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In case you happened to forget, the NBA draft took place tonight. Before the draft, we saw some huge trades (Richard Jefferson to San Antonio, The Big Mistake to Cleveland, Vinsanity to Orlando) and some not so big ones (Sergio Rodriguez to Sacramento, Dallas & Portland swapping picks, etc.). There were also some minor trades during the draft (teams buying picks, etc.), but none of the widely talked about deals (Amar'e, Tyson Chandler, Ricky Rubio). The Jazz weren't involved in any of the deals. They came in with 2 picks (#20, #50), took 2 guys at the 2 spots, and called it good.
Going in, I thought the Jazz had a couple of needs to target... if possible.
- A defensive presence in the middle. Not possible, because there were only 2 real 1st-round centers. The one that fit this was Hasheem Thabeet, and he went #2 overall. So this was out of it.
- Terrence Williams. I just thought he'd be a good fit. David Locke called him a "knucklehead," and if the Jazz brass felt that way about him, he wasn't coming here. So that was that. (He ended up going #11 to New Jersey.)
- Back-up PG. Price & Brevin are both FAs. I don't view Price as a "true PG," which j-slow's system calls for. Brevin probably won't be back. So the Jazz needed someone here... and KOC has said that the team will have 3 PGs on the roster.
- A big. I don't think Boozer will opt out. The Jazz will resign Okur if they can, and will do everything possible to match any offer 'Sap gets. That said, the team still needs a big. Booze will probably be gone after next season... he could still be gone this off-season. You never know what type of offer 'Sap gets. No idea what we have with Fesenko. So a big is good.
- A three point shooter. They need one. Korver might not be back. Someone to spread the floor for Boozer (if he stays) would be nice. (This one kinda went unaddressed... I guess they'll depend on who they have right now, and free agency.)
As it is, the Jazz addressed 2 of the needs. #3 and #4 above... as I expected them to do. The players...
#20- PG Eric Maynor, VCU
Quite simply, he is best known for this. He also has a twitter page ( @EMaynor3), though he hasn't updated much (yet?). Quite simply...
Quick summary: Crafty, clutch true point with excellent quickness and a well-rounded offensive game, although he committed too many turnovers in college. The biggest knock on him is high slight build (6-2, 175).
I'll admit, I was stoked. (I figure letting everyone know this is important, because most people seemed pissed off that the Jazz didn't trade up for Blake Griffin or something.) After seeing Lawson & Teague go in quick succession right before the Jazz, I was afraid they'd reach for BJ Mullens or something. Luckily they didn't, and Maynor did enough in his last second interview yesterday to become the pick. He might not be Ricky Rubio, but he'll be a solid back-up to Deron. He's the "true PG" j-slow loves, and is able to find his teammates when they're open. The team really needed a back-up... and you're not going to find many takers in the FA market that are willing to come in to play behind Deron. The draft is the way to go, and the Jazz found a great guy here. Maynor isn't a guy I had originally considered for the Jazz, largely because I thought a different PG would fall, or they'd go elsewhere, but as the Jazz pick got closer, I started hoping he was the guy. And when Lawson went and Atlanta came up (I was certain they would go with Teague), I decided that Maynor would be the best pick (even though everyone seemed to the think the Jazz would take Sam Young). Simply, there was no clear cut choice. Every team had the guys they liked, and you took them. This wasn't a normal draft, where 28 teams have some guy ranked as being "top-5". It literally changed by team. Maynor was the best on the board for the Jazz when the pick came, and they took him.
NBAdraft.net on the pick...
The run of point guards continues, as Utah tabs Eric Maynor to back up Deron Williams. He doesn’t have the measurables of some of the other top-flight points, but he might be the most advanced pure point guard in this draft. He possesses tremendous leadership abilities and has that innate sense of what it takes to play the one-spot. He also made a name for himself hitting game-winning shots for Virginia Commonwealth in the NCAA Tournament. Maynor and Williams could turn into one of the league’s best point-guard tandems right away, and he gives Utah extra roster flexibility, as Williams can easily play 2-guard against most teams.
Chad Ford on the pick...
I thought they might go with Sam Young here, but I have to admit that I love this pick for the Jazz. They needed a backup for Deron Williams, and Maynor is perfect for Utah as one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft. He has a high basketball IQ and great leadership qualities. The Jazz fill a need and get a guy who I think is the most underrated player in the draft.
DraftExpress.com on Maynor
Eric Maynor falls somewhere in between Stephen Curry and Darren Collison in terms of his numbers, as he was a very high usage point guard, but still was able to remain fairly efficient—which is a very good sign. His 21.2 possessions per game place him 3rd in that category, but his overall PPP of .99 ranks a very respectable 6th. Maynor’s best quality appears to be his short range game, he got to the rim 8 times per game and posted a PPP of 1.12 as a finisher. That’s slightly above average, but few players on this list utilize the same mix of floaters and scoops that Maynor does, and those types of shots have a much greater degree of difficulty than the average layup. Maynor didn’t fall below the average in nearly any category, usually hovering around the middle of the pack, and his isolation PPP of 1.01 stood out amongst this group. The team that drafts Maynor will be getting a player that obviously knows his limitations and can play a number of roles well, but might not stand out in any one area immediately.
And finally Rotoworld...
The Jazz selected Virginia point guard Eric Maynor with the No. 20 pick of the 2009 NBA draft.
Maynor is a work in progress defensively and he isn’t particularly athletic, but he has a high basketball IQ and enough savvy to run an NBA offense. Expect Utah to work him slowly into their rotation as a backup for Deron Williams.
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#50- C Goran Suton, Michigan State
I don't really follow Michigan State basketball (sorry if that offended anybody). But I did catch a couple of their games over the last couple of seasons (Big Ten tourney last season, I think, and March Madness games the last couple of years). And whenever I'd see Suton, I'd think that his shot had a range that reminded me of Okur's, and that it would be awesome if he ended up on the Jazz. (True story.) I didn't think much about it, though I did get my hopes up a bit when I saw he'd worked out with the Jazz. But then I saw they liked Taylor Griffin (who was picked before #50) and had worked out Luke Nevill (undrafted, unfortunately for him) and the likes, and decided it wasn't very likely. So when Kevin O'Connor announced his name to the Jazz crowd at the ESA (and over the radio), I seriously became overjoyed. Getting another big that can shoot and rebound... and one that played for a great coach in Tom Izzo... and has a kinda-present post game, that's huge for the team. A duo of him & The Koof, while potentially down on strength inside, have the ability to play good defense, and make the other guys step out on defense to guard them (Suton has range out to 23-feet). He'll work well with the Jazz loving the pick-and-roll and the pick-and-pop.
RealGM on Suton...
Suton has a very good face-up game, with range that must be respected. He is also more agile than he appears and was respectable in the post even though that probably won’t translate to the NBA.
Quick scouting report...
A starter for most of his four-year career in East Lansing, Suton saved some of his best performances for last, averaging 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in Michigan State’s wins over Kansas and Louisville in the regionals of the NCAA tournament to help propel his team to the Final Four. The Spartans eventually reached the title game, where Suton managed 17 points and 11 rebounds in their loss to North Carolina. The Bosnian center may be hoping to ride the buzz from his good postseason to a spot in the second round of this draft, but it’s unclear if he’ll be chosen. Suton’s size is nothing special by NBA standards, and his strength and quickness don’t match up with most of the league’s big men. His intelligent play and solid rebounding ability could be what gives him a chance professionally
NBAdraft.net on the pick...
50. Goran Suton — That almost seemed like a foregone conclusion. Goran Suton in Utah? It makes way too much sense, doesn’t it? He’s a perfect Jerry Sloan guy and should provide solid support behind Mehmet Okur at the center spot.
DraftExpress.com on Suton
Goran Suton is easily the most unique player on this list, and it won’t be his offensive skill set that keeps him from getting drafted.
After an impressive NCAA Tournament run, Goran Suton decided to decline attending the Portsmouth Invitational, but the numbers he put up during his final year at Michigan State make him standout in our analysis. Getting a fairly small 10.3 possessions per game, Sutton’s 3.3 jump shots per game were only one-tenth of a shot less than the other eight centers on our list combined. Not only does Suton shoot the ball from the outside, he does it well –ranking first amongst all our post players at 1.05 PPP. A below average finisher (1.19 PPP) who only gets 1.7 possessions per game in the post, Suton is the type of center that can spread the floor for a small back to the basket threat while running the pick and roll (.9 PPP) and rebounding the ball well on both ends. Suton isn’t an ideal athlete—he struggles to finish around the basket as mentioned, and doesn’t get fouled on a good percentage of his shots (11.8%), but he’s a skilled, heady player
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Now, given that they are picks #20 and #50, expecting to see rookie All-Stars and guys with Hall of Fame careers (especially early) might be too much. Heck, it might be too much to ask for Jameer Nelson (#20 a couple years back for the Magic... via trade from Denver) and Jarron Collins (#53 for the Jazz a while back). At least right away. But the guys are both ones that'll work hard to show there stuff and get time, and if given it, they could impress.
Maynor has the experience that could lead to him quickly becoming the primary back-up to Deron... whether another PG is signed or not. And it's not like the Jazz are asking the world of him... just come in, keep the offense from imploding, and bide time until Deorn is back on the court. And, if need be, the Jazz can even go 'small' by throwing Maynor & Deron out there together. In fact, if Maynor develops well, we could see quite a bit of that, as the back-ups to Brewer aren't really all that exciting.
As for Suton, he will originally be in a jam behind Boozer (if he returns), 'Sap (if he returns), Okur (if he returns), AK (if he gets minutes at the 4), The Koof & Fesenko. Of course, the loss of 2 of the guys this off-season would automatically shove him into duty, but more likely is that he spends most of the season in the D-League, biding time until next season, when Booze will be a FA, when AK could be traded, and when the Jazz will know what the future holds in SLC for Fesenko. That said, if for any reason (mid-season trade, injury, whatever) Suton is called upon, he (like Maynor) has plenty of college experience to be able to come in and contribute. It's not like The Koof (1 year of college ball) or Fesenko (some time in Europe, but that's it) where you wonder if they're ready... he's shown his ability to stick with the guys in the Big 10 for 4 years now.
To bring an end to this long post (yes, another one), I would just like to welcome both Eric & Goran to the Utah Jazz, and wish them the best of luck. I can't wait to see them in action (summer league, and then with the Jazz during the season) and can't wait to see them contributing to the Jazz for next how many ever seasons.
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Goran -- despite my brain fart on SLCdunk -- totally a guy I know about. (After all, where I live you kind of have to know about college sports otherwise you die) I see him more of a Rasho Nesterovic type player -- may get an occasional block, but makes his paycheck off of defensive rebounding, fundamentally sound passes on offense, and making open 15+ foot jumpers. I'm happy with this pick too -- if anything, more for the redundancy factor.
As someone really smart on twitter put it -- these guys have to be better than Brev and Collins. On that alone I think we're looking a bit better.