A month to go
Believe it or not, the Jazz will hold their first training camp practice a month from today on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Jazz are allowed to open camp three days earlier than other teams because of the preseason trip they're making to Europe.
This is the time of year when teams go quiet, by and large, but the Jazz still have several issues worth paying attention to in the next 30 days before camp opens:
1. Will they or won't they trade Carlos Boozer?
There's still much belief around the league that the Jazz will trade Boozer before the season. By the same measure, there's still much commitment on the Jazz's part not to make a deal simply for the sake of doing so. What the Jazz aren't going to do is set a deadline next month by which they will either trade Boozer or announce that he'll be with them to open camp. The Jazz believe it has been implicit, at least from their perspective, that Boozer would be back with them after his decision June 30 to play the final year of his contract at $12.7 million rather than opt for free agency. If a Boozer trade is going to happen before camp, the last possible window will come in the weeks after Labor Day when everybody is back from vacation. Among the teams believed to have expressed interest in Boozer this summer are Chicago, Miami, New York, Charlotte, New Jersey and Golden State. It's telling that general manager Kevin O'Connor has ridden out this storm for two months now, increasing the likelihood that he'll continue to do so into the season. The biggest questions are whether Boozer will be able to restore his value with a productive season and whether doing so with the Jazz wouldn't come at the expense of team chemistry.
2. Will Matt Harpring retire?
Harpring strongly suggested last month that he was on the verge of calling it a career, unable to overcome the effects of the ankle infection he suffered last summer. There's been no word since from Harpring, with O'Connor saying such a decision likely wouldn't come until the middle of September. "It's got to be his decision, whether he's ready or not," O'Connor said. "From a mental point of view, and also physically, can we depend on him?" Harpring's decision has implications for the Jazz's roster situation. The team currently has 13 players - - the minimum required - - under contract for this season. Even if Harpring can't play, the Jazz could keep him on the roster as an expiring contract and potentially attractive trade chip. The Jazz would have just 12 available players if they stay at 13 with Harpring, but their concerns are relatively minor if they do so. Mostly, they are concerned about their numbers for practice should a couple of players wind up nursing injuries. When it comes to games, the Jazz rarely go more than 10 deep most nights anyway. It's going to be different than last season, though, when the Jazz carried the maximum 15 players. O'Connor's preference always has been to leave at least one roster spot free in case the Jazz have to take back an extra player in a potential midseason trade.
3. What about Goran Suton?
The deadline for the Jazz to tender their second-round draft pick an offer sheet is Sept. 6. Suton is committed to going to camp with the Jazz and trying to make an NBA roster this season, according to his agent. It will be interesting to see whether he is offered any guaranteed money as part of the deal with the Jazz. If the Jazz end up bringing Suton to camp and then release him, he would be a free agent and could sign with any team. With a guaranteed contract or not, Suton could be the Jazz's 14th player, but that would leave them with a third young center joining Kosta Koufos and Kyrylo Fesenko. Suton, a Michigan State product, struggled in summer league but fits the mold of successful Jazz second-round picks of the past, namely as a proven worker. No matter how the Jazz's roster math comes together, you have to take into account that every dollar they spend - - even on a minimum contract - - is multiplied by two given their luxury-tax situation.
4. Kosta Koufos and the Greek national team
Had Koufos not missed summer league with a finger injury, we might have a better idea what kind of progress he'd made this off-season. Remember that Koufos played in only one game after the All-Star break. He's been in Greece and playing with the national team in advance of next month's European championships in Poland. Greece opens the tournament Sept. 7 against Macedonia, followed by games against Croatia and Israel. It will be easier to keep track of his play in those games, but just today he scored 10 points in a 71-63 tune-up victory over Russia. According to a report on FIBAEurope.com, Koufos and Nick Calathes were Greece's two leading scorers. That's encouraging. If Greece is one of the eight teams left playing on the final day of the European championships (Sept. 20), Koufos will have only six days between the end of the tournament and the start of training camp with the Jazz.
5. What happens with David Lee, Nate Robinson and Ramon Sessions?
I'm already tired of reading about the Knicks and this group of restricted free agents. (Of course, the rest of the league feels the same way about the Carlos Boozer saga, I'm sure.) As long as they hold the Knicks' 2010 unprotected first-round draft pick, the Jazz have a keen interest in what happens with Lee, Robinson and Sessions. The Knicks are in a tough spot in that they are trying to protect 2010 cap space, but they also can match any offer to Lee or Robinson. Will Lee or Robinson settle for their one-year qualifying offers, return to the Knicks and head back to the free agent market next summer or will they sign elsewhere for the midlevel exception? Such a deal could be tough for the Knicks to match if it is for two or more seasons. There might not be any resolution until the days before camp.
6. Anything else?
Don't forget that the Jazz will celebrate the Hall of Fame inductions of Jerry Sloan and John Stockton next month in Springfield, Mass. We're still waiting to see whether Jarron Collins is officially done in Utah or if he'll return for a ninth season with the Jazz. It's hard to imagine a Jazz team without Harpring or Collins, but that just might be the case. The Jazz also could explore signing Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer to contract extensions. So far, only Andrea Bargnani and Brandon Roy have signed extensions from the 2006 draft class. The last time I checked with Brewer's agent, Henry Thomas, the Jazz had yet to start discussions. They have until Oct. 31 to come to an agreement, otherwise Brewer would be a restricted free agent next summer. The Jazz also have to exercise the third-year option in Koufos' contract by the end of October.
--Ross Siler
This is the time of year when teams go quiet, by and large, but the Jazz still have several issues worth paying attention to in the next 30 days before camp opens:
1. Will they or won't they trade Carlos Boozer?
There's still much belief around the league that the Jazz will trade Boozer before the season. By the same measure, there's still much commitment on the Jazz's part not to make a deal simply for the sake of doing so. What the Jazz aren't going to do is set a deadline next month by which they will either trade Boozer or announce that he'll be with them to open camp. The Jazz believe it has been implicit, at least from their perspective, that Boozer would be back with them after his decision June 30 to play the final year of his contract at $12.7 million rather than opt for free agency. If a Boozer trade is going to happen before camp, the last possible window will come in the weeks after Labor Day when everybody is back from vacation. Among the teams believed to have expressed interest in Boozer this summer are Chicago, Miami, New York, Charlotte, New Jersey and Golden State. It's telling that general manager Kevin O'Connor has ridden out this storm for two months now, increasing the likelihood that he'll continue to do so into the season. The biggest questions are whether Boozer will be able to restore his value with a productive season and whether doing so with the Jazz wouldn't come at the expense of team chemistry.
2. Will Matt Harpring retire?
Harpring strongly suggested last month that he was on the verge of calling it a career, unable to overcome the effects of the ankle infection he suffered last summer. There's been no word since from Harpring, with O'Connor saying such a decision likely wouldn't come until the middle of September. "It's got to be his decision, whether he's ready or not," O'Connor said. "From a mental point of view, and also physically, can we depend on him?" Harpring's decision has implications for the Jazz's roster situation. The team currently has 13 players - - the minimum required - - under contract for this season. Even if Harpring can't play, the Jazz could keep him on the roster as an expiring contract and potentially attractive trade chip. The Jazz would have just 12 available players if they stay at 13 with Harpring, but their concerns are relatively minor if they do so. Mostly, they are concerned about their numbers for practice should a couple of players wind up nursing injuries. When it comes to games, the Jazz rarely go more than 10 deep most nights anyway. It's going to be different than last season, though, when the Jazz carried the maximum 15 players. O'Connor's preference always has been to leave at least one roster spot free in case the Jazz have to take back an extra player in a potential midseason trade.
3. What about Goran Suton?
The deadline for the Jazz to tender their second-round draft pick an offer sheet is Sept. 6. Suton is committed to going to camp with the Jazz and trying to make an NBA roster this season, according to his agent. It will be interesting to see whether he is offered any guaranteed money as part of the deal with the Jazz. If the Jazz end up bringing Suton to camp and then release him, he would be a free agent and could sign with any team. With a guaranteed contract or not, Suton could be the Jazz's 14th player, but that would leave them with a third young center joining Kosta Koufos and Kyrylo Fesenko. Suton, a Michigan State product, struggled in summer league but fits the mold of successful Jazz second-round picks of the past, namely as a proven worker. No matter how the Jazz's roster math comes together, you have to take into account that every dollar they spend - - even on a minimum contract - - is multiplied by two given their luxury-tax situation.
4. Kosta Koufos and the Greek national team
Had Koufos not missed summer league with a finger injury, we might have a better idea what kind of progress he'd made this off-season. Remember that Koufos played in only one game after the All-Star break. He's been in Greece and playing with the national team in advance of next month's European championships in Poland. Greece opens the tournament Sept. 7 against Macedonia, followed by games against Croatia and Israel. It will be easier to keep track of his play in those games, but just today he scored 10 points in a 71-63 tune-up victory over Russia. According to a report on FIBAEurope.com, Koufos and Nick Calathes were Greece's two leading scorers. That's encouraging. If Greece is one of the eight teams left playing on the final day of the European championships (Sept. 20), Koufos will have only six days between the end of the tournament and the start of training camp with the Jazz.
5. What happens with David Lee, Nate Robinson and Ramon Sessions?
I'm already tired of reading about the Knicks and this group of restricted free agents. (Of course, the rest of the league feels the same way about the Carlos Boozer saga, I'm sure.) As long as they hold the Knicks' 2010 unprotected first-round draft pick, the Jazz have a keen interest in what happens with Lee, Robinson and Sessions. The Knicks are in a tough spot in that they are trying to protect 2010 cap space, but they also can match any offer to Lee or Robinson. Will Lee or Robinson settle for their one-year qualifying offers, return to the Knicks and head back to the free agent market next summer or will they sign elsewhere for the midlevel exception? Such a deal could be tough for the Knicks to match if it is for two or more seasons. There might not be any resolution until the days before camp.
6. Anything else?
Don't forget that the Jazz will celebrate the Hall of Fame inductions of Jerry Sloan and John Stockton next month in Springfield, Mass. We're still waiting to see whether Jarron Collins is officially done in Utah or if he'll return for a ninth season with the Jazz. It's hard to imagine a Jazz team without Harpring or Collins, but that just might be the case. The Jazz also could explore signing Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer to contract extensions. So far, only Andrea Bargnani and Brandon Roy have signed extensions from the 2006 draft class. The last time I checked with Brewer's agent, Henry Thomas, the Jazz had yet to start discussions. They have until Oct. 31 to come to an agreement, otherwise Brewer would be a restricted free agent next summer. The Jazz also have to exercise the third-year option in Koufos' contract by the end of October.
--Ross Siler
10:22 AM
| 
4 Comments:
A Jazz team without Harpring or Collins would be ideal. Hard work isn't the only thing that wins games...talent does as well. The MLA (missed layup attempts) stat for these two hacks is something that, as fans, we've endured for far too long.
They did their time and I appreciate it but I'd rather see them go.
I really want to see Kosta Koufos have a breakout year. He was awesome in college, and if he showed that kind of talent and poise in the NBA, we'd see some significant improvements on this team. If Jazz management were smart, they should really work to develop this kid into something valuable, and let him play.
Great post, Ross! I appreciate your keen insight into the Jazz Organization, and I trust your comments and what you have to say! Keep up the good work!
What's the latest on the two European forwards the Jazz took in the second round a year ago. Salamander
Post a Comment
<< Home