| 30 Teams, 30 Days: Utah Draft Preview (25th) Authored by Andrew Perna - June 24, 2007 - 8:03 pm
2006-2007 Finish: 51-31
Draft Pick: 25th Overall
What they do well
They don’t have much of a problem scoring, as they were one of only nine teams to average more than one hundred points per game this season (only Phoenix had a higher field goal percentage). They also outrebounded their opponents more often than not finishing seventh in the League in rebounding, but covering their opposition by 5.5 boards a night (the highest differential this season).
Not surprisingly the Jazz also shared the ball better than almost every team, with the Suns being the only team that averaged more dimes per game. That’s due to the tremendous development of point guard Deron Williams, and the accurate shooting of guys like Mehmet Okur and Carlos Boozer.
Where do they need improvement?
The Utah Jazz have one of the strongest starting fives in the NBA, it’s just too bad they share a conference with teams like the Suns, Spurs, and Mavs. After winning fifty-one games this season it’ll be hard to improve on that this fall, but fortifying their bench could be a move in the right direction. Kevin O’Connor has always done a nice job of filling Utah’s holes – hopefully this offseason won’t be any different.
They are a little undersized, which leads me to believe that O’Connor should take the most talented big man available later this month. However, I think they’ll focus more on a shooter, as their style lends itself to a smaller line-up. With that said I don’t think there is a player the Jazz couldn’t use, aside from maybe a point guard.
Who they should target?
-Morris Almond, Rice
He seems like a perfect fit for Jerry Sloan. He’s a well-known scoring machine, who relies on heady play rather than a tremendous amount of God-given talent. He moves well without the ball, although he isn’t going to win every foot race (again, using his head). I think he’d make a nice complement to Williams in the backcourt.
-Arron Afflalo, UCLA
Not too many people are high on him, namely our friends over at Draft Express, but I still think he’ll make a very solid pro. His stock was hurt tremendously by his performance against the two-time defending champion Gators and fellow draftee Corey Brewer. Regardless, during his three years as a Bruins he played similar minutes while increasing his scoring average each year.
Marco Belinelli, Italy
Utah has a reputation of dipping into the international pool for talent, and taking Marco would feed into that stereotype. He’s a better shooter than Derek Fisher or Gordan Giricek, which could help further spread the floor for Carlos Boozer. He’s not known for his defensive abilities, but neither is Almond or Afflalo.
Picks this decade
Their biggest selection, probably since the days of Stockton and Malone, took place in 2005 when they traded up in order to take Illinois guard Deron Williams. All he’s done since then is skyrocket up into the elite group of points in two short years.
2006
Ronnie Brewer, 14th
Dee Brown 46th
Paul Millsap, 47th
2005
Deron Williams, 3rd
C.J. Miles, 34th
2004
Kris Humphries, 14th
Kirk Snyder, 16th
Pavel Podkolzine, 21st
2003
Aleksander Pavlovic, 19th
Maurice Williams, 48th
2002
Ryan Humphrey, 19th
Jamal Sampson, 47th
2001
Raul Lopez, 24th
Jarrod Collins, 53th
2000
DeShawn Stevenson, 23rd
Kaniel Dickens, 50th
Who’s Utah taking? Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com |
