OK, sure. They traded their franchise player a year and a half ago for Kwame Brown and some Skittles. And yes, with the No. 2 pick they managed to select the only basketball player available who's biggest weakness is his ability to put the little ball in the big circle with the net attached (which I hear is kind of important). But hey, they needed to rebuild, and they rebuilt. But they have tons of cap space now, so much in fact, that they're actually under the CBA limit and have to spend some.
So they've stopped torturing their fans with one terrible decision after another right? Right? Guys? Anybody?
Oh, hi Zach Randolph. What are you ... doing ... here ...?
Could it be any other way with Carlos Boozer and the Jazz? Everything is so complicated, from late owner Larry Miller's combative stance on Boozer's injuries to Boozer's renewed sense of self-worth to the constant conflict between stardom and also-ran status. Boozer surprisingly picked up his 2009-10 team option Tuesday, putting Utah on the hook for $12.3 million.
Boozer is well worth the cash, so this development should be a clear win for Utah, right? Well, it's complicated. Boozer's commitment puts the status of back-up power forward Paul Millsap and starting center Mehmet Okur into question. By casting his lot with Utah for one more year, Boozer may very well have cast his buddies out.
The market for restricted free agent Paul Millsap was expected to be robust in theory, if not in actuality. This is to say Millsap is a highly desired fellow, given his proclivity to rebound like a champ, score efficiently, and defend his tail off at the power forward position. However, as always, a limited pool of clubs will head into July with cap space for next season.
The Thunder is one team with space to sign a free agent like Millsap. The team currently falls about $15 million under the cap, and Millsap has been pegged to pull a starting salary around $7-8 million. Oklahoma City can certainly afford to get into that ballpark, should Sam Presti desire to. Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune seems to believe OKC, in fact, desires Millsap.
Utah forward Carlos Boozer has been back a month now, but apparently Jerry Sloan still isn't comfortable depending on the burly bruiser as he has in past years. The Salt Lake Tribune notes that despite Boozer's 14 points and 10 rebounds, Sloan relied on Paul Millsap for the entirety of Saturday's overtime period against Phoenix.
Boozer has been completely supportive of Millsap on the court and in the media. But in this latest stretch -- and especially after Saturday's game -- Boozer wants to make sure we all know he'd prefer to be on the court in the most important minutes.
The Rotation is a weekly study on the NBA by one of our All-Star voices. In rotation this week is Tom Ziller.
Depending on your interior biases, the Utah Jazz either represent a flimsy facade waiting to be knocked over or the last gasp of insurgent power willing to make the Western Conference playoffs compelling.
As always, the truth falls somewhere in the middle. The public consensus, however, has cast Utah as more bit player than force to be reckoned with. But mis-measuring the Jazz as a Western also-ran is a huge mistake.
FanHouse's NBA Guide gives you a daily look at all the games that matter ... and some that don't.
HEADLINER San Antonio at Utah, 9PM ET
The Spurs couldn't overcome a deeper, more talented Lakers team in L.A., no matter the moxie that runs through those San Antonian veins. The Jazz dropped back-to-back home games against the Cavaliers and Nuggets, and haven't come a shred closer to good health. This can't possibly be the shot in the arm Utah needs, can it?
Every night there are some stupendous, silly, stupid, or downright outlandish individual lines from around the lig. Doing Lines lets you know which one tops the list.
Mike Bibby isn't exactly known for his dominating scoring performances. But with Marvin Williams and Al Horford sidelined with injuries, he cranked it up a notch to help his team get a win in Chicago.
Bibby had 31 points on 12-of-21 shooting, and hit five of his 10 three-point attempts. He scored nine of his points in the final five minutes, and also finished with six assists and five steals. A 94-93 Bulls lead with five minutes to play turned into a Hawks win, largely because of Bibby.
FanHouse's NBA Guide gives you a daily look at all the games that matter ... and some that don't.
Every team in the league plays tonight after the NBA took New Year's Day off. But it's a League Pass party with ESPN ditching its typical Friday double-header for more college football.
HEADLINERS New Orleans at Portland, 10PM EST
The Blazers feel feisty after knocking off the Champs earlier this week, while the Hornets need to make up some ground on the Lakers to contend with L.A. for the Western top seed. It doesn't hurt that this is a nice little match-up between teams with similar offensive goals.
Now, the Jazz have suffered with injuries all over their roster this season. Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko, most of the roster has missed some time. Boozer's time away has been tempered, somewhat, by the emergence of Paul Millsap. Unfortunately, this simple surgery affects that as well.
In the immediate, this makes the Jazz' trek to retain their Northwest title and top four seed that much more difficult, a prospect that's already daunting considering the Blazers' inevitable emergence and Denver's resurgence. It means that the odds are significantly impacted that they will be able to enjoy the friendly confines of their home come April and May, Considering the vast advantage they enjoy in Salt Lake, that's a pretty big hit. But the long term effects are also notable.
If Kevin O'Connor and Jerry Sloan really do have some Magic Power Forward Beans in the safe, now'd be a splendid time to push them into some soil. With Carlos Boozer still ailing and awaiting a second MRI this weekend, replacement Paul Millsap has received a pair of health shackles. Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune reports Millsap will sit for 7-10 days with a strained knee ligament.
Boozer has been out so long and you don't really get the impression he's anywhere close to ready to get back in sneakers -- there have even been whispers of surgery for Boozer. Meanwhile, starting center Mehmet Okur has missed a few starts due to back spasms. That's three of your top four big men off the bat. The Jazz have survived Boozer, Okur and Deron Williams' previously sprained ankle. But this is getting a bit absurd.
Andrei Kirilenko -- who has done masterful work as a sixth man -- will take the power forward position, apparently. Luhm reports that unless Okur can play, rookie Kosta Koufos will start at center tonight when Utah meets Dallas. Yes, it has come to this: Sloan is starting a rookie. (A rookie he doesn't seem to particularly like, at that.) It's only a matter of time until Kyrylo Fesenko gets his big break, right? (Right?)
OK, sure. They traded their franchise player a year and a half ago for Kwame Brown and some Skittles. And yes, with the No. 2 pick they managed to select the only basketball player available who's biggest weakness is his ability to put the little ball in the big circle with the net attached (which I hear is kind of important). But hey, they needed to rebuild, and they rebuilt. But they have tons of cap space now, so much in fact, that they're actually under the CBA limit and have to spend some. 
Could it be any other way with 
The market for restricted free agent 
Utah forward 
FanHouse's 
Every night there are some stupendous, silly, stupid, or downright outlandish individual lines from around the lig. 
FanHouse's 
It starts with a simple procedure. The subsequent effects are as dramatic as they are extensive. 
If Kevin O'Connor and Jerry Sloan really do have some 
