The Utah Jazz take on the Milwaukee Bucks tonight.
There have been two thoughts in my head about the future of the NBA and the Jazz.
First, The Jazz hold a future first-round draft pick of the New York Knicks. I believe that it is up until 2010. If the Knicks do not turn around their franchise quickly, then the Jazz could easily end up with the #1 draft pick in the 2010 draft, and even if they don’t then they could end up with a top 5 pick.
Jazz fans - be sure to root against the Knicks and hope Isiah Thomas keeps messing around there. So I got to thinking, who would the Jazz draft with this pick? Their biggest weakness now is probably in backup positions, now that Ronnie Brewer has officially cemented himself as the starting shooting guard with his breakout season. But when you draft in the top 5 you don’t draft for a backup anything. My guess would be that they grab a small forward, because AK’s contract will be up and Matt Harpring’s knees won’t last that long, and presumably that small forward would be able to play shooting guard in case none of the Brewer/Korver/Miles/Almond group turn out as the Jazz hope. That would be the ideal situation, but the Jazz should probably end up taking the best available player so that they don’t repeat Portland’s infamous choice of Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan.
Second, LeBron James will be a free agent in a year or two I think. I would be shocked if he stayed in Cleveland even though they did make it to the NBA Finals last month. I know it is a long shot at best but if the following happened LeBron could end up on the Utah Jazz.
LeBron would have to do the following:
-Realize that he is becoming like Kevin Garnett was in Minnesota - an MVP caliber player stuck on a team with no help.
-Want to play for an up and coming team that is loaded with good players (The Jazz are the 2nd youngest team in the league)
-Not sign with a team coming to the end of it’s run (like the Spurs or the Suns.)
-Realize that with all the endorsement money he gets, he doesn’t have to be like Kobe and sign a contract for all the money he can. If he does that then the team won’t be able to provide him with adequate teammates.
The Jazz franchise would have to do the following:
Open up cap space. Williams will get max money next year, and with him, Boozer, Okur, and AK-47 there will be no room for King James.
The best solution is get rid of Kirilenko. Trade him now that his value is higher and get a player who’s contract will be up shortly.
Harpring’s contract should be up as well and with Kirilenko’s and Harpring’s money they could sign LeBron and he would take over that position.
Ok so that will never happen. But if it did, David Stern would have to give the Jazz the championship trophy for the next 8 years. Look at the starting lineup:
PG Deron Williams
SG Ronnie Brewer or Kyle Korver or Morris Almond or C.J. Miles or 2010 #1 draft pick
SF LeBron James
PF Carlos Boozer
C Memo Okur
That is four guys who could go off for 30 points any night. How many games would that team win? All 82? Of course not, but they would come close. That looks like an all-star lineup rather than a regular NBA team’s starting lineup. Well this happening is extremely unlikely but it sure is fun to daydream and speculate isn’t it? That’s one of the fun parts about sports, until you realize that it is just that - a dream.
