| Jazz Just Need A Sharpshooter Authored by Dennis Silva II - November 24, 2007 - 10:20 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | The First Three Weeks of 2008-09 Now that we’ve had a little time to watch free agency unfold, along with the usual accompaniment of trades, let’s look at some of the key moves and how they impact the teams involved.
Grading The Deal: W's Sign Maggette And TuriafThe Boom Dizzle era is over, and the Warriors quickly recovered by signing two nice pieces to complement their young core.
| |
The defense is respectable. The inside-outside game is impeccable.
There’s depth and talent at each position, and discipline and focus will always be in order as long as Jerry Sloan is still around coaching.
Utah’s offensive prowess has been amazing this year, averaging 106 points per game on 26 assists per contest, while shooting a blistering 48 percent from the floor en route to an 9-4 standing (as of Friday, Nov. 23).
The Jazz’s incredible postseason run last year has proved to be no fluke, and I’ll even go as far as to say that only the Spurs stand in Utah’s way of an NBA Finals appearance (Phoenix has yet to learn how to defend, and Dallas superstar Dirk Nowitzki is still timid and reluctant when it matters most).
Sloan’s club has strengths at every position, from the power game of Carlos Boozer to the smooth floor game of Deron Williams, all the way to strong role players in Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring and Ronnie Brewer.
But in watching the Jazz take care of each and every opponent professionally and masterfully, there is one glaring missing proponent of Utah’s repertoire.
Outside shooting.
Utah is connecting on a respectable 36 percent of its 3-point tries as it attempts just a little over 10 per game.
But the Jazz can afford to make life easier for Boozer and Williams if they acquired a consistent and efficient 3-point threat to pair along with their Dynamic Duo.
Rookie wing Morris Almond was thought to be that needed shooter, but alas, he is just a rookie and is far from contributing, as shown by his 10 minutes played in three games of action.
Okur is Utah’s designated 3-point threat, but Williams and Sloan’s two defensive demons (Kirilenko and Brewer) do not scare anyone.
Come playoff time, it won’t take the genius of Greg Popovich to gang up on Boozer and Williams and let the likes of Brewer and Kirilenko bomb away from outside.
Guard Gordan Giricek is a capable 3-point bomber but has yet to earn Sloan’s confidence and continues to receive inconsistent playing time, despite having hit 10 of his 25 3-pointers.
The ideal Sloan sharpshooter would be a lengthy, agile wing player who could defend just as well as he could shoot the long ball.
Good luck finding someone with those credentials.
One possible idea would be to take a hard look at Philadelphia’s Kyle Korver.
Korver is a 6-6, 211-pound forward known for his sweet stroke, having hit 41 percent from deep in his career while averaging 10.5 points in 26.9 minutes per game.
He’s also a sound rebounder and an improving defender with each passing game, so it’s not like he’s allergic to guarding someone.
Korver does not fit into Philly’s mission of developing its young talent and rebuilding.
Plus with the instability of Kirilenko and Harpring, as well as the youthful exuberance of Brewer, Korver would add some solidarity to the Jazz.
Now, you ask, what would Philadelphia want in return?
Surely a draft pick of some sort. They don’t care which round; the Sixers just want more youth to build around and to try and establish some sort of foundation.
Philadelphia would be interested in guard C.J. Miles, the sort of backcourt partner that would be ideal to pair along with Rodney Carney, Thaddeus Young, and Louis Williams – all young, athletic talents that would be aided by Miles’ own athleticism and shooting ability.
Exempting the inclusion of a draft pick, a trade of Giricek and Miles for Korver and 6-10 rookie forward Hebert Hill would work well for both sides.
For the Sixers, they get a shooter in Giricek to replace at least some of Korver’s efforts, but more importantly, Philly gets an expiring contract after this year, as well as a young piece in Miles.
For Utah, Korver’s stroke would be welcomed by Williams and Boozer, and his ability to rebound and put forth an effort defensively would be even more welcomed by Sloan, who has become disgruntled with Giricek’s lack of attentiveness on that end.
Hill would be a cheap, young asset who can learn under the likes of Boozer and Jarron Collins.
Sloan’s never had too much room for a young big who can rebound and defend.
The most important consequence of a transaction such as this?
Utah would be even more of a challenge to San Antonio for Western Conference supremacy. |
