Do you know how hard it was to find a picture of him that wasn't of him getting posterized? Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images North America

Here’s Hollinger’s Scouting Report:

Elson’s main selling point is his mobility for his size. Even though he’s 33, he still runs the floor better than most centers and is a good pick-and-roll defender who can check smaller players. However, he lacks muscle and bigger centers maul him inside. As a result, he fouls a lot (more than once every seven minutes) and doesn’t grab many rebounds.

Offensively, Elson is too thin to play the post and mediocre at best as a midrange jump shooter, hitting 35.8 percent of his long 2s over the past three seasons. He’d get more baskets around the rim but he has terrible hands; plus, he has poor instincts as a scorer and rarely finds easy buckets off cuts and feeds.

Lacks muscle?  Gets beat up by centers? Terrible Hands? Rarely finds easy buckets off cuts and feeds? He might just fit right in with a long line of similar Jazz big men.

It’s always nice to have an extra big body and six extra fouls to go around. Obviously with Okur out the Jazz would love to find someone who isn’t going to foul at a high rate and knows the system. And while Fesenko certainly has potential, he’s taking his dear, sweet time to sign the tender from the Jazz.

That’s why (okay, deep breath. I can’t believe these words are going to leave my mouth) the Jazz need to go out and sign Jarron Collins. There I said it. Yes, Jarron Collins. If Fes isn’t coming back, the Jazz should bring back Collins.

[Editor's Note: I am not on board with this. Repeat, I am not on board with this.]

The Jazz said they got tougher this year. Collins likes hard fouls. Sign him. (AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Michael Chow)

Collins could relief minutes for Al Jefferson while Okur is getting healthy, and then later in the season, when everyone is healthy, he can be the foul machine that Sloan enjoys. With Jefferson and Hayward a few new joining the team and learning the new system, adding Collins could make the process of gelling as a team easier. He is a good locker-room presence and the players know him. If the Jazz are going to sign a guy who is going to foul then why not a guy who is huge and knows the system?

If you’re so inclined, buy a membership to the OC Tanner Executive Club (and don’t forget to invite a certain Salt City Hoops blogger).

There is also a smaller rendering found with the arena map:

A view of the basketball court at APX - the practice facility for the Utah Flash for the 2010-11 season.

It’s been a busy off-season for the Utah Flash. The team parted ways with coach Brad Jones and promoted 28 year-old assistant coach Kevin Young as the new head coach. To keep the youth movement alive, the team president is now Drew Sellers, the 26 year-old former VP of Communications. The sideline will also be missing the services of former NBA big man Mark Madsen, who will be attending business school this fall.

In an additional change, the team announced today that they will practice at the corporate complex of alarm company APX in Orem, Utah for the 2010-11 season. This ends the corporate partnership with alarm company Pinnacle Security, which formerly sponsored the dance team and provided a practice facility across the street from the arena on the campus of Utah Valley University. The APX headquarters and court are just a few blocks from the Flash offices in the Riverwoods area of Provo, which will be convenient for the front office.

From the press release:

OREM, UT, August 24, 2010 – The Utah Flash announced today that practices for the 2010-11 season will be held at the APX Alarm corporate headquarters in Provo, Utah. The basketball court at the APX Alarm facility includes a full size NBA floor and state-of-the-art basketball standards from Spalding.

“We are thrilled to be practicing in such a high-quality facility,” said coach Kevin Young. “This is the nicest facility around and will undoubtedly be conducive to training a championship-caliber team.”

“We are pleased to partner with the Utah Flash,” said APX Alarm VP of Corporate Communications, Kristi Knight. “The organization has quickly established itself as growing and vibrant professional franchise here in Utah County.”

The Flash have made the playoffs the past two years in a row and are working on building towards another successful season and deep playoff run. In addition to the basketball team practicing at the APX Alarm facility, the Utah Flash Dancers will also hold several practices there, as well as their auditions.

The Utah Flash are set to begin their fourth season in the NBA Development League. The Flash are affiliated with the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks. Tickets are on sale for the upcoming season and can be purchased by calling (801) 434-4667.

Courtesy of NBA.com

The kid who had broken America’s NCAA brackets, the kid who no one knew about before the year started, the kid who looked like Andy from Toy Story 3, the Jazz drafted him?  What were they thinking?!  They could have drafted Xavier Henry (still arguing over a rookie salary), Ed Davis (Al Jefferson or Ed Davis, you decide), or Cole Aldrich (Tag 2.0).  But for some reason all those choices made more sense in my head than Gordon Hayward.  I kept thinking:

“We needed to get bigger! All we did was get skinnier!”

Then I heard that the crowd at ESA booed him.  Now this made me feel like an awful fan.  I can’t imagine walking into a new job on the first day of work and getting booed by everyone.  Can you imagine that?   Booed by an entire arena filled of fans hundreds of miles away only because you were not 7’0″.   Jazz fans at Energy Solutions Arena booed a kid pursuing his dream. Afterwards, I called my Dad and asked him what he thought.   Expecting him to be full of gloom I was surprised by his answer:

“We booed John Stockton.  What do we know?”

He was right.  Darrell Griffith, Karl Malone, and Deron Williams all got cheers from Jazz fans when they were drafted.   John Stockton?  Not so much.  I think we all know how that panned out.  Turned out Stockton was a decent basketball player.

(Go to the 0:41 mark)

What did Kevin O’Connor say of this Andy look-a-like?

I hear all of the fans and you can appreciate what the fans are saying.  They wish and we wish that we had the third or fourth pick; we didn’t.  We think we got a player that’s going to be a really terrific player in the NBA……The only thing I hope is that in two years you’re not booing. -Kevin O’Connor-

Well, I know it hasn’t been two years but summer league has been played.   Now the analysts are talking about how they think these draft picks will pan out after seeing them in summer action.  What have they said about Gordon Hayward?

David Thorpe of ESPN:

Get used to lofty praise for Hayward, despite somewhat pedestrian numbers.  He does all the little things that don’t show up on stat sheets — smart help on defense, toughness in digging out loose balls inside and great awareness of whom to move the ball to in their offense.  He’s really a 2 who can play the 3 and even some 4 within a few years.  How many guys can we write that about?

Flash Gordon Hayward

Shaun Powell of NBA.com:

With Kyle Korver gone, Utah could use outside shooting, and the situation is almost perfect for Hayward.  Unless he’s a total bust, it’s hard to imagine him not pushing for starter’s minutes at some point this season.  Hayward isn’t just a spot shooter, either; he can score in other ways, as he showed in summer league.  And it helps to have Deron Williams around to create shots for you.  Utah has a solid history in Draft decisions and this looks like another one.

CNNSI.com:

Coach Jerry Sloan had high praise for Gordon Hayward (ninth pick) after watching him in Orlando. “He’s not a mistake-free player,” Sloan told the Desert News. “This is a game of mistakes.  He’ll make a mistake here or there.  But he just plays.  He just plays basketball. “We had another guy here years ago who did the same thing, and he ended up being a pretty good player — John Stockton. “I don’t mean to put that kind of pressure on [Hayward], but he plays.”

So far Hayward has looked like a solid player.  Jerry Sloan even invoked a reference to hallowed Stockton.  I was impressed with his summer league debut.  Watching him one could see he was willing to do the little things to help his summer team win.  While the rest of the players were ball hogging and trying to show they were worthy of a call to a training camp, Hayward was unselfish and played within the system.  Just imagine what will happen when he plays with a team of guys who all play within the system.

Sloan was right when he said, “He just plays.”  While I may have been disappointed when I first heard the Jazz drafted him, I’m now excited to see him in action.  I think the Jazz might have found another diamond in the rough.  After this summer, I have decided with my Dad’s philosophy:

“We booed John Stockton.  What do we know?”

Ross Siler weighs in on Fesenko's performance against Macedonia

Ross Siler’s summary of Fesenko’s game against Macedonia earlier this week highlights the mystery surrounding the big man’s future. He bounced back with 15 points today in a win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but appears to be continuing his history of uneven play.

To his credit, he’s no Nenad Krstic, who you may have heard has caused a bit of trouble during his summer play for Serbia:

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“I just want to explain to everybody what I think and feel and that I could sacrifice my career with the NBA.”

“The only thing I’m not prepared for is if I’m told, ‘We want you to stay anyway.”

“I’m sure then the next season would be a repetition of the previous one, and what will the fans say then?”

“How could you possibly rely on a player who wants to leave?”

“For the past two years I’ve been going on the court and acting like a robot.”

“Big money is obviously good, but I am prepared to make less. The size of my salary doesn’t mean that much for me. The main thing is to play with a spark.”

“Trust me, I really am prepared to leave NBA. It certainly does not mean that I’m dying to go to Europe. I’m just ready.”

Sound familiar?  It is the cry of a certain European player that has not yet grasped the concept of being a part of a team.  A European player that won’t accept his role because he’s not the man.  It is sad to see.  We have seen it in reports all this week in which Rudy Fernandez is ready to take fine/suspension from the NBA for violating his terms of his contract.  He has grown tired, bored, and weary of playing in NBA.  He doesn’t feel wanted. But good news, Portland fans.  None of those quotes above are from Rudy.  They are from another formerly disgruntled European NBA player:  Andrei Kirilenko.

Rudy, Andrei already tried it.

Portland, take heart, for Jazz fans have been through this painful annoying process.  Think, you didn’t even have to endure it with your highest paid player, Brandon Roy.  Just think of the implications of Roy saying he would throw his contract away just to play for CSKA Moscow.  The Utah Jazz did.  Not only that Kirilenko wouldn’t accept his new role on the team when two bigger dogs, Williams and Boozer, burst on the scene.  He would not accept a demotion so he sought to go where he would still be the big dog: Russia.  Sound familiar, Portland?

Just like Portland, the Jazz had to deal with all the annoying media attention that a ROLE player can cause.  Trade scenarios were brought up on every occasion.  Jazz fans had to hear the trade of Marion for Kirilenko a million times a day just as Portland fans are hearing Wilson Chandler for Rudy Fernandez.  Not only that but Kirilenko’s diva episode came right after the biggest success in the Jazz organization since the Stockton/Malone days.  The Jazz had just made it to the 2007 Western Conference finals only 3 months before Kirilenko found another reason to cry.  At least Portland is not dealing with this whole fiasco after an amazing run in the playoffs.

It's a long walk to Spain, Rudy, filled with fines and suspensions....

Finally, Portland, take heart that the Jazz have set an amazing precedent for you.  The Jazz said no.  That’s right, they said no to Kirilenko’s demands.  They said no to Russia.  They said no to him leaving for CSKA Moscow.  They said no to crying.  Most importantly, they worked it out like adults and talked it out.  It seems like Nate McMillan has even begun reaching out to Rudy.  Just imagine what Jerry Sloan would do in place of McMillan.  (Somehow I have the feeling it would involve a John Deere and some sprints)  Just saying.

What’s the amazing part about Kirilenko’s so called holdout?  Kirilenko, even after all his whining, his complaining, and threats to leave the Utah Jazz, reported to camp.  On time. So while Rudy is crying now and planning his exit strategy there is a silver lining.  Rudy is learning the hard way that the NBA is no Euro-ball.  This is where the big boys play and for a reason.  Rudy will come back to camp because wants to play ball.  At least I hope so.  It would send a message that the team is bigger than his minutes.  The team is better because of his contributions no matter how big or how small.  The sooner Rudy learns this the sooner he’ll be a better NBA player.  How do I know?  Because, Portland, Utah’s been there.  Maybe Portland could skip out on its yearly tradition of front-loaded deals to Utah’s Free Agents this year as a thank you.

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBE/Getty Images

Good look at the new threads and the Rook!

By Jefferson W. Boswell
Special to Salt City Hoops

Last week, a Philadelphia Eagles fan was ordered to remove his Washington Redskins McNabb jersey during the Eagles’ morning practice.  Donovan McNabb, former NFC Pro Bowl starting quarterback, holder of numerous Eagles’ team records, who had spent the first decade of his career with Philadelphia, had become a pariah.  Recall that McNabb was traded by his organization to division-rival Washington for two late round draft picks and a ham sandwich.

Last month, a LeBron James fan was escorted out of the stadium at a Cleveland Indians game (sporting his crisp white Miami jersey).  Along with just about every other non-Floridian sports fan, I abhorred ‘Bron’s “Decision” – which has been likened to dumping your girlfriend on National television in front of nearly ten million viewers.

Lest we forget, even our beloved Karl Malone, whose jersey hangs in the rafters and his bronze statute guards the arena, chased his proverbial greener pastures with the hated Lakers.

As a Jazz fan, the sky was falling when Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, and Wesley Matthews bolted for larger markets and deeper pockets.  I’ll admit, I considered cancelling my subscription to League Pass and transferring my allegiances to the ABF (the American Beekeepers Federation).  Miraculously, though, Kevin O’Conner pulled a rabbit out of his hat and landed both Raja Bell and Al Jefferson (the jury is still out on unproven rookie Gordon Hayward).

Amidst a changing roster, Matthews will surely be missed by basketball aficionados along the Wasatch front for his hard nosed hustle and willingness to play lock-down defense night in and night out.  Korver will still be near and dear to the hearts of the ladies of Utah – and the three-point line in Energy Solutions Arena.  Even Ronnie Brewer, who would dive cut and slash through the paint (only to slash his hamstring in Memphis) will be missed in the year to come.  Boozer has been vilified and denigrated and abused – but when he played, he was a monster on the glass and almost automatic for 18+ points (granted, however, in six seasons with the Jazz, he averaged only 59 games per season). Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’m grateful for what Booze brought to the team, when he actually played.

Having spent many hours, days, months, and years cheering for these players – celebrating in victory and commiserating in defeat, I ask myself:

• Can I still be a loyal Jazz fan and cheer for Wesley Matthews in Portland?
• Do I lose my credibility if I hope the Eastern Conference reincarnation of the Jazz succeeds in Chi-town?
• Can I finally openly admit that I wanted to see the Lakers win the title when Karl went chasing his ring?

Only time will tell if I can set aside my allegiance to the Jazz and cheer for Wesley Matthews to continue his Cinderella run in the NBA.  I will check on Wesley’s continued success and hope that his glass-high top fits in Portland, as long as the Trailblazers are safely in the rear-view mirror when the Playoff push begins.  But then again, when he steps onto the floor against the Jazz with the opposing team’s name on his chest, all’s fair in love, war, and basketball.

If the Chicago Jazz succeed (and compete in the East with the preemptively crowned Miami Heat), it will be because Boozer stayed healthy, Korver was keeping defenses honest on the perimeter, Ronnie B was slashing to the hoop – all coupled with a young, strong point guard in Derrick Rose and a defensive-minded Joakim Noah.  Watching and cheering for Chicago to climb the Eastern Conference standings won’t be the same contradiction – their success in red and white couldn’t push Utah out of the playoffs like Portland.  While I wish these former-Jazzmen the best, I’m still looking forward to the ribbing the ESA crowd has – for Boozer in particular (mark your calendars now for February 9, 2011).

Now that he is safely enshrined in the Hall, I can admit: when Karl stepped on the court in Laker gold, I was cheering for him…unless he was playing against the Jazz.  Re-read that sentence: I was cheering for HIM; not the Lakers.  As much as I would have liked to see the Mailman sporting the hardware he so desperately coveted, I find it oddly fitting that his most injury plagued season came in a Lakers uniform.  His iron-man ability couldn’t follow him to Hollywood.  In that fateful game five of the 2004 Finals, Malone watched in street clothes as his last chance for the Larry O’Brien trophy slipped out of reach.  As we saw in his HOF speech, it was Larry Miller and Jerry Sloan and John Stockton that shepherded Karl Malone to the Naismith Hall of Fame – not Dr. Jerry Buss and Phil Jackson and an aging Gary Payton.

Rest assured, I won’t be attending any games sporting the opposing team’s jersey.  Security won’t have to escort me from the stadium à la the LeBron James and Donovan McNabb fans – but I don’t think its so wrong to want to see our former heroes go on to success wherever their paths may lead them – as long as they choke when they play the Jazz.

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Jefferson Boswell will be a regular contributor to Salt City Hoops.  He can be reached at jeffersonboz [at] gmail [dot] com.
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Baby, I told you not to call me at this number. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune / July 9, 2010)

The trouble with analogies is that they often are so specific to the person giving the analogy that rarely does it translate well to the people hearing it. We’ve all spent our fair share of time listening to someone comparing why life is like [insert their passion here]. Unfortunately, I don’t understand how life is like sewing, nor do I care. With that in mind, I want to close the book on the Carlos Boozer Era with a small-ish comparison.

When I was in high school, I dated a girl that I thought was way out of my league. Before “Jen”, I’d dated only girls that were available to me, not the girls I necessarily wanted to date; I never strayed from my place in the food chain. I assumed that was where I belonged and I was happy to take what I could get.

Along came Jen. She was on the Drill Team and dated guys with nice cars. We hit it off in class (I told jokes, she laughed). Soon our relationship moved outside of school and we started hanging out. Eventually we were dating and having fun… when I learned what I was dealing with.

Jen was used to a ton of attention; she was used to getting her way. More importantly, she was used to guys who pandered to her nonsense. Given my dating experience with girls who were simply grateful to be around me, navigating Jen’s world was a bit of a shock. I was so excited to be dating her that I put up everything she did: the inconsistencies, the weird excuses, the tantrums, and the general brattiness that a very spoiled person shows. After a month or so, I started to sense her pulling away, which made me even more desperate to keep her, and even more eager to please her. This, of course, was annoying to her and eventually drove her to break up with me.

The day came, I was sad, and felt sorry for myself for a minute. But as time went on I could see her brattiness more clearly and eventually realized I dodged a bullet. After the dust settled, I realized that I could date an awesome girl AND be happy – a huge revelation at the time. I saw Jen last year at a party, and couldn’t help but feel sorry for the guy she was with. Imagine the crap he puts up with.

So, all that talk brings me to Boozer. When he signed with the Jazz he was the first major free agent to come to Utah. (When Jeff Malone and an aging Jeff Hornacek are your competition, it’s an easy win). As a fan base we were so excited to get him that the unwise among us neglected to give proper weight to the fact that he double crossed a benevolent blind man to come to the Jazz. Huge red flag. (Another red flag?  Renting his house in LA to Prince. It’s like something narrated by Charlie Murphy in a Dave Chappell skit).

We were so excited to have a major free agent choose us that most of us didn’t do proper due diligence on the investment. We bought into his story about teaming with Deron Williams to bring the Next Stockton-to-Malone. We got stoked about the 20/10’s he’d post, and about the ambidexterity. It was exciting!

The 04/05 season set the tone: he started out well, and then injury struck. 51 games played.

05/06 missed more than half of the season due to injury. At the end of that season, I remember much of the talk about him being about getting rid of him. We were sick of him. Hated him. Couldn’t stand him. 33 games played that season.

Preseason in 06/07 was all about how he was excited about the team, wanted to play hard, etc. Boozer’s back was against the wall, and he delivered his two finest statistical seasons. I distinctly remember after the 07/08 season being very hopeful that he’d extend his contract.

08/09: Injuries, trade rumors (if you remember, almost constant that season), and listless play. After the season, with rampant speculation that he’d opt out of his contract, he decided to do the noble thing and stay for another season. No need to mention that he decided to stay in Utah in the weakest market for free agents in years, but only after testing the market. 37 games played that season.

09/10: Another exercise in frustration with the Boozehound with inconsistent play being chief among the frustrations. From a fan’s perspective, Boozer appeared to play hard when he felt like it, not play hard when faced with even the smallest obstacle, and team chemistry suffered since nobody could know on a given night which Boozer they’d get. The season ended in disappointment with Boozer sitting out the pivotal last game of the regular season with a sore rib, and of course, he decided to leave. He was always all about taking care of himself.

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The Jazz fan reaction was fatalistic, outraged, depressed. Most of the chatter was along the lines of: “KOC is screwing up the franchise, we can’t keep anybody here long, Utah is a bad place to play, etc.” It was two straight weeks of fans and the local media talking about the Jazz being a little kid in a big boy world. Then something wonderful happened: The Jazz traded for Al Jefferson.

Jefferson is not too far off the Boozer path statistically, several years younger, and bigger than Boozer. His opening press conference was something of a revelation: He was grateful, happy, and even a little giddy to be a Jazzman – stopping just short of kissing Deron Williams on the mouth. He showed the type of unbridled enthusiasm usually reserved for kids at Disneyland. He even spoke about how Utah is an awesome place to live and how he wants to recruit other free agents. To hear him speak that way was refreshing. It was a huge relief to not only bolster the Jazz roster, but bolster it with someone so happy to be here.

See, the Jazz have plenty to offer a free agent. The Jazz have been a winning team for a quarter century, boast a top 3 point guard, one of the best coaches in the game, a very smart management team, and an owner willing to improve the team. The Jazz don’t have to put up with guys like Boozer to have production. The pieces are already in place to attract the types of free agents that the Jazz need to build a consistent contender. Now all we need as a fan base is to start acting like we’ve been there. If we do that, people will come.

I, for one, am looking forward to a brave new era of Utah attracting free agents who are excited to be here. In the meantime, we will enjoy another winning season, and perhaps someday we’ll have an awkward encounter with Carlos Boozer at a party. Hopefully he’s in a good place and is having success. But what a nice feeling to walk away relieved to be in a better place ourselves.

Dan Evans is a new contributor to Salt City Hoops. Follow him on Twitter.