The biggest problem with the Jazz (and I'm curious where Ted is at on this one) is the seeming incompatibility of the TOP players and Coach Sloan, save Deron Williams. To put it bluntly Sloan knows what it takes and almost always does it the right way; the players often-times do not. Now Deron Williams is Sloan's wet dream come true for Point Guards: 1)he works hard, 2)plays tough, 3)rises to meet challenges, etc. Carlos Boozer is Sloan's ironic nightmare from satan: A big, powerful, bruising, very talented, Power Forward in need of a heart transplant and who can't play a lick of defense if his life depended on it. Okur, an offensively-talented big man who is a little too soft and does most of his damage from the perimeter. Andrei Kirilenko: a dynamo who can be a one-man wrecking crew on defense if, AND ONLY IF, he plays a major offensive role. Sadly for AK, generating his own shot attempts are difficult and awkward and actually diminish the team attack. So he is ignored and reverts to half-hearted, soft Euro player.
I posted this months and months ago. The Jazz have to get rid of Carlos Boozer. They have Paul Millsap behind him, who may not be talented enough to get 25 ppg (like Boozer) but will find his 18-20 points, get you the 11 rebounds, and lay his HEART OUT on the floor. The Jazz must keep Deron Williams at all costs. They should have tried to trade Boozer by the trade deadline for a scoring shooting guard. At this point the best they can hope for is that another team will go for a sign-n-trade to get something for him. The next best scenario is Boozer opts out and the Jazz just let him walk.
Kirilenko is making too much money and you may have to use his contract to get your guard. But the stone cold fact is the Jazz need a legit scoring presence that has range from everywhere. Kevin Martin would be perfect, a 25 ppg guard who won't command a lion's share of possessions, but will open up lanes for Williams and make room for Millsap to work. I like the progression of Brewer (an efficient defensive player), but you could easily get rid of C.J. Miles to make the numbers work. If the Spurs are ever, EVER disenfranchised enough with Ginobili to get rid of him. He would be another perfect fit for the Jazz.
Bottom line is you have to get rid of Boozer because he holds the ominous position of being one the top 2 players on the team who set the tone. And the guy is softer than silly putty in an oven; teams will generally follow suit with their leaders. A lineup with Williams, Martin (or Ginobili), Kirilenko, Millsap, Okur; with Price/Brewer/Korver as backups is solid. Just use the MLE to get yourself a big to act as defensive backup. Williams and Millsap is the primary, two-pronged attack and will set the tone for hard work, physicality, and competition. Kirilenko must start and play his 32-35 minutes to be involved enough offensively to become the devastating type of defender that disrupts teams. The guy still has the tools to be that 2 steal, 3 block guy; but if he is uninvolved then he's uninterested. If the Jazz simply don't want AK to be that big of a presence, then you have to trade that ball-n-chain contract he's holding. Hopefully you get a starter caliber forward and a defensive-minded backup (Caron Butler and Dominic McGuire from Washington would be the GOLDEN jackpot). Then you got Okur who is just one big lumbering, Turkish, mis-match. He has the bulk and ability to bother and mildly annoy Centers while shooting 3s on the outside (like a more talented, much less dirty version of Laimbeer).
If you let Boozer walk, sign the 2 guard, and use the MLE to get a defensive minded big man.
Team 1
Starters
Williams
25 PPG efficient SG (Kevin Martin is proto-type here)
Kirilenko
Millsap
Okur
Primary Backups
Brewer
Korver
Price
"Chris Anderson/Ronny Turiaf" type
Give that team health and they'll reak some havoc in the West. It would still be a stretch to compete and potentially beat a team like the Lakers (unless of course the Lakers are dumb enough to get rid of Odom).
If you let Boozer walk, sign the 2-guard, and trade Kirilenko in a dream scenario:
Team 2
Starters
Williams
Martin
Butler
Millsap
Okur
Primary Backups
Brewer
Korver
McGuire
Collins
Price
If that team is coached with an emphasis defensively, the sky is the limit. Few teams will be able to match the talent level offensively. Williams will FINALLY have someone else capable of generating offense for himself and others (Butler). While Martin (and his backup Korver) can be on the court at the same time to bomb from the perimeter. You can have Millsap post and send Brewer/Butler crashing. Or you can have Butler post and send Millsap crashing. Then you have a bench of brutalizers McGuire, Collins, and Brewer. Gelling together would be a big issue, and you don't have a Duncan/Jefferson/Gasol/Shaq type of post presence to make everything else easier.
The main thing is as long as Boozer stays, Sloan will continue to have to PLAY him, and the Jazz' competitive fire will continue to be gravely wanting.
