WT: Jazz Shopping Jefferson, Millsap

[humblebum]

Coming from a Celtics fan who watched Jefferson's early years closely I can tell you quite honestly what limits his value: he's not a smart or well rounded basketball player. He's got a natural touch (great hands) and crafty footwork in the paint. But he doesn't do anything else well besides rebound. His lack of basketball intelligence makes him an extremely poor defender and post passer which will always hinder his ability to be a difference maker. For the dollars he's making he's simply not worth investing in unless you are a little post scoring away from winning a title.

[Kevin_Love_42]

I swear Al Jefferson was shopped at birth.

[carrottop12]

People here are selling Al short. He's a very good shot blocker, 1.9 last year which is more than adequate when you have a defensive stud who can fly around the paint like Favors can. Having two legit shot blockers while one of them is a potential shut down low post defender is a huge luxury. On top of that he can score the ball, and really for the first time has some talent around him. He played on some awful teams in Boston and Minnesota, so having good players around him that he can trust has been an adjustment, but he really started to look good after the all-star break last year.

In Feb and March he averaged about 24/11 on 53% from the floor. He had finally figured out the Jazz system, and was playing extremely well. I see him as a more efficient 20/10 guy this year, and remember, he's on 26, he hasn't reached his prime yet.

[Jazzfan12]

There are plenty of stats that rate Al as one of the five worst defenders in the league as well...

[tsherkin]

In Feb and March he averaged about 24/11 on 53% from the floor. He had finally figured out the Jazz system, and was playing extremely well. I see him as a more efficient 20/10 guy this year, and remember, he's on 26, he hasn't reached his prime yet.

Cherry-picking a month or two here and there is meaningless for any player, especially post-All-Star Break, lots of players tend to do well down the stretch of a season. I'm waiting for him to stop being terrible at man defense and passing, areas where he's shown basically no improvement thus far in his career.

[methdefense]

I hope someone make a steal from Jazz if they really that eager to build around their young bigs.

[meat tray]

In Feb and March he averaged about 24/11 on 53% from the floor. He had finally figured out the Jazz system, and was playing extremely well. I see him as a more efficient 20/10 guy this year, and remember, he's on 26, he hasn't reached his prime yet.

Cherry-picking a month or two here and there is meaningless for any player, especially post-All-Star Break, lots of players tend to do well down the stretch of a season. I'm waiting for him to stop being terrible at man defense and passing, areas where he's shown basically no improvement thus far in his career.

His man defense in the post was actually pretty solid last year. He really struggles in the pick and roll and he's not a good help defender, but I think a lot of his weaknesses were magnified playing next to Millsap, who is even more undersized and an equally poor help defender. I think he'll look a lot better playing more minutes next to Favors, who has shown strengths in both the pick and roll and in help situations.

[Jazzfan12]

Millsap is a fine help defender, much better than Jefferson.

[phrizzo]

jefferson goes for a block every time. he never boxes out. they would be so much better if he just boxed out on defense. SO MUCH.

[cjs55]

Al Jefferson would be a great 6th man. Bring him in and let him dominate the ball when the reserves are playing, where it actually would be effective. Pisses me off no one has figured this out. He'd basically be like a super version of how Antoine Carr was for the 90's jazz.

[Xsy]

Jefferson and Millsap front court was one of the worst rebounding duos in the NBA.

They don't box out, and they can't play defense.

They're still very talented players, and there are plenty of other very talented players with huge gaps in their game that these two can be traded for.

[JamesNaismith]

I'd trade Bargnani for Big Al.

[carrottop12]

In Feb and March he averaged about 24/11 on 53% from the floor. He had finally figured out the Jazz system, and was playing extremely well. I see him as a more efficient 20/10 guy this year, and remember, he's on 26, he hasn't reached his prime yet.

Cherry-picking a month or two here and there is meaningless for any player, especially post-All-Star Break, lots of players tend to do well down the stretch of a season. I'm waiting for him to stop being terrible at man defense and passing, areas where he's shown basically no improvement thus far in his career.

Well, if you'd watched him, you'd have seen his understanding of what the Jazz were doing improved a ton as the year went on. He was a different player once he figured out what Corbin wanted from him, and that is to be expected. He admitted it was difficult to try to learn everything the Jazz were doing when the season started.

I guess we'll just have to watch as the season goes, but people are selling Al short imo.

[tsherkin]

Al Jefferson would be a great 6th man. Bring him in and let him dominate the ball when the reserves are playing, where it actually would be effective. Pisses me off no one has figured this out. He'd basically be like a super version of how Antoine Carr was for the 90's jazz.

This is a clever idea, he'd be a solid 6th man.

I'd trade Bargnani for Big Al.

I'd trade Bargnani for a bucket of fish at this point. If we weren't overpaying for a guy who's basically a 6th Man as well, it wouldn't be so bad, but he's just so ridiculously bad at everything but set shooting and looking lost that he's not worth having on a roster. Al > Bargnani, that much is clear; Utah would be stupid to make that trade.

I think he'll look a lot better playing more minutes next to Favors, who has shown strengths in both the pick and roll and in help situations.

Don't hold your breath; he's been a crap defender his whole career, that is not apt to change. How much it negatively impacts the team will certainly be lessened as Favors improves, though, with that much I agree.

Well, if you'd watched him, you'd have seen his understanding of what the Jazz were doing improved a ton as the year went on. He was a different player once he figured out what Corbin wanted from him, and that is to be expected. He admitted it was difficult to try to learn everything the Jazz were doing when the season started.

Certainly, he was always going to have to adjust to the new team context, that's never an easy thing to do.

I guess we'll just have to watch as the season goes, but people are selling Al short imo.

He's not a star player, and that's not about to change; cjs has it right, he's a 6th man.

[carrottop12]

LOL, what on earth makes him a 6th man?

How many teams does Al not start on in the NBA today?

He's not the high energy, spark plug scorer 6th men need to be. That's Paul Millsap. Al Jefferson is the constant big body who's a more than capable scorer, big body that demands attention from the defense.

He may not be a superstar, but he's a capable 20/10/2/2 C. That isn't someone you throw on the bench.

[Mik317]

Iggy for one(or both lolololol) of them.

I could see it.

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

Iggy for one(or both lolololol) of them.

I could see it.

If Iggy was two or three years younger and about the same amount of millions cheaper than I could see it.

[carrottop12]

I think he'll look a lot better playing more minutes next to Favors, who has shown strengths in both the pick and roll and in help situations.

Don't hold your breath; he's been a crap defender his whole career, that is not apt to change. How much it negatively impacts the team will certainly be lessened as Favors improves, though, with that much I agree.

I think you're wrong here. Young players usually don't play a whole lot of defense, as players age they start to understand and value the game more, and generally improve on defense, especially in their late 20's early 30's. It's a pretty common trend.

I'm not expecting him to become an All-NBA defender, but I think he'll improve, especially if he is playing next to a guy like Favors.

[tsherkin]

LOL, what on earth makes him a 6th man?

Defense, passing, lack of efficiency, lack of utility towards elite play at either end of the floor... He's like Brook Lopez: all numbers, little impact.

[Jazzy13]

Lol at Al being a 6th man.