The sure to be epic 2013 Jazz off-season!

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Chris Vivlamore: Danny Ferry on pursuit of Paul Millsap: "He was a priority for us from the start. He got the call at 12:01 (a.m. on July 1)." #ATLHawks Twitter @ajchawks

Rick Bonnell: Al Jefferson signing done. Twitter @rick_bonnell

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Jody Genessy: Spain or Jazz? Raul Neto: "Of course, if I have to choose, I want to play NBA, but it's not my choice." Jazz and his agent will decide.

Twitter @DJJazzyJody

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Jody Genessy: Center Rudy Gobert said he'll have his toe procedure done in France when he returns from summer league. He'll come back to Utah in August.

Twitter @DJJazzyJody

Jody Genessy: Jazz center Rudy Gobert will not participate with the French national team this summer, but he plans on playing with Les Bleus next year.

Twitter @DJJazzyJody

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Jody Genessy: Lindsey on patience of Hayward, Favors, Kanter and Burks: "They're ambitious and competitive. They wanted more opportunity, and here it is."

Twitter @DJJazzyJody

Still not convinced things have changed much as far as Burks go.

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From David Locke:

Defense. Young teams are not usually good defensively but as the Jazz build the core of Jazz 4.0 (the Jazz next generation) this will be a group capable of defending. Favors and Kanter can anchor the middle. Burks and Hayward are active on the wings and Rudy Gobert in years could be a major defensive force in the NBA.

I think this is where they could be really special. Young guys that already get after it defensively.

[QUOTE] Over the last three season

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"I thought he did a great job. For having not practiced at all, it tells you a little bit about his mentality," Jazz assistant Sidney Lowe said of Neto. "He sat over there and watched and listened to everything that was going on in practice, and he was able to come in and run the plays.

"He knew every call. He knew the action. He knew where guys were supposed to be. He knew the timing. That speaks volumes."

Judging Neto's debut in Utah's 98-69 win over Brooklyn's summer squad, you might have thought he was the NCAA player of the year.

He isn't. That well-earned distinction belongs to Burke, who was given the day off by the Jazz coaching staff after shooting 22.2 percent from the field with only seven assists and six turnovers in two previous games.

"It's been a long time since I haven't played in a game," said Burke, who led Michigan to the 2013 NCAA championship game. "It wasn't hard because I knew I wasn't being punished."

Rather, Lowe cited multiple reasons why the Jazz had the ninth-overall pick the organization traded up to obtain sit this one out.

Coaches wanted to give him rest and to allow Neto and Jerel McNeal play.

The staff wanted Burke to watch from the bench so he could see the quicker pace, observe plays develop and get a feel for timing.

They also wanted him to sit next to Jazz assistant Brad Jones and be able to learn throughout the game.

"I think," Lowe said, "it was huge for him to sit back this game."

Burke, who hopes to be an NBA All-Star, let alone a summer league starter, looked a bit fidgety on the bench, even gnawing at his nails at times. But he also engaged in multiple discussions with Jones, cheered when his teammates did well, and said he took the educational opportunity in stride.

"It was good for me," Burke said, "to learn from a different perspective, learning from the bench and talking to the coaches, just trying to pick their brains from the bench.

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"He sat over there and watched and listened to everything that was going on in practice and he was able to come in and run the plays," Jazz assistant Sidney Lowe said, marveling.

While lottery selection Trey Burke was held out Wednesday to watch, assistant Brad Jones talking him through every developing scenario, Neto took over.

"He knew every call," Lowe said. "He knew the action, he knew where guys were supposed to be, he knew the timing. So that speaks volumes."

It also amped up the decibels of cries from fans hoping the Jazz negotiate a buyout of Neto

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Jazz forward Jeremy Evans is also playing hurt. He broke his nose at mini-camp last week, and will have it re-evaluated next week. Evans scored 15 points with nine rebounds in the Jazz's 98-69 win over Brooklyn.

ROUGH YEAR: Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey admitted that he and Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's executive vice president of basketball operations, put Utah coach Tyrone Corbin in a tough spot last season. The 43-39 team missed the playoffs while trying to make a playoff push with seven veterans on expiring contracts and younger players needing but not always getting court time to blossom.

"We were trying to give the veterans their proper respect and opportunity as well as develop," Lindsey said in a phone interview with beat writers.

"On a season basis, Ty did a very good job. With any one game it became difficult at certain points. And times it certainly felt like we were trying to serve two different directions and sometimes going in completely opposite ways."

I think Ty has taken to much flak for sure. I'm not happy with everything he does but you have to look at the whole organization. Now that they have a definite direction you can start judging things a little more fairly.

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[QUOTE]"We needed size. We needed shooting," Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey said. "Clearly, what we had on our roster after the draft, we needed some experience. We checked a few boxes there."

While the Jazz press release listed off the five draft picks and cash considerations the Jazz will also receive in the deal, it didn't mention the names Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter or Alec Burks.

It could have.

This transaction was about them.

The deal helps fill up Utah's roster for 2013-14, but it was mostly for the future.

Combine this wheeling and dealing with the fact that Utah is watching all of its 2012-13 free agents drift off elsewhere, and it's clear the Jazz have made a strong commitment to complementing a young core that now also includes enticing point guard Trey Burke.

Let the Jr. Jazz movement begin.

"Difficult decisions need to be made," Lindsey said. "I saw it as a dilemma where we really had several good options as far as signing guys back or going with a youth movement."

So long, grizzled veterans Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Earl Watson and Mo Williams. Good luck, Randy Foye, Jamaal Tinsley and DeMarre Carroll.

Have at it, kids.

"We really appreciate the patience and the trust that Alec and Gordon and Enes and Derrick have shown thus far, but they're ambitious and competitive," Lindsey said. "They wanted more opportunity, and here it is."

Ready or not.

Trading up to get Burke after Minnesota drafted him ninth overall set in motion a flurry of action by the Jazz.

So far, that's resulted in the Jazz acquiring a half-dozen new players

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[QUOTE]Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said Jefferson gives the Bobcats a proven veteran who can mentor young big men Bismack Biyombo and Zeller and take pressure off the team

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[QUOTE]
The Atlanta Hawks made former Jazz forward Paul Millsap their top acquisition priority this offseason, sealing the deal Wednesday.

Hawks general manager Danny Ferry announced Millsap officially signed his new contract Wednesday morning. Atlanta wasted no time, contacting Millsap at 12:01 a.m. by phone to reassure Millsap of the team's interest. Millsap reportedly signed a projected two-year, $19 million deal, although official terms were not disclosed per team policy.

"Paul (Millsap) was one of our top priorities entering the free agency process and we believe he is a great fit with the team and culture that we are trying to build,

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[QUOTE]Late last week, Tyrone Corbin promised prized rookie Trey Burke would play at the Orlando Pro Summer League as long as he could stand.

Three games in, he sat.

The former Michigan star was held out of the Jazz

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The newest Nuggets come via trade (Randy Foye) and free agency (J.J. Hickson). Foye, in particular, was persuaded by Tim Connelly, Nuggets new executive director of basketball operations. "Tim Connelly was one of the first guys that contacted me," Foye said. "I was thinking that (Andre) Iguodala was coming back. Everything played out the way it needed to play out. When Utah didn't call me back I was a little upset, but I got a chance to talk to some of the guys and just realized 'man this is a business.' "The way me and Tim spoke on the phone, it was really cool, just to see him and the way he was working with my agent. Working with us to get me there. There were a lot of things where the deal could have broken down. Tim just stayed in there and made things happen. That was something I appreciated about the whole situation." Boulder Daily Camera

I was worried about him. Sounded like he might be back. Not a good fit for their offense. Hopefully Rush fits better. Would appear to have a better all around game. Is he a spot up shooter? Can he come off screens? Mid-range game?

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Bill Oram: Jazz will be aligned with Bakersfield Jam after Reno Bighorns enter single-team partnership with Sacramento Kings. Twitter @tribjazz

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Bill Oram: Rudy Gobert described his surgery as different from an ingrown toenail. Says his shoes were too short. Recovery from surgery 2-3 weeks. Twitter @tribjazz

Jody Genessy: Asked which non-roster guys have stood out for Jazz, Coach Lowe pointed out Dionte Christmas, Chris Roberts, James Mays and Tony Gaffney. Twitter @DJJazzyJody

Let's step up shoe companies. Stockton hasn't gotten much of a look this year with. The two draft picks and McNeal.