Boozer or Millsap? There is No Debate

by prodigal punk on Mar 5, 2010 2:31 PM MST

This morning, as per my daily ritual, I jumped online and began sifting through all the Twitter updates, articles, recaps, video, and message boards related to last night's Jazz game. I did all that while enjoying an apple fritter and waiting for The Downbeat. I also had a bit of an epiphany. Perhaps its not something that is lost on everyone that follows the Jazz and the NBA, but it was quite enlightening to me.

More often than not after a game I see some sort of comparison between Paul Millsap and Carlos Boozer, ultimately with the intention of proving why one is better than the other and which is the Power Forward future for the Jazz. This time something was different. I had always had my thoughts on this; leaning more toward Boozer, for various reasons. Suddenly, I thought to myself "Why? Why must I choose?". My conclusion? I'm not going to and I shouldn't have to.

I see no reason why the two cannot coexist. Look at all the "elite teams" around the league and there is one thing that jumps out if you dig past the starting 5. They all have that one player that people say "he would be a starter on any other team". Its the "plug and play-er". He's the one guy that can step into the line up when a starter goes down or is having a bad game, and not miss a beat, and the team plays as if he had always been right there. Lamar Odom is one. So are Jason Terry and Jamal Crawford. Manu Ginobili comes to mind (though he's on the decline). What sets all those players apart, however, is their willingness to fill that role. They have embraced that 6th man role and because of this the position has gone through a metamorphosis. It is no longer a role that implies you are the best of the worst, but that you choose to be a cog in the machine that doesn't start turning until a few minutes after the thing gets rolling.

Power Forwards are at a premium in this league and to have one coming off the bench that is as capable as Millsap is an amazing luxury. Not only does he share many of the talents that Boozer has, but like Boozer, he has his own skill set that he brings to every game; skills that Boozer just doesn't have. This makes for an incredibly versatile team. These two become interchangeable, but can also be combined to form a veritable Voltron of PF/C might (though it may be a little shorter).

If the Jazz want to maintain their current ability to compete amongst the titans of the Western Conference they must keep these two together. If a move has to be made pertaining to the front court it has to be in the direction of a player that can compliment the abilities of the PF combo. I won't be so bold as to make a commanding statement as to who this player should be; that is the job of the Jazz's Front Office. Perhaps this person will come in the offseason in the form of a drafted rookie, trade, or free agent signing. Perhaps this person already inhabits a spot on the current roster and just needs a little more time and experience to blossom (not gonna mention any names here...). However it works out the one spot that should not be meddled with is that all important 4 spot- the envy of much of the league. I've heard the "definition of insanity" rattled off by Jazz fans enough times this season to make my ears bleed, but there's another school of thought that preaches the advantages of leaving the working piece of machinery alone and letting it do its job- this is how the the Jazz should approach their PF situation.

All comments are the opinion of the commenter and not necessarily that of SLC Dunk or SB Nation.

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Comments

The front office has already made their choice by matching Millsap this last offseason.

If they sign Boozer, I will be surprised and they will agree with you, but I don’t see that happening, because they can’t afford Boozer. I think they extended Okur, because they didn’t expect Boozer to be around. But seriously, unless Boozer will play for about $8 million next season, the Jazz can’t afford him.

But for now. You are right. They are playing big minutes together and doing it very well.

The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.

by clarkpojo on Mar 5, 2010 3:05 PM MST reply actions

Millsap for me.

Boozer is a defensive liability. I’d rather have Millsap start, lose Boozer and sign a versatile SG/SF rookie to be the 6th man role or trade for a versatile 6th man. If you’re talking about a Jason Terry or Manu Ginobilli or a Jamal Crawford type 6th man, they’re all scorers; someone who can take the scoring load once the starters are off the court. Millsap needs his starting minutes to play like a monster and find consistently. He’s getting paid starter money and he is starter material and once he plays starter minutes with his double doubles as a PF he might even be considered an All Star candidate.
For me, it ultimately boils down to attitude. I’d pick Millsap’s scrappy, tough, hard-nosed play over Boozer’s complacent, pretty boy, immature one.

by softdrinks on Mar 5, 2010 3:59 PM MST reply actions

Maybe we should lobby

the Utah legislature for an income tax acception for Booz. That’s gotta help keep him right?

"We were sitting like snipers in waiting." - AK47. Um, AK will save/snipe us all?

by Alexandria VA on Mar 5, 2010 4:17 PM MST reply actions

Lakers have Bynum and Gasol right?

I see room for both sap and booz in the line up. When on the court together they create havoc and with AK mixing it up they can rule the paint.

WE do need a BIG! Maybe two of them. Somebody that can come in and compliment Okur and Fess. So that when two of them are in they represent the same level of near terror that Gasol and Bynum do.

Somebody that can do this regularly!

SLC Dunk #1 Jazz Site in the world!

by RRR on Mar 5, 2010 4:24 PM MST reply actions

"Lakers have Bynum and Gasol right?"

this is one reason why we can’t keep both. having a front court of boozer + millsap will never get us past the lakers. not when we’re outsized (i know that’s not a word) by up to 6 inches.

by moni on Mar 5, 2010 6:06 PM MST up reply actions

Not only that

But the Lakers are paying luxury for that, which the Jazz have never wanted to do. The Jazz won’t retain Boozer unless they trade AK-47. And frankly, keeping AK and Millsap and then signing another cheaper free agent or getting lucky in the draft sounds like a more likely and optimistic future to me.

by mcjazzman32 on Mar 5, 2010 6:17 PM MST up reply actions

I’m completely with you on keeping AK.

by softdrinks on Mar 5, 2010 6:47 PM MST up reply actions

this isn't necessarily a knock on boozer

but i love watching sap and AK play together. i think we played some of our best ball and got some of our best wins this season when boozer was out those 3 games, and we had sap and AK up front.

by moni on Mar 5, 2010 7:44 PM MST up reply actions

Agree, that combo will kill us size wise.

by softdrinks on Mar 5, 2010 6:42 PM MST up reply actions

not to mention they have odom in their front court as well.

by moni on Mar 5, 2010 7:45 PM MST up reply actions

Misunderstood as usual.

Here are the laker’s or at least what is a normal line up for them.

Note the two towers are almost always in,
Artest and Kobe are like Boozer and Millsap.
and a PG.

We could have, or need.
TWIN towers!
We have plenty in the PF to wings
Oh and best Pg in the entire freaking world of basketball!

I hope that clears up what I was saying above.

SLC Dunk #1 Jazz Site in the world!

by RRR on Mar 6, 2010 6:59 PM MST up reply actions

Millsap

I heard Millsap led the league in fouls last year. He seems like he gets in foul trouble a lot. How can he be your main guy if he has to sit all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love millsap, I just don’t think he can stay in games.

by cmag on Mar 5, 2010 5:41 PM MST reply actions

His foul rate has gone down each year

Basketball-reference.com

Check out his per 36. He has the same number of total fouls as Boozer though with fewer minutes. Both are in the top ten.

Boozer should have a zero foul rate given that he doesn’t foul until after pushing someone in the back.

That said, I’d be fine with having them both. They have some of the best floor time together.

SLCDunk.com, The Utah Jazz on SBNation

by Basketball John on Mar 5, 2010 6:59 PM MST up reply actions

Not sure what I like more

The Voltron reference, or the fact that you almost made the front office seem rational… then I read the comments and remembered that the front office is not rational.

I'll make it coach.

by MTN on Mar 5, 2010 10:10 PM MST reply actions

I get what you're saying, Prodigal Punk ...

But in the end I don’t see it working. Not for the next 3-5 seasons. Here’s why:

1. Size. The Lakers, without Kobe, destroyed the Jazz in Utah because the Lakers’ front court was just HUGE and manhandled them.

2. Minutes. Jason Terry and Manu are the primary shooting guards on the team. They’re not sharing minutes with another comparable guy. They play a starter’s role, but happen to come off the bench. Millsap and Boozer at PF is a completely different situation.

A couple years ago, when Manu was healthy, he was the Spurs’ crunch time scorer. He was given opportunity after opportunity to be everything he could. Coming off the bench never hurt him because he still had a Main Guy role.

The only time I’ve seen Millsap given the opportunity to be a Main Guy for an entire game, on both offense and defense, is when he starts for an injured Boozer. If Boozer starts, Millsap is reverted to a secondary role. Even his occasional 20-point outbursts come more through awesome garbage work rather than because the team focuses through him. I just don’t see a guy with Millsap’s competitive drive being happy with never getting a shot to be more than a secondary player. He’s got Main Guy skills and Main Guy attitude, so what is keeping him from being a Main Guy? Boozer.

Be honest. If you were in that situation would you be happy to never have the chance to see if you could be a Main Guy? Would you be happy to never get the shot at being an All-Star, or perhaps even more?

Manu was given a Main Guy role on the Spurs and made the All-Star team. Plus Manu’s been the Main Guy on Team Argentina for the past decade (leading the team to an Olympic Gold). Coming off the bench hasn’t hurt him at all, because Manu’s still been able to still become as good as he could. Same with Jason Terry. He gets a Main Guy role. He gets Main Guy minutes. He hasn’t been passed over for All-Star honors because he comes off the bench or because he’s pushed into a secondary role. He’s been passed up because he’s not one of the 4-6 best guards in the West. He’s still been able to develop and become the best player he can be.

Millsap does not get that chance with Boozer on the team. I don’t see him ever getting that chance with Boozer on the team.

And I don’t see anyone, not even someone as awesome as Paul Millsap, smiling and carrying on full-throttle ahead while being denied the chance to see how good he can actually become.

I got the crap beat out of me in Provo one time

by Yucca Man on Mar 5, 2010 11:50 PM MST reply actions

Agreed

Basketball doesn't build character. It reveals it.
Unknown

by Rog. on Mar 8, 2010 7:21 AM MST up reply actions

Millsap is ready to take on a starters role in the NBA on any team and he will next season when Boozer leaves to join D-Wade in Miami. What the jazz really need is a tough minded center that is going to be an efficient scorer and protect the paint. Get that and they are set.

by utahmanami on Mar 6, 2010 4:11 PM MST reply actions