Salt Lake For Life? NBA 2k14 MyGM

[JazzMan]

Salt Lake for Life?
NBA 2k14 MyGM

September 26th, 2013 - Fresh out of college, Ty Klug received a phone call from Utah Jazz owner Harvey Baxter this morning. Baxter apparently offered Klug the opportunity to become the new General Manager for the Utah Jazz. Klug, a long-time fan of the Jazz, accepted without hesitation.

Upon meeting Baxter on his first day of the job, Baxter had a list of goals and wishes for Klug to achieve for the year;

Goal #1 - Find a 6th Man with a 72 OVR or Higher (Start of Next Season)
Goal #2 - Have Roster be amongst top 15 in League (Start of Next Season)
Goal #3 - Trade either Andris Biedrins or Marvin Williams for fresh talent (Trade Deadline)
Goal #4 - Play Trey Burke for at least 24 MPG over 54 games this season
Goal #5 - Trade for a 1st round draft pick (Trade Deadline)

Klug assured Baxter that he will accomplish all of these demands, so it will be interesting to see where the Jazz go from here.

[JazzMan]

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Offseason Recap

The Utah Jazz had a very busy offseason following their 2012-2013 campaign, which saw them fail to make the playoffs. As many know, the Jazz failed to make a trade that would clear up their frontcourt logjam, as stars Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap kept the young studs Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors from receiving much playing time.

Though Favors averaged 23.2 minutes per game last season, it just simply wasn't enough for the athletic big man, who was drafted 3rd overall in the 2010 draft by the New Jersey Nets. Kanter, on the other hand, was fed table scrapes for minutes last season, as he was only able to be on the court for 15.4 minutes per game last season. However, Kanter was incredibly productive, as he averaged 7.2 PPG and 4.3 RPG with 54.4% FG shooting and 79.5% FT shooting.

Favors and Kanter were hardly ever on the floor together simultaneously, due to Millsap and Jefferson's heavy minutes at the 4 and the 5. However, the Jazz were certain that these two are to be two building blocks for the future, as they let Millsap and Jefferson both walk in free agency, receiving nothing for the two borderline All-Star big men.

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Jefferson (25) and Millsap (24) will not return to Utah this season

Also departing the Jazz were guards Mo Williams and Randy Foye. Foye was a spark on offense and shot Utah into a lot of games last season with his three-point shooting, but ended up signing with the Nuggets in the offseason. Mo Williams was also allowed to walk by the Jazz. Williams' had an up-and-down year last year, as he was injured for a large portion of the season. However, his leadership, poise, and sharp-shooting will be missed by Utah.

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Starting PG Mo Williams Did Not Resign

The moves that Utah made are headlined by their trade in the draft, as they traded up to the 9th overall pick to select National Player of the Year, Trey Burke. Burke led Michigan to a Final Four finish behind his spectacular scoring and playmaking. Utah also drafted French big man Rudy Gobert with the 27th pick. Gobert is a long, lanky center with freakish physical attributes.

The Golden State Warriors also shipped a group of players to Utah for 2012 2nd round pick, Kevin Murphy. Murphy was immediately released by the Warriors, who did the trade to clear cap space for the signing of Andre Iguodala. On the other end, Utah received veterans Brandon Rush, Richard Jefferson, and Andris Biedrins. Jefferson and Biedrins' hefty contracts expire at the end of this season.

Acquired Players:
PG Trey Burke, PG John Lucas III, SG Brandon Rush, SF Richard Jefferson, C Andris Biedrins, C Rudy Gobert

Departing Players:
C Al Jefferson, PF Paul Millsap, PG Mo Williams, SG Randy Foye, SF Demarre Carroll, SF Kevin Murphy, PG Earl Watson, PG Jamaal Tinsley

Returning Players:
SG Gordon Hayward, SG Alec Burks, PF Derrick Favors, C Enes Kanter, SF Marvin Williams, PF Jeremy Evans

[JazzMan]

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2013-2014 Season Preview

The Utah Jazz come into the season with arguably the league's youngest roster, as they have "Corbin-Proofed" the lineup. Last season, head coach Ty Corbin received much criticism for sticking with veterans, while the younger guys outplayed them. This season, he'll be all but forced to give the young guys heavy minutes. His job depends on it.

So, with the departure of Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, as well as veteran Mo Williams, who will be the leader for the Jazz? Many expect 4th year swingman Gordon Hayward to take the leadership role for Utah. Hayward is the most experienced player for the Jazz not named Richard Jefferson, Marvin Williams, and Andris Biedrins, and he has received a fair amount of minutes the past two years. Even though his minutes decreased last year from the year before, his numbers are up, as he averaged 14 points a game last season.

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Gordon Hayward will be called upon to be the leader of the Jazz.

Meanwhile, the ultra-athletic Derrick Favors is ready to take the league by storm. Favors has yet to receive heavy minutes, but now that Millsap and Jefferson are out of town, he is looking to take the next step towards being one of the top big men in the NBA. Many consider Favors to be a player of Dwight Howard's caliber, as his athleticism and defensive prowess will affect a lot of games this season. If Favors can get to Howard's caliber, Jazz Nation will be more than happy.

Favors' running mate in the low post is 3rd year big man Enes Kanter. Kanter was having a solid season last year, despite only receiving 15 minutes a game, until he injured his shoulder, which caused him to miss the rest of the season. Some actually point to Kanter's injury as a big reason as to why the Jazz missed the playoffs, as Kanter was able to dominate opposing bigs right off the bench. With Kanter fully healthy, expect the duo of Favors and Kanter to become one of the best froncourt duos in the NBA.

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Favors (15) and Kanter (0) are ready to dominate the league.

Last season, tons of Jazz fans were disappointed in coach Ty Corbin's management of SG Alec Burks. Burks is an explosive guard with premium ball-handling skills and finishing abilities that can take over games with his athleticism and skill. He came into the NBA with a below-average jumpshot, but surprised everyone last season by shooting 36% from three-point land last season. It is uncertain as to how Corbin plans to utilize Burks, but he should receive significant playing time this season.

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Alec Burks wants to prove that he belongs in the NBA.

Former Michigan point guard Trey Burke was taken with the 9th overall pick by the Jazz, who traded up to pick him. And with Mo Williams going to Portland, Burke will undoubtedly be the starting point guard for the Jazz. Burke's scoring and playmaking abilities will allow him to become a consistent option for Utah, and he should have a solid rookie campaign.

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9th Overall Pick Trey Burke will take over as the starting PG for the Jazz.

Utah's bench so far looks pretty suspect, as it will be headed by Brandon Rush and Richard Jefferson. However, coach Corbin might end up moving Burks to the bench to allow him to become the number 1 option when he's on the court. I'd expect Rush or Jefferson to start in his place.

[JazzMan]

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Roster/Depth Chart

13-14 Utah Jazz
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
#0	Enes Kanter	C/F	21	6'11"	267 lbs	$4.75M
#2	Marvin Williams	F	27	6'9"	245 lbs	$7.50M
#3	Trey Burke (r)	G	20	6'0"	190 lbs	$2.44M
#5	John Lucas III	G	30	5'11"	165 lbs	$1.60M
#10	Alec Burks	G	22	6'6"	202 lbs	$2.32M
#11	Andris Biedrins	C	27	7'0"	242 lbs	$9.00M
#15	Derrick Favors	F/C	22	6'10"	248 lbs	$6.01M
#20	Gordon Hayward	G/F	23	6'8"	210 lbs	$3.45M
#25	Brandon Rush	G/F	28	6'6"	210 lbs	$4.00M
#27	Rudy Gobert	C	21	7'1"	220 lbs	$1.08M
#40	Jeremy Evans	F/C	26	6'9"	194 lbs	$1.66M
#44	Richard Jefferson	F	33	6'7"	230 lbs	$11.05M

Utah Jazz Depth Chart - 13-14
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Trey Burke (r)	John Lucas III
SG	Gordon Hayward	Alec Burks	Brandon Rush
SF	Richard Jefferson	Marvin Williams
PF	Derrick Favors	Jeremy Evans
C	Enes Kanter	Rudy Gobert (r)	Andris Biedrins

[JazzMan]

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NBA on ESPN Power Rankings

NBA Power Rankings
RK (LW)	Team	Record	Next Game
1 ()	Miami Heat	0-0	The returning NBA Champions are looking for a three-peat. With LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh all back, is there really any doubt that they can't pull it off?
2 ()	San Antonio Spurs	0-0	San Antonio nearly won the title last year, but a miracle Ray Allen three sent the Finals to Game 7, where Miami prevailed. Can San Antonio push for one last title for Duncan?
3 ()	Indiana Pacers	0-0	The Pacers were one game away from shocking the world and knocking the Heat out of the playoffs in the ECF. With the evolution of Paul George and a healthy Danny Granger returning, can they take the next step?
4 ()	Oklahoma City Thunder	0-0	OKC's season was over when Russell Westbrook went down, but with Westbrook back and healthy, Kevin Durant and the Thunder are once again contenders in the West.
5 ()	Houston Rockets	0-0	After scoring defensive juggernaut Dwight Howard in free agency, the Rockets are now considered big-time players in the league. Can James Harden establish himself as a superstar in the NBA?
6 ()	Chicago Bulls	0-0	Derrick Rose is back. More than a year removed from his ACL tear in the 2012 playoffs, and after missing the entire 2012-2013 season, Rose is returning on opening night.
7 ()	Brooklyn Nets	0-0	Brooklyn now has arguably the most star-studded lineup in the league. The problem is that they are aging stars. Regardless, they should be a major threat to the Heat come Playoff time.
8 ()	Memphis Grizzlies	0-0	Memphis was swept by a white-hot Spurs team in the WCF, but they are still a fantastic defensive-minded team. That being said, can they score?
9 ()	Golden State Warriors	0-0	What a turnaround for the Warriors. Golden State has a budding superstar in Steph Curry, and a legitimate stud in Andre Iguodala. With their well-rounded roster, anything is possible.
10 ()	Los Angeles Clippers	0-0	The Clippers have a bonafide head coach in Doc Rivers, a superstar point guard in Chris Paul, and an awesome bench. Defensively, they may struggle.
11 ()	Denver Nuggets	0-0	Even with the loss of Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets are a dangerous Run and Gun team. Rookie head coach Brian Shaw will be tested early, though, with this young roster. How will Danilo Gallinari respond to his injury last season?
12 ()	Dallas Mavericks	0-0	Dirk Nowitzki came back a little too late for the Mavs last season, but boy did he look good as he almost lead them to the 8th seed in the West. With a legit scorer on the wing in Monta Ellis, is Dallas a contender again?
13 ()	Washington Wizards	0-0	After trading for former Sun Marcin Gortat, the Wizards now have a solid lineup in the Eastern Conference. They should be a lock for the playoffs, but can they make some noise?
14 ()	Minnesota Timberwolves	0-0	The T-Wolves have a healthy Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio for the first time in forever, and after adding scorer Kevin Martin, the Wolves are primed for the playoffs. Now if only they could stay healthy...
15 ()	New York Knicks	0-0	May the defensive woes continue for New York, but they should score. A lot. If Amare Stoudemire can ever return to at least a sliver of his form from his prime, they should be solid.
16 ()	Cleveland Cavaliers	0-0	Cleveland is now on the up-and-up. Kyrie Irving is a serious star, and Andrew Bynum is cleared and ready to go for the Cavs. With another 1st overall pick in Anthony Bennett, the Cavs have talent.
17 ()	Portland Trailblazers	0-0	Last season, Portland's bench was atrocious. But after adding Mo Williams, C.J. McCollum, Thomas Robinson, and Dorell Wright, they suddenly have team with depth. About time.
18 ()	Detroit Pistons	0-0	The Pistons might have the best frontcourt in the NBA in Josh Smith, Greg Monroe, and Andre Drummond, but offensively, the team could be a mess with Brandon Jennings running the show. They should be fun to watch, though.
19 ()	New Orleans Pelicans	0-0	The Pelicans have a new name and a decent team. They should compete for the 8th seed in the playoffs behind Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis, but the importance is the future for this team.
20 ()	Los Angeles Lakers	0-0	Somehow, some way, Kobe Bryant has been cleared for takeoff for the season opener. However, will he have enough talent in L.A. to take the Lakers to the playoffs?
21 ()	Boston Celtics	0-0	Boston traded away Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and kind of Doc Rivers for a load of young players and draft picks. Obviously they are looking to the future, but we'll see what Rajon Rondo says to that.
22 ()	Atlanta Hawks	0-0	After adding Paul Millsap to replace Josh Smith, Al Horford will once again play the center role. The Hawks will be a fun team to watch, and they might just sneak into the playoffs in the East.
23 ()	Toronto Raptors	0-0	Toronto has plenty of talent, but the problem is their chemistry. Rudy Gay and Demar DeRozan are supreme athletes but inconsistent scorers. However, they still have a shot for the playoffs.
24 ()	Charlotte Bobcats	0-0	The Charlotte Bobcats are finally beginning to resemble a basketball team, as they have added arguably the best low-post scorer in the league in Al Jefferson. Cody Zeller will join him in the frontcourt, and Charlotte has a chance in the wide-open East.
25 ()	Sacramento Kings	0-0	The Kings are all-in on center DeMarcus Cousins, but is that a good thing? Cousins has talent, but he has an attitude as well. This Kings team should be somewhat competitive, regardless.
26 ()	Phoenix Suns	0-0	The Suns have just traded away one of their best players in Marcin Gortat, but the backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe might make up for that alone.
27 ()	Milwakee Bucks	0-0	Milwaukee has a mix of youth and experience, but how will O.J. Mayo do as the number 1 option? They probably won't make the playoffs, but they'll be interesting.
28 ()	Orlando Magic	0-0	Orlando has the favorite for the Rookie of the Year in Victor Oladipo, but that won't save them from being bad this year.
29 ()	Utah Jazz	0-0	Utah has decided to give the young guys a shot, which is great, but it seems they forgot to replace the guys that they let go this offseason. Their bench will be abysmal.
30 ()	Philadelphia 76ers	0-0	Philadelphia struck out on the Andrew Bynum trade, and now they're starting from scratch. Rookies Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel have a chance to make a big impact.

[JazzMan]

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Matchup Preview | October 30, 2013
	@
Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0, 0-0 Away)		Utah Jazz (0-0, 0-0 Home)
Projected Starters Russell Westbrook Point Guard Trey Burke Thabo Sefolosha Shooting Guard Gordon Hayward Kevin Durant Small Forward Richard Jefferson Serge Ibaka Power Forward Derrick Favors Kendrick Perkins Center Enes Kanter Injury Report No Injuries No Injuries Game Notes The Jazz just looked over-matched here on paper. The matchups to watch will be Trey Burke and Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant and Gordon Hayward. It will be hard to believe that Durant will be guarded by anyone other than Hayward, as Hayward's length and quickness will provide Utah their best option on Durant. Westbrook is an athletic freak of nature while Burke is limited athletically, but plays smart and in control. Two major contrasts in styles for the point guards, but it should be a great matchup between the superstar and the rookie.

[JazzMan]

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Matchup Recap: vs. Thunder (Oct. 30th, 2013)

Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz
Oct 30, 2013	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	OT	SCORE
Oklahoma City (1-0)	34	25	33	25	-	117
Utah (0-1)	18	27	20	22	-	87

Oklahoma City Thunder
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Russell Westbrook	26	14-22	1-4	0-0	2	11	4	1	2	29
Thabo Sefolosha	26	0-4	0-1	2-2	4	0	2	0	0	2
Kevin Durant	27	4-8	1-2	2-4	3	3	3	1	0	11
Serge Ibaka	25	4-5	0-0	2-3	1	1	2	2	0	10
Kendrick Perkins	17	3-4	0-0	0-0	4	2	0	0	1	6
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Jeremy Lamb	19	7-15	0-5	0-0	2	1	2	0	0	14
Steven Adams	19	6-9	0-0	0-0	5	0	1	0	0	12
Derek Fisher	14	3-6	2-4	0-0	0	2	4	0	2	8
Andre Roberson	19	1-4	0-0	0-0	5	1	1	0	0	2
Nick Collison	14	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	1	1	0	2
Ryan Gomes	18	0-1	0-0	0-0	4	1	3	0	0	0
Reggie Jackson	22	8-15	1-3	4-6	3	4	2	0	1	21
TEAM TOTALS		51/94 (54%)	5/19 (26%)	10/15 (67%)	33	26	25	5	7	117

Utah Jazz
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Trey Burke	33	3-11	2-8	1-1	0	4	1	0	5	9
Gordon Hayward	40	8-17	0-3	3-3	4	4	0	0	6	19
Richard Jefferson	29	1-1	0-0	0-0	4	2	0	1	4	2
Derrick Favors	33	8-11	0-0	4-4	10	0	1	0	1	20
Enes Kanter	27	5-6	0-0	2-2	6	2	1	1	4	12
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Alec Burks	16	2-11	1-3	0-0	6	3	1	0	3	5
Marvin Williams	11	2-4	1-2	0-0	3	1	0	0	1	5
Jeremy Evans	25	1-1	0-0	1-2	5	1	0	2	3	3
John Lucas III	13	0-3	0-2	1-2	2	2	1	1	1	1
Rudy Gobert	8	0-2	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	4	0	0
Andris Biedrins	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		34/72 (47%)	7/22 (32%)	12/14 (86%)	45	20	5	10	31	87

[JazzMan]

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Press Conference


Question:

"As a new GM just starting out, what are you hoping to accomplish here in Utah?"

Klug:

"I may be new to the profession, but I know my way around a negotiation. I expect great things for this organization. I can't wait."

Question:

"Derrick Favors looked a little gimpy out there during the second-half after he knocked knees with Serge Ibaka in the second quarter. What's his situation and will he be available against Phoenix on the 1st?"

Klug:

"Our trainers worked with Derrick at halftime and the conclusion was just a sore knee. As of right now, he won't be at practice tomorrow, but he'll be starting at Phoenix."

Question:

"Are you concerned with the amount of turnovers the team had tonight?"

Klug:

"Well, it was rough out there. The Thunder are an opportunistic team on defense and they took advantage of our sloppy play offensively. But am I concerned? Not really. I'm sure Coach Corbin can work it out of the system."

Question:

"With Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward both set to become free agents this offseason, have you begun talks with them to extend their contracts while you can? Or are they going to test free agency this offseason?"

Klug:

"I have personally sat down with both Derrick and Gordon, and they both have expressed their desires to resign with the team, but it may take a while to do so. However, we are looking forward to a successful Jazz future with Derrick and Gordon leading the team."