Happy Draft Day, Jazz fans! Although we don't have a 1st round pick. I'm still pretty excited for today. Do you have any draft day traditions? Please do take pictures of said traditions or gatherings for our July 16 on the 16th. Last year was pretty exciting with our two lottery picks. We had the good fortune of drafting the one and only Enes Kanter. Check out Prodigy's new Kanter mix it is amazingly awesome
We all want today to be exciting . We'd like to think that KOC and the Jazz Brass are not content with the status quo. Its easy to say well we made it to the playoffs and no one expected it so lets give this team a little more time to see what they can do. Not to be "that person" but I really really hope the Jazz are being proactive and not content. I think of all the years of Stockton and Malone's careers that were kind of wasted because of the players they had to play with then finally in 1994 the Jazz added Hornaceck. That was 10 years into Stockton's career. I personally don't think that Favors and crew will wait 10 years. We know who our core is that's not debatable lets surround them as soon as possible with the complimentary pieces they need to succeed.
It is rumored that OKC is looking to trade for the 2nd pick. As KSLShep said OKC went to the FINALS this year and are willing to shake things up, what is Utah's excuse?
History of draft day trades with KOC
- June 26, 2002: Traded Ryan Humphrey and Jamal Sampson to the Orlando Magic for Curtis Borchardt
- June 24, 2004: Traded Pavel Podkolzin to the Dallas Mavericks for a 2005 1st round draft pick (Linas Kleiza)
- June 28, 2005: Traded a 2005 1st round draft pick (Linas Kleiza), a 2005 1st round draft pick (Martell Webster) and a 2006 1st round draft pick (Joel Freeland) to the Portland Trailblazers for a 2005 1st round draft pick (Deron Williams).
What is your favorite trade under KOC's tenure and what is your least favorite trade under KOC?
Nice story by Brian T. Smith about Damian Lilliard
we can have this happen:
The simple route: Get everything possible out of the 47th pick and add another talented athlete to a roster highlighted by youngsters Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks and Enes Kanter. O’Connor has done it before, stealing Millsap and Mo Williams late in the second round, as the Jazz watched a player high on their draft board quietly fall into their hands.
or this
With key members of Utah’s front office high on the relentless attacker, the Jazz have the necessary pieces to pull off a franchise-changing move that could rival the 2011 Deron Williams deal and the 2005 draft-day trade up that initially brought Williams to Salt Lake City. In addition, Lillard could give Utah one of the weapons it clearly lacks — a young, aggressive point guard who would complement Favors, Hayward, Burks and Kanter, all of whom are 22 or younger.
But it will take this:
To add anyone in the lottery, though — Lillard, Florida’s Bradley Beal or Duke’s Austin Rivers, among others — the Jazz likely will have to give up at least one of three respected and well-paid veterans they’ve been holding on to since June 2011.
Millsap, Harris and Jefferson started a combined 186 of 198 regular-season games during the lockout-compressed 2011-12 campaign, and they were the primary forces that helped a star-less team return to the playoffs. All will hold expiring contracts Sunday, though.
Jody also has a great article full of wonderful KOCisms:
"I think we like who we have," O'Connor said. "That doesn't mean we won't try to improve our team. I know that sounds like garbage because you say it all the time, but we mean it all the time. If we can improve the team, we will."
Do you think at the 47th pick this is the best approach or do you go for the specialist:
A small forward or point guard?
A sharpshooter?
Maybe.
Then again, with the No. 47 pick in the second round, the Jazz could choose a center or power forward or …
"I think we just look at the best player available," O'Connor said.