[jazzfan1Participant]

Ok, I’m a Jazz fan.

Most of you know we have a solid core of youngsters, with Kanter, Favors, Hayward and Burks, covering all positions except PG.

So my question is, do you reach for a PG that might be good but not great, or draft for depth, shooting and size?

I think we’ll have 2 picks, probably 8 and 13…..Assuming we do, what would you guys do?

At point, like Lilliard, Marshall, Teague and Wroten scares the hell out of me but he has the potential…there’s that word…..of being a great player at the point.

While I think those guys are good, I’d rather see the Jazz draft the best player available, even if one of them is a center.

For example, if Perry Jones is there, I think you have to take a flyer on him simply because of his potential. While his motor might be a problem, the kid can do anything on the basketball court. I’d play him at SF, which I think is his natural position. I also like Meyers Leonard, who would form a terrific 3 man rotation with Favors and Kanter at the PF/C. There will be times that Favors and Kanter could use a little more size, as the game with Bynum showed the other night.

I also like Beal, but I think he’ll be gone by then.

If the Jazz do not get a point in the draft, they have the pieces to draft a good PG. Harris doesn’t fit the Jazz system very well.

Any ideas will be appreciated.

[db24kb24Participant]

The beauty of having a young core is that you have plenty time aquire pieces (in jazz case, a pg) before you are seriously making a run to contend for a championship. I’d say Jazz are still a couple years away before all that youth gels, matures, and figures out how who they are.  So i’d go BPA.

[jazzfan1Participant]

Obviously I meant trade for a good PG, not draft if they don’t actually draft one.

[B FreeParticipant]

 db24 is right but at the same time some, actually all of those guys need as much playing time as possible Kanter didn’t play is only year in college, Favors played but relied on his elite tools and Burks played the do everything type being the best player on his team and being heavily relied on, so drafting best player avaiable could stunt some of there growth splitting too many minutes and they may never reach there full potential, possibly honing only a few of there skills because they may be put in in certain situations. If you have to reach to get a PG who can lead this young grup and grow with them and gel with them you would be better off then bringing in one once the rest of the players have great chemistry because your PG needs to have great chemistry with his team mates more then anyone.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

My suggestion:

The Jazz will likely have two picks around 8 and 13 in next years draft. They really only need one of those picks to get a PG. Luckily there are two point guards who should go in the late lottery. Damian Lillard and Kendall Marshall. Pick either one of those since both should fit well in the Jazz’s system. Probably do that with the later pick. As for the earlier one, I’d trade it for a veteran who can mentor the point guard you pick with the later pick. A lot of teams are going to be coveting Perry Jones because he has so much potential. So I’m sure there will be some team that will trade up to get him. The Jazz could pick Jones in order to trade him as well as say Harris or Miles to get a veteran PG to help mentor either Marshall or Lillard. That’s what I would do.

[B FreeParticipant]

 What veteran PG is out there that would be worth it?

[chevilicousParticipant]

As a Jazz Fan I’m still on the Marshall banwagon that I’ve been on for the entire season, I just flat out don’t see any other player in this draft that would impact this team like he would. Furthermore, I’m not entirely sure for his sake that he could fall into a better situation than the one in utah.

If he were here he brings in an immediate impact as far as much needed leadership both on and off the floor, that we really lack from the young pieces currently in place. With a point who has the ability to not only move the rock like he does, which we severly lack right now with the exception of tinsley, i beleive this would allow Hayward to be more aggressive on the offensive end of the floor and be a little more selfish than he currently is, where in his current role he finds himself as not only the best passer on the team, but allot of times the main facilitator. Marshall’s ability to pass ahead of the defense, rather than burst ahead of the defense really plays well to Hayward, Burks, and Favors strengths, as they are always up the floor like gazzelles, but often find themselves standing around when they get there. I’m not too worried about his athletiscism as allot of people are, and if he tends to get burned by some of the quicker pg’s in the league from time to time, I’m fine with that as just about nobody can stay in front of rose and westrbook types anyways. Plus i feel as though our post defenders in favors and Kanter can mask his deficincies a little better than most teams in this league. There have been plenty of guys who’ve played the PG position with similar athletic ability as marshall, hell we even had our own stockton who was a savvy scorer when he had to be, but by no means would you think of him as one of the more "athletic" point guards of his era. If marshall can continue to work on his jumper and become a consistent outside shooter, in my mind he will be the perfect point for an already talented core in utah.

[aamir543Participant]

 Don’t assume that you’re gonna get that 8th pick, my dubs are trying to tank, and we also might shut down Steph Curry for the remainder of the season, and Bogut is also not playing this season, so hopefully we’ll get at least the 7th pick, and it’ll be ours, since it’s top 7 protected.

[goneParticipant]

I’d say package one of your picks and a young player or two for a pg who is on the way out from his current team like……….Deron Williams…….o wait

[clawlinParticipant]

 The Jazz are extremely well built for the future.  The team is laden with both Savvy veterans and young talent.  Kanter-Favors-Hayward-Burks make up a stunning amount of talent that can dominate offensively, but still has some ways to go defensively.  Jefferson, Harris, and Millsap all come off the books in 2 years, opening up a perfect time to sign their core to lucrative contract extensions that will solidify their playoff and possibly championship contention in the near future.

That being said, they still have a few pieces that theey need to add to complete this young, talented core.  Assuming they do not win a lottery pick, they currently hold 9 and 15, which are great places in a deep draft.  At these spots, and given the young talent they already possess, I believe drafting BPA could potentially be a mistake, and they should focus on their needs.  Currently, their biggest needs are, as I see it, a point guard who fits the system, unlike Devin Harris, and a wing to make a solid three man wing rotation for the future.  A big would find very little minutes in their talented and effective frontcourt, and they should look to get another big man in the coming years rather than now.

Thus, at these points in the draft, they have several options.  At point guard, the two best options that will potentially be on the board at this point have already been pointed out by my peers: Damian Lillard and Kendall Marshall.  In my opinion, Marshall is the better fit. I believe Lillard will be taken ahead of Marshall for his overall talent as a finishing option on offense.  Teams with picks in the area, such as New Orleans, Portland, and Phoenix, all seem to be hungry for their point guard of the future, and they all, with the exception of possibly Portland (we have to see how their recent moves pan out), need more finishing options.  That being said, The Jazz have many offensive options with this core.  Marshall has brilliant court vision and has a knack for finding the open man.  He currently plays with agile and athletic players, and I believe the transition to the Jazz would go very smoothly.

For their other pick, I believe going the wing route would suit their needs.  With Bell old and injury prone, Howard on a one year contract, CJ Miles apparently on the outs, and Evans not ready to contribute, a third, young wing would suit them well.  Terrence Ross, Austin Rivers, Bradley Beal, Jeremy Lamb, and even Perry Jones are all options.  My favorite fit is Jeremy Lamb.  Although he has had a down season at UConn, he has shown his flashes both towards the end of last year and at the beginning of this year.  His problem seems to be is that he cannot be the go-to-guy: however, on this Jazz team, he does not need to be.  I think he would mellow out in the lineup and could potentially start at the 2.  My picks for fit following Lamb are Ross, Beal, Jones, Rivers.

These picks create a lineup for the future of Marshall-Lamb-Hayward-Favors-Kanter, with Burks coming off the bench to spell Marshall and Lamb.  Their positional flexibility willk be a great strength, with Hayward, Burks, Favors, and Kanter all being able to play two positions.

Of course, if they were to get a lottery pick, I would love to see them get Barnes or MKG.  I am an MKG homer, but I believe Barnes is the better fit for this team.

[chevilicousParticipant]

By the way this is shaping up here I’m beggining to think more and more that we may not end up with any 1st rounders this year. Golden state is going to tank on purpose, and the Jazz have beat the Heat, Lakers and Thunder in the month of March…. All this while being 1 game out of the 8th spot in the west.

[WeavvvParticipant]

If Golden State is able to tank hard enough to fall into that top 7, it doesnt necessarily mean they will keep their pick. A team outside of the top 7 could land in one of the top 3 lottery spots, bumping GS right back out. It’ll be interesting to see. Utah is a young, talented team. Just like somebody else said, they have time, and obviously the patience, to make something work. If they want to compete next year, they package a big man and some picks for a PG, or make a major move on Steve Nash (not likely, but possible). The draft lottery and outcome of this seasons standings will play a HUGE part in what Utah will be able to do this offseason.

[r377Participant]

Yeh Utah won again today and look good enough for a playoff spot.

[bloodshyParticipant]

GS has been terrible of late.  Dare I say intentionally tanking?  And Utah is now on the verge of being back in the playoffs.  If these events occur, one of their picks goes to the TWolves, the other to the Warriors.

If the Jazz do get a pick in the 8-14 range, I think they should pick up Marshall.  The players I like better for the Jazz won’t be available @ 8.  As others have mentioned, he’s just a great fit for the way the Jazz run things.  Also, as I’ve watched him lately, my fears about his shooting have gone away.  He has a nice stroke w/signs of improvement.  And his D can’t be much worse than what the Jazz have had @ the 1 all year.  Harris/Evans can’t stay in front of anyone either.

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