Boozer to Miami? It could happen.

[Girasuck]

This trade offer is really picking up steam here in Utah and it looks like there's some truth to the rumor based on the reaction Jazz GM Kevin O'Conner gave in an interview a couple days ago. Here's the much talked about deal...

Jazz trade...

Carlos Boozer, 2008 1st Round Pick (23rd overall), 2008 2nd Round Pick (44th overall, from the 76ers), 2009 2nd Round Pick (TBD)

Heat trade...

2008 1st Round Pick (2nd overall)


The deal would only take place if the Bulls drafted Rose with the #1 pick, then the Heat would draft Beasley and the trade would happen after that. If Chicago picks Beasley at #1 then the deal is off. There's a lot of talk about Boozer wanting to play in Miami due to the medical condition of his son (insert Derek Fisher here), and his home is in Miami so this could work out for both teams. Pat Riley made a comment a couple weeks ago that Boozer is on his wish list, plus Riley has stated that they haven't made a commitment to Beasley yet. Is this a fair deal for both teams?

[balli]

I'm on the record about this issue. Ship his ass out. You see Monson's column today?
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_9644958


So, what did the Jazz learn from the Boston Celtics about winning a championship?
Here's what they should have learned: They have to make some moves.
They have to embrace risk for any shot at hugging reward.
If they sit tight this summer and wait for what they already have to somehow develop into a championship-caliber team, next season will look a lot like this past one. It will be pretty darn good, beyond respectable, and pleasant enough to make the club some money, but it will not earn them a title.
The Jazz have to decide what they want to be.
If it's pretty darn good, beyond respectable, but somewhere south of a championship, then they are right on schedule. They can sit back and say what Kevin O'Connor has said in the past: "Some of the best moves you make are the ones you don't make." They can talk about how young they are and underscore the importance of hard work in the offseason.
But, sometimes, hard work isn't enough.
Nobody worked harder than Stockton and Malone, and they never won a championship.
The Jazz deserve a lot of praise for what they've rebuilt here. They've made some mistakes and misjudgments along the way, but they've also pulled off some terrific deals, enough to compile one of the best collections of talent in the West, enough to become a legitimate force in a difficult conference.
Now that they are there, though, within shouting distance, it is up to them to push the whole thing over the top, or rather, onto the top.
That's not easy to do. Winning championships typically isn't.
Take it from a team that's never won one.
But if the Jazz are smart enough and committed enough to be real good, aren't they also smart enough and committed enough to be the best?
They can take comfort - and make excuses - in being a small-market team, and a lot of people will throw compliments their way. They will bob their heads and understand the franchise's predicament. They'll pat the Jazz on the noggin and appreciate the brilliance of what they've already accomplished, given what they've had to work with.
But that should tick the Jazz off all the more, and stoke their fires for the present and future.
They already have a nice collection of players, and they've done a nice job of collecting them.
But they need just a bit more.
Do what the Celtics did?
Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen would help.
But that's the beauty of the Jazz's current position.
They don't have to have New England's revolution.
O'Connor isn't as desperate as Danny Ainge was a season back, and that could be a blessing and a curse.
Simple evolution for the Jazz isn't enough. Not even for an eventual championship.
A substantial move is in order. But it wouldn't have to be remarkable, or pie-in-the-sky.
"If the Jazz had had Mark Eaton, they would have been World Champions this year," says Frank Layden. "I really believe that."
Frank's on the right track.
The Jazz need a little more length, a little more defense, a lot more toughness.
They don't have to have Garnett. But they do need a big man with his defensive attitude, a player who could spread the same kind of influence Garnett did with the Celtics. They don't need an All-Star, they need a tough, mean guy who will take no bull, neither in the low post, nor from teammates unwilling to expend the kind of energy necessary to make stops.
Dikembe Mutombo may not be the answer, but the Jazz would benefit greatly from some big body like him. Even if that big body is imperfect or limited. They need a presence, even if it costs them something in a trade.
What they don't need is to sit on their hands for another offseason, living solely on the promise of young players who may or may not grow up or grow stronger or grow better or grow together.
They need the reward that requires risk, and acumen, to obtain.
We'll see if they learned that lesson from champions who taught it so well.

[T Park]

Thats a big risk for the Jazz, but that seems like ALOT of second round picks, PLUS the first, PLUS Boozer.

Miami would make out great on that deal.

Good deal for Miami IMO.

[Girasuck]

I'm on the record about this issue. Ship his ass out. You see Monson's column today?
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_9644958

Yep, I read it this morning. I want Boozer gone as well, and I'm very interested in this possible trade for Beasley. We have enough offense without Boozer so I'm not worried about that, plus Beasley could give us a little bit, BUT Beasley is NASTY and that's what we need. He'd be perfect for us.

[balli]

If it does go down, I'm interested to see how well AK does if he goes back to the 4.

And I agree, a guy like Beasley is exactly what we need. Get these weak, finesse, reverse layups out of here and just let Beasley throw it down instead. I can't even look at Jazzfanz and all I read pretty much is the Tribune so I miss a lot apparently. What did KOC say in the interview the other day, or better yet, you got a link :toast? Was he just talking about getting tougher?

[Extra Stout]

Boozer is so overrated. Is there a worse defender at the 4 in the Assoc.?

[Sense]

lol I'd love to see this...

Utah would be worse of a team and less of a contender if this happened.... atleast for the following years until beasley matures... on an nba level...


Miami would get the better end of this day... by alot...they're not risking anything in an unproven rookie..... utah however... is risking a hell of alot.. this deal could make miami a contender and utah a 6-7th seed perhaps 8th all of this in my opinion though

[Girasuck]

I think AK would thrive. Remember the game against LA when Boozer sat out? I believe AK had a triple double and was close to a 5x5. He played the 4 in that game. I think AK would be the player he was during his all-star year. You figure Beasley wouldn't get a ton of minutes his rookie season so AK and Millsap would be the 4's which I'm perfectly fine with.

Jazzfanz sucks. I hardly visit that site anymore. I posted a few times during the playoffs but that's about it.

The KOC interview was on Powerhouse I believe. He was asked about Boozer and the rumor about him opting out to play in Miami. KOC gave a pissed off look and said he had nothing to add to that. Then he was asked about any draft day trades and he gave that smerk look and said "no comment" with a follow up answer about making our team better if the opportunity is there. If you know KOC, you know that the smerk look followed by "no comment" actually means that we are working on something but can't say anything about it.

I may have read too much into that, but I'm sure something is going on. It may not be Boozer involved but I bet we see a trade from the Jazz on draft day.

[balli]

lol I'd love to see this...

Utah would be worse of a team and less of a contender if this happened.... atleast for the following years until beasley matures... on an nba level...


Miami would get the better end of this day... by alot...they're not risking anything in an unproven rookie..... utah however... is risking a hell of alot.. this deal could make miami a contender and utah a 6-7th seed perhaps 8th all of this in my opinion though

Look, I'm not looking for Utah to be just another quasi contender like Dallas and Phoenix. Yes it's a risk and in the short term I do think it sets us back, but when I look at Boozer get punked by Carl Landry and Gasol/Odom so bad I know he'll never be able to compete against a Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard or fufilled potential Bynum and Oden. Therefore I don't want our team to be built around him. We should not have a weak puss like Boozer making 16 mil. per year or whatever, if he just gets punked by anybody who plays a shred of defense while playing none himself. So yes, it's a risk, but I'd take that chance and hope it pans out rather than pretend to contend for as long as Boozer is around.

[Girasuck]

Boozer is so overrated. Is there a worse defender at the 4 in the Assoc.?

Exactly. Boozer is the softest POS in the league. We will never win a title with him as our starting 4 so we might as well trade him and go from there. His defense is beyond pathetic and he's terrible on the offensive end when any team turns up the defensive pressure on him. Plus he has the lowest basketball IQ of any player I've ever seen play. Even lower than Kris Humphries.

[kobyz]

Boozer and Beasley are the same player

[K-State Spur]

Boozer is so overrated. Is there a worse defender at the 4 in the Assoc.?

Amare is close. Coin flip depending on who is giving less effort on that end of the floor on a given night.

[jacobdrj]

The Jazz are in an enviable situation: They have so much talent that they can make some seemingly risky moves and still come out treading water if a given deal flops.

The best PF on the Jazz is Milsap. He makes less than Boozer, and with consistant PT, he has the potential to be better than him. He also seems to have a great attitude. The only way they could dream of keeping Paul is if they ship Boozer anyways.

If they ship Boozer, it is almost an addition by subtraction. Even if Milsap doesn't live up to his potential, AK can step back into his place at PF, while there is enough SF talent where the Jazz will be ok.

The Jazz are so young that getting rid of draft picks right now is a non-issue.

The Jazz could throw Deron in if they wanted to also, for say, Marion or Wade , and they would still have Price to play, which would be more than adequate (not saying they should, just saying they could.)

Oh, and there is the outside possibility that the person they draft will fit the Jazz' needs, so it is still a winning situation.

This makes sense for the Heat as well. If BoozGotPaid wants to go there, great. The Heat need an established big, and in the EC would do an adequate job against guys like D-Howard and Bosh.

The Heat get the potential for the infusion of more talent with the multiple picks, which they desperately need after the mortgage on their future they took out with the Shaq trade. This would almost make up for it.

I like the trade for both team. I hope that this is serious and that this happens.

[baseline bum]

Utah should do that trade in a second.

[1Parker1]

Why exactly would Miami give up the 2nd pick for a player who has back problems? They could get a lot more for the 2nd pick.

That'd be a small front line of Haslem and Boozer.

[bostonguy]

The Jazz are in an enviable situation: They have so much talent that they can make some seemingly risky moves and still come out treading water if a given deal flops.

The best PF on the Jazz is Milsap. He makes less than Boozer, and with consistant PT, he has the potential to be better than him. He also seems to have a great attitude. The only way they could dream of keeping Paul is if they ship Boozer anyways.

If they ship Boozer, it is almost an addition by subtraction. Even if Milsap doesn't live up to his potential, AK can step back into his place at PF, while there is enough SF talent where the Jazz will be ok.

The Jazz are so young that getting rid of draft picks right now is a non-issue.

The Jazz could throw Deron in if they wanted to also, for say, Marion or Wade , and they would still have Price to play, which would be more than adequate (not saying they should, just saying they could.)

Oh, and there is the outside possibility that the person they draft will fit the Jazz' needs, so it is still a winning situation.

This makes sense for the Heat as well. If BoozGotPaid wants to go there, great. The Heat need an established big, and in the EC would do an adequate job against guys like D-Howard and Bosh.



The Heat get the potential for the infusion of more talent with the multiple picks, which they desperately need after the mortgage on their future they took out with the Shaq trade. This would almost make up for it.

I like the trade for both team. I hope that this is serious and that this happens.

Im sorry but dealing Deron would be a horrible move for Utah to do. Price is ok at best but you dont trade a top 2 pg who will only get better in Deron. Deron is the heart and soul of that team. They take a temporary step back at most if they deal Boozer. They suffer several years if they deal Deron. Unless Utah plans on blowing up their team and starting over from scratch, it wouldnt make any sense to deal Deron. Deron is the Tim Duncan of that franchise.

Im just stating my view on that situation. No bashing intended. :toast

[Girasuck]

There's a better chance of Larry Miller firing Sloan, Stock and Karl coming back to play, and Carlos Boozer making all defensive 1st team before Deron ever gets traded. Larry Miller would pay Deron $200 million if it means keeping him in a Jazz uniform.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

You do this if you're the Jazz. I'm not very familiar with how the cap stuff works in the NBA, but by trading Boozer for the 2nd pick (Beasley), you'd not only get a player like Beasley - who should suffice for them right away and keep them in contention - but in addition they'd also have more capabiltiy to pursue someone via free agency wouldn't they since they'd be relieved of Boozer's contract ? If so, they could pick up a nice big...isn't Diop a free agent?

Boozer = Overrated

[angelbelow]

boozer AND a late first round for beasley? an unproven forward? seems very sketchy.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

?/Wade/Marion/Boozer/?

thats a nice 3 star lineup and they are sure to pick up a decent player with the 23rd.....

[m33p0]

that would be one heck of a risk.

[SenorSpur]

If Boozer wants out of Utah, there's not much the Jazz can do but get the most in return for him. Boozer and Williams have become the Jazz's new version of Stockton and Malone. Personally, I believe it's a mistake for them to split up.