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So we've got Quin Snyder settling into the Head Coach office at EnergySolutions Arena. (I wonder if Ty left his unicorn there?) But we're still looking for confirmation on his stable (get it because unicorns are like horses) of assistants.
This is from earlier Tuesday morning:
My ever-growing list of potential Utah Jazz assistant coaches: Ettore Messina, Brad Jones, Alex Jensen, Taylor Jenkins and Darvin Ham.
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) June 10, 2014
The first name on that list, Ettore Messina, is Snyder's old boss in Russia. But he's long been linked with the Spurs franchise, too -- no surprise -- and Tuesday reports had the CSKA Moscow head man moving to the Lone Star State. From CBSSports.com:
CSKA Moscow head coach Ettore Messina will join Gregg Popovich's staff with the San Antonio Spurs after this season ends, as first reported by Corriere di Bologna's Daniele Labanti and confirmed by Sportando.
So much for that. BUT WAIT.
Hold the Italian phone? Spurs GM denies report about Ettore Messina becoming a San Antonio assistant. Via @Monroe_SA: http://t.co/bQgF9uFO1U
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) June 11, 2014
HMM.
Really, though, where there's reporting smoke, there's probably Italian-dudes-in-Texas fire. This is probably just the Spurs pulling one from the Jazz publicity playbook and denying rumors until the deal is completely in place.
So that returns us to Jody's previous list of assistant options. I'd venture to say that Brad Jones and Alex Jensen are near locks. For the others, we'll have to see. HOWEVA: If Messina really does end up in San Antonio, that might mean the Spurs are putting assistant/shot-doctor Chip Engelland out to pasture, if I may turn a Texan phrase. And I'd love to have Engelland on the Jazz's proverbial ranch. So to speak.
(Sorry. I'll stop.)
Anyway. Lots of news still to come. And isn't it nice to have actual Jazz news to talk about? Ah. Such bliss.
Speaking of bliss -- the wedded kind -- the Utah Jazz and the Idaho Stampede held their commitment ceremony Tuesday in Boise, and our own Diana Allen was on the scene. Make sure you check out her report, including tidbits from her interview with Dennis Lindsey (who reads SLC Dunk! He said so himself!).
Meanwhile, the Jazz put together this gallery of notable former Stampeders (Stampedians? Stampedees?), including such luminaries as former Jazzman and current Utah Utes head coach Larry Krystkowiak (spelled it right on the first try -- thanks, prior editorial experience!), Charlotte's Josh McRoberts (more on him in a bit), CJ Miles (miss you, doe) and one Sundiata Gaines.
And because there's never a bad time for this video:
Right. Um. Where was I? What is this dampness on my face? Never mind. FANPOSTS.
We've got a Texas two-step (what is it with me and Texas references today? I'm really sorry, guys) from JuMu and TurboJazz224, who each wrote examinations of the Houston Rockets' player-acquisition model, specifically the James Harden trade. Here's JuMu:
The Thunder traded James Harden: top 10 player paid $15 Million per year for multiple years, Lazar Hayward: scrub paid $1 Million per year for one year, Daequan Cook: scrub paid $3.5 Million per year for one year, Cole Aldrich: draft bust paid $2.5 Million per year for one year.
The Rockets traded Kevin Martin:decent 3rd option paid $12 Million per year for one year, Jeremy Lamb: 12th pick of the draft that year, Toronto's future first rounder (became 12th pick Steven Adams), Dallas' future first rounder (became 21st pick this year), and a 2nd rounder.
I still think the Rockets got the better end of the deal here and I'm definitely on board with the Jazz trying to reciprocate this type of trade this summer or next summer.
...the Rockets were one of those teams stuck in NBA mediocrity for a number of years. After Yao retired the Rockets were a bad team, but never bad enough to get a high pick. So what did they do? They accumulated assets. That's clearly where the Jazz are right now in this rebuild process; we are gathering assets using our cap space and the draft. So the Rockets waited for the right opportunity and cashed in their assets for a superstar in James Harden. Step 2 was to use their promising young team and one superstar to lure another superstar to the team (Howard). What's next? Since they have managed their salary cap so well, they have room to sign superstar free agent number 3 to the team, if they can find said star and actually convince them. Now I'm not necessarily saying I love Harden or Howard, or that I even think they will ever win a championship. My point in this excessively verbose article is that you don't cash in your assets unless you know exactly what you are getting.
Interesting takes from both. What do you think?
Lastly in FanPosts this week, Chase T Anderson's got beef with thousands of tiny pieces of paper:
So I'm going to be the proverbial party pooper here and say this: confetti is dumb. It is especially dumb when you're a subpar team that beats that Milwaukee Bucks at home. Do we really need confetti after each game?
EVERY. SINGLE. GAME.
Can you name any other NBA team that does this when it doesn't involve holding up the Larry O'Brien trophy? Seriously, let's cut it out.
Oh, and #bringbackthepurple
In case you hadn't noticed, Amar's been doing fantastic work aggregating the various Big Boards And Mock Drafts And Such. His latest roundup includes an update from ESPN's Chad Ford, who has Dante Exum falling to the Jazz at number 5. Ford's analysis:
This might be a dream scenario for the Jazz. While Exum could go to the Bucks, Sixers or Magic (in fact, those are the only teams for whom he's scheduled to workout), there is also a chance he slides. The Bucks and Sixers both have players higher than him on their boards (though workouts might change that) and the Magic are seriously looking at Vonleh at 4.
In this situation, Ford has Vonleh rising to the Magic at 4, leaving Exum available. Ford goes on to say that he's heard the Jazz aren't as high on Marcus Smart. But he also says that if Exum is gone, Vonleh would be the Jazz's pick over Aaron Gordon or Julius Randle at this point.
Me, I'd be ecstatic if Exum fell to us. He'd make an incredibly dynamic backcourt partner with Trey Burke. But I'm still all in on Aaron Gordon if Exum is gone.
I'm starting to get the feeling, though, that something hinky (or possibly Hinkie) is going to happen above us in the draft. Someone's going to trade or get too cute with a pick, and the Jazz are going to find themselves the unexpected beneficiaries.
Call it a hunch.
via i.imgur.com
If you are reading these words right now, and also breathing, and your computer doesn't have some strange affliction where it can only navigate to SLCDunk.com, you should be reading Moni's blog, Jazz Fanatical. While her contributions here are invaluable, she really brings a unique flavor and personality to her own site.
Plus, Moni tirelessly transcribes pretty much every radio interview Jazz personnel give. (Ask any journalist what the most annoying part of their job is, and they will all say transcribing interviews. All of them. I know. I've checked.) She does this for free, and people rip off her quotes without citing her, and she's too nice to ever say anything about it. So I want to thank her publicly. And if you're copy-pasting her transcriptions and not linking back...well.
Anyway. Point is, Moni is awesome, and on Tuesday she posted this video of John Stockton moments related to the 1984 Draft, 30 years ago. It is excellent, and Moni is excellent. So click through and watch the video, then go read all her stuff.
