Jazz sign K. Murphy. Full roster problems.

QuantumMacgyver · Post #1 » by **QuantumMacgyver** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 3:54 am

Brian T. Smith is reporting that the Jazz are very close to signing Kevin Murphy. While that is no surprise, the drama with Raja now means the Jazz can't sign anyone from training camp or otherwise.

I was really hoping the Jazz would push to sign Scott Machado before the season started. You all think this is the team we start the season with, or do KOC and Lindsey move some pieces around? (i.e. dump Raja)

babyjax13 · Post #2 » by **babyjax13** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 3:58 am

I doubt Raja is around at the beginning of the year. They're probably just waiting to see if he can be traded before they buy him out.

retiredcoach · Post #3 » by **retiredcoach** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 4:35 am

by QuantumMacgyver on Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:54 pm
Brian T. Smith is reporting that the Jazz are very close to signing Kevin Murphy. While that is no surprise, the drama with Raja now means the Jazz can't sign anyone from training camp or otherwise.

I was really hoping the Jazz would push to sign Scott Machado before the season started. You all think this is the team we start the season with, or do KOC and Lindsey move some pieces around? (i.e. dump Raja)

QM, I'm baffled by the Jazz potentially signing Machado? He's going to the Rockets camp, and the Rockets have said there's a significant chance they are going to sign him as a backup PG to Lin and they expect in 3 years he'll be their starting PG.

The Jazz are really late to this party.

QuantumMacgyver · Post #4 » by **QuantumMacgyver** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 6:01 am

retiredcoach wrote:
by QuantumMacgyver on Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:54 pm
Brian T. Smith is reporting that the Jazz are very close to signing Kevin Murphy. While that is no surprise, the drama with Raja now means the Jazz can't sign anyone from training camp or otherwise.

I was really hoping the Jazz would push to sign Scott Machado before the season started. You all think this is the team we start the season with, or do KOC and Lindsey move some pieces around? (i.e. dump Raja)

QM, I'm baffled by the Jazz potentially signing Machado? He's going to the Rockets camp, and the Rockets have said there's a significant chance they are going to sign him as a backup PG to Lin and they expect in 3 years he'll be their starting PG.

The Jazz are really late to this party.

That's a real disappointment. I'd figured with the comments Machado made about Lin that Houston wouldn't have the same interest in him. I hadn't heard these comments you mentioned from Houston. Hopefully Murphy turns into something worth it, cuz Machado's gonna be a solid backup at least.

Thanks for the info RC. Do you think Raja starts the season on the Jazz roster?

Post #5 » by **DelaneyRudd** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:01 am

It doesn't matter when Raja gets waived. The Murphy contract won't be guaranteed up til a certain date.

qman · Post #6 » by **qman** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 1:17 pm

Locke's take was that it isn't a given that Murphy will make the team.

outerspacefella · Post #7 » by **outerspacefella** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 2:54 pm

I liked what I saw from Murphy at Summer League. It would be kind of dissapointing if he's not with the team at season start. Potential and attitude (and a shot, and a drinve, and I'm sure I saw sort of quick hands too...) are there for coaching staff to orient. Good flyer to take and try.

retiredcoach · Post #8 » by **retiredcoach** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 4:11 pm

QuantumMacgyver on Thu Aug 16, 2012 10:01 pm
Thanks for the info RC. Do you think Raja starts the season on the Jazz roster?

I like Machado also. I guess his workout for the Jazz wasn't all that great. Apparently they didn't think he had the potential to become a starter. Houston sees it differently.

Raja's situation should get resolved within the next 6 weeks. Raja's knee problems are one of the issues. He has a microfracture injury in the left knee, I believe. I don't think he's gotten that fixed and that may be what's causing other teams to hesitate on signing him. He may not be able to play a full 82 game season anymore.

As a last resort, the knee problems provide the Jazz an option of putting him on the injured reserve list and keep him away from the team if they don't resolve his contract before training camp.

Whatever happens Raja won't be on the bench. Raja is getting bad advice from somewhere. You never know who's idea it is for causing issues that are so public.

SoCalJazzFan · Post #9 » by **SoCalJazzFan** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 8:30 pm

Actually, I think Raja is being pretty smart about this. He was brought to the Jazz to be a wing defensive specialist, with DWill and Al doing all of the scoring in a Jerry Sloan system he was familiar with. With DWill fiasco in the middle of his first year with the Jazz, not only did his expected role change, but so did the coach, from one of the most respected in the league to a newbie whom he had played with before. He didn't like the expectations of his new role, and voiced his displeasure at the rookie mistakes Corbin was making and was put in the dog house.

He probably realizes his NBA career is over. Without any loyalty to Utah, given the above, why cut a deal with the JAzz and lose money from a guaranteed contract- possibly his last? If the Jazz can't trade him, they will be forced to either completely buy him out at full price, or as someone mentioned above put him on injured reserve (perhaps they will do this and make it unpleasant for Raja until his buyout price comes down). However, if they keep him and Murphy, there is no flexibility with the roster, which the JAzz have always wanted (or they are cheapskates and don't want to pay the 1-2 players at the end of the bench all year).

With the Jazz fairly stacked at the wing positions, I have to think that Murphy is on a non-guaranteed contract, or possibly still has to make the team after the fall camp for which he will be paid for.

Jefff · Post #10 » by **Jefff** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:46 am

The jazz can trade Raja, buy out him, or amnesty him. Or just leave him on the bench.

They have many options, and time to exercize them.

As for the rockets, they've a full roster, too.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/houston-rocke ... arrellson/

Post #11 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 1:44 am

The jazz can trade Raja, buy out him, or amnesty him. Or just leave him on the bench.

The Jazz can't amnesty Raja anymore, the date for that have passed. If they could trade him, I'm guessing they would have done that by now. This whole thing happened because Raja and the Jazz agreed to a buyout and Raja assumed he will be able to get signed for the vet minimum. Apparently there isn't a demand for him, since he isn't able to find a team to sign him for the minimum, which is why we are where we are - he won't agree to a buyout because he will lose money.

The point being - the Jazz can't amnesty him anymore, and they can't trade him either because he apparently has no value since no team is willing to offer him even the vet minimum. So unless the Jazz manage to somehow trade him (doubtful, according to how things unfolded thus far), their only option is to buy him out.

nghedman · Post #12 » by **nghedman** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:37 pm

Inigo Montoya wrote:
The jazz can trade Raja, buy out him, or amnesty him. Or just leave him on the bench.

The Jazz can't amnesty Raja anymore, the date for that have passed. ...

The point being - the Jazz can't amnesty him anymore, and they can't trade him either because he apparently has no value since no team is willing to offer him even the vet minimum. So unless the Jazz manage to somehow trade him (doubtful, according to how things unfolded thus far), their only option is to buy him out.

What's the time line on Bell and the amnesty? Is it different for each player depending on their contract, or the team? I believe i read that O'Conner stated that amnesty is available until a team uses it....period.

Post #13 » by **StocktonShorts** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 2:53 pm

Amnesty deadline is in July. You can use it on any player who was under contract at the time the new CBA was signed.

At this point, the only candidates next year to be amnestied by the Jazz are Hayward and Favors. And that's not going to happen.

Remember that the amnesty only saves you cap/tax space. You still have to pay the player.

Fido · Post #14 » by **Fido** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 11:59 pm

If Raja doesn't honor his verbal agreement on a buyout I expect he would be waived. The only other thing I could see is the team ask him to not report and carry him on the roster so he could be used in a trade but not participate with the team. I don't think there is any chance he is with the team at the start of the season.

nghedman · Post #15 » by **nghedman** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:44 am

StocktonShorts wrote:Amnesty deadline is in July. You can use it on any player who was under contract at the time the new CBA was signed.

At this point, the only candidates next year to be amnestied by the Jazz are Hayward and Favors. And that's not going to happen.

Remember that the amnesty only saves you cap/tax space. You still have to pay the player.

hmmm, and the Jazz really are not in need cap space right now.(unless there is a trade!) And next year they will have all the cap room any team could ask for.

nghedman · Post #16 » by **nghedman** » Sun Sep 16, 2012 1:16 pm

So with the Murphy signing official what does this mean with the rest of the roster? Does this mean the Jazz have either reached a quite agreement with Bell or plan on waiving him?

Post #17 » by **FJS** » Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:33 pm

They were working on it... I expect Raja out the earlier, the better.

Fido · Post #18 » by **Fido** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:02 pm

NBA teams can have up to 20 players (like the Rockets do now) during the offseason. They don't have to be down to the roster limit of 15 until right before the season--although it doesn't make sense to roll through training camp with a bunch of guys who won't be on your roster. The Jazz aren't handcuffed at all by still having Raja Bell on the roster. If it came down to it, there is no reason they couldn't start the season with Raja as the 15th roster spot wearing a suit behind the bench. Then if you need the roster spot at some point you can waive him then. Randy Rigby was on the radio about a week ago saying their current stance is he is under contract and is expected to show up and be ready to go like everyone else until the contract status changes. The Jazz have never really been ones to waive someone where you still have to pay them while they go off and sign a contract with another team. If he is collecting your money, he should be tied up and unavailable to your competition. If you want to be free of it agree to a buyout and leave some money with the team as compensation.