RealGM

We already have an "official" draft thread and a trade thread, so I thought this was the next logical step.

Here's ESPN's list of 2008 free agents:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=2008freeagents

The Jazz currently have the MLE to spend (should be somewhere about $5.4M). Anyone on that list you think we will/should pursue?

(Notes: the above list includes players with options, who may not actually hit free agency. Also, I'm guessing most of you already know all this stuff, but just in case, teams can match offers on any "restricted" free agents, although they certainly don't have to.)

Diop and Jason Williams.......

Diop would be a good defensive Center to play alongside either Boozer or Memo and Williams would settle down the reserves since he can both shoot and distribute.........

I wouldn't spend anything more than the Veteran's minimum on Williams and half the MLE for Diop (although I know he's going to command more than that from some dumb GM out there)...........

Patrick O'Bryant *immediately runs to the closet to hide* Yes, yes, I know what all of you are thinking. 'No way!! Hell no!! You've got to be kidding!!'

I think he needs to be given a chance and a team like utah might be a perfect fit for him, unlike GS. And he's still young... 21 I think and is a few years ahead of Hibbert, playing and practicing with a pro team.

He's a few years behind Hibbert I believe.

He's been stashed away by Nellie, and if Nellie can't find time for an athletic center to play that should really show you something.

Diop, Pargo, Kurt Thomas, Anthony Johnson, Biedrins

Phenom415 wrote:Diop, Pargo, Kurt Thomas, Anthony Johnson, Biedrins

Very good list. Thomas and Johnson could be gotten for the veteran's minimum, but KT will likely remain with SA if he plays next year. Diop, Pargo, and Biedrins are two players I love, but I wouldn't give the full MLE to Diop or Pargo and I imagine that's what they'll be seeking. I'd pay Biedrins the full MLE, but I doubt he's interesting in Utah.

Mr. Johnson seems like a realistic prospect.

what's so appealing about Anthony Johnson
his career has resembled Jason Hart's

biedrins is probably going to nearly be getting double the MLE. No chance at landing him I would think. Diop or Turiaf wouldnt be a bad investment, not sure if LA will match the offers he gets. Bass is limited salary protection so whatever that means if hes free wouldnt be bad either. Dooling is a defensive minded point guard who I think could battle price for the backup spot.

ut_jazz wrote:what's so appealing about Anthony Johnson
his career has resembled Jason Hart's

Anthony Johnson has a much better sense of the game than Jason Hart and would get acclimated to this system much easier in my opinion than has JH. And while I admit that the stats don't conclusively support my position, I've always thought he was a better shooter.

For the minimum, what's the worst that could happen? If he wants more, than we'll probably take a pass.

bring back arroyo!............just kinding!

New Jazzy Nets wrote:biedrins is probably going to nearly be getting double the MLE. No chance at landing him I would think. Diop or Turiaf wouldnt be a bad investment, not sure if LA will match the offers he gets. Bass is limited salary protection so whatever that means if hes free wouldnt be bad either. Dooling is a defensive minded point guard who I think could battle price for the backup spot.

Agreed. We have no shot at Biedrins, especially since the Warriors can and will match any offer unless it's a lot higher than we could ever offer. The Mavs like Bass, and considering they have about 5 guys under contract for next year they pretty much have to bring him back.

Dooling is an interesting possibility. I've never been all that big a fan of his, but he does fit our profile. As I've said many times before though, AJ is my first choice (and I'd have much more faith in him than I ever did in Hart, whose acquisition I never supported).

I agree AJ would be a great fit for the jazz! Dooling is long and good on defence,he really go well with his shooting too!

I think you can cross Bass off your list. As far as I know he signed a two year deal before the season.

I really don't know what that salary protection thing is. We'll have early Bird's Rights for him, but that wont' amount to much because his salary is so low right now for him.

And as far as I know, Diop has his intentions to come back to Dallas. Now, when money talks what will he do? I don't know, but he's said he wants to come back to Dallas. We figure it will take about half the MLE for it, maybe just a tad smaller than that.

One guy that nobody is mentioning is Kwame Brown. Hold of on calling me an idiot...hear me out.

We could get him for pennies on the dollar. He is a defensive minded big who does not need offensive touches. He will come in, be big, defend, and rebound.

I know he has a terrible rep but he is a good kid who has just struggled to find his game. A coach like Sloan could be just what he needs to find himself.

I think we could get him for half the cost of Diop and is Diop really any better for what we need?

^The problem with Kwame is the same as always...he is one of the dumbest players in the league. We have a coach who values "basketball IQ" so highly that guys like Collins and Keith McCleod get rotation minutes...I don't think Kwame would last a practice before Sloan killed him, let alone a season.

loserX wrote:^The problem with Kwame is the same as always...he is one of the dumbest players in the league. We have a coach who values "basketball IQ" so highly that guys like Collins and Keith McCleod get rotation minutes...I don't think Kwame would last a practice before Sloan killed him, let alone a season.

Yeah that's probably true, dumb guys don't usually last with Sloan. Maybe Sloan could dumb down his role and simplify what we need him to do. Jerry probably wouldn't go for that though.

From what I've heard he works hard, has low self confidence, and I just think in the right situation with the right coaching he could still be a solid role player.

you gotta figure... if we can somehow dump Hart and Collins that opens up our roster quite a bit. We'll have alot more options this offseason.

Draft:

Everyone has us taking Hibbert, but IMO we've got a better player on our current roster in Fesenko. So we can use that #23 pick on a real need like Hart's replacement, someone like Super Mario Chalmers would be a good player to groom behind Deron, Price is good but too inconsistent to provide valuable back up minutes.

Free Agency:

If what Dingo says is true it really wouldn't hurt to throw a few Million at Kwame and see how he responds to playing on a winning team with a hard nosed coach like Sloan.. I mean if he's the same ol Kwame then we're stuck with a young athletic big that plays D, and rebounds. IMO its a definite upgrade from Collins.

Those two moves, along with resigning CJ could vastly improve this team.

Deron/Chalmers/Price
Brewer/CJ/Almond
AK/Harps/Korver
Boozer/Milsap
Okur/Kwame/Fesenko

That's a solid 14 man roster, and if we move AK that's just going to open up more minutes for CJ at the 3, plus whatever AK's value brings in.

Kwame actually would not be a bad option off the bench, he's actually a good shot blocker, his problem has been that all the teams he's been on have wanted him to be a scoring threat and he's just not.....

It's a lot harder than it may seem to just "dump" Hart and Collins. It's not like the fact that they suck is some secret. Other teams aren't just going to say: "Hey, let me take your garbage for you."

That said, if we need the roster spots (as opposed to trying to dump them for strictly monetary reasons), we can just go ahead and waive them.

They're both expiring contracts. If we are unable to move them in a trade i see no reason why Utah would not buy out Harts contract. He provides nothing, and it was a mistake to sign him in the first place and the front office realized this in about December.

Had we held on to Dee, there would have been absolutely no drop off in talent or production and it would've saved us almost 4 million dollars.... besides the fans loved Dee, and i'm willing to bet Hart has about ZERO fans cheering when he enters the game.