they already have one of the best front courts in the league. their guards and bench suck. trey burk hasn't improved and exum is still 2-3 years away. fast foreward 3 years and they have a playoff team. depending on how good exum and gobert become, maybe a contender.
Well, of course, but could they do it without Gobert? I sure wouldn't mind having the guy in a Rockets uniform. Fat chance! I'm not getting all worked up about the rest of the team, although they have some very nice young players cloaked with the "P" word, but Gobert really impressed me.
How many all-stars did the Hawks have last year? How many all-stars from last year did the Hawks add to their roster this year? You initially implied a team needs a superstar to be in contention. Now you're implying that team can just be stacked with "all-stars" and be in contention. However, you don't become an all-star and then start winning games. You win games first and then get put into the all-star game by coach's votes. If the Jazz continue their chemistry that they've got going on this year post-all star break then they will indeed have multiple players that make the all-star team.
Black Kirby is good but not great... a future playoff contender need a very good coach, system and another allstar to move further up I like where Gobert is heading
Most young teams have a bright future. The problem isn't the talent. The problem is if the front office is willing to develop it. The Key to this is going to be Trey Burke and implementing Gordan Hayward properly. Hayward, to me, can be a great player on a great team. He did it in college and he can do it in the pros. Right now, because they are a young team, they don't have a GREAT pg who knows the system and more importantly, knows the personal. If they give trey burke 3 years will favors, gobert and heyward, and the coach plays to the team's strength, then I think they will be a contender.
Hayward will never be a "great player". Sorry to burst your bubble. His skill-set is nice, but he is slow footed and can't get by anybody. Reminds me CP!
He's shooting 45% from 2s, which tells me that he is going something right. And I also LOVE his intangibles, making the RIGHT play, steals and blocks. Probably you and I look at great in different ways. Namely: what does slow footed have to do with anything?
Ability to break a man down off the dribble. He is a jump shooter much like Klay Thompson. His intangibles are great. I think he is an amazing third, maybe even second option on a GREAT TEAM.
Hayward is fine. He'll never the top guy on a contender, though. Not a chance. I could see him as a 2nd or 3rd guy if he keeps getting better, though.
So what you are saying is he'll never be a iso-superstar? That's fine by me. I hate Kryie Irving too. And I am not all that fond of Westbrook either. I also don't look at teams in terms of Star #1, Star #2, etc, so your concept of third, second is over my head and lost on me. I look at teams in terms of flexibility to adapt to styles on the fly, defensive potential and IQ.
He's 12th in the league in FTA per game, he's far from just a jump shooter. Also gives up a ton of possible more FTs and points by driving and dishing it to the open man. Do you even watch him? The jump shooter comment makes me think "No".
to be fair, the Jazz are 12-3 in their last 15. if they played like this all year they would likely have a couple guys in the ASG too. if you throw the Hawks all-stars on other teams i don't know how many of them actually make the all-star game. i wouldn't consider horford, korver, milsap, and teague true stars individually, which is why what the Hawks have done this year as a team is so impressive
The Jazz were my likely to surprise team this year, thought they'd finish 11th but closer to 10th than they are, but it took them too long to move Goober into the starting lineup
Hayward has much better handles than Thompson (who dribbles it too high to break down defenses), he's not a pg though, more a secondary ball handler type.
They need someone to run their PG spot. Luckily for them the number of quality PGs around the league are abundant, they just need to trade for one since its pretty much impossible for them to sign in FA. I know it seems unlikely now, but at some point Atlanta is going to have to decide between Teague or Schroeder. Its the Eric Bledsoe Clippers situation all over again, Schroeder is too good to be backing up Teague forever, and he's cheaper (three more years on rookie deal) so long term they'd be smart to turn the keys over and deal Teague. Utah probably could trade for Teague.
