This is in order so the first name will be the starter and the further down the list a name the less minutes he'll get. PG Arroyo, Lopez, Williams SG Stevenson, Bell, Pavlovic SF Harpring, Kirilenko PF Keon Clark, John Amaechi, Michael Ruffin C Greg Ostertag, Jarron Collins, Curtis Borchardt. Coach: Jerry Sloan Tell me if I missed anyone. Judging by that if this team is to have any chance of making the playoffs, they need to play as a team because they don't have a standout scorer. The average age must of dropped by about 6 years over the offseason. They need to trade for a big scorer, but really who can they trade? Harp and Kirilenko have very small contracts aswell. Greg Ostertag and John Amaechi have the biggest ones(overpaid). I could see Pavlovic, another white swingman, switching to SF and Harp moving to SG if there are problems there. So really unless this team can play as a team the whole season, it is gonna be one long season.
Keon will have to start at PF, because Utah don't have another good PF. Jarron Collins has started but doesn't have good stats at all. As for AK47, he come off the bench behind Harp and still his numbers improved. He might be able to play PF but only against lesser PF's. I wouldn't like to see him marking a big PF, he'll get knocked around to much. Harp can play SG more than AK47 can play PF so if any od them move it will be Harpring.
I think AK47 can play the power forward well, I don't think he will get knocked around, who will do that? KG? No. Webber? No. Wallace? No. Brand/Duncan? Yes, but who don't they knock around? Brand is the only pit bull out of the bunch that would use his power over AK, Duncan will post up and score on anybody, plus you always double team him. The rest of these guys rely on athletic ability/shooting. PS: Read this well and don't put any twists on it, you know how I am saying it.
I just think AK47 is to light to play PF, he weighs less than KG, but KG is KG. He's got enough height, but moving from guarding SF's and occasionally guards to marking PF would be a hard transistion for Andrei. He could surpise me but if he was moved we would have to have Sasha (Pavlovic) go to SF and Harp stay there. That would mean Keon Clark would have to go to Center, which Utah already have enough of. Maybe if someone was injured they could put Andrei there but I don't think he'd have enough weight/muscle to play it well night in night out.
The Jazz have the flexibility to alter their rosters around based on match-ups, and their ability to take advantage in those match-ups. The traditional NBA positions have evolved over the last few years, and it would not surprise me to see Kirilenko starting at the 4 spot. The ability to play zone defense will also help his cause. Kirilenko is a scrappy defender and a solid shotblocker, he might get pushed around on the low block by a few players, but his reach and quickness should help make up for it. Teams taking advantage of his size, will have to worry about him on the offensive end. His quickness and ability to shoot will give him a big edge against the slower power forwards in the leage. A key for the Jazz will be their ability to hit the outside shot and to have a threat inside who can score. They lost a key player in Scott Padgett, because he was one of their best pure shooters and they have not replaced him. Utah really doesn't have a player who can extend the defense and it's going to make it tough for easy baskets. Of course if they can sign Stephen Jackson, this will drastically improve their offense. Here is my projected starting lineup: PG - Arroyo it's his job to lose SG - Bell his passion and commitment to play defense, do the dirty work, and hit the open shot will sit favorably with Jerry Sloan SF - Matt Harpring he thrived last season in the Jazz offense, this year he will be a marked man PF - Kirilenko he is the future for Utah at the moment, and he will have a chance to put up big numbers and show his talent as a starter C - Keon Clark he fits well with the defensive specialists on the team and is their best scoring threat in the paint. Neither Ostertag or Collins is consistent enough to produce as a starter. The lineup will likely be altered when they face big players, with Collins starting at the 5 spot and Bell coming off the bench. Harpring will slide to shooting guard, and Clark and Kirilenko will round out the frontcourt.
