Why is Foye playing so much?

[StocktonShorts]

Randy Foye is averaging 26 minutes a game and the Jazz are significantly worse with him on the court at -11.7 pts/100 possessions (http://www.82games.com/1213/12UTA6.HTM#onoff). The Jazz offense is marginally worse with him on the court and the defense is substantially worse. Meanwhile, with Hayward the Jazz are -0.4 pts/100 possessions.

So why is he getting so much time? My theory is that even coaches are seduced by the ability to knock down threes, so much so that they don't accurately evaluate the other things the player does (or doesn't do) on the court.

What are your thoughts? Is Foye playing too much? Not enough? Why?

[FJS]

Well, I don't know but sometimes he change the game with 2 or 3 threes in a row.
We have to give Corbin that lately when he is ineffective in offense he is changed, like yesterday.
It's a pity Burks isn't playing, but we need his 3 ability to get open the deffenses. I'm fine with him in the court if he is not torched.

[QuantumMacgyver]

Normally I am all for statistics, but Foye has been one of our most consistent players all year. On top of that he brings nasty defense and spreads the floor. I am 100% in support of Foye's minutes and status. THe stats are surprising though and definitely raise some questions. I wonder if the reason his average is so low might have something to do with how much more Foye has played with the starting lineup than Hayward. Couple that with how poorly our starting lineup has been for the majority of the season and maybe that can help explain things. Either way, I like his play and feel he has earned the playing time.

[red4hf]

Foye is a defensive liability against big 2 guards who post him up...... And, he's been in a little shooting slump the last few games, BUT, I'd say he's been pretty good for us this year......

His ability to hit several threes in a row is exceptional, and is something we haven't had, really ever, on this team...... He's also aggressive defensively, despite his limitations......

[The59Sound]

I wish he played less, and Hayward and Burks more, but it's not at the "Corbin, WTF are you doing????" level of frustration that I had when CJ Miles was the guy stealing minutes.

[RaulLopez]

He is smart and plays the way the coach wants. He will also hit a big 3. The younger guys can not do any of the above. In this case, stats do not tell even 1/10th the story.

[StocktonShorts]

I wonder if the reason his average is so low might have something to do with how much more Foye has played with the starting lineup than Hayward. Couple that with how poorly our starting lineup has been for the majority of the season and maybe that can help explain things.

I've been wondering the same thing; but keep in mind he's started 12 of the 22 games he's played, so not all of his minutes have come with the starters. A cursory glance of his 5-man lineups on 82games seems to suggest he gets a lot of minutes alongside Mo and that those minutes aren't great:

Mo + Foye:
269 minutes played, -12 points

Tinsley + Foye:
172 minutes played, +3

This doesn't account for all of his minutes with those two guys, because 82games only shows the 20 most common 5-man lineups for a player, but it does shows something significant I think.

[StocktonShorts]

He is smart and plays the way the coach wants. He will also hit a big 3. The younger guys can not do any of the above. In this case, stats do not tell even 1/10th the story.

How is he smart? How does he play "the way the coach wants?"

This just sounds like the kind of nonsensical bull one gets from the Craig Bolerjacks of the world. Care to elaborate on what you mean?

Specifically I'd like you to compare him to Hayward and Carroll, since he's stealing their minutes (Corbin will play Hayward at the 3 over Carroll/Marvin and leave Foye in the game).

[carrottop12]

It also allows Hayward to come off the bench where he's been exceptional. And Foye has done his job, he's a streak shooter who's really found his stroke this year and is giving the team a much needed outside threat.

[StocktonShorts]

It also allows Hayward to come off the bench where he's been exceptional. And Foye has done his job, he's a streak shooter who's really found his stroke this year and is giving the team a much needed outside threat.

Hayward's numbers are essentially the same off the bench or starting. Even if you want Hayward off the bench, he could play closer to 35 minutes if Foye played less.

[reapaman]

How much did you think he was gonna play? 25 -27 mins is around where I had him and hardly any of that will be pg mins because that makes no sense.

He doing fine, you gotta be careful with those numbers tho. If you don't use them right then they lie.

[StocktonShorts]

I thought he'd be 10-15 minutes and that Burks would push him out of that time. Clearly burks is nowhere near doing that, but I didn't expect Foye to steal Hayward's minutes.

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

Foye has been great for us... regardless of what the stats say.

Funny how some of you want Burks to play more instead of him... cause Burks has been TERRIBLE this year.

[StocktonShorts]

Foye has been great for us... regardless of what the stats say.

How do you figure?

Funny how some of you want Burks to play more instead of him... cause Burks has been TERRIBLE this year.

Is anyone here saying that?

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

Foye has been great for us... regardless of what the stats say.

How do you figure?

Funny how some of you want Burks to play more instead of him... cause Burks has been TERRIBLE this year.

Is anyone here saying that?

Foye has single handily won us a couple games with his outside shooting alone. He's the best 3 point threat we've had on the Jazz over the past... who knows how long... other than Korver, and he's a better overall player than Korver was/is. Do I like him starting? No. He's not big enough to compete as a starting 2 gaurd... but even so, he's been terrific for us.

And yes, people want more Burks even though he's been the worst player on this roster the entire year.

[Jazzfan12]

Foye does one thing noticeably well, but he does literally everything else badly. Really bad defensively, arguably the worst rebounder in the NBA, bad decision making, inability to create. Unless someone is posting him up, these flaws aren't that noticeable but that's just because he's never involved to do something good in the majority of the plays. He's a lot better than Bell, CJ, and Raja but he shouldn't be starting in the NBA.

edit: Just checked Foye's rebounding numbers and he's having one of the worst seasons of all time in terms of rebounding the ball.

[StocktonShorts]

Foye has single handily won us a couple games with his outside shooting alone.

Outside shooting by itself doesn't win basketball games. To suggest that Foye single-handedly won anything is rather hyperbolic.

He's the best 3 point threat we've had on the Jazz over the past... who knows how long... other than Korver, and he's a better overall player than Korver was/is.

The stats disagree with that. When he was with Utah Korver had a much higher rebounding rate, had a similar assist rate (better in some years) and was part of a better team defense when compared to Foye.

[erudite23]

^^^True.

I have been quietly losing my mind over how much he is playing. One of the many reasons why I am losing my faith in Corbin. Gordon Hayward is a much, much better player RIGHT NOW than he is, and yet their playing time is roughly equal. Add in the fact that Hayward is a rough product that needs reps to refine his game, and its inexcusable that Foye is getting so much time. Burks is another conversation. I think you play Foye in spots when you need the shooting, and that he should be getting 16-20 mpg. Right now he's being played like the indisputable starter who's minutes are guaranteed. Ridiculous.

[erudite23]

For someone with such a poor assist rate and who is almost exclusively a jump shooter, his TO rate is really high, too. There's a reason why his PER is under 13 despite having a very, very good TS%.

[QuantumMacgyver]

Foye starts because Big Al starts. Hayward doesn't provide much offensively if Big Al is on the floor. No one provides much offensively if Big Al is on the floor... other than Big AL that is. As long as Big Al is on the floor he is getting the ball, and everyone else gets the luxury of watching. If people want Hayward back in the starting lineup, then you had better hope for a Big Al trade. As long as Big Al is on this team and Foye is our best three point shooter... Foye will continue to start. And if they continue to play the way they have for the last 3, then that's fine by me.

*edit: It sure is nice when Jazz fans biggest complaint is Foye. Thousand times better than CJ/Howard/Collins of the past. I like him and I hope he is here to stay.