It's called "taking a step back"

you won’t find anyone here who has been backing Boozer for longer than me (i think…) but the writing has been on the wall for ages and we need to look forward.

I’m disappointed that Boozer is gone because I don’t think the Jazz will be as competitive next year, but I’m hoping that I am pleasantly surprised. Who knows what is around the corner….

In fact, if you look at it another way, if the Jazz have a totally crap season this year, then you can tell everyone here that you told them so, and if not, then you’ll have a great time watching Millsap and co showing what a strong TEAM the Jazz are :P

and appreciate you sharing it. I know we’ve discussed the topic before so I won’t try too hard to change your mind. :)

Couple of things I want to point out though.

Why don’t we talk about why Jazz management didn’t arrange the roster so that they could keep Boozer, instead of putting themselves in a place of pity where they forced the fans to turn against a truly great player for the Jazz, just lending credence to the machivelian philosophy of letting the henchmen do the dirty work so you don’t have to do it yourself.

I don’t think this is accurate at all. I think the Jazz organization has bent over backwards to put itself in a better position to keep Boozer. In fact, with the new cap numbers being released, a Boozer re-signing would not have put the team as far over the luxury tax as everyone expected.

And as far as “forcing the fans to turn against a truly great player,” I have no idea where you’re getting that from. Every word out of KOC and Jerry’s mouths has been how they wanted to KEEP Boozer. Not a soul in the organization has EVER badmouthed him.

And, it will be a blunder if the Jazz win less games next year, or gazaks, don’t make the playoffs.

This may well be true… for one year. But taking the long view, not re-signing Boozer creates MUCH more financial flexibility for the years after that. The Jazz weren’t willing to mortgage the future of the franchise by doling out guaranteed money to a player like Boozer, whose health issues will probably only get worse with age. I think it’s going to take at least a year, probably more, to judge whether this is truly a “blunder” or not. Judging off of one year’s performance is short-sighted. (And I recognize we’ve talked about your opinion of Boozer’s “relevance” value before, so we don’t have to go the rounds on that one again. :)

This is our possible future, Hayward and Okur on the floor together,are you kidding me, Okur is the other portion of salary that was spent last summer. Doesn’t anybody see what a mess this is? Throw AK47 into the mix, now we have a bunch of “white” guys who really no how to get at the glass, ya, it’s killing me thinking about it too.

Your point on Okur may be the most salient one. Signing his extension certainly looks like a mistake in retrospect. But if anything, that supports the choice of NOT re-signing Boozer, i.e., not tying up big money into injury-prone players. If you disagree with Okur extending because he’s injured now, what will you say the next time Boozer misses 30 games with an injury, a prospect that only becomes more likely the older he gets?

As for mentioning “white” players, I truly wish people would stop whining about players purely based on their color. Okur and AK are solid rebounders, as is Millsap, and for that matter, Hayward is an excellent rebounder for a wing player (far better in that regard than Matthews, Miles or Korver). Our rebounding will be fine — race has nothing to do with it.

Sorry if it seems like I’m always jumping down your throat. It just feels like you’re pinning SO MUCH of the future success of the Jazz on one player, and it’s all moot because that player is gone now. There’s plenty of reason for optimism. Hopefully you’ll come around on that. :)

If the Jazz had been gifted a Pau Gasol, I am sure Boozer would have remained with the Jazz. However, it is tough for a team like the Jazz to find a center when they don’t have a high lottery pick. As sick as this sounds, the best thing to happen to the Jazz might be losing for one year so they can find their center.

Boozer is a great role player. He can score and get you rebounds, but his overall game will not take a team to the next level. With that said, he should thrive in Chicago because he will be paired with Joakim Noah.

When Millsap put up 17 & 10 in 40 games as a starter during 2009 with the Jazz playing very well for a 2-month period, followed by the team falling apart with Boozer’s return, the Jazz front office decided Boozer was expendable.

That’s why they didn’t extend Boozer’s contract when they could have. That’s why they didn’t make a counter-offer against that of the Bulls.

It is worth noting, as Shums pointed out, that the team never said anything but good things about Boozer. It’s also interesting that Deron threw a little tantrum after after the Ronnie B. trade, playing without interest and intelligence for the next five games, but his tweet shows he’s okay with the Boozer trade and looking forward to what Millsap will bring as the starter.

Remember, Boozer’s just one player. There’s a lot to like about this team without him. I know I’ll never convince you this was the right move right now, but I am curious why nothing that has been posted about the team without Boozer gives you any warm, fuzzy thoughts about the other players.

First of all, you are outnumbered on this blog. But in general, I think most Jazz fans are very angry at what has transpired, either from losing Boozer, or else from getting what looks to be nothing in return.

But if you asked every Jazz fan, “what would you give up for a championship” or “would you rather have 20 years of making the playoffs and never winning a title, or 10 years of mediocrity and a championship” I think 90% of Jazz fans would take the second option. now that is a very hyperbolied example, but my point is:

The Jazz are not in a position to build the team necessary around Williams and Boozer for AT LEAST two years. Next season AK’s money comes off the books, but no one is really available to put us over the top. and if we had resigned Boozer yesterday, we would have $0 again to spend in free agency. So we would still be without a championship team. Boozer may get you more wins, but now we have a trade exception we can use and AK’s expiring contract in order to get a center. Next year we will have $10-20 million to find the missing pieces.

I know you don’t think Millsap is equivalent to Boozer, but even if he is a starting quality center, then we haven’t downgraded much at all. So Team as is with Boozer, is still not a championship team. Team without Boozer is still not a championship team, but they have much more financial flexibility and viability. Five extra games doesn’t matter to me when I know we have a 0% chance of winning it all. But having the chance to make an acquisition that could get us over the top, as we have now, is a fantastic thing to have as a fan.

Carlos Boozer was a talented player and he helped the Jazz a lot in his career. But overall reading this article made me so happy. Not that I am finding joy in your sorrow, but because the Jazz took a risk. Instead of guaranteeing a playoff spot and early exit every year, they decided to keep financial flexibility (and hopefully a big trade exception from the bulls) and look to the future. I am sure the Front Office did everything they could to keep Boozer, but in the end it was Boozer who chose to go somewhere else. A decision I respect him for and I wish him the best. The summer league games have looked a little scary but they are not a good judgement at all of what will happen in the regular season. The Jazz will be able to pick someone up to fill the need at the 4 or 5 who wont be a superstar but will be a contributor. Bottom line, this years team will be the overachieving guys we jazz fans know and love, and now the Jazz have financial flexibility to get some players after next year.

I know this move makes you sad and upset at the Jazz, but look on the brightside. You can spend the next 3 years writing on this blog about how millsap isn’t long enough to beat the lakers, how he isnt a 20 and 10 guy, how he is only a hustle player and can’t have the offense run through him and how he gets into foul trouble too much. Can’t wait to see him prove us wrong though. Go Jazz.

The only thing Boozer cared about was Boozer Management - Boozer stats, Boozer complete health, and Boozer damage control while playing defense.

Thanks for nothing Boozer…..

Maybe.

But this team (as built) was not going to take a step forward anyways.
Time to try something new. And if it doesn’t work, then whatever. At least they tried.
I don’t know… I’ll complain about a losing season, yes.
But if we can win 1 or 2 or 5 years from now, good.
Because, in the long run… constantly losing in the 2nd round is just as bad/frustrating.

thanks for everyone who commented, lol. Millsap can play the position he’s definitely proven his toughness on the court, and ak47 is in a contract year so that should be pressure for him because he will be asked to take an expanded role. sap and 47 had some good chemistry in the past, i think most of the pressure will be on ak47 to expand his role, however, the leadership of boozer and the respect he gets around the league will missed, ak47 might be a leader for the team but he will have to back it up with a relentless attitude on the court, so we’ll see. just want to say, best of luck boozer.