a raise in what is expected to be a down free-agent market.
Kyrylo Fesenko - - Inc.
Comment: Currently in the NBA Development League, Fesenko showed flashes of his potential with his 12-point, 11-rebound effort against Yao Ming and Houston on Dec. 27. The Jazz originally committed to developing Fesenko over three years, but they hold an option in his contract for next season. Fesenko will need to prove the investment is worth continuing. Sloan has praised his improved seriousness in recent weeks.
--Ross Siler
The report card:
Paul Millsap - - A
Comment: As much as Millsap improved his first two years in Utah, the Jazz couldn't have expected this kind of leap with Carlos Boozer out. Millsap's productivity has helped keep the Jazz afloat even with Boozer missing 29 games and counting. More than just a rebounder who cleans up around the basket, Millsap has shown a greatly expanded game, especially in regard to his shooting. He's also regularly outplayed elite power forwards around the league from Kevin Garnett to David West. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan already is talking about playing Millsap for stretches as a small forward to maximize his minutes once Boozer returns. It will be interesting heading into the second half to see how long it takes Millsap to overcome his two knee injuries as well as how high he can push his free-agent value this summer.
Deron Williams - - B-plus
Comment: Expectations for Williams had to be reset in a hurry after he went down a sprained left ankle during that preseason game in Chicago. Williams probably never expected to struggle so much the season after he played in the Olympics and signed a max contract but it's been the case. As Sloan noted, Williams never has had to deal with a serious injury before in his career. He missed 13 games officially with the injury and still wasn't playing like his former self well into December. But Williams appears to have turned the corner the past couple of weeks and has averaged 26.3 points and 11.8 assists the last four games. Williams also has talked more and more about taking leadership of the Jazz to try to break through and win on the road.
Ronnie Brewer - - B
Comment: After being used exclusively as a first- and third-quarter player last season, Brewer got the opportunity to play an expanded role with Kyle Korver struggling to start this season. He has gotten the opportunity to play more, including back-to-back 43- and 38-minute games on the Jazz's most recent trip. But Brewer has yet to find a consistent role. As always, the things to watch remain his shooting and defense. Has he done enough to push the Jazz to talk about a contract extension this summer?
Andrei Kirilenko - - B
Comment: An early Sixth Man of the Year candidate, Kirilenko's productivity tailed off after he suffered a finger injury in November followed by an irritated ankle in December. His shooting also has suffered in the bench role, with Kirilenko hitting only 11 of 44 three-pointers this season. It seems inevitable that the Jazz will consider returning Kirilenko to the starting lineup at some point in the second half of the season, especially if their pattern of slow starts continues. As is the case with Mehmet Okur, the Jazz also could benefit from greater consistency out of Kirilenko night in and night out.
Kyle Korver - - B
Comment: The numbers say that Korver has shot 38.6 percent from three-point range, but for whatever reason it feels as if he's had a down year shooting. Some of that has to do with an injured right wrist that was still bothering him into December. Korver also hasn't had the same automatic fourth-quarter role as he did last season after coming to the Jazz. There's a fourth-quarter role just waiting for Brewer, Miles or Korver to claim . . . and they might want to do so in a hurry before Boozer returns and Sloan has to find creative ways to get Millsap on the floor.
C.J. Miles - - B
Comment: When the Jazz matched the offer sheet he signed with Oklahoma City this summer, Miles never envisioned that he'd be starting after finishing last season out of the rotation. The Jazz made a $14.8 million investment in Miles and have tried to give him a chance to prove what he can do. He's on the verge of averaging double-digit scoring, but still has to win over Sloan with his defense, shot selection and conditioning. But Miles has had an expanded role over the 15 minutes a game it appeared he would average starting the season as a placeholder for Kirilenko coming off the bench.
Mehmet Okur - - B
Comment: Nobody knows just how troubled Okur has been with his father ailing in Turkey or how bothered he has been with his back. He has been the Jazz's leading scorer this season with Boozer out and had a strong second half last season. Okur had a streak of five consecutive 20-point games, including his career-high 43 against Indiana, before scoring 9, 13 and 23 on the Jazz's most recent trip. One question is whether Okur will lose minutes in favor of Boozer and Millsap once Boozer returns from his left knee injury.
Ronnie Price - - B
Comment: It took 50 games for Price to find his role last season. Maybe this season will be more of the same. He's tended to be used either all or nothing as a player, starting in Miles' absence and playing major minutes with Williams injured or falling out of the rotation altogether. Price brings an unmistakable energy to the game and (along with Knight) helped the Jazz stay afloat when Williams was out with a sprained ankle. Sloan seems to have concluded, though, that Knight, not Price, will be the Jazz's No. 2 point guard.
Brevin Knight - - B-minus
Comment: Knight has been an upgrade over Jason Hart - - especially when it comes to the two-for-one possession game at the end of the first and third quarters. He helped keep the Jazz together at the start of the season with Williams injured as well. He played major minutes in Charlotte and with the L.A. Clippers the last four seasons, but has not complained about a limited role with the Jazz. He should get a greater taste of the playoffs than he's ever had before in his career.
Kosta Koufos - - C-plus
Comment: Nobody expected a 19-year-old rookie to play this much, but Koufos has endeared himself to Sloan with his hard work. He has shown range on his jumper and surprising athleticism in addition to playing well when being thrown in the fire. Koufos does have a tendency to get lost in the offense and defense. The question is whether Sloan will trust Koufos to handle more as the season goes on or less as the games become more critical.
Jarron Collins - - C
Comment: Collins season was setback from the start when he flipped a golf cart this summer and injured his right elbow. He has been out of the rotation since returning and didn't hit his first shot of the season until Jan. 16. If the Jazz need a backup center going forward, the question is whether Sloan will go with the veteran in Collins or the rookie in Koufos?
Matt Harpring - - C
Comment: Credit to Harpring for making it back from a devastating ankle infection that cost him the entire preseason for the second consecutive season. He hasn't been able to reclaim his old minutes, but Sloan has been turning more and more to Harpring to hit shots off the bench and bring some general toughness to the court.
Morris Almond - - Inc.
Comment: Strangely enough, as soon as Almond had his contract option declined for 2009-10, he started to earn playing time from coach Jerry Sloan. Almond already has played six times as much this season than he did as a rookie. He'll have to prove he's better than a 39.2 percent shooter to stay in the league. It will be interesting to see if Almond makes a trip to the D-League should the Jazz get healthier the second half of the season or if he's moved before the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
Carlos Boozer - - Inc.
Comment: The Jazz have been able to play Williams and Boozer in the same lineup for all of two games this season. There is no guarantee when Boozer will return from his left knee injury, but the Jazz are hopeful it will be in time to make a push at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. Boozer needs to prove he is healthy and finish the season strong if he has any hope of a raise in what is expected to be a down free-agent market.
Kyrylo Fesenko - - Inc.
Comment: Currently in the NBA Development League, Fesenko showed flashes of his potential with his 12-point, 11-rebound effort against Yao Ming and Houston on Dec. 27. The Jazz originally committed to developing Fesenko over three years, but they hold an option in his contract for next season. Fesenko will need to prove the investment is worth continuing. Sloan has praised his improved seriousness in recent weeks.
--Ross Siler
1:42 AM
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