The sure to be epic 2013 Jazz off-season!

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Training Camp Challenge

Earn a roster spot and beat out John Lucas III for the backup PG position. The point guard depth chart is still to be determined heading into training camp. The Utah Jazz front office had made it clear that they want a competition to occur for the starting point guard position. The same can be said for the backup point guard situation.

Where did they make it clear? Got to be Burks or Burke starting at the one I'd think though to me Hayward should be the point forward. Clark possibly but he'd be more of a two with Burks at the one I'd imagine. Clark sounds like more of a 6th man type but he might be the best defensively to match up with opposing pg's.

The backup point guard battle could get muddied with Alec Burks going to Spokane to work on his point guard skills.

Alright! Who else visited Stock?

Not only will Scott Machado be fighting for that coveted backup point guard position against Lucas III, he will be competing against Alec Burks and, possibly, Ian Clark as well.

As I said with Justin Holiday, in order for Scott Machado to earn a roster spot and compete for the backup PG position he will have to show that he is not only a floor general on the offensive side of the ball but on the defensive side as well. If he can show he can defend NBA-caliber point guards he will earn a spot on this roster. He has the accolades as proof that he can be an exceptional ball distributor, but he will have to prove he can do more than get assists to stick with the Utah Jazz for the remainder of the 2013-2014 season.

He's more of a Sloan type pg. Not sure he fits with this team so much.

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Training Camp Challenge

Jump Andris Biedrins on the depth chart. Rudy Gobert has the toughest training camp challenge. Rudy Gobert is not only competing against Biedrins everyday in camp, he is competing against Ty Corbin's past preference for veteran players.

He might be better off getting big minutes in the D-League but even that might not happen with so many teams sending guys to just a few teams now. He was impressive and appears to be a great fit for Utah. Might be hard to keep him off the floor. He looks to be a better fit than Favors to me.

Gobert will have to show he can avoid foul trouble, stay his ground against bigger opponents, and is less of an offensive liability than Biedrins.

His screen setting alone probably moves him ahead of Biedrins unless Biedrins returns to form somehow.

In no world should Rudy Gobert lose a camp battle against Andris Biedrins. This is the same Biedrins who had Festus Ezeli leapfrog him on the depth chart. For reference, Festus Ezeli was the 30th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Jeremy Tyler even got some burn to avoid Andris Biedrins making it on to the court. If Rudy Gobert can play at a Festus Ezeli level or higher in training camp he should be the backup center. But, BUT, this is a Tyrone Corbin coached team.

Different teams. Jazz need a vet more than GS did. Biedrins still brings it at the other end and on the boards. Comes down to how much you can live with him at the other end of the court.

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Training Camp Challenge

Seize the starting point guard position and get on the same page as Derrick Favors. Trey Burke must show and prove from day 1 that he is unequivocally the best point guard on the roster. Not by a small margin, but by a wide margin. His competition is John Lucas III, Ian Clark, and Scott Machado.

Alec Burks and really Hayward. They need Burke to be able to score and match up defensively more than to run the team at this stage I'd think.

He must show he is the man. As Trey goes so do the Utah Jazz. The faster Trey Burke learns the intricacies of the flex offense and how to ready defenses through the lens of the flex the better the Jazz will be. His progression will allow Derrick Favors to blossom and develop and a high rate. Trey Burke has the potential to be a devastating pick and roll point guard. Derrick Favors is a devastating pick and roll power Forward who has spent all summer working with the greatest pick and roll power forward of all time, Karl Malone. These two must think as one by the end of the season or an already difficult season will get a lot harder.

As he goes so do the Jazz? I see no reason to put more pressure on him than he can handle. Hayward and Burks can run the team as he acclimates.

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[QUOTE]More extension talk

I promise not to bore you with too much on the topic of extensions, since I

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Trade: According to ShamSports.com, the Jazz have $55.87 million in committed salaries (not including Jerel McNeal, who is not guaranteed until October 31). With the salary cap at $58.68 million, Utah has room to sign a nearly $3 million dollar pe ryear player. As they did with the Golden State trade, the Jazz could absorb a player from a team that wants to shed some salary, perhaps picking up another asset along the way. Teams like Miami, Chicago, or the Lakers may want to broker such a deal, thus helping defray a portion of their luxury tax bill. Doing so would give the Jazz short-term help, while adding another pick to Lindsey

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1. Paul Millsap wrote a letter to the Jazz organization, thanking them for the last seven years. Here

[El Kabong]

Gobert will have to show he can avoid foul trouble, stay his ground against bigger opponents, and is less of an offensive liability than Biedrins.

Far out, you'd have to be bloody terrible if you're more of an offensive liability than Biendrins.

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You]1. Paul Millsap wrote a letter to the Jazz organization, thanking them for the last seven years. Here

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[QUOTE]Peter: I think we both agree that at this point in time it is difficult to see a scenario where the Jazz offer a full 4 year, $62.3mm maximum extension to either player. When I consider how much either player is worth, I look for recent comparable players/contracts. In Favors

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[QUOTE]Peter: Since we are further apart on Favors, let

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Far out, you'd have to be bloody terrible if you're more of an offensive liability than Biendrins.


That's a cool thing he did.

Biedrins used to average a double double on 60% plus shooting so it's possible he returns to form.

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[QUOTE]HoopsWorld recently projected that the Jazz will finish next season 15th in the West. That is dead last. While I

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[QUOTE]They aren

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[QUOTE]Somebody else wore Paul Millsap

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Lindsey said he has a

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[QUOTE]Jefferson was asked if being traded from Golden State to Utah gave him a new lease on life: