Boozer jerseys now 50 percent off at Fanzz
If you wandered into the Fanzz store at the Gateway on Monday, you might have been struck by the apparent disconnect between the Jazz's acceptance of Carlos Boozer's return this season and the row of Boozer jerseys on sale for 50 percent off.
That's right, the Jazz's chain of team stores has marked down those $80 Boozer jerseys in half. They're available in home white, road navy, alternate light blue and a white/brown combination I'd never before seen. Kids sizes, too.
Jerseys for Deron WIlliams, Paul Millsap, Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmet Okur and Ronnie Brewer remain full price. Kyle Korver jerseys are 25 percent off, likely because the Jazz ordered one for every man, woman and child along the Wasatch Front.
I'm not sure what message the Jazz have been trying to send about the possibility of a Boozer return, but having a sale on his jerseys suggests that he isn't long for Utah.
It's seemingly in the best interest of Boozer and the Jazz to split like Jon and Kate before the season, but the Jazz maintain that they won't trade Boozer just for the sake of doing so.
They believe that having Jerry Sloan as coach will minimize the potential Boozer distractions and that Boozer needs to have a strong season to boost his value heading into free agency next summer.
That is true, but putting up numbers and being invested in the Jazz's season are different propositions. As a pending free agent, Boozer will be linked to teams all season and face questions about his interest in playing for every team with cap space next summer.
If Boozer returns, the issue also will have to be addressed of whether the Jazz were unable to deliver on the trade he says they agreed on. Or Boozer will be branded as a player who tried to force his way out of Utah by mischaracterizing his conversations with the team.
There is no middle ground between those two positions, based on what has been said this summer. If the Jazz believe the latter, then it raises questions about why they would want to start the season with Boozer on the roster.
The Jazz lived through a similar fiasco two summers ago with Andrei Kirilenko's trade demand, but were able to reach an understanding with Kirilenko before leaving for camp, thanks to a meeting between Kevin O'Connor, Sloan and the Russian forward.
The difference with Boozer, however, is night and day. While Kirilenko could be characterized as emotional and enjoyed the support of ownership, Boozer's comments have been calculated and very likely manipulative.
In addition, there are questions about what kind of support Boozer enjoys from ownership, given Greg Miller's comments earlier this summer criticizing his defense and leadership.
The Jazz were prepared to watch Boozer walk before he decided June 30 to play the final year of his contract. They also would get a zero return by welcoming back Boozer for a season before he signs elsewhere as a free agent next summer.
Now it's getting increasingly difficult to see how a Boozer trade will materialize, especially in the wake of Heat president Pat Riley's comments last week.
By my count, no fewer than seven teams have been linked to Boozer this summer - - Chicago, Miami, Detroit, New York, New Jersey, Houston and Memphis - - and the Jazz seemingly have found a road block at every turn.
They don't want to make a straight salary dump, despite their $82 million payroll and $12 million luxury tax bill, and they don't want to take on a long-term salary commitment, much as New Orleans did in acquiring Emeka Okafor from Charlotte.
But there is little incentive for teams to give up assets when they could be in position to sign Boozer next summer. The wild card remains whether Dwyane Wade expresses interest in signing an extension in Miami if the Heat make a push for Boozer.
O'Connor is on vacation this week, but at some point this month, I expect the Jazz either will trade Boozer or quietly make it known that they'll head to training camp with him on the roster.
That would set the stage for a most awkward reconciliation. Even after the initial crush of the first day back, the Jazz will leave for Europe in the preseason, where there will be no shortage of Boozer stories, considering their opponent in London will be the Bulls.
In the meantime, if you're not interested in one of those Boozer jerseys, Fanzz has a pretty cool Bulls' T-shirt in honor of Sloan, with his name and old No. 4 on the back.
--Ross Siler
That's right, the Jazz's chain of team stores has marked down those $80 Boozer jerseys in half. They're available in home white, road navy, alternate light blue and a white/brown combination I'd never before seen. Kids sizes, too.
Jerseys for Deron WIlliams, Paul Millsap, Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmet Okur and Ronnie Brewer remain full price. Kyle Korver jerseys are 25 percent off, likely because the Jazz ordered one for every man, woman and child along the Wasatch Front.
I'm not sure what message the Jazz have been trying to send about the possibility of a Boozer return, but having a sale on his jerseys suggests that he isn't long for Utah.
It's seemingly in the best interest of Boozer and the Jazz to split like Jon and Kate before the season, but the Jazz maintain that they won't trade Boozer just for the sake of doing so.
They believe that having Jerry Sloan as coach will minimize the potential Boozer distractions and that Boozer needs to have a strong season to boost his value heading into free agency next summer.
That is true, but putting up numbers and being invested in the Jazz's season are different propositions. As a pending free agent, Boozer will be linked to teams all season and face questions about his interest in playing for every team with cap space next summer.
If Boozer returns, the issue also will have to be addressed of whether the Jazz were unable to deliver on the trade he says they agreed on. Or Boozer will be branded as a player who tried to force his way out of Utah by mischaracterizing his conversations with the team.
There is no middle ground between those two positions, based on what has been said this summer. If the Jazz believe the latter, then it raises questions about why they would want to start the season with Boozer on the roster.
The Jazz lived through a similar fiasco two summers ago with Andrei Kirilenko's trade demand, but were able to reach an understanding with Kirilenko before leaving for camp, thanks to a meeting between Kevin O'Connor, Sloan and the Russian forward.
The difference with Boozer, however, is night and day. While Kirilenko could be characterized as emotional and enjoyed the support of ownership, Boozer's comments have been calculated and very likely manipulative.
In addition, there are questions about what kind of support Boozer enjoys from ownership, given Greg Miller's comments earlier this summer criticizing his defense and leadership.
The Jazz were prepared to watch Boozer walk before he decided June 30 to play the final year of his contract. They also would get a zero return by welcoming back Boozer for a season before he signs elsewhere as a free agent next summer.
Now it's getting increasingly difficult to see how a Boozer trade will materialize, especially in the wake of Heat president Pat Riley's comments last week.
By my count, no fewer than seven teams have been linked to Boozer this summer - - Chicago, Miami, Detroit, New York, New Jersey, Houston and Memphis - - and the Jazz seemingly have found a road block at every turn.
They don't want to make a straight salary dump, despite their $82 million payroll and $12 million luxury tax bill, and they don't want to take on a long-term salary commitment, much as New Orleans did in acquiring Emeka Okafor from Charlotte.
But there is little incentive for teams to give up assets when they could be in position to sign Boozer next summer. The wild card remains whether Dwyane Wade expresses interest in signing an extension in Miami if the Heat make a push for Boozer.
O'Connor is on vacation this week, but at some point this month, I expect the Jazz either will trade Boozer or quietly make it known that they'll head to training camp with him on the roster.
That would set the stage for a most awkward reconciliation. Even after the initial crush of the first day back, the Jazz will leave for Europe in the preseason, where there will be no shortage of Boozer stories, considering their opponent in London will be the Bulls.
In the meantime, if you're not interested in one of those Boozer jerseys, Fanzz has a pretty cool Bulls' T-shirt in honor of Sloan, with his name and old No. 4 on the back.
--Ross Siler
11:14 AM
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6 Comments:
the jerseys are so cheep because Jazz fans don't like him, and don't want them. I saw them on sale near the end of last season as well- it's not a new event.
Ross, as always, thanks for your keen insight and thoughts....keep up the good work!
I discovered fanzz.com last week in searching for Utah Jazz gear. As a diehard Jazz fan in Rochester, NY, you probably can't find a better online store.
Why don't Utah work a sign and trade with the NY Knicks for David Lee and/ or another player or draft pick for Carlos Boozer? Both clubs are getting desperate.
Why don't Utah work a sign and trade with the NY Knicks for David Lee and/ or another player or draft pick for Carlos Boozer? Both clubs are ready to move on with those players.
Hilarious! The Trail Blazers have been selling Martell Webster jerseys for half-price for the past 2 years... and he's still on the roster.
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