Utah Jazz Feel the Love: The Downbeat #1408

The love seems to be pouring in from every outlet during this Summer League. Part of it has to do with the exposure that Vegas brings, the other part is a young Jazz team, full of potential. We do love us some potential.

Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today Sports writes about this potential (h/t to Jody Genessy for the link):

With all that promise on the Jazz roster, it's easy to fast forward two years and project how good they could become.

The article features heavy emphasis from Dennis Lindsey on not "skipping steps" in the development process. This particular line is starting to pop up more frequently, and it's telling about the Jazz organization's expectations for this season:

"We're a ways away, to be frank," Lindsey said.

We've already seen Danté and Trey on The Starters, and Danté and Rodney on TrueHoop TV, even Rudy is getting some love. So, with all the excitement, naturally we begin the argument of "What does it all mean?" Can we draw any conclusions from Summer League?

Everyone's favorite Maester over at Grantland has some insight, and it's worth a read:

This is a time for new beginnings — desert renewal. Utah’s Rudy Gobert, a stick-figure French big man, spent last season looking like a person who should not be in the NBA. Here in Vegas, he’s averaging 12 points, nine rebounds, and 3.5 blocks in 24 minutes. Against the Bucks on Monday night, Gobert was absolutely rampant. He blocked five shots and threw one Jabari attempt out into the Mojave night.

You know the feel goods are real when Gordon Monson gets in on the action:

But what is happening with the Jazz right now seems a promising, positive thing. There are indications that the moves they have made are nudging them upward and onward from last season’s nadir.

There is an excitement around this team that hasn't been felt since the Western Conference Finals run in 2007. Over 9,000 fans for a Summer League scrimmage. Summer. League. Scrimmage. Not the actual roster. The Summer League squad. People waited in the hot sun to see Rudy Gobert square off against Greg Somogyi.

Then, there's the Summer League itself. In Vegas. The number of Jazz fans that made the trip was astounding. Game 1 on Saturday night felt like a regular season game.

Soak it in while you can, but keep Dennis Lindsey's words from Point 1 in the back of your mind.

The Jazz big man rotation appears to be full, with the signing of Trevor Booker and Steeeeeve Novak , as Shums covered yesterday. However, their wing situation is a little bit more limited. Currently the Jazz depth chart at 2/3 is Dante Exum, Alec Burks, Gordon Hayward, Rodney Hood, so the Jazz will probably add another wing.

Here is the SB Nation's Free Agent Tracker.

I'm sure someone will swoop in and correct me on this *cough* Peter *cough*, but according to ShamSports.com the Jazz currently have $54.4mil in salary. Part of that is Erik Murphy and Malcolm Thomas, who are unguaranteed (and the Jazz will probably waive), and can free up $1.6mil. Add the Booker signing (which we will assume is $5mil per year), and that puts the Jazz at $57.8mil. The cap is $63mil.

Having said all that, who do you like?

This happened yesterday:

NBA Lottery Reform Is Coming

Thoughts?

(Side note: People in the NBA League Offices just like to give Zach Lowe memos. Maybe his fax number is like one digit off from someone on the League's Competition Committee?)