Lame duck season?

[Bat]

Are the Jazz taking part in a lame duck season?

Personally I feel like the obvious answer is yes. In the offseason they made no real effort to better the team. They resigned Millsap by choice, they extended Memo's contract, and they opted to bring Fes back, but every other decision made was by the players and not by the management.

The two obvious signings that tied the Jazz hands were when Korver and Boozer opted to stay with the team tied the brass' hands in doing so (though even if both had opted out I see very few other moves the Jazz would have made.)

What this did was create a situation where the management is stuck waiting for Boozer's and Korver's deals to expire to give them some sort of wiggle room in free agency. The Jazz knew they didn't get any better and resorted to saying that continuity would result in a better showing than last year and I see little evidence of that so far.

Unless the Jazz persue a trade like the Nuggets did with Iverson when they were entering a lame duck season I have a feeling we are going to be watching 82+ games of waiting for the offseason, and that sounds brutal.

What do you think? Can the Jazz avoid this being a lame duck season with the current roster? Are we just hoping for a good pick from the Knicks or waiting for some money to free up under the cap?

[DelaneyRudd]

All this talk over one game?

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

I think the comparison to Denver before the Billups trade is right on the money. Same team, same results but with more pressure from the fans and organization. Something needs to change

[seejaydeja]

What did you expect them to do? The market was dead this off-season and after everyone opted in, there was little the FO could do that made sense. I don't know what everyone was expecting, this team is still a playoff team, but I still don't think they can make it past the second round.

You guys gotta remember two of our capable wings are still out. Give it time, we're 3 games into the freaking season.

[ele.ven]

I don't think everyone is freaking out or being too negative. This isn't about the past few games, it's about the past few seasons.

Let's be realistic. Does anyone believe Korver or Miles will solve our defensive woes? They might help with scoring, but we don't need scoring. We need players who aren't weak-minded, and the past 4 years has shown us that we don't have that.

Koufos/Fes have potential but they aren't going to get the minutes to meet that potential unless someone gets injured. With Sloan at the helm, that's just how it goes. I wonder if players like Brandon Jennings, who can really contribute to a team right off the bat, would ever succeed like they do early under Sloan. He's good with players that need to be motivated, but squanders the potential of players that are ready to go, and just need patience and room to breathe.

Maybe we'll turn this ship around and win 54 games again. We'll still lose early in the playoffs and suck on the road. Something needs to be done.

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

I don't think everyone is freaking out or being too negative. This isn't about the past few games, it's about the past few seasons.

Let's be realistic. Does anyone believe Korver or Miles will solve our defensive woes? They might help with scoring, but we don't need scoring. We need players who aren't weak-minded, and the past 4 years has shown us that we don't have that.

That is exactly why I am starting to panic, the only thing this team has proved since Fishers departure is that they can earn more money by playing worse. The team has shown no indications of improvement on the defensive end and our offense is not nearly as productive as it use to be/should be with the loss of Korver, CJ, and the struggles/mental collapse of Boozer. I don't see anything other than the return of CJ and Korver that could drastically improve this team and change us back into the title contenders we should be.

What is the point in paying the luxury tax if you are not competing and giving 100% effort each night? I thought teams this expensive were suppose to be elite championship contenders...

[QuantumMacgyver]

I agree that the Jazz need to do something but it seems like everyone on this thread is contradicting themselves. The reason Boozer is still on the Jazz is because the Jazz ARE trying to make this team better. If we trade Boozer for Haslem and throw-ins are we really going to be able to contend with Denver and L.A.? No way.

They are doing the responsible thing and being patient with him and the rest of the league. It would suck to have to watch the Jazz struggle like this all year but if it makes us a far better team down the road then I'm on board. Just ask any Spurs fan if that one awful season was worth the Tim Duncan Dynasty. The Jazz have a beautiful draft pick coming their way and have an incredible trade piece in Boozer's contract. If he plays well thats just icing on the cake. Its the 12 million coming off the books that teams are going to be drooling over. This is going to be a rough season but the future is all that much brighter because of the shadows being cast over this season.

[HammerDunk]

On a positive note, AK is looking AMAZING this season. I am glad to see he has beefed up and is grabbing rebounds like never before. He is also shooting well, other than the Clipper game. This is very good news for us, whether we keep him or trade him, this is great! Okur is also looking very good. If we could resolve our PF issues and 2 issues then we would be good. Drop Booz and get a good defensive PF, it that were at all possible.

Also, our FT shooting has been fantastic so far, I hope this trend continues. It will help us a lot in close games.

[erudite23]

And BOOM goes the board.

[The Sheik]

I never made a prediction, but I say best case scenario this team goes to the WCF, worst case is a 1st round exit.

I wouldnt say all of this is from one game. Utah has looked terrible defensively and intensity wise all 3 games. CJ and KK will make a big difference, but I think this team peaked years ago and will continue to plateau at 50 something wins and a 1st or 2nd round exit.

[MeestR]

well, according to wiretap, http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... right_now/ , this is a traders league. so if the team stays the same, it is apparently by the organization's choice.