1 | AllThatJazz

August 18th, 2008 at 5:18 pm

The question is: do you even watch the Jazz play? Utah would have one of the worst defenses in the league if they got rid of Andrei Kirilenko. Okur shows flashes of adequacy, Boozer is a 6′9 turnstile on defense and Millsap is more likely to foul you than play soild defense. C. J. Miles, Morris Almond and Kyle Korver have not shown coach Jerry Sloan enough consistency on defense to get enough playing time to be a factor and ancient Matt Harpring was never a good defender. (Check him out at Georgia Tech)

Kirilenko is the only Jazz player with an above 1.00 blocks:fouls ratio on the team, and he’s still the best perimeter defender as well.

Sure, it’s one thing to candidly assume that he’s not happy with his role (dude you watch his interview at the beginning of the season in early 2007?), but it’s another thing to just assume that he’s less valuable to the team than more one-sided players like Carlos Boozer.

The Jazz lost to the lakers not because of above average play from Kobe and Pau. They lost because Odom played like an all-star. Who was guarding him? Boozer.

But I guess that’s all the more reason to get rid of Andrei, Andrei doesn’t make Boozer a better defender. It’s always Andrei’s fault with people looking from the outside in to the Jazz franchise.

2 | admin

August 18th, 2008 at 9:26 pm

Off course I watch Utah play. They are actually my second favorite team in the NBA (behind New Orleans). I do, however, strongly feel that Kirilenko has been heavily misused by coach Sloane by not calling any plays for him. Maybe because of their off-court problems?

It is true what you say: Jazz will fall apart without Kirilenko cleaning up on the defensive end. But if they want to keep Boozer and Okur, I am afraid that there is no other choice than letting him go. I would much rather sell Okur and keep Kirilenko if the financing was available.