| Deron Williams Will Be The Key To The Jazz’s Future Success Authored by Aaron Bronsteter - July 2, 2005 - 3:30 pm
I was one of many who questioned the decision of the Utah Jazz to select Deron Williams over the proven and still stealthily improving Chris Paul of Wake Forest with the third overall pick. The fact is that the Jazz had made up their mind and were absolutely sold on Williams from the outset. In a few years, it can be decided who made the better selection, however, the Jazz cannot wait until later and will expect Williams to contribute immediately.
Last season was a disaster for Jerry Sloan and the Utah Jazz, who did not make the playoffs for the first time in 22 seasons. Their star player and newly re-signed cornerstone Andrei Kirilenko played in only half of their games and still had more than double the amount of blocks than anyone else on the team and only three less steals than team leader Matt Harpring (who played in 78 games).
Their expensive, newly signed addition, Carlos Boozer, played in only 51 games, but played well with averages of 17.8 points-per-game, 9 rebounds-per-game, nearly 3 assists-per-game and shot over 50% from the field.
Their other expensive addition, Mehmet Okur, averaged career highs in nearly every statistical category and played in every game. However, their other long-term signing Carlos Arroyo proved to be a headache for Coach Sloan and was shipped to Detroit around the trade deadline for Elden Campbell and a future first round selection.
The Jazz finished the season with a 26-56 record, their worst in 23 seasons and the second worst season in Sloan’s coaching career; his worst with the Jazz.
The NBA Draft Lottery came and went and the Jazz ended up with the sixth overall selection in a draft that was seemingly four-deep with talent at the top.
With Chris Paul and Deron Williams vying for the third spot in the draft and Portland wanting to build around thieir previous lottery selection Sebastian Telfair, the Trailblazers shopped the pick. The Blazers received several offers and settled for the Jazz’s offer of the 6th and 27th picks along with a future conditional first rounder in 2006. Reports were abound that the Jazz were settled on Williams and surely enough, selected him with the third overall selection.
On paper, Paul is a much better selection at the third pick, but in terms of the type of player that Sloan likes and prospects that play into the Jazz’s system, Williams is likely the best fit. Williams is probably not the best scorer or passer of the three top-5 point guard prospects, but is considered to be the best defender.
Williams will have a lot of work to do in his first season, which includes improving his field goal percentages, learning the Jazz’s system and will have to become the man right away, as the Jazz have no other point guards under contract.
The Jazz do not have a lot of money to throw at free agents this season and have already build their core around players with certain specialties. Kirilenko’s defense, Boozer’s toughness and rebounding abilities, Okur and Gordan Giricek’s shooting, the athleticism of last year’s rookies Kirk Snyder and Kris Humphries and now the leadership and intelligence of Williams. The Jazz’s core equates to a fundamentally sound system with few egos and the desire to win. If the Jazz can play at full health this season, they are likely a sure-fire playoff team, just the way Sloan likes it. |
