Trey Burke and Dante Exum

Certain things bug me more than others, one of those is star treatment and another is what the media does to make us believe something even if it’s not entirely true. The latest thing that I can’t seem to shrug off is the apparent lack of patience fans have for player progression.

I can list off multiple examples here but I want to focus on two.  The first I’ll just touch on briefly is with Gordon Hayward.  The man has improved as a basketball player every year and is turning into something of a special player.  Last year before the season started I wanted to see his rebounding improve as he seemed to lack the aggression needed to obtain boards and he did just that going from 3.1 to 5.1 boards.  That’s not an easy thing to do.  The guy is a workhorse and is a very high IQ player.  For some reason though Jazz fans (and even some national media) want to focus on only the bad.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again 1000 times that if Hayward raises his shooting percentages back to his 2013 numbers he is a 20 points a night guy.  I’ve talked to people who look solely at his percentages and his 16 points a game and say he’s not worth a max or close to it, well when did shooting become the ONLY thing that mattered on the court?  If you want that type of player be a fan of the Knicks with Carmelo and enjoy never winning a title there either.

Now to the second example and the entire reason I am writing this article.  The Jazz DO NOT have to choose between Dante Exum and Trey Burke.  It’s hilarious to me when I hear fans talk about the team as if only 5 people are on it.  I’ve heard multiple times since summer league started these statements:

“Trey Burke has to be on the trading block now..”

“I wonder how Quin is going to use Trey now that we (the Jazz) have Dante as our point guard..”

“I feel bad for Trey that he only got a chance to start for one year…”  Really??

“I wonder who the Jazz could get for Trey?”

etc., etc., etc.,

Let me make two things clear.  First thing is Dante is most likely the future play maker for the Jazz as he has great vision and the tools to be very solid in this league.  Second, Dante is 19 and is in no shape, has little experience and has mountains to climb before he claims a starting position on an NBA team.

With both of those things being said, Trey does not have to go anywhere and will not be dealt off.  Quin Snyder has said that he believes that Trey and Dante can be a great backcourt together.  That’s not even the point though, the point is Trey has played ONE season in the NBA.  ONE!  And fans are already jumping off his boat into Dante’s?!?  Let me be clear, I am not the biggest Trey Burke fan in the world but to dismiss him off the eventual future of this team is preposterous.

Did everyone forget that before Trey cam back from injury the Jazz had won one game?  Trey has talent, he might not have the length of Dante but he sure has the voice and competitiveness the Jazz need.  This is a cycle Jazz fans go through ( i.e. Millsap over Boozer) and this time it’s Trey and Dante, but it does not have to be this way.  Let’s be patient Jazz fans and national media and not say things that are too early to decide.  Do not write off a player because he plays the same position as another higher ceiling guy. Let’s just watch and enjoy the growth of the young team and then when the contract is up then the discussions should begin, until then (which is 2017-18) the discussion should be on how they compliment each other and how much better the team is with BOTH of them.