The sure to be epic 2013 Jazz off-season!

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Lucas said Lindsey had

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[QUOTE]Asked what he remembers most about playing in Utah, Lucas said the fans because "they are constantly talking to you

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[QUOTE]According to the whispers emanating from UNLV's Mendenhall Center, Portland's Damian Lillard, Utah's Gordon Hayward and collegian Doug McDermott of Creighton were among the Day 1 standouts, with the Los Angeles Clippers' Jordan said to have made his presence felt defensively. ESPN.com

Utah Jazz center Andris Biedrins has decided not to represent Latvia this summer at Eurobasket in Slovenia. Hot on the heels of Latvia

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Amid a strong finish over the final week of NBA summer league, Dionte Christmas has received interest from teams, including from the organization he played for, the Phoenix Suns.

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[QUOTE]Jody Genessy: Gordon Hayward on his increased offensive responsibility: "I

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Bill Oram: The Jazz have made official the hiring of former Ute Alex Jensen as player development assistant. Long expected. Twitter @tribjazz

Former Utah Jazz star Karl Malone, who turns 50 on Wednesday, has made one concession to age. He bought a mule. During 18 seasons with the Jazz and one with the Los Angeles Lakers, Malone was known as a fitness fanatic who willed himself into the Hall of Fame. "In 30 years," says Jazz strength coach Mark McKown," I

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“It’s time,” Favors said, “for two other people to be the new leading scorers.”

The two candidates best positioned to take over an offensive responsibility that’s been shouldered by Jefferson and Millsap are participating together this week at Team USA’s minicamp.

I'd be looking for Kanter and Burks and eventually Burke if he ever lives up to expectations as the first options. Hayward is their leading return scorer but he'd be most effective making plays for others and not concentrating on scoring. I'd like to see his assists go up more than his points. Favors looks like a double double guy but unless the Mailman can do something miraculous he certainly hasn't looked like a go to type guy yet.

Who knows if Favors and Gordon Hayward will be able to match the 7,600 points Jefferson and Millsap combined to score over the past three seasons?

One thing is certain.

The soon-to-be fourth-year veterans can’t wait to have increased offensive opportunities — and the accompanying responsibilities.

“I’m really excited,” Hayward said after Tuesday’s practice session at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center. “It’s going to be a challenge, for sure. But it’s time. I’m ready to step up and take that challenge.”

The new-look Jazz will need somebody to do that.

Even with their reliable post players last season, Utah only ranked 13th in the NBA in scoring with 98.0 points per game.

In a remarkable indication of the organization's overhaul, Hayward is the only player on the Jazz's current roster who averaged double digits in the NBA last season.

Utah had five players in the 10 points-plus range in 2012-13, but Jefferson (17.8 ppg), Millsap (14.6 ppg), Mo Williams (12.9 ppg) and Randy Foye (10.8 ppg) will all have new homes next year.

Hayward was third on the team with a 14.1 scoring average on 43.5 percent shooting, while Favors produced 9.4 points an outing on 48.2 percent shooting.

The Team USA hopefuls, who’ll undergo contract-extension negotiations this summer, will have plenty of chances to improve all of those numbers in the future.

“We’ve just got to come in and work harder,” said Favors, who knows something about hard work after training with Jazz big man coach Karl Malone this summer. “Obviously, we’re going to have to adjust, but it should be fun. It’ll be exciting.”

The Jazz, Hayward noted, will likely veer a bit away from the rigid inside-out philosophy that’s been in place since 2010-11 to capitalize on the strengths of their dearly departed post players.

With rookie Trey Burke running the show from the point guard position, the Jazz are likely to focus more on one of his strengths — scoring off of screens. Favors and Hayward are also adept at that style of offense.

“You’ve got to adapt to the players that you have — maybe a little more pick-and-roll, perimeter-oriented stuff,” Hayward said, anticipating possible offensive changes.

“We still have Fav and Enes (Kanter) down low. They’re still big bodies that can move people and make good moves and create stuff for other people,” he added. “I’m not going to say the offense is going to change a lot, but there will probably be some differences.”

More easy transition baskets coming off better d at the other end. Definitely more pick and roll and motion offense with Al gone. G and Burks should be running the show until Burke shows he can too.

Ah, yes. Enes Kanter.

The Jazz center spent the past 10 days working out and rehabbing at the P3 training center in Santa Barbara, Calif. He’s expected both to be fully healed from his spring shoulder surgery and to be a big contributor in Utah’s offense, something he showed he’s capable of doing while racking up 23 points and 22 rebounds while filling in for Jefferson against the Bobcats last March.

Hayward said the Jazz are going to need Kanter (7.2 ppg in 2012-13), projected starting shooting guard Alec Burks (7.0 ppg) and champing-at-the-bit Jeremy Evans (5.8 ppg) to fill the offensive void created by management’s new direction.

Yesterday G was the projected starting 2. Evans filling the offensive void? He's got a jumper now but that might be asking too much. Rush I'd look to more.

It remains to be seen what Utah will get from Marvin Williams, who isn’t expected back from his Achilles tendon surgery until December, or from their new acquisitions. Burke, the 2013 national player of the year, was a prolific scorer in college (18.6 ppg), but the 6-1 playmaker struggled mightily while shooting just 24 percent overall and 1 for 19 from 3-point range in the Orlando Pro Summer League.

I'm not expecting anything from Marvin but a place at the end of the bench and an eventual trade. I'm hoping Burke isn't the complete bust he looked like in Summer League.

And the incoming veterans?

Combined, Jazz additions Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson, Brandon Rush and John Lucas III averaged 3.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 0.9 apg last season.

Even if they have outstanding offensive years, Hayward and Favors can’t do it all.

“We’re going to have to find other ways to get other people involved,” Hayward said. “But, yeah, Derrick and I are going to have to step up big-time — not just in a leadership role but in a production role.”

Hayward, a versatile 6-8 wing, has been working hard to improve his ballhandling skills and his ability to find better ways to finish close to the basket, whether it be with floaters, pull-up jumpers or other creative shots.

“I see everything — drives to the basket, pull-up jumpers, everything from him, man. He’s doing a lot here,” Favors said of Hayward. “I think he can take on that role of being the leading scorer on the team.”

Favors, being tutored by the Mailman, continues to search for his “go-to move,” and he showed a couple of promising glimpses in a scrimmage Tuesday. He drew a few “oohs” from the small crowd while powering past defenders for a dunk, and he used his imposing athletic ability for a 6-foot-10, 248-pound man with an equally impressive spin move in the post to get to the foul line.

“There’s a lot of stuff I can do. I’m multi-talented, man,” Favors said. “I’m going to be a lot more aggressive this upcoming season because we don’t have Al or Paul here.”

Hayward won’t argue with his teammate on that multi-talented part.

“Derrick is still developing his game down low. What he’s best at in my opinion is setting screens, rolling, finding the open area, and just making power finishes. He can do that with anybody in the NBA,” Hayward said. “He’s gotten tremendously better since he came into the league with his post game, and he’s only going to get better doing that.”

Hayward doesn’t believe that the Jazz’s renewed emphasis on building a “defensive foundation” — something Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey said will be more important than 2013-14 win-loss totals — is out of necessity due to a lack of firepower. He sees it more as giving the team more transition opportunities from making stops.

“Defense is what wins ballgames," Hayward said. "We’ll be able to score.”

Favors emphatically agrees.

"Points will come from anywhere," he said. "Last year, because we had Al and Paul, mostly we were a post-up team because those guys were out there killing everybody. But there's different ways you can score points."

EMAIL: jody@desnews.com

TWITTER: DJJazzyJody

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Ian Clark Receives Interest From Warriors, Blazers, Jazz, European Teams
Jul 23, 2013 6:09 PM EDT

Ian Clark is receiving interest from the Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz following a strong performance in Summer League.

Clark played for the Warriors in Las Vegas and for the Miami Heat in Orlando.

"I'll sit down with my agent and family and talk about," Clark said. "I don't know too many details. But I want to make the right decision.

"I'm trying not to pay attention to what I can't control. I just wanted to come out, play basketball and play well."

Clark is a 6-3 combo guard that is also receiving interest from European teams.

Clark played collegiately at Belmont.

Via Jeff Zilgitt/USA Today

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[QUOTE]With Kanter sidelined because of offseason shoulder surgery, Malone

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Mo Williams has told friends in the league that if the offers don

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Enes Kanter: Happy birthday to the best power forward of all time @Karl Malone #NBALegend #JazzNation Twitter @Enes_Kanter

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The Golden State Warriors have waived forward/center Dwayne Jones, guard Scott Machado and guard Kevin Murphy, the team announced today. NBA.com

I thought he might make it to camp anyway.

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NBA summer league star and undrafted rookie guard Ian Clark reached a two-year deal with the Utah Jazz, his agent Bill Duffy told USA TODAY Sports Wednesday. USA Today Sports

NBA summer league star and undrafted rookie guard Ian Clark reached a two-year deal with the Utah Jazz, his agent Bill Duffy told USA TODAY Sports Wednesday. USA Today Sports

Guess McNeal is gone. Maybe why they left Neto in Spain too? I'm guessing he and Lucas' 2nd years aren't guaranteed?

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Ian Clark has agreed to a two-year deal with the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz will hold a team option for the second season of Clark's contract.

Clark had an excellent showing in the Summer League with the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers also expressed interest in signing Clark.

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Luke Winn: Awesome to see undrafted Ian Clark get a 2-year deal w/ Jazz. Source says it's 200k guaranteed w/ team option for year 2. Twitter @lukewinn

A lot of money for an undrafted FA. Had to outbid others for him it looks like. No sure why Lucas got so much though?