Raja Bell-- why are you so terrible?

[Xsy]

14 points, 4 assists, 5 steals, and 8 rebounds total in 6 games.

He's literally a starting shooting guard who is shooting .261 from two and .167 from three.

I mean, he's not averaging starter minutes, and that's cool, but he's still averaging bench minutes, when in reality, he's earned nothing.

I know he's not taking a lot of cap space, but he's taking up a lot of Burks's minutes, and a lot of Hayward's minutes at the 2.

Burks has proven that even his seldom rookie mistakes are worth far much more than Bell's anything.

How much longer do we have to endure Bell for more than 10mpg?

[Jazzfan Bayamon]

14 points, 4 assists, 5 steals, and 8 rebounds total in 6 games.

He's literally a starting shooting guard who is shooting .261 from two and .167 from three.

I mean, he's not averaging starter minutes, and that's cool, but he's still averaging bench minutes, when in reality, he's earned nothing.

I know he's not taking a lot of cap space, but he's taking up a lot of Burks's minutes, and a lot of Hayward's minutes at the 2.

Burks has proven that even his seldom rookie mistakes are worth far much more than Bell's anything.

How much longer do we have to endure Bell for more than 10mpg?

Not only this, but the fact that we lose everytime he's on the court.

[woodstock17]

I think he is only getting minutes because Corbin is letting him work through it. Will he ever work through it? I don't know. I like raja and think that he could really help the team. But the last few games he hasn't hurt us too much because we have won. The moment he starts really hurting the team like last night Ty has taken him out. I'm ok with that. As long as Corbin is giving him limited minutes. I think that we will have raja in the startng lineup at least until the end of next week unless something crazy happens. I think it might help raja most to get his 16 or so minutes off the bench to take some pressure off himself. I think he plays better with Watson anyway.

Burks did great last night but I think you need to realize that he is really young still and makes mistakes much more often than you are seeing. The best thing though is that as the game went on he made fewer mistakes. I don't think he is ready to start but he deserves more minutes after finally proving that he can help the team outside of garbage time. Right now I think I would much rather see a lineup of Harris Hayward Howard Paul and Al with burks backing up hayward.

All in all we will still see raja in the starting lineup for a few more games.

[DiscoLives4ever]

I'm buying into the theory more and more that Ty is letting Raja play himself out of the SL. Bell has got to be seeing sooner rather than later that he is a detriment to this team every time he is on the court.

[Litany]

I'm buying into the theory more and more that Ty is letting Raja play himself out of the SL. Bell has got to be seeing sooner rather than later that he is a detriment to this team every time he is on the court.

Pretty much this. Raja's body just doesn't have it. I can tell he is pissed and it is hard for him to accept, but i think the way things have gone, it should be clear he doesn't have it. He can't say "I never got a shot to show I still have it."

I think when Corbin finally tells him he is going to come off the bench it will be easier for him to accept after this start. Hopefully it is very soon. I'd much rather see Burks starting alongside Hayward, or see Hayward starting with Howard provided Howard is healthy.

[carrottop12]

I honestly think CJ is worse, and that is terrifying.

As bad as Bell is, he only played 12 minutes last night.

CJ is still playing 20 minutes a game, and not only is he shooting extremely poorly, (32% from the floor) he ruins plays every single game.

In the last 4 alone how many plays has he screwed up at the end of quarters? Last night he took a contested 3 with 10 seconds left in the second when we were playing for 1 shot.

Against New Orleans he fouled Kaman 90 feet away from the basket with 2 seconds left, and then the next quarter he did it against Jarret Jack on a fall away three as time was expiring.

And he did it the game before that as well.

Seriously, CJ probably has the worst basketball IQ in the league. And he just keeps chucking.

As bad as Raja is on offense, at least he runs the plays, and on defense at least he knows the rotations and doesn't leave guys wide open because he's gambling for steals.

CJ has been in the league for 7 years, he ought to know this game in and out, and he still doesn't know how to pick his spots, when to drive or when to pass, nor does he know the tendencies of other players in the league.

He's awful.

[Litany]

I honestly think CJ is worse, and that is terrifying.

As bad as Bell is, he only played 12 minutes last night.

CJ is still playing 20 minutes a game, and not only is he shooting extremely poorly, (32% from the floor) he ruins plays every single game.

In the last 4 alone how many plays has he screwed up at the end of quarters? Last night he took a contested 3 with 10 seconds left in the second when we were playing for 1 shot.

Against New Orleans he fouled Kaman 90 feet away from the basket with 2 seconds left, and then the next quarter he did it against Jarret Jack on a fall away three as time was expiring.

And he did it the game before that as well.

Seriously, CJ probably has the worst basketball IQ in the league. And he just keeps chucking.

As bad as Raja is on offense, at least he runs the plays, and on defense at least he knows the rotations and doesn't leave guys wide open because he's gambling for steals.

CJ has been in the league for 7 years, he ought to know this game in and out, and he still doesn't know how to pick his spots, when to drive or when to pass, nor does he know the tendencies of other players in the league.

He's awful.

Agreed CJ is atrocious. Just sad at this point. Beyond sad.

[blackham9258]

I agree that CJ has been at least equally as bad. I think the problem with Raja is that he is a player for an uptempo team. If you remember the year with the Jazz that launched his career was the year we basically ran a motion offense with Ak as our star player. There was a ton of ball movement, and a lot of opportunity for a set shooter like Raja to step into 3 pointers in rythm.

He then went to Phoenix which was perfectly taylored for him. Raja's slide happened when he was shipped to Charlotte. The Jazz front office made a mistake on Raja because his skill set does not fit a set offensive system driven by a post player.

They also miscalculated how much he had left in the tank. Its time to see if Phoenix wants him back, or Minnesota. It will benefit Raja and the Jazz.

[BarneyGumble]

To all the people that keep saying Corbin is saving face by letting him play his way out of the lineup:

Since when did a head coach need to cater to a player and worry about his feelings? Especially one who is a scrub, old, unproductive, and not part of our future?

Corbin needs to man up and act like a coach. Sit Bell's ass on the bench pronto. Let him earn his $3 million per season being a cheerleader and keeping the bench warm for Hayward and Burks.

[retiredcoach]

by BarneyGumble on Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:18 am
To all the people that keep saying Corbin is saving face by letting him play his way out of the lineup:

Since when did a head coach need to cater to a player and worry about his feelings? Especially one who is a scrub, old, unproductive, and not part of our future?

Corbin needs to man up and act like a coach. Sit Bell's ass on the bench pronto. Let him earn his $3 million per season being a cheerleader and keeping the bench warm for Hayward and Burks.

Barney, man up, dude! Maybe a case of chapped as* is motivating you.

I doubt Corbin is saving face by letting Raja play. Corbin thinks Raja plays good defense, especially on the 1 and 2. There is an opportunity cost to everything a coach does. By keeping Raja in the starting lineup, Hayward can't play the 2 which would open up the offense and get the Jazz off to a quicker start, I think. Corbin likely knows this but thinks that the early defense is worth the loss in offense. However, that's likely to change in the future.

I would use Raja as a specialty player off the bench. I would put him in the game if a 1 or 2 were killing the Jazz and needed some man up in your face defense for a few minutes to slow him down. Sometimes that can change the course of a game. If Raja could provide that, he would be well worth his $3 mil.

[Litany]

From SLTrib:

Excerpts from a media interview Wednesday with Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin prior to practice.

Corbin on guard Raja Bell's recent visible frustration: I think it's a better question for him to answer. I really don't — you'll have to ask him the question. His frustration —

Is Bell's frustration affecting his leadership: I would certainly hope not. I thought he did a great job last night, especially on the defensive end of the floor. He made the 3 in the corner; he was up on his guy on the defensive end. I thought he did a great job of just getting up and attacking his guy when he had the ball; weak-side rotations were good.

Excerpts from an interview with Corbin

Recently talking with Bell: Yeah, we talk. Not a one-on-one sitdown talk. No. We talk during practice and we communicate with him like we communicate with everybody else. It is what it is.

His relationship with Bell: We're plugging at it. We lost some on the road, which we're dissatisfied with. And we won some at home, which we're more satisfied with. We're still plugging at it, man. Everything's not set yet and we're still working to get better. I don't think our relationship has been jeopardized any. If you miss shots, that's not anything you should look for a change in a relationship with anybody. … I don't know where the other frustration may be coming from.

Excerpts from an interview Wednesday with Bell

Bell on his public frustration: Really? How? I'm just curious. … I'm curious how I've appeared frustrated and just not affected? They're two different things to me. And so … I want to clear this up. Frustration and not being affected by a situation are two different things. I'm not necessarily over-frustrated. I don't have a problem with anyone. I'm just not going to let myself be affected by the situation.

The situation is playing time, not being involved in the offense, missing shots, etc.: Nope. It's none of that. I really don't judge my work to a team about on how many shots I make or how many minutes I play or whether a situation is good for me by those standards. It's not those things. I just can't be affected, man. I've got a lot of [stuff] going on in my personal life. I come to do my job as best I can do it, play as hard as I can. I take pride in doing things the right way; trying to do them to help the team win — I want all this on the record — and so that's what I come to do. Anything above and beyond that, I don't really know what anyone wants from me.

Wants to make it work with the Jazz: I mean, look — those aren't my decisions to make. I've been around long enough to know I have no control over that. So, as long as they want me here, I will continue to do my job to the best of my ability like the pro that I am. If they don't want me here, then I will move on to the next team and provide the same services if the opportunity presents itself.

Coming into training camp with a clean slate and the situation not working out during the first six games: I think clean slate for me was more mentally. I got to a place last year where I wasn't enjoying my time with my family. And it was affecting me to where I had to take slipping pills to sleep at night. And I vowed that that wasn't happening to me this year. It won't. So if people deem that as being — I've got a life to live, man. I've got two little boys, a wife and one on the way. This cannot affect me where I go home and take it out on them. I am 100 percent invested in that mentality.

Not requested a trade and won't: That's not my style. I come to work. As long as they want me on the court, he asks me to a job, I'm going to do that job to the best of my ability. That's the only way I know how to do it.

Willing or wants to meet with Corbin: Listen, I'm the player. I don't make demands. I don't dictate playing time. I don't say who gets the ball. I don't call meetings. If someone wants to speak to me, I'm just here to do my job. I will go speak to them, no problem. I haven't been asked to come in for a meeting and so there's not really a problem. Keep it moving.

Brian T. Smith

Twitter: @tribjazz

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsjazzn ... y.html.csp

[Fido]

CJ is in a contract year and if he doesn't get things turned around he not only will lose playing time this year but will also find himself begging for another contract. Raja has a final year on his deal next year--I wonder if that last year could be amnestied if others step up and bump him out--or you never know--maybe he retires or is bought out if things don't improve. Sounds like he is developing the attitude that the NBA is less of a priority. It isn't much of a reach from there to not being worth all the work.
I really wouldn't be surprised if neither of these guys are with the Jazz next season. Conversely all the Jazz big men will be back.

[hoops4life]

Maybe... just maybe the other options aren't quite as good as you think. Burks as had his moments but he has also had some bad ones. I don't want to overrate it but it is possible that Bell's leadership out there is important in Corbin's mind.

I don't know... I don't have the answers but trying to look at it from a different perspective.

[Jazzfan12]

CJ is in a contract year and if he doesn't get things turned around he not only will lose playing time this year but will also find himself begging for another contract. Raja has a final year on his deal next year--I wonder if that last year could be amnestied if others step up and bump him out--or you never know--maybe he retires or is bought out if things don't improve. Sounds like he is developing the attitude that the NBA is less of a priority. It isn't much of a reach from there to not being worth all the work.
I really wouldn't be surprised if neither of these guys are with the Jazz next season. Conversely all the Jazz big men will be back.

Favors and Kanter are getting way too few minutes as it is and Favors is probably going to deserve 36 minutes a game by next year if he keeps developing. I think Al and or Millsap will be probably gone in seven months.

[mct]

After reading that, I'm going to try to cheer for Raja. I'm ashamed at some of the things I've yelled at him through the TV.

[hoops4life]

If Favors wants more playing time, it is there for the taking. He just needs to learn not to foul. That killed him in some of the earlier games.

[Jazzfan12]

If Favors wants more playing time, it is there for the taking. He just needs to learn not to foul. That killed him in some of the earlier games.

He's had almost no fouls in the last three games and is still playing 20 minutes a game.

[Fido]

Favors and Kanter are getting way too few minutes as it is and Favors is probably going to deserve 36 minutes a game by next year if he keeps developing. I think Al and or Millsap will be probably gone in seven months.

IF those two develop at that rate and you can find someone to take them great. But you also are going to need backups at that position. Either way both are under contract next year so even if progress isn't as quick as you estimate there isn't urgency to do something.

With CJ I'd be surprised to see him land another Jazz contract. I'm guessing Bell also falls off the roster if things don't turn around despite one more year (amnesty candidate?). Either way I'd be surprised to find either of these two on the roster while I wouldn't be surprised to see Al and Millsap still on the roster next year.

[The59Sound]

It's gotta be really tough for a guy's ego when he just doesn't have it anymore. I want Raja off the roster pretty badly, but I certainly feel sympathy for him.

If you think about it, things could be worse. At least Raja, CJ, and Al are only bad at playing winning basketball -- not at life. Three quality human beings who frustrate me to no end when they're on the court.

[HolyToledo]

Bell's problem is he as OLD AS SMOKE. He doesnt play well because he cant. I just think its time to start Howard and move Hayward to SG. It is as simple as that! Trade Bell if there is a taker but I doubt you find one.

CJ doesnt play well consistently because his is a MORON. He will always be a moron so dont expect improvement. He is gone after this year after his contract expires.