John Stockton and Karl Malone, the Utah Jazz's two greatest draft picks.
The Utah Jazz have been one of the steadiest franchises in the NBA over the past 25 years. In those years the Jazz have made it to the post season 21 times. After John Stockton and Karl Malone’s departure in 2003 the Jazz missed the playoffs three consecutive years. Those years of mediocrity enabled the Jazz to trade up in the draft and get Deron Williams in ’05. With the free agent additions of Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur the Jazz were back on track and made the post-season five years in a row. Several believed even more winning seasons and consecutive playoffs berths were ahead, but things went extremely sour last year. Boozer left via sign and trade to the Chicago Bulls and Okur was out nearly all year recovering from a blown achilles suffered in the ’10 Playoffs. Williams turned into a malcontent, and many believed his was the main reason head coach Jerry Sloan retired mid-season. It was becoming more and more clear that a dissatisfied Williams was not going to resign with the Jazz next summer so the management jumped on it. In a move that caught every one off-guard, the Jazz traded Williams to the New Jersey Nets for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, the Nets 1st round pick this year, and the Golden State Warriors’ 1st round pick next year. With the luck of the ping pong balls, the Jazz landed the #3 pick in this year’s draft. Favors was the #3 pick last year and has signs of being a great player, so essentially the Jazz will be drafting 3rd for the 2nd straight year.
The Jazz are not in a position to woo many players to come play in Salt Lake City, when they rebuild they have to do with trades and the draft. The fact remains that over the past 25 years, the top two free-agent signings the Jazz have had were Boozer and Okur, and they were pretty raw talent when the Jazz signed them. So the Jazz have to rebuild, but how? Let’s take a look at what history suggests by seeing what has become of the last ten #3 picks in the draft and the last ten Jazz draft picks.
10 Years of #3 Picks:
The Jazz have the #3 pick from '10, who will they take this year at #3?
’10- Derrick Favors - Not many top 3 picks have to deal with trade rumors starting from their first game as a rookie. Once Favors was traded to the Jazz he settled down and started to show some tremendous upside. It can’t go without mentioning that he has a tattoo of Jesus spinning a basketball, righteous.
’09- James Harden - A solid three point shooter and lock-down defender for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was an integral part in pushing the eventual Champion Dallas Mavericks to the brink in the playoffs this year, and he has a beard that would make Grizzly Adams blush.
’08- O.J. Mayo - Mayo could be a better player if he had a better attitude. The only time we have heard Mayo’s name in the press since he’s been in the league has been for locker room brawls, black eyes over ”friendly” poker games, and recruiting infractions from his time at USC.
’07- Al Horford - Horford is a solid power forward, but he plays at the center too much for the Atlanta Hawks. Tim Duncan shined when he played power forward along side David Robinson at center. If the Hawks could get a solid center it would only help Horford flourish even more.
’06- Adam Morrison - Michael Jordan the player was the greatest ever, Michael Jordan the GM could be one of the worst ever. In ’01 Jordan used the Wizard’s 1st pick on Kwame Brown, with the Charlotte Bobcat’s 3rd pick Jordan fell flat on his face again. Morison lasted two years and is known better for his facial hair skills than his basketball skills.
’05- Deron Williams – The Jazz struck gold with their highest draft pick in team history. Williams has been an All-Star, won a gold medal in the Olympics, and been in the debate every year as the game’s best point guard. We’d all be surprised if he resigns with the New Jersey Nets next summer.
’04- Ben Gordon – Gordon is an undersized shooting guard that should really be a point guard, but not many PG’s can pull it off without passing the ball. Gordon scored in bunches during his five years with the Bulls, primarily because there weren’t many players on those teams that could score. Gordon’s scoring stats have been considerably down since he signed with the Detroit Pistons.
’03- Carmelo Anthony – Melo was part of probably the deepest draft in NBA history, and although a malcontent himself, you cannot deny his talent. He’s been on the All-NBA team four times, an All-Star four times, and lead the Nuggets to the playoffs for six straight years. The funny thing is, after Melo was traded to the New York Knicks last year the Nuggets faired better without him.
’02- Mike Dunleavy - a.k.a the American Kirilenko. Dunleavy has been a solid role player, but nobody you can build your team around. In his eleven NBA season he has only played all 82 game three times.
’01- Pau Gasol - Gasol was good at Memphis and has been great with the Lakers. He didn’t have a great post-season, but with all the rumors swirling from his girlfriend breaking up with him and Kobe’s wife being involved would be enough to send any of us into a whirlwind of emotional distress
10 Years of Jazz 1st Round Picks:
The Jazz should be able to get a good player at #3. With exception to Adam Morrison, I think every GM would take any one of those players listed above. The only thing getting in the way of the Jazz finding a good player is the Jazz. Most of their picks have been late in the first round, but that doesn’t change the fact that out of GM Kevin O’Connor’s last ten first round picks, only one is still with the team, and that’s last year’s pick.
The future Kris Kardashian got his NBA start with the Jazz.
’10- Gordon Hayward – When the Jazz went young at the end of last year and played all their rookies Hayward improved immensely. Hayward has the potential to be a good spot-up shooter and can also drive to the hoop.
’09- Eric Maynor - Maynor is the back-up to Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City. In this past year’s playoffs when the Thunder had a chance to make the game winning shot against the mavericks, Maynor passed up Westbrook and Durant and chucked up an air-ball.
’08- Kosta Koufos - Koufos will be remembered in Jazz history as the crazy kid that dunked on the Nuggets in the ’10 Playoffs while yelling “Boom B*tches!” Other than that, he keps the bench real warm.
’07- Morris Almond - Almond was declared the best shooter in his draft class, but spent more time in the NBA D-League than he did with the Jazz.
’06- Ronnie Brewer - Great defender and hustler, but never could find his shot. Brewer is a sold bench player for the Bulls now.
’05- Deron Williams - The corner stone to the Jazz while he was here, and the heir-apparent to John Stockton.
’04- Kirk Snyder - “Snyderman” played for one year but never pleased Jazz brass so got traded. He recently served a jail sentence for assaulting a man.
’04- Kris Humphries- Who knew that when they drafted Humphries they’d be getting the future husband of Kim Kardashian. Now he’s the only player in the NBA that makes less than his wife.
’03- Sasha Pavlovic - Great name and a decent shooter, but never fit into the Jazz system and was traded.
’02- Ryan Humphrey - No, not Kris Humphries, just a single Humphrey that 90% of Jazz fans don’t even remember. Enough said.
’01- Raul Lopez - By the time the Jazz got him out of his contract from overseas he was old and busted. Lopez was plagued by knee injuries and ended up heading back overseas.
Let’s also now forget the Jazz also have the #12 pick. The Jazz can go many directions with their picks. They can trade up, trade down, deal a veteran for a veteran with a pick ,or even keep their picks all to themselves. No matter what the Jazz do, next year will be the official start of the Tyrone Corbin era as head coach (beause let’s be honest, when he took over with 30 games left last season he was just doing damage control). If Jimmer Fredette is avilable at 12, it should be a no-brainer. If he’s not there, the Jazz would be suited well to just roll a dice, or ask the Magic 8 Ball who to pick.
