Re: De we want Boozer? Impossible. Millsap is arguably better than LMA, and I'm saying this as LMA's biggest fan. He's worth a lot of money and should be getting starter minutes. No way he'd get it here. With that said, I wouldn't trade LMA for Boozer or Millsap. I've grown attached to him, plus he fits better with the team.
Re: OT: Boozer to opt out of final year!!! Amare will be very available in 2010, with enormous competition to sign him. I doubt the Suns would trade him. He's definitely their franchise...I'm sure they'll try to re-sign him in 2010, as they'll be the team that can offer him the most money. By then, there won't be any question of "who's team it is," since Nash will be out of the picture or a shadow of his prime and Shaq will be gone.
Little weird to announce this kind of stuff at this point in the season by Boozer. I hope he can feed his family on that $12 mil per a year he's getting. I feel sorry for the guy that he needs a big raise in order to survive. Puh-lease.... I'd let the idiot walk. Millsap is a big-time player, and is only getting better. As much as I'd love Millsap on our team, he'd deserve more than a back-up role to LaMarcus and Greg. I bet Utah gives him that $9-10 mil per and lets Boozer walk to get out of poverty.
At first I thought Boozer was sending a message that he doesn't want to be traded (because the message to other teams is that he's going to opt out at the end of the season - so why trade for him). But it might be the reverse - he's signaling that he'll take the most money, whoever it comes from - and the most money will come from whatever team owns his bird rights. So he's basically saying trade for me, offer me a max contract, and I'm yours. Then again, maybe he's just saying what's on his mind w/o any strategic plan whatsoever. barfo
I really cannot believe I am seeing people say they would rather have Boozer then LMA. That is heartbreaking. Could you imagine seeing poor LMA in a Jazz jersey? I couldn't do that to him.
Boozer is way too injured and plays less D than LaMarcus. I'd like to see him leave for the East and hurt the Jazz by his departure, but they seem to be doing just fine w/o him now anyway.
I would love to have Millsap on this team... he's just so tough and scrappy around the basket. Boozer is good, but I think he is one of those players who has been and will always be fighting injury and missing games. Booze is not as good a defender as Millsap either...
Re: OT: Boozer to opt out of final year!!! The Jazz have to figure out if they can win with Milsap as their PF in place of Boozer. For all the great offense Boozer brings, he's not known as a particularly great defender. That seems quite contrary to Sloan's philosophy. Milsap's been a solid double double guy in Boozer's absence (14.5/8.8 for the season). And he cares about defense, or so it seems. If the Jazz don't have to pay Boozer, let alone pay him even more than the ~$13M he makes now, it frees up a lot of dough to pay Williams and others. Without Boozer, it should open up more opportunities for guys like Okur and Brewer. Plus guys you mentioned like AK47 and Harpring seem capable of bigger contributions than they're making now - at both ends of the floor. But can they really win a ring? Cleveland is on the rise and will have big cap space even after re-signing LeBron. The Lakers and Celtics might be way over the hill 3 years from now leaving a void for some team to step up as real contenders - it could be the Jazz in the West, but you also have to consider Portland (obviously) and maybe Memphis who have a fantastic young core of players in Mayo and Gay and even Gasol. What Utah seems to lack is the 2nd and 3rd guys who you'd consider among the very best in the league - the Celtics have 3 such guys and the Lakers 3 or 4.
Do we want Boozer? No. He tricked Cleveland into releasing him from his contract, then signed with Utah for his so-called big payday. Now he wants another big payday? Screw him. We don't need his grubby hands reaching for more money in Portland. Let somebody else have him.
Very few Knowlegable fans in SLC (Yes there is a handfull) care if Boozer stays or goes. They like Milsap better. What does that tell you? He is a horrible defender. No we do not want him for the money he thinks he is worth. Very Soft.
I'd argue that it is difficult for Boozer to be a stand-out defender with Mehmet Okur "protecting" the rim, and his defensive deficiencies would be diminished with the GregZilla combo behind him.
Huh, I wonder. Milsap PER: 19.9 a career high, and big jump from his previous high. Can he keep it up? Boozer PER: 24.9 a career high, but not by much from 06-07, so we know when healthy he has kept up that pace before. Boozer's defensive rating is the same as Milsaps. Always has been fairly close. This season Milsap is shooting at a better percentage and taking more shots (so his PER rating is up), but that is partly countered by his steals and blocks (as a percentage of possessions) dropping by a fair bit. Looks pretty clear that Milsap isn't getting after it like he did the first 2 seasons. Takes a while for folks to notice. As for Boozer, his steals are the same, and he never was a shotblocker to begin with. Milsap is not a proven primary scorer like Boozer is. Like Boozer or not, you cannot question his ability to be a big-time scorer in the league. Milsap is an unknown, no matter what the fans say. Undersized players always need to prove their ability in this league AFTER they get heavily scouted and prepped for by the opposition. Until then, nobody knows. Rebounding: Who said Milsap was better? Completely unfounded. Milsap: TRB% 17.1. All important Defensive Rebounding Rate, 20.7. Boozer: TRB% 20.6. All important Defesive Reboundign Rate, 28.0. Boozer is a much better Defensive Rebounder than Milsap, and always has been. Defensive rebounding is very important. Just like good teams have to have a top flight scorer, they have to have a top flight defensive rebounder. Milsap: Same player he always was except: He is taking more shots and getting fewer blocks and steals. Seems he is trying to morph from an active, hustling bench player into offensive threat that will be seen as a starter worthy of a bigger contract? Too bad Milsap wasn't able to keep up the steals and blocks AND improved his defensive rebounding, while adding a stronger offensive game. That would have made this comparison a little less lopsided. I wonder if Milsap is popular based on his reputation as a hustler off the bench? http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/boozeca01.html http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/millspa01.html
I generally like proven stars over "upside" guys, just because I like my money in the bank. I'd rather know what I'm getting in the pieces I surround Roy and Oden with. However, I look at Boozer and I immediately think "Zach Randolph with passing ability and no sideline stories." Not bad, not bad at all. I liked Zach. I look at LaMarcus Aldridge and I immediately think, "Rasheed Wallace with a scorer's personality and no tantrums." Which type of player projects to fit in better with Roy and Oden? I like Aldridge's profile more. I like knowing we've got a front court tandem with ridiculous height, yet still has the footspeed to keep up with most teams. I like Aldridge's ability to stay in front of wings on switches. I like his ability to run the floor. I like his ability to be productive on the defensive end when the shot isn't falling. I also really still like Aldridge's upside. Remember, this guy was the #2 pick in the NBA draft. He was favorably compared to Bosh by Bosh's high school coach. He's taller, longer, faster, 4 years younger, and almost as productive statistically as Boozer was in his third year. Boozer's a better player right now, but I think Aldridge projects to a better all-around player. I'd see a move to acquire Boozer as lateral at best, and really a small step backward from just keeping Aldridge. Now, if you could somehow use Aldridge, LaFrentz and other pieces in a deal that sent us back Boozer and an All Star small forward or point guard, well, I'm all ears.
