I'm glad we have KOC

[jazzfan1971]

I think a lot of GMs might have jumped at the first 'best deal available' that came along. I like that KOC is playing the Boozer situation smartly and cautiously.

At least we know if we end up with a crap deal, it wasn't for lack of effort.

[StocktonShorts]

At least we know if we end up with a crap deal, it wasn't for lack of effort.

How do we know that? There are so many unfounded rumors out there it's impossible to know what or whom to believe. I have no idea (nor do you I would wager) how many actual talks have taken place or what deals the Jazz have been offered.

At this point the only grade I can give KOC is an Incomplete.

[JDubJazz]

I agree that the Jazz have actually played the Boozer situation very shrewdly, and KOC deserves his props for that. On the the other hand I think this has been a tremendously disappointing off season.

-Drafting Maynor: I'm not a fan, I hope I'm wrong but he hasn't shown me anything so far.
-Matching Millsap: I think ANY average NBA big could do the same or better in Sloan's system. We overpaid for a midget forward who only played at a high level for about 3 weeks.
-The Jazz have done nothing to improve the team. Best case scenario right now is almost the identical team as last season, except Booz is going to be pissed off, 'Sap is gonna be fat and happy (ie UNMOTIVATED), and we still don't have a shooting guard that can SHOOT THE BALL.

If the Jazz let things stand as they are, the KOC gets a D minus for this summer. Depending on the ultimate resolution to the Boozer situation, it could end up being an "A."

[GP]

I haven't been a fan of the moves this offseason as well. However, I do like him being patient and not just trading Boozer away for junk and cap space. If he can somehow get beasley or another young talent out of this I would be very happy.

[HolyToledo]

KOC does not have all the control he needs as GM. He is not able to make a trade without Sloan and owner approval. I think that restriction is ridiculous.

In my job, all I do everyday is negotiate and waiting usually gets you the best deal BUT not always. When a good deal comes around, you need to take it especially if there is a decent possibility of doing worse later.

Im not sure Jazz have been shrewd at all. I think they may have reached the stage of past shrewd to being overly conservative. Now teams like Portland have no cap room. Portland cant be used in a 3 team trade anymore. KOC waited so long that Boozer opened his mouth hurting his trade value. He then matched Millsap's offer which I never would have matched. Other teams now know Jazz have to trade Boozer when they matched Millsap.

Lets face it, Boozer has little trade value in the open market because teams know he plays no defense, is injury prone, and has an attitude problem. Once Odom re-ups with Lakers, trade him to the Heat or Pistons for the best offer available. He is too much of a distraction on this team.

[Fido]

...If the Jazz let things stand as they are, the KOC gets a D minus for this summer. Depending on the ultimate resolution to the Boozer situation, it could end up being an "A."

Wow...one move can take the grade from a D- to an A?

[schneiderjazz]

I agree that the Jazz have actually played the Boozer situation very shrewdly, and KOC deserves his props for that. On the the other hand I think this has been a tremendously disappointing off season.

-Drafting Maynor: I'm not a fan, I hope I'm wrong but he hasn't shown me anything so far.
-Matching Millsap: I think ANY average NBA big could do the same or better in Sloan's system. We overpaid for a midget forward who only played at a high level for about 3 weeks.
-The Jazz have done nothing to improve the team. Best case scenario right now is almost the identical team as last season, except Booz is going to be pissed off, 'Sap is gonna be fat and happy (ie UNMOTIVATED), and we still don't have a shooting guard that can SHOOT THE BALL.

If the Jazz let things stand as they are, the KOC gets a D minus for this summer. Depending on the ultimate resolution to the Boozer situation, it could end up being an "A."

Sap is not really a guy who deserves a max contract, but not every average big man in the league can have 19 consecutive double-doubles. If he gets starter's minutes, he's gonna probably be a 15/10 player and at least a very valuable trade asset (at 6.5 million per year).
I don't think we're an improved team at all from last season, but the Jazz didn't have much to work with this summer. If in the 2010-2011 season, with the Knicks pick and AK's expiring, we're still an average team, KOC should be fired though.

I'm glad KOC didn't trade Boozer for crap too. He still might though. But when you read the wiretap saying that Okafor apparently can be had for Tyson Chandler and we're being offered Udonis Haslem for Boozer, it makes me question how hard the Jazz are actually trying to trade Boozer.

[hoops4life]

You try to hard and you appear desperate.

[outerspacefella]

This is a quote from another forum's fellow poster:

-----
"Boozer has several things that give him good value.

First of all he is one of only a handfull of true 20/10 PF in the NBA, that is a big deal.

His contract is also VERY appealing right now for several reasons. It is expiring, so for teams who have players that they don't want on long term contracts, like Hamilton or Martin or Wallace or Maggette or any of the other quality veteran wings with 3yr+ contracts, he would not only provide an out for their contract but quality talent in the meantime. That leads to the second good thing is that whoever gets Boozer also gets his Bird rights, which means they can basically take him for a test run and if they wan't to keep him at the end of the year they can resign him without free agent cap restrictions, and if they don't they can just let him go. All of that makes aquiring him a relatively low risk option.

I think what the Jazz have been trying to work one of three things.

1) pure salary dump (think Marcus Camby for a second round pick). Nobody has the cap space so this isn't going to happen.

2) young talent/salary dump. The Jazz get back a quality young player for under 6-7 million a year and then get the rest of the 12.7 million off the books. Unfortunately I think the ship has sailed on this option as well now that Portland is over the cap, because it would require a 3rd team with cap space to pull it off and there is nobody left who is able or interested.

3) bring back quality talent and save a couple million. I think if the Jazz are willing to take on the additional future payroll this is the most likely option. Seems unlikely that they will get the Center they want, there are a couple that might come available (Delembert?, Chandler?) but they are generally VERY overpaid and the teams they are on don't need Boozer. There are at least 5-10 quality wings that could come available between now and Febuary. I would think that the Jazz would also try to unload CJ to free up some money next year if they decided to do a deal involving a wing.

What they aren't looking at is trading Boozer for a Poo-Poo platter of expiring contracts and less than 6 million in immediate payroll relief, if they were going to do that I think it would have already happened."
------

- I think I couldn't have said it better. KOC is doing just fine with the Boozer issue. Right now there's not so many options out there.

- About an offseason grade, well, it's too difficult to measure KOC's job this particular summer. The ball was mainly in players hands (Korver, Okur, Boozer options).

- To talk about the draft result is to speculate rigt now; the Jazz identified a long term PG backup as one the main issues to resolve (and rightfully so if you ask me...), and they take a guy who eventually can fix the issue. You can wonder about DeJuan Blair, but even most Jazz fan base actually wanted Millsap back in that spot.. so it's not that KOC failed there... I can wonder a little bit about Budinger (good shooter, range, ballhandling...) but heck, we're talking bottom first rounders or second rounders here...

Somehow we were blessed or condemned (pick up your word of choice) to stand pat if the players opted in... which they do.

[lurkingobeiscity]

haha you like koc

[JDubJazz]

...If the Jazz let things stand as they are, the KOC gets a D minus for this summer. Depending on the ultimate resolution to the Boozer situation, it could end up being an "A."

Wow...one move can take the grade from a D- to an A?

actually yeah. Just two years ago, Boston was absolutely floundering, having lost the Durant/Oden lotto. Then Ainge moved Jefferson for KG. That offseason went from a "D" to an "A" really quickly. I'm not saying its likely, but If KOC can move Boozer for the right piece, whatever that may be, then he can go from near failure to savior in a hurry. Such is the life of an NBA GM.

[freakazoid]

Agree with OP.

Also, I think the Millers deserve some credit as well for Giving KOC room to operate. A lot of owners would have gone into panic mode and jumped at the first opportunity to dump Booze for nothing in order to take no chances of getting stuck paying the LT.

[Fido]

...actually yeah. Just two years ago, Boston was absolutely floundering, having lost the Durant/Oden lotto. Then Ainge moved Jefferson for KG. That offseason went from a "D" to an "A" really quickly. I'm not saying its likely, but If KOC can move Boozer for the right piece, whatever that may be, then he can go from near failure to savior in a hurry. Such is the life of an NBA GM.

Well in that case Minnesota was blowing up their entire roster and trading off their HUGE money star to rebuild around the piece you give them. That doesn't really fit here because Boozer isn't a huge money star to most teams in the league. He is a potential star but injured 1/3 of the time. So they aren't going to send you an "Al Jefferson" for him. Plus Boozer's camp has already made it clear (since they can't keep their mouth shut) that an extention will cost them $14 mill + in a down ecomony that didn't exist at the Boston trade.

In short, I'd say expectations that the Jazz pull off a Garnett-like trade when they aren't trading a Garnett, the economy is down, and nobody is really looking to blow up their roster and start over (who hasn't already done so) are pretty high expectations indeed.

[Paper Face]

I agree, I think KOC is doing just fine. A lesser GM would have folded to the teams attempting to trade their garbage for Boozer. The pressure on Miami and Chicago will continue to build between now and October. Those teams can go from mediocre to competitive by trading for Boozer, and their season ticket totals are currently hanging in the balance. In a down economy, Boozer could mean everything to both of those teams. Even if a trade isn't made by training camp, much can happen between October and February. The Jazz could change someone's fortunes very quickly with the trade assets they have.

[freakazoid]

...If the Jazz let things stand as they are, the KOC gets a D minus for this summer. Depending on the ultimate resolution to the Boozer situation, it could end up being an "A."

Wow...one move can take the grade from a D- to an A?

actually yeah. Just two years ago, Boston was absolutely floundering, having lost the Durant/Oden lotto. Then Ainge moved Jefferson for KG. That offseason went from a "D" to an "A" really quickly. I'm not saying its likely, but If KOC can move Boozer for the right piece, whatever that may be, then he can go from near failure to savior in a hurry. Such is the life of an NBA GM.

Terrible example. Ainge made some horrible moves before then that made him a joke. I won't discount his work completely, but his trade for KG happened to be with a GM that was a former teammate and close friend. KOC is a GOD compared to Danny. If he had played with McHale, we would have KG and Jefferson, plus their unprotected pick next year. McHale is a chump.

[drivewayball]

Thank goodness for KOC! Another GM may not have noticed that Suton was available when the Jazz turn to select in the draft came around. Seriously, though, I'd say KOC's overall track record on contracts and signings is fairly awful.

[DelaneyRudd]

Of the GMs who can seem to do no wrong, I think most of them have a lot of luck to thank in addition to skill. Except for Mitch Kupchek who also has old friends who pay back favors.

[@ndrew]

Talking about Mitch one offseason ago LAL fans wanted to cut his head. So it's not like he was perfect for his whole career. As a great example you can look at RC Bufford from SA who is limited in money and doing great job. Other then that KOC is pretty decent.

[Racer X]

He is a little too conservative. If the Jazz start the season with a nice record, I gurantee you they will just let Boozer play out his contract.