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Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson and Enes Kanter headline list of Jazz players that "got away"

We've all been there, up at 3 am looking at the Facebook pics of an Ex. Let's go through this painful experience with Utah Jazz players from the last few years.

By AllThatAmar
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Over the last few seasons the Utah Jazz built their team to win now, and challenge for the Western Conference playoffs. Sadly, over the last few seasons that just didn't happen. At all. Even if the Jazz would make the playoffs it's almost as if the spirit of Jazz basketball wasn't there with them. Most of the players from those teams have moved on now as the Jazz *finally* committed to the youth and admitted to rebuilding. Still, the Jazz did say goodbye to many good players. I looked them all up, every single player that we've said goodbye to since the 2010-2011 season. (n = 35 players) Of course, because this is from the disaster season till now we omit the years where the team actually *was* a contender, and thus we omit the contributions of Carlos Boozer, Wesley Matthews, and Kyle Korver from this observation.

So how have our Jazz-ex's done so far this season (or their last NBA season)?

Player Team G Min Last Season MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG BARPS
1 Paul Millsap ATL 63 2086 2014 2015 33.11 16.89 7.92 2.98 1.76 0.90 30.46
2 Al Jefferson CHA 54 1691 2014 2015 31.31 17.22 8.78 1.78 0.74 1.31 29.83
3 Enes Kanter OKC 11 324 2014 2015 29.45 15.73 10.18 1.45 0.64 0.27 28.27
4 Mo Williams MIN / CHA 53 1572 2014 2015 29.66 14.17 2.42 6.72 0.74 0.21 24.25
5 Deron Williams BKN 50 1563 2014 2015 31.26 13.06 3.10 6.08 1.00 0.26 23.50
6 DeMarre Carroll ATL 56 1753 2014 2015 31.30 11.93 5.11 1.52 1.32 0.21 20.09
7 C.J. Miles IND 53 1349 2014 2015 25.45 12.51 2.83 1.13 0.91 0.32 17.70
8 Devin Harris DAL 63 1429 2014 2015 22.68 8.95 1.90 3.29 1.08 0.21 15.43
9 Mehmet Okur NJN 17 454 2011 2012 26.71 7.65 4.76 1.76 0.53 0.29 15.00
10 Marvin Williams CHA 60 1491 2014 2015 24.85 7.05 4.48 1.20 0.87 0.43 14.03
11 Ronnie Price LAL 43 982 2014 2015 22.84 5.14 1.60 3.84 1.56 0.09 12.23
12 Josh Howard MIN 11 207 2012 2013 18.82 6.73 3.27 0.36 0.91 0.27 11.55
13 Randy Foye DEN 37 683 2014 2015 18.46 6.97 1.24 2.05 0.46 0.27 11.00
14 Richard Jefferson DAL 61 1038 2014 2015 17.02 5.56 2.67 0.84 0.43 0.18 9.67
15 Chris Johnson MIL 5 100 2014 2015 20.00 4.60 2.00 0.60 0.60 0.40 8.20
16 John Lucas III DET 12 140 2014 2015 11.67 4.00 0.50 3.00 0.42 0.00 7.92
17 Kyrylo Fesenko IND 3 17 2011 2012 5.67 2.67 3.00 0.33 0.67 0.00 6.67
18 Malcolm Thomas PHI 17 194 2014 2015 11.41 2.65 3.29 0.41 0.18 0.06 6.59
19 Elliot Williams NOP 4 46 2014 2015 11.50 3.50 1.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 5.50
20 Toure' Murry WAS 1 1 2014 2015 1.00 4.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 0.00 5.00
21 Brandon Rush GSW 27 215 2014 2015 7.96 0.67 1.26 0.44 0.11 0.44 2.93
22 Earl Watson POR 24 161 2013 2013 6.71 0.50 0.63 1.17 0.21 0.04 2.54
23 Steve Novak OKC 2 13 2014 2015 6.50 1.50 0.00 0.50 0.00 0.00 2.00
24 Andrei Kirilenko BKN / PHI 7 36 2014 2015 5.14 0.43 1.14 0.14 0.14 0.00 1.86
25 Francisco Elson PHI 5 16 2010 2011 3.20 0.40 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 1.20

N.B. There are 10 players who qualify for this list, but haven't played a single NBA minute since leaving the Jazz: Andris Biedrins, Blake Ahearn, Diante Garrett, Jamaal Tinsley, Kevin Murphy, Kyle Waver, Marcus Cousin, Mike Harris, Patrick Christopher, and Raja Bell -- the one dude who told it like it was and got the Animal Farm treatment from a hyper sensitive PR department and front office who didn't have the balls to take valid, internal criticism.

Yeeeeah. Who knew that Mo Williams would be having a better season than Deron Williams? That's the crazy thing that sticks out to me for sure. Big Al and Millsap have become big name players in the Eastern Conference. With the Thunder 22 year old Enes Kanter's positives and negatives are magnified -- but when was the last time that franchise had a bigman who can score like him? Shawn Kemp? If there's anything to learn from Big Al it's that if you are big and can score you'll get paid. You may eventually be called an All-Star or All-NBA player at some point if you are on a good enough team. In effect, Kanter was Jefferson's best student.

Beyond the Top 5 we see a funny group where Carroll, Miles, Marvin and other wings hang out with Memo, and Ronnie P -- players we just adored. It's slim pickings after that.

If you want to feel bad about "the one that got away" you feel bad about Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews -- two excellent wings with deadly range from long distance. But from the "awful period" of Jazz basketball till today you have a few good players to lament about. I think Deron Williams under-estimated how good Jerry Sloan and his offense was for him. Millsap is motivated again, something he wasn't in his last 2 seasons with the Jazz. Big Al is having a lot of fun not worrying about two young guys behind him on the depth chart. And Enes is finally have fun again playing basketball.

I wish them all well. But man, #MOLO never forgets. Or forgives. Dude is really the only guy I had written off who is fighting hard in the NBA making big plays and helping his team. Randy Foye can't even get into a double overtime game. Devin Harris is an energy guy for his. Josh Howard is out of the league. Richard Jefferson is making a few big dunks, but that's about it.

The cancer of the awful years have been removed, and our team is better for it today. But you really can't help notice the good players that got away.

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