[sammybuckeye13Participant]

We’ve been primed to see what Utah’s years-in-the-making core has to offer since they traded for a franchise PG on draft day and took on $25M in dead weight expiring contracts while letting their two best players go. The only player whose role was up in the air entering the preseason was Alec Burks, his starting role still not guaranteed. With Trey Burke out 6 weeks with a broken foot it’s time to see what Burks can do. He entered the league an elite ball handler and the Jazz have played him more often at PG than most predicted he would. We know he can score, and now he’ll be playing 32-35 minutes a night while Burke is out because neither Brandon Rush nor Richard Jefferson is dying for that fifth starting spot and John Lucas can’t possibly play more than 15 minutes a game.

Burks has grown up in the league as a key rebuilding block and expect him to use his awesome skill set, length and athleticism, ball handling ability and edge to post ridiculous fantasy numbers, let’s just put it that way. Until Burke returns, I conservatively bet Burks puts up 18 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 1.5 steals while making a lot of FT’s. He was a lottery pick and the second SG taken in the 2011 draft for a reason, he’s bid his time and here’s his audition.

[JoeWolf1]

Burks doesn’t have the offensive arsenal to drop 18 ppg at the NBA level. He has improved his long range shot, but has virtually no mid-range game and his slight frame renders him a much less effective slasher and finisher in traffic than he was in college.

Last season, Burks made only 54% of his layups and only averaged 2 free throws per game in nearly 18 minutes. If he doesn’t shoot a high percentages of his contested layups and doesn’t get fouled much, I don’t see why people think he’s still the slasher he was against 6’9” 220 lb college centers.

I’d give Burks 14 or 15 ppg in 35 minutes, but he’s done nothing in a decent sample size to make me think he’s a 1st option on even a bad NBA team, because lets face it, if you think Burks is dropping 18 ppg on the Jazz then he’d be their #1 option. Personally, I think Hayward is going to be around 16-17 ppg and both Kanter and Burks will be between 13 and 15 ppg as the Jazz lose a lot of games and score by committee.

In my opinion, Burks will have a long career as a 2nd unit shooting guard, but I don’t think he’s starting games unless his team isn’t a playoff contender.

[TheLastWordParticipant]

Burks role will be much different this year, Joewolf. Al Jefferson and Millsap are no longer on the team and Burks could even be made the first option. Many people think Hayward, but Burks is on another level athletically. He has also added 15 pounds and is up to a 43″ vertical to help him finish inside. He has been their best player by far in preseason (FWIW).

[GottaBeTheShoesParticipant]

‘Best player by far in preseason’… By far?

14 pts. in 22 mins on 60% FG
7 pts. on 1-5 shooting in 18 mins.
12 pts. in 20 mins on 4-9 shooting.
(only 3 attempts from beyond the arc overall and made 1)
I mean he’s arguably played well in the time given but he hasn’t exactly stood out. The added weight and vertical can only benefit him and his game but he is in no way a first option. He still struggles with shooting and relies on slashing to the basket too often. Athleticism doesn’t always = points, Hayward is a far more reliable scorer at this point (though this is preseason, I’d like to see boths stats through a 10 game regular season stretch). The thing about the Jazz is that they shouldn’t even have 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc options, they should be able to even it out pretty equally (maybe a little different without Burke).
I’m as big of Burks supporter as the next guy, watching him come out of college from my favorite team only to see him on the bench most of the time for his first 2 years after he dropped over 20 PPG in his Soph. year for us. But the NBA transition wasn’t going to be easy for him, what he relied on to light up teams at the college level wasn’t going to work as well at the NBA level. He definitely should be given the start but he shouldn’t be relied on to be the 1st option. We’ll see how the rest of pre-season and such goes along with him.

[GottaBeTheShoesParticipant]

‘Best player by far in preseason’… By far?

14 pts. in 22 mins on 60% FG
7 pts. on 1-5 shooting in 18 mins.
12 pts. in 20 mins on 4-9 shooting.
(only 3 attempts from beyond the arc overall and made 1)
I mean he’s arguably played well in the time given but he hasn’t exactly stood out. The added weight and vertical can only benefit him and his game but he is in no way a first option. He still struggles with shooting and relies on slashing to the basket too often. Athleticism doesn’t always = points, Hayward is a far more reliable scorer at this point (though this is preseason, I’d like to see boths stats through a 10 game regular season stretch). The thing about the Jazz is that they shouldn’t even have 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc options, they should be able to even it out pretty equally (maybe a little different without Burke).
I’m as big of Burks supporter as the next guy, watching him come out of college from my favorite team only to see him on the bench most of the time for his first 2 years after he dropped over 20 PPG in his Soph. year for us. But the NBA transition wasn’t going to be easy for him, what he relied on to light up teams at the college level wasn’t going to work as well at the NBA level. He definitely should be given the start but he shouldn’t be relied on to be the 1st option. We’ll see how the rest of pre-season and such goes along with him.

[JoeWolf1]

What’s your source, dude. Burks had a 29 standing 36 max vert two years ago, and I’m skeptical he added 7” to his vertical in a couple years. I’m gonna need a source to buy that.

I don’t think Burks is a bad player, and I know he’s going to have a bigger role. I just thought he’s been overrated since he came out and I see it again when people are predicting him to be a 18/5/4 player this season. Corbin wanted him to be a bench spark in the 2nd unit until Burke went down, and now he’ll probably play a bigger role, but if Alec Burks is your first option….your team will probably win about 12 games. That’s all I’m saying, maybe he’ll get that role, but then the Jazz will be like #1 pick bad if that is the case.

Hayward is a far better player IMO, and I think Kanter will emerge this year. 18 ppg for Burks is crazy, like I said, I wouldn’t be shocked if he gave you 14, but this guy is no true 1st option in the NBA.

[JoeWolf1]

What’s your source, dude. Burks had a 29 standing 36 max vert two years ago, and I’m skeptical he added 7” to his vertical in a couple years. I’m gonna need a source to buy that.

I don’t think Burks is a bad player, and I know he’s going to have a bigger role. I just thought he’s been overrated since he came out and I see it again when people are predicting him to be a 18/5/4 player this season. Corbin wanted him to be a bench spark in the 2nd unit until Burke went down, and now he’ll probably play a bigger role, but if Alec Burks is your first option….your team will probably win about 12 games. That’s all I’m saying, maybe he’ll get that role, but then the Jazz will be like #1 pick bad if that is the case.

Hayward is a far better player IMO, and I think Kanter will emerge this year. 18 ppg for Burks is crazy, like I said, I wouldn’t be shocked if he gave you 14, but this guy is no true 1st option in the NBA.

[TheLastWordParticipant]

Burks role will be much different this year, Joewolf. Al Jefferson and Millsap are no longer on the team and Burks could even be made the first option. Many people think Hayward, but Burks is on another level athletically. He has also added 15 pounds and is up to a 43″ vertical to help him finish inside. He has been their best player by far in preseason (FWIW).

[JoeWolf1]

Burks doesn’t have the offensive arsenal to drop 18 ppg at the NBA level. He has improved his long range shot, but has virtually no mid-range game and his slight frame renders him a much less effective slasher and finisher in traffic than he was in college.

Last season, Burks made only 54% of his layups and only averaged 2 free throws per game in nearly 18 minutes. If he doesn’t shoot a high percentages of his contested layups and doesn’t get fouled much, I don’t see why people think he’s still the slasher he was against 6’9” 220 lb college centers.

I’d give Burks 14 or 15 ppg in 35 minutes, but he’s done nothing in a decent sample size to make me think he’s a 1st option on even a bad NBA team, because lets face it, if you think Burks is dropping 18 ppg on the Jazz then he’d be their #1 option. Personally, I think Hayward is going to be around 16-17 ppg and both Kanter and Burks will be between 13 and 15 ppg as the Jazz lose a lot of games and score by committee.

In my opinion, Burks will have a long career as a 2nd unit shooting guard, but I don’t think he’s starting games unless his team isn’t a playoff contender.

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