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[QUOTE]Jazz go twice Tuesday
The Jazz were scheduled to practice twice on Tuesday
[QUOTE]But Trey Burke, being new here and trying to be helpful, offered clarification as training camp opened this week as he tried to answer a question about the need to be patient in his development as the next point guard to follow the path carved by a certain No. 12.
"I think that
"(Burks) worked his tail off this summer. I thought he made some good strides last year, especially having to put him in the point-guard role some and he started for us at times at the point.
"He's a 2-man naturally, but he's a basketball player," Corbin said. "He's been willing to work this summer, he's worked on his body, his conditioning is up and his IQ basketball-wise has increased, so we're really looking forward to him having a good year."
Over his first two years in the league, there were nights when Burks would find himself buried on the end of Utah's bench and he would barely see the floor. He played sporadically at times and seemed unsure of what his role was.
Then there were those nights when he'd come out and, given an opportunity to display his quickness and athleticism, he'd step into the spotlight and shine brightly.
There were nights like last March in San Antonio, when he scored 14 points in 22 minutes against the Spurs, or that night last season at Milwaukee, when he played a career-high 36 minutes and responded by putting up 19 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
Corbin said Burks' biggest improvement may be the mental side of his game.
"Confidence, positive confidence," the Jazz coach said. "You come out of college and you have a chip on your shoulder. He certainly had a chip on his shoulder because he had a lot to prove. He still has a lot to prove to himself and to everybody in this league.
"But he knows better now what he's getting ready to face. And he's working smarter at getting himself ready on both ends of the floor. His body has gotten better from the standpoint of how he can move and use his hands on the defensive end and get over screens and get small at times and stay wide and big at times on smaller guys. His knowledge of the different things he can use that he has against different opponents is increasing.
"I think, along with his physical play, I think the mental aspect of thinking the game
[QUOTE]Insider
"I feel a little bit more comfortable knowing that I got my first practice under my belt, and I'm just ready to move forward from here," he said at the Zions Bank Basketball Center on Tuesday afternoon.
"There was a lot of uncertainty, really, not really knowing what to expect coming into training camp," the Michigan product said. "But once I got comfortable with the staff and got comfortable with my new teammates, they're making it easy for me out there, helping me through my mistakes and, more importantly, they're teaching me."
Head coach Tyrone Corbin recognizes the learning curve that lies ahead of Burke and other young players. He and his coaching staff have taken the time to offer advice to help him adjust to his new surroundings
[QUOTE]POSTING CHANGES: A new group of big men moving into primary roles has led to some changes in the Jazz offense.
"Derrick (Favors) and Enes (Kanter) are very capable low-post guys. They
[QUOTE]EXPANDING ROLES: Entering his fourth season in the NBA, swingman Gordon Hayward is working to increase his repertoire on offense.
"Definitely try to add a mid-range part to my game," he said. "A lot of it last year was either the 3-point line or layups and finishes like that, so I'm working on finishes at the mid-range."
Hayward added that moving to the post is another item in his bag of tricks.
"I'm trying to find different places that I can score and be effective," he said. "When I have a smaller guy (defending me), I'll definitely go into the post and take advantage of that."
The Jazz coaching staff is also expecting the returning starter to be more of an instigator.
"I've been asked to be more of a playmaker," Hayward said. "I expect the ball to be in my hands a little bit more, and to go find guys in situations and spots where they can be successful."[/QUOTE]
nice!
[QUOTE]UPDATE ON MARVIN: Veteran guard Marvin Williams continues on his road to recovery from offseason surgery to repair a sore right heel and Achilles tendon.
With an anticipated recovery time of at least six months, Williams is not expected to return to the floor until December.
"It
Hey, Xiao. Do you watch/listen to the Locked On Jazz podcast?
I follow his site. I haven't listened to the podcasts. I probably should. I like what he has to say rather I agree with it all or not.
[QUOTE]For six years the question was whether the Celtics would win the championship. Now Danny Ainge finds himself overseeing a far less promising environment. All of the big names who played for or coached the championship team of 2007-08 are now in Los Angeles or Miami or Brooklyn or (in the case of Rajon Rondo) on indefinite leave. Instead of trying to win, should they now be trying to lose? "As I walk around town, more than anything else there are those that say, 'Hey, don't win too many games,"' said Ainge, the Celtics' president of basketball operations. "There are so many fans that want us to play for the draft." Ainge's measured response is that they should be more careful what they wish for. "That's harder than people recognize," said Ainge of losing as a strategy. "It's a really easy thing to conceptualize, and an easy thing to talk about and philosophize about. But it's a hard thing to live through -- for fans, for coaches, for owners, for sponsors, for our TV partners." SI.com
"If Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was out there to change your franchise forever, or Tim Duncan was going to change your franchise for 15 years? That might be a different story," said Ainge. "I don't see that player out there." SI.com[/QUOTE]
Thought this was interesting. Not as high on Wiggins as others apparently. Going to be a long season. Buckle up! :yaohappy:
[QUOTE]O
[QUOTE]Feb. 19, 2004
[QUOTE]2000: DeShawn Stevenson (23), Kaniel Dickens (50)
[/QUOTE]
Good fit for the system not for Jerry.
[QUOTE]2001: Raul Lopez (24), Jarron Collins (53)[/QUOTE]
Too bad Raul's knees weren't up to the pounding of the NBA. He was a great fit. Too bad Jerry loved Collins.
[QUOTE]2002: Ryan Humphries (19), Jamal Sampson (47). Note: Humphries traded to Orlando for Curtis Borchard[/QUOTE]
Curtis another one who's body wasn't built for the pounding of the NBA.
[QUOTE]2003: Sasha Pavlovic (19), Mo Williams (47)[/QUOTE]
Could have been one of his better drafts if they'd stayed around for more than a season. Wouldn't have gotten Deron if they'd kept Mo.
[QUOTE]2004: Kris Humphries (14), Kirk Snyder (16), Pavel Podkolzin (21). Note: Podkolzin traded to Dallas for future first-round pick[/QUOTE]
A couple more non-Jerry guys. Too bad Snyder was crazy. He could have been a good fit.
[QUOTE]2005: Deron Williams (3), C.J. Miles (34), Robert Whaley (51)[/QUOTE]
Poor CJ. Never could live up to Sloan and the fans expectations. Should have been Paul!
[QUOTE]2006: Ronnie Brewer (14), Dee Brown (46), Paul Millsap (47)[/QUOTE]
Brewer and Paul! A couple great fits.
[QUOTE]2007: Morris Almond (25), Herbert Hill (55). Note: Hill traded to Philadelphia for Kyrylo Fesenko.[/QUOTE]
Splitter was available and they already had Brewer and CJ. :rolleyes: Fesenko :roll:
[QUOTE]2008: Kosta Koufos (23), Ante Tomic (44), Tadija Dragicevic (53)[/QUOTE]
Loved Kosta. Still not sure why he fell out of favor? Ante next season finally?
[QUOTE]2009: Eric Maynor (20), Goran Suton (50)[/QUOTE]
Oklahoma thanks you for the gift!
[QUOTE]2010: Gordon Hayward (9), Jeremy Evans (55)
2011: Enes Kanter (3), Alex Burks (12)
[/QUOTE]
Along with 2006 these look like his best drafts other than getting Deron. 2011 especially looks like it could end up being special.
[QUOTE]2012: Kevin Murphy (47)[/QUOTE]
Looks like he got better at drafting over the years. Sloan certainly wasn't easy to draft for.
[QUOTE]STARTING POINT GUARD
Candidates: Trey Burke, John Lucas III
My friends Andy Larsen, Austin Horton, and Daniel Tate did a nice job dissecting this particular topic on last week
[QUOTE]If the NBA season started today, it
[QUOTE]Marvin Williams continues rehabilitation after undergoing surgery on his right heel and Achilles tendon.
There is no time frame for his return, but he said, "I don
[QUOTE]“I think it’s what’s best for me. I ended up at a place where there’s a great opportunity for a lot of playing time,” Rush said. “I’m happy where I’m at right now.”
Two other California transplants he still calls teammates — Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins — are probably even happier with their new situations.
News that they’d been dealt to Utah was anything but a vacation spoiler.
“I really like it here,” Biedrins said. “I like the weather. … I really like the snow.”
For Biedrins and Jefferson, the change of scenery sure beats the career fog they were experiencing in the Bay Area.
Last season, the 7-foot Biedrins scored a grand total of 24 points and averaged only 9.3 minutes in 53 appearances for the on-the-rise Warriors. He hasn’t scored more than 5.0 points per game since his double-double season of 2008-09 (11.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg).
“The last couple of years were bad for me and I didn’t play a lot. It’s been great that I’m here,” Biedrins said. “It’s a new chapter in my life. I will do anything what it takes, just to regain myself and be who I was."[/QUOTE]
Wouldn't that be great!
[QUOTE]The recent drop-off has been even more considerable for Jefferson. The 6-7 small forward only averaged 3.1 points after tallying no less than a nine-points-per-game average in his previous 11 NBA seasons. The 33-year-old averaged a career-high 22.6 points for New Jersey in 2007-08.
On Monday, Jefferson joked that the rough season came about because he was forced to wear No. 44 instead of his preferred No. 24 (which he now sports in Paul Millsap’s absence).
More accurately, Jefferson pointed out that he entered training camp injured in 2012. When his health returned, up-and-comer Harrison Barnes had secured the lion’s share of minutes at their position, forcing the former prolific scorer to take on a mentoring role for playoff-bound Golden State.
“Last year,” Jefferson said, “was a tough year. … I received my first DNP (did not play) in 12 years.”[/QUOTE]
Be interesting to see if he has anything left. Should be a good vet to have around the locker room anyway.
[QUOTE]Rush suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second game of the 2012-13 campaign. He’s still rehabbing after having ACL surgery in January and hasn’t been able to fully participate in training camp. It’s not clear when he’ll be able to go at full speed, but it’s likely he’ll split a chunk of minutes with Alec Burks at the shooting guard spot.
“He’s a great shooter and he’s a great competitor,” Jefferson said of Rush. “He’s a very good defender, but again it’s going to be awhile before he’s himself.”
It might take awhile for Biedrins and Jefferson to establish their roles on a team that is admittedly in a youth movement.
“They seem to relish the moment,” Corbin said of the traded Warriors. “They all come in with their positive attitude about working to earn a spot with this team and to be effective for us in whatever role that is for them here.”
Biedrins is young enough (27 years old) that he still has time to re-establish himself as a presence in the paint despite the tailspin he’s been in the past few years. Rush has proved to be a reliable 3-point shooter and defender. And Jefferson is hoping his improved health and fresh start will push him back into NBA relevance.
Even if they don’t provide any substantial contributions on the court, the three players’ contracts are helping the Jazz. With all of its likely starters on rookie contracts and the bigger salaries of Al Jefferson, Mo Williams and Paul Millsap in the past, Utah needed to increase its financial output to meet minimum requirements for the payroll. That certainly happened. Jefferson is the highest-paid Jazz player this year with an $11 million salary, while Biedrins is set to bring in $9 million and Rush $4 million. Trading for three guys in the last year of their contracts also gives the Jazz flexibility in the 2014 offseason to structure extensions, sign different free agents and/or broker more deals in an effort to make the franchise a “championship contender,” to use the front office’s oft-repeated optimistic phrase.
The ex-Warriors and Jazz coaching staff, however, are hoping to make themselves much more useful than just being contract pawns in this rebuilding chess game.
Corbin sounds like he’s more than willing to give them that chance, too. He credited Richard Jefferson for coming to camp in great shape, going hard in drills and “being the true pro that he is.”
“I’m just looking to contribute in any way,” Jefferson said. “Hopefully, it’s on the court. If not, it’s going to be mentoring some guys, whether it’s Gordon (Hayward), whether it’s Alec, whoever it is. I just want to contribute.”
Same goes for Biedrins, whom Corbin said “has been great” early on in training sessions and in unofficial workouts leading up to camp.
Both incoming veterans are very complimentary of the younger guys in their positions, and they believe they can be productive players with consistent minutes.
“Whatever coach will give me opportunity, I’ll do my best and give my 100 percent. If it’s going to be 10 minutes or five or 15, I’ll accept any role he has for me,” Biedrins said. “I still need to work a lot to get my confidence back, but it’s a good start. It’s a fresh start. It’s been great.”
Imagine how excited he’ll be when the snow arrives for good.
Just don’t mention that part about Utah winters to Rush. Especially if he’s in Hawaii.
EMAIL: [email]jody@desnews.com[/email]
TWITTER: DJJazzyJody[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]SALT LAKE CITY
Grantland preview of the Jazz
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXg56rY-v6E&feature=c4-overview&list=UUwLr_DYKR8aS0k4r8bB5I5Q[/url]
[QUOTE]And while their games are completely different, the Jazz could have an occasional challenge in defining their roles on the floor. Who is truly the center, and who is the power forward?
Coach Tyrone Corbin avoids the issue by eschewing labels, saying Friday that he sees "two bigs for now."
It
Fans wanting to get a glimpse of the new-look Jazz will have their opportunity Saturday at EnergySolutions Arena. The team will hold its annual scrimmage at 4 p.m. Attending the scrimmage is free. Players will be interviewed on the floor before they play.
The Jazz roster currently includes 20 players, which is the league maximum. Per NBA rules, it must be reduced to 15 by opening night, Oct. 30 against Oklahoma City.
[QUOTE]The Utah Jazz forward stepped on the scales Friday morning and got excited when he saw a much bigger number than the previous time he
[QUOTE]Friday marked the final day of two-a-day workouts for the Jazz, who've had seven practices since camp began Tuesday.[/QUOTE]
No new injuries reported!
[QUOTE]Corbin still isn
[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/56963750-87/kanter-jazz-dance-team.html.csp[/url]
G definitely looking bigger. Showing off his guns in the picture. Might be able to play him at some stretch 4!
[QUOTE]There
The new-look Utah Jazz are counting on a breakout season by Gordon Hayward.
So far, so good.
According to coach Tyrone Corbin, Hayward has gotten off to good start during the first three days of training camp.
"His maturity, his body, his mental state," Corbin said Thursday morning. "
Rookie point guard Trey Burke insists he
The Jazz have 20 players on the roster, meaning there is a battle raging among the newcomers to impress the coaching staff. Corbin declined to single out any individuals, but said the players new to the Jazz
Kanter showed that he has plenty of basketball moves after the action began. Utah
the Utah Jazz showed off their new players and returning guys with new roles at Saturday
The Jazz will take Sunday off before resuming practice Monday ahead of Tuesday
[QUOTE]Bill Oram: I'm curious to see what happens with Ian Clark. Jazz guard was brought in to make team, but hasn't been overwhelming in first week. Sounds like he may just be pressing a little bit. Which is understandable for an undrafted rookie trying to make an impression. However, I don't think there is much risk the Vegas SL MVP gets cut. He would have to be lousy to get waived. He hasn't been that. Twitter @tribjazz[/QUOTE]
D-League if he doesn't earn a spot in the rotation just like any of their other young guys as far as I'm concerned and I think Lindsey will use it unlike O'Conner did. He has guaranteed money. He won't get cut.
[QUOTE] Trey Burke
The Jazz had seven practices, including three two-a-days, and a scrimmage in a five-day period before getting Sunday off. Utah will practice again Monday ahead of Tuesday's exhibition opener at home against Golden State.
[QUOTE]Part-time coach Karl Malone
One possibly undervalued quality about the consensus national college player of the year? Vocal leadership.
The Jazz are without a clear cut emotional leader, and it
The scrimmage marked the end of the training camp portion of the NBA preseason. The Jazz were off Sunday and will resume practice Monday before hosting Golden State in Tuesday
The Marcin Gortat Goodbye Party Raffle: The Suns' veteran center is the most likely player who will be dealt before the trade deadline, though there will be interest in big-salaried players in the final year of their deals like Boston's Kris Humphries ($12 million), Utah's Richard Jefferson ($11 million) and Dallas' Shawn Marion ($9.3 million).
NBA.com
[QUOTE]When the Utah Jazz acquired Rudy Gobert on draft night, they saw an unpolished young center who might help them down the road.
After the Jazz