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I am not sure where the optimism is coming from about making noise in the playoffs next year.

My hope is in the next 2-5 years, but with the West being so tough we will have to wait and see.

We'll make the playoffs this year, possibly get swept though.

Playoff contenders??? I say maybe in 2 years if Favors turns into a stud.

I'm torn between making the playoffs this year, as opposed to having two lottery picks.......

But there's absolutely no reason why we shouldn't make the playoffs next year, if we resign AK and keep Harris and Watson......

A team of Millsap, AK, Jefferson, Hayward, Harris with a bench of CJ, Memo, Favors, Watson, Bell (if we don't trade him) and two lottery picks and a free agent should easily challenge for a playoff berth.......

This year could miss the playoffs, not cause we don't have the talent, but because we basically have 9 players that we didn't have last year, not to mention Okur practically being a no show this season. On top of that the coaching change. Once Favors and Hayward start to blossom, this team is going to be a force to reckon with, especially with the two first rounders we got from the Nets. This team will continue to be a first round exit for like 2 more years, but then we could definitely start going further.

red4hf wrote:I'm torn between making the playoffs this year, as opposed to having two lottery picks.......

But there's absolutely no reason why we shouldn't make the playoffs next year, if we resign AK and keep Harris and Watson......

A team of Millsap, AK, Jefferson, Hayward, Harris with a bench of CJ, Memo, Favors, Watson, Bell (if we don't trade him) and two lottery picks and a free agent should easily challenge for a playoff berth.......

That has to be the deepest 10 player rotation in the league. The only lineup I think of that tops that is Bell.

On a serious note, should we offer Oden a deal this year? Don't get me wrong, for the right price since it's high risk, but if it's like 2-3 years, I don't mind overpaying, as long as we have enough money
to retain Favors and Hayward, well if they're worth it.

Just imagine if it were successful...

Oden
Favors
Kirilenko
Hayward
Harris

could be scary, especially if we get one of the top 3 picks in 2011.

I read somewhere that KOC is determined to make sure Ty doesn't have to coach a "20 win team". Even if we dont make it this year, hate him or love him, KOC has always been fantastic at getting guys we need on the floor to be a winning team.

EDIT: my point is, i honestly think we'll make it this year and next, even if its 7-8th seed.

seejaydeja wrote:I read somewhere that KOC is determined to make sure Ty doesn't have to coach a "20 win team". Even if we dont make it this year, hate him or love him, KOC has always been fantastic at getting guys we need on the floor to be a winning team.

EDIT: my point is, i honestly think we'll make it this year and next, even if its 7-8th seed.

I agree that KOC has done the best he can with the small market situation. Sure if Malone and Stockton would of missed the 1996-97 season, we could of got Duncan too, but we never had that kind of fortune.

I think Memo is done. Counting on him for meaningful minutes is not wise (sad to say, as he was easily one of my favorites 2 years ago).

I think the Jazz are in for a difficult road. Its been more than two decades since we last truly rebuilt.

I hope Favors becomes a stud and we find a once in a decade type player with one of our lottery picks. If one of these scenarios doesn't work out....then I think we'll be the Wizards of the West for a while.....

Isn't it possible that we miss the playoffs AND lose our pick? As it stand now we are the 17th pick AND one half game out of the playoffs.

QuantumMacgyver wrote:Isn't it possible that we miss the playoffs AND lose our pick? As it stand now we are the 17th pick AND one half game out of the playoffs.

30 teams in the NBA.

16 make the playoffs.

14 don't. These teams go into the lottery.

The worst lottery pick is 14.

Harris surprises everyone how good he really is and not a drop off from Dwill and actually pushes the ball much better and plays much better defense. If AK-47 can re-gain his outside shooting touch he had early in the season and Bell continues to plays like he has off late, the Jazz make the playoffs and I wouldnt want to play them in the playoffs.

Harris should be an improvement defensively, for sure. But his versatility isn't anywhere near Deron's offensively, obviously. Our only shot at success may be to run non-stop right now.

I really think we are all going to be surprised at how good a player Harris is.
I also think we are going to see a better chemistry.
This year, is a toss up. Next year this team goes into the second round.

The one thing I still think needs to happen is moving CJ for a more consistent shooter.

HappyProle wrote:

QuantumMacgyver wrote:Isn't it possible that we miss the playoffs AND lose our pick? As it stand now we are the 17th pick AND one half game out of the playoffs.

30 teams in the NBA.

16 make the playoffs.

14 don't. These teams go into the lottery.

The worst lottery pick is 14.

RIght, but isn't the pick top 16 protected? So if we are the 17th worst team and miss the playoffs, doesn't that mean we lose the pick as well? Am I missing something?

The 15th pick and some playoff experience (and some money for the coffers that could prevent salary dumps) is FARRRRRRRRRRR superior to the 14th pick and a half percent chance of moving up.

I hope I'm wrong on this one. It would be a pleasant surprise.

But my current thinking is the Jazz have a 1:5 sot of making the playoffs this year. I just don't see it happening at all.

The great thing about this trade is it prevented the Jazz from falling into the depths of playoff-drought hell for years to come. I like that the Jazz didn't make any other moves just to make a move. I think the players realize that everyone is on the trading block, and the rest of this season will be one of evaluation by management and Corbin. The Jazz now have assets in place to kind of mold a team again. I think a HUGE investment would be to pay Karl Malone to teach Favors. I don't think Karl would like being a full-time assistant, but maybe in something the capacity that Hornacek has been for the Jazz the past few years.

The Jazz will be fine and none of us fans or anybody else has to speculate whether Deron will re-sign, what we will do when he leaves....We got the tools. The rest of this season is all evaluation. If we wake the playoffs, that's just icing on the cake.

CarrKeefe wrote:The great thing about this trade is it prevented the Jazz from falling into the depths of playoff-drought hell for years to come.

I set up the original poll to stay open through the end of March, and it looks like you can change your vote. I was quite surprised that the majority voted that the Jazz would make the playoffs this year. Doesn't look like that is going to happen, if we maintain the status quo.

The sad part is that we could be headed "into the depths of playoff-drought hell for years to come".

- Playoffs this season is a fantasy. It just won't happen, players are mentally dead and Corbin/Layden proved to have no character to even touch Sloan's rotation... Even if that's not itself bad, it shows they're followers, not leaders.... "Player's coaches" my a$$$$$.... Jordan needed a player's coach, Bryant needs a player's coach... Millsap, Miles, Bell, Hayward, Kirilenko need a Coach.

- Sadly enough, Jazz are on their way to get the 6th/7th and the 12th/13th picks on a extremely weak draft... that's not good enough to rebuild...

- Keepers: Jefferson, Millsap, Favors, Evans, Hayward
- Keeper (for the right contract): Kirilenko
- Don't know yet what to do with: Harris
- Done: Okur
- The rest of them (thanks for their services and wish them luck): Bell, Miles, Watson, Price, Elson, Fesenko

- Jazz need a full guard/wing new crop and a center; it will take more than a season...

You wouldn't want to keep Watson on for the minimum, space? I think he's been a solid veteran in general. Agree with the rest (though I'd put Harris in the keeper category for now).