Rewards of the tank:2014 off-season!

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[QUOTE]It was a tight race between Jamal Crawford and Taj Gibson for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award.

But after the Clippers' spark plug and the first man off the Bulls' bench, the rest of the field was a little less certain. One player who received a vote surprised quite a few people, myself included.

Jazz center Enes Kanter got a second-place vote from Denver Nuggets play-by-play voice Jason Kosmicki.

After beginning the season as a starter, Kanter was moved to the bench for an extended period of time. The center averaged career highs in points (12.3) and rebounds (7.5) during his third season with the Jazz.

But Kanter wasn't even the first player off the Utah bench.

That job belonged to guard Alec Burks.

Turns out, Kanter wasn't supposed to get a Sixth Man vote at all.
On Twitter, Kosmicki said a mistake had been made and his ballot

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Specifically, what is the team looking for?

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[QUOTE]The team acknowledged Hyde's impending retirement but has not announced who will replace him with the Jazz and Fanzz. Assistant general manager Justin Zanik is also considered to be an expert on salary-cap-related issues.

Director of communications Jonathan Rinehart provided a statement on behalf of the Jazz organization about Hyde:

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Fernandez, Rodriguez, Weems, Tomic, Langford On All-Euroleague First Team
May 08, 2014 12:15 PM EDT

Rudy Fernandez, Keith Langford, Sergio Rodriguez, Ante Tomic and Sonny Weems have been named to the All-Euroleague First Team.

On the All-Euroleague Second Team are Nikola Mirotic, Ricky Hickman, Viktor Khryapa, Stephane Lasme and Vassilis Spanoulis.

Click here to view all Euroleague awards for the 13-14 season.

Via RealGM Staff Report

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Idaho and Fort Wayne would remain the only unaffiliated D-League teams, leaving the NBA to decide how the other 15 NBA teams will make D-League assignments. Arizona Republic

15 teams for 2 D-League teams? That is ridiculous.

I thought Idaho was the Jazz's affiliate?

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http://www.slcdunk.com/2014/5/10/570...and-is-healing

At the end of this season he will become what is an Unrestricted Free Agent, but whatever that is called in Europe. Thus, he will no longer have an obligation to STAY in Spain, nor will he need a buyout. (Peter, you wanna get up on this? Correct me...?)

No buyout? Sounds like they better bring him over before he signs another more restrictive contract.

Anyway, the Jazz need serious help at point guard. Diante Garrett was a very special surprise (especially how he shot the ball from deep, 37.5 3pt%, but only 1.4 attempts per game) last season, and was clearly superior to John Lucas III. The Jazz may draft a point guard to support or supplant Trey Burke as the starter. And there's always free agency -- Utah is such a big player in that every year. (Nope.)

They better be. A veteran pg is needed more than anything else.

I think we all fell in love with Neto, and hope he comes to the Jazz next season. He's a pass first point guard who grew up basing his game off of John Stockton. The injury to his shooting hand sucks, but is repairable. I hope he takes extra care this off season to work on his shot. A point guard in the NBA needs to be able to hit that ball rotation three in the half court.

This is something Neto has not yet shown an affinity for.

I'm guessing d may be a bigger issue but I definitely liked what I saw from him. He outplayed Burke. It's too bad they didn't give him the chance to go head to head with Burke in fall camp. Hopefully this year. Be interesting to see how they compare during summer league which I assume both will be part of.

Drafting Exum or Smart might make both of them irrelevant in a hurry.

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Kansas' Joel Embiid and Duke's Jabari Parker

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[QUOTE]Baxter Holmer: Have also heard that potential top-3 pick Andrew Wiggins is unlikely to attend the Chicago draft combine this week. Twitter @BaxterHolmes

Scott Howard-Cooper: Front offices have noted for a while Parker was not in great shape last season. If his agent still needs to hide him, it

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Steve Kyler: NBA execs say Parker's draft stock likely unchanged -- however point to Embiid's back as a red flag in this decision. Twitter @stevekylerNBA

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Adrian Wojnarowski: Andrew Wiggins has informed the NBA that he has withdrawn from the draft combine in Chicago this week, league source tells Yahoo. Once it was learned that Embiid and Parker wouldn't go to draft combine, it was probably inevitable Wiggins' reps would pull him too. Twitter @WojYahooNBA

and who else?

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Chad Ford: Sources: Randle, Exum, Gordon, Vonleh, Ennis, McDermott, Stauskas unlikely to participate in drills at NBA Draft Combine Twitter @chadfordinsider

Exum might be hard to get a look at if he tries to get himself on the Lakers as has been reported.

Sam Amico: #NBA announces Las Vegas Summer League will be held July 11-21. Will again consist of single-elimination tourney format. Twitter @SamAmicoFSO

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Chad Ford: NBA just released official NBA Draft Combine list. Take a look http://t.co/CgJBCVzSGl Twitter @chadfordinsider

Chad Ford: MSU

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The Los Angeles Lakers released their full preseason schedule today and, as usual, the Jazz will be making a trip to Southern California.

The two teams play in Anaheim on Oct. 16 and at Staples Center on Oct. 19.
Elsewhere, the Vegas summer league dates came out today.

No surprises.

The league tips off July 11 at the Thomas and Mack Center.

Other relevant information from the league's release:

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That Michigan State-injuries-and-illnesses thing is following Adreian Payne into his professional career. Payne has mononucleosis and won't be able to participate in workouts or basketball-related activities at the NBA predraft camp in Chicago this week, his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said in a phone interview. Payne is still planning to attend the combine for interviews and medical checks. Bartelstein said he isn't sure how long Payne has had mono but that it has been improving lately. "We think he'll be fully healthy in a couple weeks," Bartelstein said of Payne, who has been living in Chicago and preparing for the June 26 NBA draft. Payne missed seven games as a senior at MSU with a foot sprain.

Detroit Free Press

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Teams will play in three games between July 11-15 and then have at least two games in a tournament format from July 16-21.
The NBA has confirmed that its summer league will take place in Las Vegas from July 11-21. As previously reported, the Utah Jazz will be among the participating teams in Sin City instead of Orlando, where the organization had gone since the Rocky Mountain Revue folded in 2009.

Teams will play in three games between July 11-15 and then have at least two games in a tournament format from July 16-21 at various sites in Las Vegas, including the COX Pavilion and the Thomas & Mack Center.

The Vegas summer league will be open to the public and televised on NBA TV.

Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey said the organization will hold a training camp in Salt Lake City leading up to the summer league. It's possible one of the practices will be open to the public as a way to engage fans in the offseason.

The Jazz signed rookie guard Ian Clark, last year's championship game MVP, after the Belmont sharpshooter helped the Golden State Warriors win the tourney by scoring 33 points in the finale.

Jazz participants in the summer league could include Trey Burke, Rudy Gobert, Clark, Malcolm Thomas, Erik Murphy, Diante Garrett, Raul Neto and three of the first 35 picks in the 2014 draft.

EMAIL: jody@desnews.com

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And the Stockton boys!