Sources: Jazz to get Wolves' Jefferson

[mchalupnik2]

i'm guessing this has already been answered, but there are an assload of pages to read through.....what is the protection on the memphis pick? thanks

[Esohny]

WTF? I thought I had it understood but now you guys just confused me.

So all said and done, we have $13.4 million in cap space?

Depending on the Ridnour/Sessions and Pekovic situations (maybe nothing, but Kahn made a comment in his trade interview about "Pekovic hopefully still coming").

[casey]

So all said and done, we have $13.4 million in cap space?

Roughly, yes, before any Ridnour move.

[Krapinsky]

So all said and done, we have $13.4 million in cap space?

Roughly, yes, before any Ridnour move.

That's with Pekovic right? He hasn't been officially signed so we should have more cap space than that.

When you were saying that we had to renounce are MLE to sign Beasley did you take this into account -- again, that we have not signed Pekovic yet?

[casey]

Yeah that number is with Pekovic, a little more than $17Mil without him. As far as Beasley, there was no way to trade for him and keep the MLE. To trade for him we had to be under the cap, and if we were under the cap the MLE is automatically gone.

[southern wolf]

Reina's article on the trade is a good one. It hurts losing Jefferson for so little, but when looking at our alternatives, it could have been a lot worse. Kahn knows there's still a lot more work to be done.

[horaceworthy]

Yeah, it sucks to lose Big Al, but hitting the reset button on his contract and getting a couple picks is better than taking on somebody else's problem, which was likely all that would have been available had Kahn not gone the savings/picks route.

[Foye]

Great deal for Utah. Will likely not turn out so well for us.

[Breakdown777]

I thought it was odd that Kahn doesn't think he's allowed to talk about pick protection...why in the heck not????? Because he doesn't know the protection, or because maybe it gives the public an inside view to if a team tanks to keep their pick??? either way, this stuff always surfaces...

I believe that the MEM pick we got is 2011-lottery/ 2012-12/ 2013-10/ 2014&2015- top 9....
the UTA pick is rumored to be more favorable than 2011-17, 2012-15, 2013-13....Kahn said he expects both picks to be in the late teens, and to be our within the next year or two.


I think with Kahn saying "we're only half way done" is basically translated to:
moving sessions (and now koufos)
signing ridnour
exploring possible move to get a 2nd or 3rd best player without moving Flynn/Love/Rubio's rights/Darko/and Johnson.

we've done 3 moves so far- (I'm counting the draft as one, Beasley as one, and Al as one) so that means there are about 3 moves left....after moving sessions, koufos, and signing ridnour...that leaves probably one move left (I'm guessing an attempt for consoladation of assets for a bigger impact player)

[Saltine]

I think I heard that both picks have equal protections, Utah equals Memphis


Nice article, go read it;
http://probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=1083

excerpts;

Kahn taking chances in rebuilding Wolves, hoping ex-No. 2 picks make good
By Tony Mejia
Pro Basketball News

It's somewhat refreshing when a team president utters the phrase, "we're still probably a couple of years away." Dangerously candid, but refreshing nonetheless.

I've heard it off the record. In a conference call? That's about as rare as getting a former No. 2 pick for virtually nothing.
...

Yet on Monday night, speaking to reporters from Las Vegas via teleconference on a landmark day for the Minnesota Timberwolves, David Kahn spoke it loud and proud. Despite officially getting picks Wesley Johnson and Lazar Hayward in the mix, announcing Michael Beasley's acquisition, re-signing Darko Milicic and negotiating Al Jefferson's exit, Kahn is taking a tempered, reasonable approach. While not asking for more time, he'd welcome realistic expectations. If he had gone to the Rome wasn't built in a day cliche, I wouldn't have been mad at him.

After all, he's just acquired not one, but two former No. 2 picks on the same day. Unfortunately, their names are Milicic and Beasley, players with immense physical gifts who have done little to merit the hype they entered the league with.

It's like an unemployed George Costanza deciding to trust the exact opposite of his instincts in the memorable Seinfeld episode "The Opposite" and winding up with a phone number, a date and an ultimately, a job with the New York Yankees.

Milicic wants $20 million over four years? Done. Beasley is available? Have counseling in place. The approach seems brutally honest, equal parts desperate and ambitious.

Kahn, seeing the possibility of Miami needing to pull off a salary dump to execute their master plan weeks ago, made his intentions known repeatedly to old friend Pat Riley, who he worked with at NBC when he was just out of law school and beginning a new career in basketball after working as a sports writer for the Oregonian in the 80s.

And while it may sound like so many years in the game have made Kahn delightfully mad, you can actually see his blue print coming together slowly. He's stockpiled talent regardless of position because he wanted to drive up competition within his young roster and felt his team wasn't far enough where he could pass on a potential asset. As a result, his first roster was filled with dynamic inexperienced point guards, loaded with power forwards and completed by mediocre wings.
........................................

[big3_8_19_21]

heh, I hadn't thought of this:

The Cavaliers and Heat each received as much for LeBron James and Chris Bosh, respectively, as the Wolves did for Jefferson. At the very least, it is a feather of some degree in David Kahn's hat, even if it is not an analogous comparison.

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/src_featur ... z0teDMEwF6

[Calinks]

Jazz writer breaks down Al's game. Interesting take. here is a preview


http://www.nba.com/jazz/features/locked_on_jazz.html

Earlier today I broke down all of Al Jefferson’s pick and roll plays during the 2009-2010 season. Doing the same with his post plays would have been nearly impossible as he had over 700. Instead I reviewed the last 200 plus post ups of his season.

The most striking part of watching all of this video is that Minnesota did nothing to help out Al Jefferson. The offense consists of Jefferson running down the floor and going to the left side of the floor and catching the ball in the post. In the over 200 plays I never saw him get a cross screen or come from the top off a pick to get good post position. In addition, he only caught the ball going to the post on the move once in all of the video defined as post by synergysports.com

The Jazz offense is going to be a dramatic change for Jefferson and he should be a pig in slop. In over 200 post setting he only caught and shot 7 times. Every other offensive opportunity Jefferson was forced to beat his man with his own moves.

Jefferson was double, tripled and yes quadrupole teamed with regularity throughout the season. Anytime he went to work teams started sagging all over. Amazingly, he is often able to force through the traffic to get a shot off and finish as well.

Last year, Minnesota was one of worse three point shooting teams. They hit just 34% from behind the arch and hit only 403 for the season, the 5th fewest of any team in the NBA.

The summary on all of this is that Al Jefferson is going to have a completely different offensive season in Utah than he has ever experienced. If he understands the system and playing in games that matter he could explode.

[Calinks]

HAhaha, Al gets the TMZ star treatment already!

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=304&sid=11577411

[jazzfan1971]

I was wondering if AL ever gets taht push/flick shot blocked? Or is it generally jsut too unexpected/high?

[prefuse73]

not even kidding, but right after the first video of Big Al arriving, there is a public service announcement for drunk driving.. haha.

in all seriousness though, I will be pulling for Al. Utah is a great place for him to get the most of his skills. They got Raja Bell, but they need to get some more shooters though.

[Vega06]

I was wondering if AL ever gets taht push/flick shot blocked? Or is it generally jsut too unexpected/high?

I'm sure it has been blocked before, but I can't remember a time where it has been. He gets that off whenever he wants.

[horaceworthy]

I was wondering if AL ever gets taht push/flick shot blocked? Or is it generally jsut too unexpected/high?

The element of surprise is key for Al's game, that shot in particular. He's very quick with it and will use it from a variety of angles.

It can get blocked from behind by smaller guys, Kobe's pretty adept at that.

[Calinks]

I am actually getting more and more excited to see Jazz games now.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwtSBBmfeq8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]