SALT LAKE CITY -- The season ended Monday night for the Utah Jazz after losing Game 5 to the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, they head into an offseason of uncertainty.
It was just two years ago that Jazz Fever stretched deep into may after a dramatic run to the Western Conference Finals. This year it was a different story.
The team had just 48 wins and an early exit in the NBA Playoffs. Injuries played a factor, but all the players agree that this season was a disappointment.
"We just never really got into a good rhythm, never reached our potential, so it was kind of frustrating," Deron Williams said.
As a disappointing season comes to an end, a busy offseason begins. With nine players who can become free agents, the only certainty is change.
Carlos Boozer can opt out of his current deal on June 30th, and has said in the past that he plans to do so. "I'm going to talk to the team, and I'll talk to my agent and my family and then we'll make a decision from there," he said.
But Boozer also has made it clear he wants to stay in Utah.
"I do want to stay here, I want to be in Utah." Boozer said. "I want to play for the Jazz. I made that loud and clear from day 1, and we'll see what happens from here."
I asked him "Do you feel personally that you have unfinished business here in Utah?"
He said, "Absolutely. I came here to win a championship and that's what I want to do. I think we have a team that can accomplish that goal if we're healthy."
Just like Boozer, Mehmet Okur can opt out of the final year of his current contract and become a free agent, but he also stated his desire to return.
"Hopefully stay here, ya know, this is my home, second home, so hopefully I'll stay," Okur said.
I asked if he liked the idea of an extension he smiled and said, "I do."
Paul Millsap will become a restricted free agent, meaning other teams can sign him to an offer sheet and the Jazz can match any offer.
I asked him, "Is your ideal situation being in a Jazz uniform next season and beyond?"
"It would be." Paul said. "It would be. But like I said, I am going to leave it up to them, its out of my hands right now."
Six other players can also become free agents, including Kyle Korver, who has become a fan favorite here in Utah. It leaves the Jazz with some tough decisions this summer.
"I think continuity is huge," said Head Coach Jerry Sloan. "If you just keep guys together, we'll win three or four more games a year, if you just keep guys together, and gradually get better and have to believe in each other, and hopefully play together to try to win. And I've always believed that gives you a chance."
"We have a great team, ya know," Williams said. "So I'll be talking to guys, so hopefully, ya know, I don't know if we can keep everybody but hopefully we can keep most of the team intact."
Post subject: Re: The Official Utah Jazz thread!!!!!!!!
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:38 pm
Poney Girl
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:17 pm Posts: 45120
GAME TIME: 8:30 PM MT with TV broadcast being available on ESPN / RADIO - 1320 AM KFAN or 98.7 FM (radio affiliates)
PROBABLE STARTERS (09-10 preseason averages) #47 ANDREI KIRILENKO F • 6-9 • 235 • Russia PPG • 9.0 RPG • 2.5 APG • 2.7 · Started four games during preseason · Scored preseason-high 18 points against Charlotte · Led the team in blocks with 77 in 2008-09
#5 CARLOS BOOZER F • 6-9 • 260 • Duke PPG • 12.5 RPG • 6.4 APG • 1.3 · Led team in rebounding during preseason with 6.4 per game · Started all eight preseason games · Had double-doubles in 12 of the last 17 games of the 2008-09 season
#13 MEHMET OKUR C • 6-11 • 273 • Turkey PPG • 8.9 RPG • 3.3 APG • 1.1 · Was 6-of-9 from three-point range in preseason · Started in all seven preseason appearances · Finished 2008-09 sixth in the NBA in threepoint field goal percentage
#9 RONNIE BREWER G • 6-7 • 236 • Arkansas PPG • 9.9 RPG • 2.9 APG • 2.9 · Started six times in seven preseason appearances · Made his first preseason start vs. Portland · Averaged career-high 13.7 points in 2008-09
#8 DERON WILLIAMS G • 6-3 • 207 • Illinois PPG • 17.5 RPG • 3.0 APG • 6.1 · Started all eight preseason games · Led team in total points and assists during preseason · Finished second in the NBA in assists per game at 10.7 in 2008-09
JAZZ LEADERS: Deron WIlliams 17.5 ppg, 6.1 apg, 93 FT% / Carlos Boozer 12.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg (full stats)
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES: The Jazz holds a 94-62 all-time series lead against the Nuggets, including a 64-15 advantage at home … The Jazz is 30-47 all-time against the Nuggets on the road … Utah has lost its last two games at Denver, including the last overall meeting between the teams, a 114-104 loss as J.R. Smith scored a game-high 28 points for Denver … Smith registered the game-high in scoring in each of the last two meetings between the teams … The Jazz has won 11 of its last 15 meetings with Nuggets … Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony has scored over 30 points on five different occasions against the Jazz, most recently on 4/11/07.
CONNECTIONS: Nuggets assistant coach Adrian Dantley was a six-time All-Star during his seven seasons with the Jazz (1979-86) … Dantley holds the series scoring record against Denver, putting up 55 for the Jazz vs. the Nuggets, 2/6/81 … Dantley had his #4 retired by the Jazz when the teams met in Salt Lake on 4/11/07 … Current Utah Jazz head scout David Fredman spent six seasons as assistant general manager for the Nuggets (2001-06) after working the previous 27 seasons for the New Orleans/Utah Jazz in PR, broadcasting, scouting and as an assistant coach.
DENVER NUGGETS PROBABLE STARTERS PG - Chauncey Billups SG - Joey Graham SF - Carmelo Anthony PF - Kenyon Martin C - Nene
NUGGETS LEADERS: Carmelo Anthony 23.6 ppg, 54 FG% / Chauncey Billups 10.7 ppg, 4.7 apg (full stats)
NUGGETS NOTES •Chris Andersen averaged a career-high 2.46 bpg last season, ranking second in the NBA and first in blocks per 48 minutes (5.76). He became the first Nuggets player not named Marcus Camby to rank in the league’s Top-2 in blocks since Raef LaFrentz in 2001-02 (second with an average of 2.73 bpg). •Carmelo Anthony exploded for 45 points on 14-19 (.737) FG and 16-17 (.941) FT shooting in just 24 minutes vs. Indiana on 10/11 in Beijing. He becomes the first player in the NBA to score 40+ points in a preseason game since Gary Payton had 40 against the L.A. Clippers on 10/11/02. Remarkably, since the Elias Sports Bureau began tracking preseason statistics in 1995, no NBA player had ever scored 45 or more points prior to Anthony doing so in Beijing. •The Nuggets ended 2008-09 ranking fourth in the NBA in FG percentage allowed (.440). That was the second lowest opponent FG percentage in Nuggets team history (only .438 in 1993-94 was a lower percentage). •Denver scored 110+ points in seven of the final nine regular season games in 2008-09, not to mention each of the last eight home games to close out the year. Denver posted a record of 29-3 during 2008-09 when scoring 110 or more points (20-0 when doing so at home). Additionally, the Nuggets scored 120+ points nine times during the regular season, winning all nine of those games.
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OLD JOKE IS OLD
