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Chad Ford of ESPN gave an "A" to the 2011-2012 Utah Jazz... He thinks the Jazz are basically doing the impossible by building a playoff team while developing our young guys for the future.

UTAH JAZZ
Key additions: Enes Kanter (draft), Josh Howard (FA), Alec Burks (draft)

Key subtractions: Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Price

Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor never gets the credit he's deserved all of these years in Utah. No one has figured out how to completely rebuild a roster as quickly and thoroughly as O'Connor has. O'Connor made the boldest move of anyone at last season's trade deadline when he abruptly traded Deron Williams to the Nets for Derrick Favors and draft picks.

O'Connor used one of those assets to draft Enes Kanter with the No. 3 pick. Then he used his own pick to bring in Alec Burks. Put those two players together with Favors and last year's lottery pick Gordon Hayward and the Jazz suddenly have one of the best young cores in the NBA. All four players have the ability to be All-Stars if they live up to their potential.

What makes O'Connor one of the best in the business is that he's doing the rebuilding while still putting a respectable team on the floor. He has solid veterans like Devin Harris, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson still on the roster and added more depth by getting Josh Howard on a super cheap deal.

It's rare that you'll find a team that can compete for a playoff spot and be developing four excellent prospects at the same time. O'Connor has pulled that off this year.

GRADE: A

I can't say I disagree. I don't think they'll make the playoffs, but it will be close. IMHO, the beginning of the season could be rough, but we should finish really well with our depth.

I'm gonna make a bold prediction. Unless the Lakers make a significant trade or pickup, the Utah Jazz will end the season with a better record than the Lakeshow. Utah Jazz= Depth in a compressed season. Lakers= One injury away from the lottery.

Quantum, you're forgetting that the Lakers still have a top 5 player in the league, not to mention Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

No way do the Jazz even sniff the Lakers record this year.

I have a feeling the Lakers roster will look significantly different mid season than it does now.

my bold prediction is not so bold. Lakers get 4th seed while Jazz get 8th seed.

Bat wrote:Quantum, you're forgetting that the Lakers still have a top 5 player in the league, not to mention Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

No way do the Jazz even sniff the Lakers record this year.

I know, I know. But I feel it in my fingers. I feel it in my toes. Too many things going wrong for the Lakeshow. No bench, no Lamar, no Phil, Meta World Peace. Seriously though, Kobe or Gasol is gonna miss a serious chunk of games, or at least be seriously handicapped for a serious chunk of games... seriously. I agree with Purch though, a move will be made.

And it isn't that I think the Jazz will have a great record. I just think the Lakers are one injury away from big trouble.

Bucks fan here.The Jazz look deep this year and will be fun to watch ,especially the continued improvement of Favours,you guys have a gem there. Good Luck

^^He's better than El Masri!^^^

YEAH MAN!!!!

QuantumMacgyver wrote:

Bat wrote:Quantum, you're forgetting that the Lakers still have a top 5 player in the league, not to mention Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

No way do the Jazz even sniff the Lakers record this year.

I know, I know. But I feel it in my fingers. I feel it in my toes. Too many things going wrong for the Lakeshow. No bench, no Lamar, no Phil, Meta World Peace. Seriously though, Kobe or Gasol is gonna miss a serious chunk of games, or at least be seriously handicapped for a serious chunk of games... seriously. I agree with Purch though, a move will be made.

And it isn't that I think the Jazz will have a great record. I just think the Lakers are one injury away from big trouble.

I think people are really underestimating how much the Lakers will miss Phil.

Yeah the Lakers are looking ugly.

No Phil Jackson.
No Lamar Odom
No Bynum out for 5 games
Kobe's divorce/surgery/older
No Shannon Brown

Oh they got an addition.. Troy Murphy.. yeah ok. This is not much of a team, and in a shortened season? I don't know if they will entirely miss the playoffs, but they will be a lot worse.

I think people will be surprised at what Murphy, but more so what Josh McRoberts will give them. Odom was a surprising self inflicted wound to be sure... but I like McRoberts and Murphy. Murphy is trying to revive his career after injuries ala Josh Howard, and McRoberts was a very good player sheltered in Indiana.

Not the worst turn of events for LA, and at a cheaper cost.

HappyProle wrote:

QuantumMacgyver wrote:

Bat wrote:Quantum, you're forgetting that the Lakers still have a top 5 player in the league, not to mention Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

No way do the Jazz even sniff the Lakers record this year.

I know, I know. But I feel it in my fingers. I feel it in my toes. Too many things going wrong for the Lakeshow. No bench, no Lamar, no Phil, Meta World Peace. Seriously though, Kobe or Gasol is gonna miss a serious chunk of games, or at least be seriously handicapped for a serious chunk of games... seriously. I agree with Purch though, a move will be made.

And it isn't that I think the Jazz will have a great record. I just think the Lakers are one injury away from big trouble.

I think people are really underestimating how much the Lakers will miss Phil.

Kinda like how much people are under estimating how much the Jazz will miss Jerry Sloan!