Must-read Zach Lowe piece on Jazz

[StocktonShorts]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/904 ... -utah-jazz

This is a great unbiased take on the Jazz from one of the best NBA bloggers.

[Inigo Montoya]

great find, tnx. a good read.

though i didn't like that in one paragraph lowe writes that millsap has quick, smart feet, and in another paragraph he calls him (and al) slow. that's just being inconsistent and "adjusting" his views in order to make whatever point he wants to make, which is unbecoming. other than that - very good article.

[StocktonShorts]

Some interesting claims from the article:

- Jazz could've gotten a high first round pick in last year's draft had they traded Millsap.
- Millsap-for-Bledsoe trade talks were never serious.
- Negative numbers for most-used lineups indicate Corbin is playing the wrong guys at the wrong times

The last one really resonates with me. When Locke pointed out those same numbers he immediately used them to show how "difficult" and "tricky" this Jazz lineup is. When I saw them my reaction was similar to Zach Lowe's.

I'm increasingly wary of David Locke's ability to be objective with his podcasts. I now strongly suspect he is being fed information and topics straight from Randy Rigby in order to do spin control. As an example, this morning he had on one of the guys Greg Miller invited to sit with him courtside last night. Locke kept gushing about this "event" and how great it was, and what was it like to sit on the front row and rub elbows with the great owner of the Jazz etc. It was nauseating and I felt bad for the guy, because what was probably a genuinely cool, fun experience was being shamelessly exploited to show how great the ownership of this team is at a time when many fans are questioning the ownership's management.

[Neon Black]

Favorite Part:

• Utah's willingness to slide back into the lottery, and its patience with young players. Dennis Lindsey is Utah's new GM, fresh from San Antonio (and Houston before that), which means things will start changing slowly in Utah. Among those changes: Multiple league sources who dealt with Utah ahead of the deadline insist the Jazz presented themselves as willing to take a step back next season and snag a solid pick in a loaded 2014 draft. That is in part Lindsey's influence, those sources say. And while that runs counter to the Jazz's desire to make the playoffs this season, this roster was already set when Lindsey arrived over the summer, and new front offices are sometimes cautious in flexing their muscles.

The Jazz absolutely have to give themselves the best shot at getting a star in the 2014 draft. Players like Wiggins and Parker come around rarely and are pivotal to a franchise's long-term success.

[StocktonShorts]

I was encouraged by that part as well, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[Inigo Montoya]

Some interesting claims from the article:

- Jazz could've gotten a high first round pick in last year's draft had they traded Millsap.

the article also hints that that "high" pick was probably lower than top 7:

The Jazz probably weren't aggressive enough shopping Jefferson and (especially) Millsap ahead of last spring's draft, when multiple league sources insist they could have easily snagged a high first-round pick in that draft for Millsap. But it's unclear if that pick would have brought an unwanted contract along with it, and given the intriguing play of Andre Drummond and Terrence Ross, it's easy to forget that most league executives weren't very excited about picks outside the top six or seven guys.

so we are probably talking about 8-14 range, given the possibility of the jazz and\or warriors fall out of the playoffs. and the article also mentions the jazz probably would have had to take on a bad contract in that deal.

The Jazz absolutely have to give themselves the best shot at getting a star in the 2014 draft. Players like Wiggins and Parker come around rarely and are pivotal to a franchise's long-term success.

i'm high on wiggins, not so much on parker, but that's just me.

[pickIBL]

The Jazz aren't going to be bad enough to get Wiggins. So I'd get off that kick right now... is a top 10 reason enough for them to tank an entire year (which is a very anti-jazz move)? We shall see... better draft well.

[Inigo Montoya]

The Jazz aren't going to be bad enough to get Wiggins. So I'd get off that kick right now... is a top 10 reason enough for them to tank an entire year (which is a very anti-jazz move)? We shall see... better draft well.

i agree that wiggins and parker are unattainable most likely.

however, i don't think the jazz will deliberately tank next season just to get a high draft pick - i think that that will just be a bonus. if the jazz's plan is to let the C4 lots of playing time next year and not retain both millsap and big al, then they will probably fill the roster with one year rentals to maintain flexibility for the 2014 free agency. and with the heavy minutes to the young players, they may not make the playoffs, so having a lottery pick in a strong draft is just a bonus, but not the goal.

[StocktonShorts]

The Jazz aren't going to be bad enough to get Wiggins. So I'd get off that kick right now... is a top 10 reason enough for them to tank an entire year (which is a very anti-jazz move)? We shall see... better draft well.

Agree re: Wiggins. I don't see them "tanking" per se, but I do think they'll go into next year how the Rockets planned on going into this year: as a young team with some nice pieces but no superstar. Of course shortly before this season started the Rockets landed James Harden, but to hear Morey talk, they were prepared for this to be a difficult, losing season.

I don't see the Jazz re-signing Millsap, Jefferson or Mo Williams.

[countrybama24]

We'll see if this pans out, but it's also a smart negotiating tactic to proclaim they're ok being bad next year to make the organization look less desperate for a high pick, even if that's not really their strategy. Also confirmed what most of us already knew, which was the team could have easily gotten a nice asset for Paul last year but won't take on any bad contract.

Sure was fun reading his teardown of our pick and roll defense though. Thanks Ty!

Oh, and @StocktonShorts, I have a hard time listening to Locke or any of the TV guys anymore, it's so obvious they're just trying to tow the organization line. I mean whats good for the organization is probably good for ratings, and they rely on being in good standing with the Jazz to get good info, but it is, as you said, nauseating to listen to over and over.

[kebutah]

All of the Jazz announcers (radio and tv) are Jazz emplyees first. It is trying to hear them constantly towing the company line while an informed viewer can see that they are full of it. With as many superlatives as they use to describe the team and p,layers we should be the top team in the league.

[meat tray]

I'm increasingly wary of David Locke's ability to be objective with his podcasts. I now strongly suspect he is being fed information and topics straight from Randy Rigby in order to do spin control. As an example, this morning he had on one of the guys Greg Miller invited to sit with him courtside last night. Locke kept gushing about this "event" and how great it was, and what was it like to sit on the front row and rub elbows with the great owner of the Jazz etc. It was nauseating and I felt bad for the guy, because what was probably a genuinely cool, fun experience was being shamelessly exploited to show how great the ownership of this team is at a time when many fans are questioning the ownership's management.

Eh, I don't really have a problem with it. The whole purpose of the event is for PR purposes. It's naive to think otherwise.

[StocktonShorts]

Eh, I don't really have a problem with it. The whole purpose of the event is for PR purposes. It's naive to think otherwise.

All of the Jazz announcers (radio and tv) are Jazz emplyees first. It is trying to hear them constantly towing the company line while an informed viewer can see that they are full of it. With as many superlatives as they use to describe the team and p,layers we should be the top team in the league.

With Bolerjack and Harpring there's no doubting they're first and foremost biased Jazz employees. I wish they were a little less so (and frankly a lot more NBA-savvy in the case of Bolerjack), but it makes them easy to ignore.

Locke, on the other hand, is tricky. He wants to be seen as a peer to guys like Kevin Pelton and Zach Lowe, both are smart, objective (or at least team-independent), analytics-aware basketball writers. Yet Locke is clearly a Jazz fan and employee. He looks at a lot of interesting data but the moment those numbers lead him to a conclusion that's critical of the Jazz management or coaching staff he starts hemming and hawing. On the other hand, if he finds numbers that support his (i.e. the Jazz's) decision-making then he spouts it off like it's undeniable truth.

It almost feels insidious how he entices people to listen to his analysis only to start repeating Randy Rigby's talking points when ordered to.

[Dry Fly]

Nice read. Thanks for the link.

[meat tray]

Locke, on the other hand, is tricky. He wants to be seen as a peer to guys like Kevin Pelton and Zach Lowe, both are smart, objective (or at least team-independent), analytics-aware basketball writers. Yet Locke is clearly a Jazz fan and employee. He looks at a lot of interesting data but the moment those numbers lead him to a conclusion that's critical of the Jazz management or coaching staff he starts hemming and hawing. On the other hand, if he finds numbers that support his (i.e. the Jazz's) decision-making then he spouts it off like it's undeniable truth.

It almost feels insidious how he entices people to listen to his analysis only to start repeating Randy Rigby's talking points when ordered to.

Yes, at the end of the day he is a Jazz employee, so of course he is biased. You have to take some of his stuff with a grain of salt, but I think he provides plenty of interesting analysis and insights.

I guess I give him the benefit of the doubt, mainly because I think what he is doing is pretty unique. There isn't another radio play-by-play guy that puts out a fraction of the content he does.

[jman2585]

It's a good article. The most important thing, I think, is that with Dennis now in the GM chair, things are going to change, much in the way they are changing (or have changed) in the other 4 Spurs front office outposts around the NBA. I think subtle tanking is going to be seriously explored as an option for 2014, and there will be a better system put in place to utilise the players consistently.

[pickIBL]

what the hell is wrong with the flex? Seemed to bring UCLA plenty of titles... if not for the Bulls...

[StocktonShorts]

what the hell is wrong with the flex? Seemed to bring UCLA plenty of titles... if not for the Bulls...

A couple of things:

1) The Jazz don't really run the flex any more so much as they run a "dump it to a big man and see what happens" or "let a wing dribble around until he finds something" offense. Sure, some guys are running half-hearted flex cuts, but they rarely resort in scoring opportunities.

2) The flex seems to be designed to get good mid-range shots. These may have once been considered highly efficient shots, but in today's NBA they've been outclassed largely by the three-pointer.

[pickIBL]

2) The flex seems to be designed to get good mid-range shots.

Lay-ups and open jumpers at the free throw line. If run correctly it's a nice offense. I'm ole school i'll take those easy layups and and elbow jumpers all day long.

[Inigo Montoya]

a well run flex offense is a thing of beauty (on an NBA level). i would love to see it again someday...

btw, when was the last time UCLA won a title? 1995?