They won’t have as many of their players as they originally hoped, but the Utah Jazz’s squad will play five games in as many days during this year’s Orlando Pro Summer League from July 9-13. Forget those plans about making a Jazz summer league/Disney World vacation. This league’s games — to be played on the practice court at the Amway Center — are not open to the public. … Continue reading
Utah Jazz first-year players Alec Burks and Enes Kanter both received votes for the NBA’s 2011-12 All-Rookie team. Burks, the No. 12 pick last June, finished tied for 15th in voting with two votes, while Kanter, the third selection, was among 21 rookies to receive at least one vote. Here’s the press release from the NBA: CLEVELAND’S IRVING, MINNESOTA’S RUBIO HEADLINE 2011-12 NBA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM NEW … Continue reading
(UPDATED at 11:50 a.m. MT with NBA executive of year info at bottom.) Kevin O’Connor has some new responsibilities and another title. Jazz general manager. Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations. Charter member of the NBA’s revised Competition Committee. O’Connor, the league’s second-longest tenured GM, has been selected by the NBA to be on the newly formed committee, which includes four general managers, three head coaches, two owners … Continue reading
The Jazz’s two NBA newcomers didn’t receive any votes for the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year award. Both Enes Kanter and Alec Burks had their moments and contributed nicely at times for the Jazz in their first years, but it is not a surprising development that they didn’t get any Rookie of the Year attention. That is, until you consider this: Josh Selby finished 12th in the voting … Continue reading
The summers for Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors just got a bit busier. The two young Utah Jazz players have reportedly been invited to participate on the 2012 USA Select team, which will help prepare Team USA for the Summer Olympics in London. Hayward and Favors, both selected to participate in the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge this past All-Star Weekend, will join a team full of American up-and-comers, … Continue reading
This morning at Jazz shootaround, I asked Tyrone Corbin about the possible lineup change for Game 4 that he had mentioned at Sunday’s practice. The Jazz coach responded, “We’ll probably make a change.” But Corbin didn’t reveal what that probable lineup change would be, so I asked a follow-up and asked if Derrick Favors would start. Corbin, sorta smiling but not wanting to go there: “Who you working … Continue reading
Jazz fan Mason Nichols is outside EnergySolutions Arena offering some free advice to coach Tyrone Corbin from the corner of 300 West and South Temple. Nichols came to the arena to give this pro-Favors demonstration despite not having tickets to Game 3 tonight between the Jazz and Spurs. “I’m too poor,” Nichols said. Favors only played an average of 23.5 minutes for the Jazz in the blowout losses … Continue reading
Gordon Hayward was one of 30 NBA players who improved the most this season, according to a panel of sports writers and broadcasters. The Jazz shooting guard received a couple of votes for the 2011-12 Most Improved Player award, which was won by Orlando shooter Ryan Anderson. In his sophomore professional season, Hayward more than doubled his scoring average from 5.4 ppg as a rookie to 11.8 ppg. … Continue reading
In case you were wondering who the Utah Jazz won’t be getting with their own first-round pick (now Minnesota’s at No. 18) or with the Foldin’ State Warriors’ lottery selection (unless they get leapfrogged out of the top seven in the lottery), here is the intriguing list of 66 early entry candidates for the 2012 NBA Draft (P.S. The Jazz do have the No. 47 pick in the … Continue reading
(NOTE: UPDATED at 2:45 p.m. MT with my ballot information…) Tyrone Corbin hasn’t had a full season as head coach of the Utah Jazz yet, but he caught some attention in his second irregular season after replacing Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan last year. Spurs’ bench boss Gregg Popovich has been named the 2011-12 NBA coach of the year by a landslide, earning 77 of 119 first-place votes … Continue reading