First off, the NBA Draft and Donovan Mitchell. Now that we are living in Salt Lake, Kaylee and I were able to attend a Salt Lake Summer League game. I had no idea what to think about Donovan Mitchell outside of a video of him shooting that appeared on Twitter. I loved what I saw in his shot and the fact he knocked down every shot, granted with no pressure or defenders.
Now, jumping back to the game we attended, Mitchell played well. I was a little let down by his shot off the dribble, which is something that can be fixed and I think he already is working on. Based on just straight shooting though, he has a near-perfect shot and release that is a joy to watch. Then his defense has been incredible in the summer league, which will only translate well to a very sub-par defensive league.
This is from our seats at the Summer League game in Salt Lake City. It was a lot of fun to see some of the young, future stars of the NBA.
The next pick was Tony Bradley, I've been fairly impressed with what he can do in the limited time he has had to show off his skill. I think he could turn into a great player that will learn a lot from both Favors and Gobert.
The next big event for the Jazz was the trading for Ricky Rubio. I've been a fan of Rubio, but I don't think he has shown everything he can do. Maybe I think that because he played for Minnesota, and I don't watch many games as it is. What I'm excited for about Rubio is his ability to pass the ball. I don't expect Rubio to be exactly like John Stockton, but I think he has the potential to be very similar to him. His passing is phenomenal and that plays perfectly into what the Jazz need and want.
I've been saying for awhile now that I think assists are the key to winning games, and I love the addition of Rubio because of that.
Now for the big one, Gordon Hayward. Hayward bolted to join his college coach, Brad Stevens, in Boston. With Hayward, I believe the Jazz could have really battled against Golden State with the new additions. Without him, I think the Jazz lost a lot of offensive firepower. That being said, with the addition of a point guard that is looking to set up guys with the best shot possible, I think the Jazz will be able to at least stay even to what they had last year.
Now the Jazz have signed Jonas Jerebko, Ekpe Udoh and Thabo Sefolosha. All three of them aren't anything close to stellar offensively, but I can guarantee every team will dread playing a defensive-minded team like the Jazz.
The Jazz are now turning a corner into the best all-around defensive team in the league. They're going to frustrate a lot of teams. I'm excited to see how these signings will help out on the floor. After all, people don't say "offense wins championships."
Rudy Gobert will now be the star for the Utah Jazz. He's the least respected center in the league, but one of the top, if not the top, center in the league. Picture from Pinterest.com.
I don't expect the Jazz to win a championship, because I don't think anyone will beat the Warriors again. But I do expect the Jazz to compete each night because of their potential assist totals and defensive pressure.
For those of you thinking that I'm wrong because the Jazz's offense won't score enough points, you're possibly right. My argument is that steals, blocks and rebounds lead to some easy buckets that even the worst offensive player can make. The Jazz have two spot-up shooters in Rodney Hood and Donovan Mitchell now that I think could have huge seasons. Hood will definitely have to step up, and I think he is definitely capable of it.
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