Good grief, the Jazz are huge (w/ poll)!

by BaylessFace on Dec 13, 2011 3:43 PM PST

Maybe Kurt Thomas was mainly signed for the brutal pre-season Jazz and Jazz slate. Look at that roster of bigs! Twelve guys 6'8"+! Not only are they tall and beefy, the majority can actually play a little.

If Okur and Big Al stay healthy, and Devin Harris can at least fumble the ball down towards the block, it seems like Utah could flat out overwhelm some teams that are--cough, Blazers, cough--thin in the front court.

Do you think the monster front line gets the Jazz a sniff at the postseason this year? And, boy, doesn't it feel like they're a distributor away from making noise again? If Tinsley keeps his head and is serious about getting another contract, things could get interesting in the northwest division.

PLAYER	POS	HT	WT
Kyrylo Fesenko (FA)	C	07-01	280
Francisco Elson (FA)	C-F	07-01	240
Enes Kanter	C	06-11	262
Mehmet Okur	C-F	06-11	265
Derrick Favors	F	06-10	246
Al Jefferson	C	06-10	280
Jeremy Evans	F	06-09	196
Trey Gilder	F	06-09	205
Andrei Kirilenko (FA)	F	06-09	235
Paul Carter	F	06-08	203
Gordon Hayward	F	06-08	207
Paul Millsap	F	06-08	250
Alec Burks	G	06-06	195
C.J. Miles	F	06-06	232
Raja Bell	G	06-05	206
Devin Harris	G	06-03	190
Jamaal Tinsley	G	06-03	185
Keith McLeod	G	06-02	190
Earl Watson	G	06-01	195

source: http://www.nba.com/jazz/roster/ (retrieved 12/13/2011)

Poll

Where will the Utah Brobdingnagians finish in the west this year?

1-4 (You can't coach height!)

24 votes

5-8 (Overachieving tall guys.)

101 votes

Out of the playoffs (Too much of a good thing, but how 'bout that Drummond kid!)

141 votes

266 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 23 comments | 1 recs |

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Comments

they got 19 on the roster?

by Sheedwasright on Dec 13, 2011 3:53 PM PST reply actions

Training camp roster

They’ll cut guys like Tinsley, and maybe Elson or Fes, before Xmas

Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

by HailOden! on Dec 13, 2011 3:58 PM PST up reply actions

I'd guess Kirilenko's gone, too

I don’t see why they pay him when Kanter probably has a higher ceiling and will be playing cheap for a few years.

by BaylessFace on Dec 13, 2011 4:43 PM PST up reply actions

Hmmm, I don't know what I'm talking about

Just watched some film and Kanter plays a lot more like Okur than AK. I had the mistaken impression that he was a quick 4 instead of a stretch 4/5 type.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Finding-a-Niche-for-Enes-Kanter-3743/

by BaylessFace on Dec 13, 2011 4:54 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah, I'm not sure he has the lateral quickness to guard 4's in the NBA, though. We'll see

He and Favors are a pretty good match, assuming they can get the defensive fundamentals of their positions figured out.

I always thought of AK as more of a 3 who could play stretch 4 than as a quick 4 who can guard 3’s, but a lot of people seem to see him as a 4…

Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

by HailOden! on Dec 13, 2011 5:10 PM PST up reply actions

He is a weakside help defender that plays point forward on offense.

by Oden Mad, Oden Smash! on Dec 13, 2011 11:37 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

No Utah is Garbage and Fat Al is fools gold

La Illaha Illallah Muhamadur Rasulallah

by AbuFatimah on Dec 13, 2011 4:02 PM PST reply actions

Agreed. Best players they have they got for trading

Derin. Favors and harris. Jefferson stinks, okur is their oden(cant get over injuries) hayward is either a big project or cant play D and make any shots farther than 15 feet out. Oh wait milsap is pretty good. But mostly garbage

Formally known as: My_name_a_rudy

by Blaze_that_trail on Dec 14, 2011 1:09 AM PST via mobile up reply actions 2 recs

I'm more scared about them in five years.

Al is garbage, but if they can find a young point gaurd they’ve got a really solid future lineup of young players, at least two of whom will probably be all-stars. I’m not sure who’s going to lead the team out of Burks, Hayward, Favors, and Kanter, but I’m sure at least one will end up as a star and probably the worst you’re going to get out of any one of them is a solid role player.

by YoniRap on Dec 13, 2011 4:11 PM PST reply actions

Their only known quality big man is Paul Millsap

Big Al is garbage, Okur is old and well past his prime, Favors and Kanter are unknown/developing…

Honestly, it’s in Utah’s best interest to trade away Al and Millsap for expirings and picks, do a proper tank job and land another stud to their roster through the loaded 2012 draft while continuing to develop their young and promising core. They just are not in a real position of contention or even launching into contention just yet, its foolish of them to be competing for a playoff spot this season.

The smarter you are, the more likely you are to be tripping balls at any given moment.
Bring Back Dre.

by gtbassett on Dec 13, 2011 5:27 PM PST reply actions

Aren't Fresenko and AK47 free agents?

I’d actually be interested in both, although Kirilenko is way out of our pricerange.

by meru on Dec 13, 2011 5:42 PM PST reply actions

Surprised at the Big Al hate

He’s still a pretty efficient player. Stats are pretty similar to Z-bo, and he seems like a decent dude. I understand the questions on defense, but “garbage” seems a little strong for a career 19/10 player with a 20 PER. He’s still fairly young, too. Last season with Utah was one of his better years statistically.

I do agree that he probably doesn’t fit in Utah’s long-term picture, though. He’s been healthy for two years, and that should help his trade value. I think he has two years left on that contract, though, and he feels more like one-year help for a contender.

by BaylessFace on Dec 13, 2011 7:42 PM PST reply actions

Big Al = Z-bo in terms of playing style

I think this sums the hate. Many of us realize that style is poorly suited to contending for a title.

by NWfan on Dec 14, 2011 1:35 PM PST up reply actions

Its not hate when we acknowledge that they are trying to give him away for free

And that anything less than them giving us a no 1 and 3mil to TAKE him is a ripoff

La Illaha Illallah Muhamadur Rasulallah

by AbuFatimah on Dec 15, 2011 11:48 PM PST up reply actions

Don't know about you big Al haters, but

I wouldn’t mind him coming to Portland…

by TheShougPanther5 on Dec 13, 2011 8:18 PM PST via mobile reply actions

He would clog the paint on offense, preventing LMA from effectively driving to the basket.

Basically killing LaMonster and bringing back Pick and Pop LMA.

Defensively, he sucks, he’s slow footed, doesn’t try or care at all. Then there’s the issue that he’s owed 29 million dollars over the next two years. Al Jefferson is not worth it, I wouldn’t even take him for Camby straight up.

The smarter you are, the more likely you are to be tripping balls at any given moment.
Bring Back Dre.

by gtbassett on Dec 13, 2011 9:18 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs