Morning Jazz 05-01-14
By Cody Powers
It is kind of hard to believe, but we have officially entered into the month of May. This month brings to Utah Jazz fans, the NBA Lottery, and will tell us all where the Jazz will be drafting in the upcoming NBA Draft. May also means that the NBA Playoffs are in full swing and we are getting closer to finding out who our next NBA champion will be.
If you’ve been keeping tabs on us here at The J Notes, we’ve been pushing out a lot of new Utah Jazz content lately. With the Jazz not making the playoffs this year, and it being the off season and not a lot happening quite yet, any Jazz reads you can find to get your fix is a good thing.
Not only are we trying to bring you new stuff every day, we want to make sure all the great Jazz stuff on the web, you don’t miss. That’s why we bring you the “Morning Jazz” every day. Today’s edition is full of great Jazz reads so be sure to check them all out below.
Reading between the lines for a new Utah Jazz coach (via Purpleandblues.com)
Defense. Analytics.
This is what Dennis Lindsey has said he wants in a coach. What does that mean for the Utah Jazz and their search for a head coach? It means certain guys jump out as choices the Jazz would definitely want to look at and also guys that you can scratch off the list.
Guys that are out:
Lionel Hollins: Not an analytical guy
Guys that the Jazz don’t have too much interest in:
Fred Hoiberg: Interested in the Golden State and Minnesota job
Van Gundy’s: Too expensive (Continue reading here)
Season in review: Enes Kanter (via Purpleandblues.com)
The Big Turkey was coming off a shoulder injury from last year that really put him behind the eight ball to start the season. All year he wanted minutes with the other young guys but rarely saw it. He even complained in his final interview about not playing with the young guys and was even told this was a rebuilding year and he would get a bunch of playing time.
What was good:
Averaging 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds in 26 minutes of play was excellent. His 49.7% field goal shooting was exceptional considering a lot of his shots were jumpers. Enes Kanter has the range to become a very elite offensive player in this league and when he moves his game to the three point line he will be a very dangerous weapon. Enes got better every month during the season and eventually averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds along with 2 assists (all career bests for a month) in 30 minutes per game in April.
What needs to improve: (Continue reading here)
Coaching Profile: Mike Longabardi (via Purpleandblues.com)
Since we heard the news that the Utah Jazz were not going to renew the contract of former head coach, Tyrone Corbin, we began looking at other possible head coaching options. We’ve already done profiles on European coaching legend Ettore Messina, former University of Utah head coach Jim Boylen, and our most recent is Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Quin Snyder. Another name that has been brought up in rumors is Phoenix Suns assistant coach, Mike Longabardi.
Longabardi started off his NBA career back in 2003 as an assistant video coordinator for the Houston Rockets. Later on he became an assistant coach under current ABC/ESPN NBA analyst, Jeff Van Gundy. Longabardi was able to spend two seasons on the bench with Van Gundy before heading off to a new gig.
The new gig that he was heading off to was to be an assistant coach for Doc Rivers with the Boston Celtics. Longabardi spent six seasons in Boston and in that time went to three appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, two trips to the NBA Finals, and one NBA Championship in 2008. (Continue reading here)
Season in review: Rudy Gobert (via Purpleandblues.com)
Not often do you see a player with a 9’7″ standing reach. Rudy Gobert is quite the specimen and for as tall as he is I think he will be a nice player to have moving forward. Ty strayed away from using Rudy very much but when we did see Rudy we saw a lot of the same stuff.
What I liked:
Rudy disrupted everything. He averaged just under a block in 9.6 minutes a game. His ability to not really have to jump helps him respond quicker on both ends. His per 36 minutes stats would be around 4 blocks and 14 boards a game which is up there with the best defensive players in the NBA.
What he needs to work on: (Continue reading here)
Try not to say stupid things about Jim Boylen, Utah Jazz fans (via HoyosRevenge.com)
So I’m wandering around Twitter today and what do I see tweeted into my timeline
"talked w/ a longtime NBA guy that said there is no way you can sell Jim Boylen to the Jazz fanbase. He said they will riot if he’s hired."
That tweet came from the illustrious Jason Shepard who works at KSL. Now mind you, I have been blocked by Jason Shepard, as have most people who have common sense. Jason likes to tweet stupid things he makes up and then when people point out he is stupid and made up whatever nonsense he tweeted, he blocks you. This has all the hallmarks of something Jason Shepard makes up. (Continue reading here)
Trey Burke apologizes for joining in Shaquille O’Neal‘s mocking of a Detroit man with rare disorder (via MLive.com)
A rookie season free of newsworthy negatives off the floor has found some controversy for former Michigan star Trey Burke.
Burke landed in a storm stirred by Shaquille O’Neal this week, resulting in an apology posted on the Utah Jazz rookie’s Twitter account on Wednesday.
Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal poked fun at Detroit native Jahmel Binion’s appearance on Instagram, but has since apologized with a phone call.Photo courtesy of Jahmel Binion
The trouble started when 23-year-old Jahmel Binion, a Detroit native battling a rare disorder known as ectodermal dysplasia, shared a screen shot of a photo O’Neal posted on Instagram that openly mocked Binion’s appearance. (Continue reading here)
That is all that we have for you today. Be sure to check back in with us tomorrow for another edition of the “Morning Jazz”. Also, be sure to keep with us every day and check out all our latest Jazz content, plus, be sure to check out all our NBA Playoff coverage.