Utah Jazz:
Boozer likes the sweet sounds of $68 million

The landscape of Utah is full of huge landmarks and mountains but none of them quite measure up to the two pillars that held up the Utah Jazz for almost two decades Karl Malone and John Stockton. They came into the league in back to back drafts; Stockton in the 1984 draft and Malone in the 1985 draft. The two players then joined forces for the first time in 1985 and then proceeded to go on an 18 year streak of making it into the playoffs. They had never made it into the Finals until in 1997 when the stars seemed to align just perfectly and they got over the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals 4-2. Their reward for disposing of the Rockets was a match up with the defending NBA Champion Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan. The team was led by, of course, Malone and Stockton but they had a great deal of help from Bryon Russell, and Jeff Hornacek. The series started off in Chicago and the Bulls took the first two games in front of their home crowd. The Jazz then took the next two games in front of their hometown fans. It was game five that changed the face of the series. Michael Jordan scored 38 points, including the game winning three, the last of his 15 fourth quarter points, while having the flu and vomiting a number of times minutes before tip-off. The Bulls then went home and finished off the Jazz at home and won the series 4-2. The next year the Jazz made it to the Finals again this time beating the Rockets, Spurs and Lakers on the way. This series started with the Jazz winning at home and then losing the next three games. They then won game five to send it back to Utah. That game was the game that Jordan will always be remembered for; he had the ball at the top of the key with the clock running down and then pushed off of Bryon Russell and hit the series clinching shot and then retired on top of the game.

Last year marked the first season without both Stockton and Malone playing in the Delta Center. It went from Stockton and Malone at point guard and power forward to Carlos Arroyo and Andrei Kirilenko. The team, which was thought to have no chance at surviving the season, finished with a 42-40 record, only one game out of the playoffs and Kirilenko was selected to be an All-Star for the Western Conference. Head coach Jerry Sloan just about proved that Stockton and Malone weren’t only talented players but the system that he built around them can get results from almost anyone.

This off-season proved to be one of the best for the Jazz. After being spurned by almost every single major free agent last year the Jazz definitely hit the jackpot this summer. They started everything off by agreed to terms with Mehmet Okur for six years at $50 million. The Jazz then pulled off the move of all moves by bringing in Cleveland power forward Carlos Boozer who had verbally agreed to terms with the Cavs before the deadline had started and then when they didn’t renew his offer so he could sign a long term contract with the team. Jazz GM Kevin O’Connor swooped in and gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse at the tune of six years for $68 million. With this infusion of young, big bodies to the Jazz roster they let go of Jazz veteran Greg Ostertag.

The Jazz didn’t stop the great off-season with just a couple of free agents. It also spilled over into a great draft. With the number 14 pick they drafted Minnesota power forward Kris Humphries. Humphries is another big man and at 6’8” and 240 pounds he should have no problem coming into the NBA and getting some tough rebounds and blocks. At the age of 19 he still has an immense amount of time to become acclimated to the speed, strength and size of players in the league. With their second pick of the first round the Jazz stole Nevada shooting guard Kirk Snyder off the board. Snyder is a consistent jump shot from being an amazing player. He should fit in well with the Jazz’s system. Utah then picked Pavel Podkolzine for the Mavericks with the number 21 pick in the draft and got a future first round pick in return for him.

The Jazz will have one of the more formidable starting fives in the NBA this upcoming year. At point guard will be Carlos Arroyo, who ran over the USA team when he played against them in the Olympic preliminaries, at shooting guard will be Matt Harpring, at small forward will be Andrei Kirilenko, at power forward will be Carlos Boozer, and at center will be Mehmet Okur. With a starting five like this and the amount of young talent on the bench it will be tough for teams to keep the playoffs.

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