2018 Utah Jazz Off-season Thread

[KqWIN]

Exum highlights still showcase his loosey goosey handles

https://youtu.be/n3ppR0A6lEA?t=5m51s

Coked Bambi


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I still like that he went to the rim though.

If he ever gets a good handle there's no stopping him from getting to the rim. His first step is too good and he's also gotten really good at using his length to finish. Getting the handle down will transform his game from baby deer to baby Giannis.

[Rauxcee]

Do we think Exum will ever get acceptable handles? Honest question.

[Luigi]

I don't expect him to make much of an improvement. But he can still get to the rim with his ball control. A little more could help.

[stitches]

Exum highlights still showcase his loosey goosey handles

https://youtu.be/n3ppR0A6lEA?t=5m51s

Part one of fixing a problem is admitting there is a problem. I'm not sure Exum or the Jazz have ever admitted to the public and to themselves that Exum has a problem handle. If they don't think it's a problem they won't emphasize working on it and it will never change...

[stitches]

Do we think Exum will ever get acceptable handles? Honest question.

At this point you have to bet against it. I don't think they emphasize working on it. Whenever they(the Jazz or Exum) have discussed areas for him to improve I don't think I've ever heard them mention his handle. If they don't think it's a problem and if they don't work on it with a purpose, it will never change.

[Rauxcee]

Exum highlights still showcase his loosey goosey handles

https://youtu.be/n3ppR0A6lEA?t=5m51s

Part one of fixing a problem is admitting there is a problem. I'm not sure Exum or the Jazz have ever admitted to the public and to themselves that Exum has a problem handle. If they don't think it's a problem they won't emphasize working on it and it will never change...

I'm not disagreeing with you, but how on earth can Exum or the Jazz not see it's a weakness? It's so obvious....

[KqWIN]

Exum highlights still showcase his loosey goosey handles

https://youtu.be/n3ppR0A6lEA?t=5m51s

Part one of fixing a problem is admitting there is a problem. I'm not sure Exum or the Jazz have ever admitted to the public and to themselves that Exum has a problem handle. If they don't think it's a problem they won't emphasize working on it and it will never change...

Yeah that is a little bit worrying. It's not like the Jazz have been quiet about his deficiencies either. Quin and DL have challenged him publicly, but you never hear about the handle. I think I remember hearing some talk about him adding in some mid range game or a floater. Those aren't areas I'd focus on.

As far as Rauxcee's question, I think there's a good chance that he's just not a natural and it will never be good. Skill development doesn't just come from hard work, I think you have to have some natural ability. I don't think Exum is a natural at ball handling or shooting. He bobbles his dribble like it's his job.

Hopefully he can get to a point where players like Felton won't give him trouble, but I have a hard time seeing him develop an above average handle for a PG. He did, however, improve his finishing by leaps and bounds so maybe theres hope that he can learn how to dribble as well.

[stitches]

Exum highlights still showcase his loosey goosey handles

https://youtu.be/n3ppR0A6lEA?t=5m51s

Part one of fixing a problem is admitting there is a problem. I'm not sure Exum or the Jazz have ever admitted to the public and to themselves that Exum has a problem handle. If they don't think it's a problem they won't emphasize working on it and it will never change...

I'm not disagreeing with you, but how on earth can Exum or the Jazz not see it's a weakness? It's so obvious....

I don't know. Try finding an exit interview or anything pertaining Exum's development where they talk about his handle as a serious area of improvement for him. I know because I've been harping on him needing to improve his handle since after his rookie year and I've been annoyed that I haven't seen a ton of improvement and have been waiting for them to recognize it. They probably recognize it but they also need an almost single-minded focus on it IMO.

At this point I don't know what would be worse - that they don't focus on it, or that they do and the results are still what we see.

[KqWIN]

FWIW, one right hand dribble was pretty deadly during the regular season. It becomes a big issue in the playoffs when teams can focus on him, but his first step enough to torch bench units in the regular season. He's gotten good enough at the angles where all he needs is a little daylight to get to the rim and finish.

I could see him becoming a 25% usage player with positive efficiency in spite of the broken handle. That, to go along with his defense, makes him a very useful player and well worth his contract.

[stitches]

If he ever gets a good handle there's no stopping him from getting to the rim. His first step is too good and he's also gotten really good at using his length to finish. Getting the handle down will transform his game from baby deer to baby Giannis.

Yep, this has been my vision for Dante since 2016-2017 season when he started to flash and go to the rim with ease. Some of his flashes are incredibly similar to what Giannis looked like early in his career. The problem is - Giannis put it all together and Giannis had the stable handle to allow him to go anywhere his body could get him. Dante has similar movement and athleticism ability, but he cannot get there because of his handle.

[Inigo Montoya]

Snyder benching Exum and handing him DNPs left and right for what some on the board claimed (and maybe rightly so) was his inability to dribble well enough isn't enough of an admission on their part that it's a flaw in his game? Or maybe this part of his game was overly criticized? Has to be one or the other.

[Crunch 99]

Coked Bambi


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I still like that he went to the rim though.

If he ever gets a good handle there's no stopping him from getting to the rim. His first step is too good and he's also gotten really good at using his length to finish. Getting the handle down will transform his game from baby deer to baby Giannis.

Seems like he needs to be able knock down a wide open three as well; otherwise the defense just drops down inside a bit and makes it a lot more difficult to finish at the rim.

[KqWIN]

I still like that he went to the rim though.

If he ever gets a good handle there's no stopping him from getting to the rim. His first step is too good and he's also gotten really good at using his length to finish. Getting the handle down will transform his game from baby deer to baby Giannis.

Seems like he needs to be able knock down a wide open three as well; otherwise the defense just drops down inside a bit and makes it a lot more difficult for him to finish at the rim.

Improved shooting would help a ton...but I still think it’s the handle that’s holding his game back the most. If he improves his ball handling it’ll unlock his speed and playmaking.

I also feel like he’s gotten better when teams back off of him. Two years ago it seemed like he had no answer for guys who backed off of him, but last year he was doing the Giannis thing where he gets a running start and gets to the rim anyways. He’s long enough and has good enough footwork to finish over and past defenders.

The shooting is probably more important when it comes to his fit with Donovan though.

[stitches]

Snyder benching Exum and handing him DNPs left and right for what some on the board claimed (and maybe rightly so) was his inability to dribble well enough isn't enough of an admission on their part that it's a flaw in his game? Or maybe this part of his game was overly criticized? Has to be one or the other.

I think his benching had more to do with Quin not being happy with his focus on D and his decisionmaking on O.

[Inigo Montoya]

Snyder benching Exum and handing him DNPs left and right for what some on the board claimed (and maybe rightly so) was his inability to dribble well enough isn't enough of an admission on their part that it's a flaw in his game? Or maybe this part of his game was overly criticized? Has to be one or the other.

I think his benching had more to do with Quin not being happy with his focus on D and his decisionmaking on O.

Meh. Most of what I read here is that he was benched because Snyder couldn't trust him to cross half-court without turning the ball over due to his loose handle. Which might be true, but then we can't say that there isn't\wasn't any recognition by the Jazz that his handle was a weakness that needed addressing. Or maybe the reasoning you provided is true, at which case, his handle isn't perceived to be such a big issue by the Jazz, but it gets overblown by fans.

[stitches]

Snyder benching Exum and handing him DNPs left and right for what some on the board claimed (and maybe rightly so) was his inability to dribble well enough isn't enough of an admission on their part that it's a flaw in his game? Or maybe this part of his game was overly criticized? Has to be one or the other.

I think his benching had more to do with Quin not being happy with his focus on D and his decisionmaking on O.

Meh. Most of what I read here is that he was benched because Snyder couldn't trust him to cross half-court without turning the ball over due to his loose handle. Which might be true, but then we can't say that there isn't\wasn't any recognition by the Jazz that his handle was a weakness that needed addressing. Or maybe the reasoning you provided is true, at which case, his handle isn't perceived to be such a big issue by the Jazz, but it gets overblown by fans.

Fair enough on the reasons for his benching... as with most things it might have been some combination of both.

On the last sentence - IMO his handle/ball security is bad. Like... really bad. I don't think there is a starting PG in the league with worse ball security. If there is one, I'd like to hear who that is. I don't know if that's overblowing it, but IMO it puts a serious ceiling on what Dante can do on the court.

[Luigi]

I don't think Exum is a point guard. He has 2 guard dimensions, perhaps more than anyone on the roster. He doesn't have floor general abilities, and of course, he's not a ball handler. He still needs to work on his guard skills, but we should admit to ourselves now that he's not an on ball guard.

[Catchall]

I also think the Jazz see Exum as a versatile wing in a versatile and somewhat positionless 1 - 3 rotation. In that context, his handles are more or less okay. If things go well from here, and he keeps adding strength, he may become something like our version of Andre Iguodala.

[Luigi]

I also think the Jazz see Exum as a versatile wing in a versatile and somewhat positionless 1 - 3 rotation. In that context, his handles are more or less okay. If things go well from here, and he keeps adding strength, he may become something like our version of Andre Iguodala.

I can see a Iggyish role for Exum. But Iggy, as a player, was much much different. He was always incredibly strong, and looked like a grown man right out of the womb. Exum still has that bambi look, and he's pretty deep into finesse territory. Iguodala also started out with elite ball handling skills and pretty great passing ability back in Philly.

Iguodala was clearly gonna be a 3 as he aged. Exum, I could see him staying on the lighter side of the wing.

[Luigi]

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Isaac Haas signing. Not sure about any details.