Questions are bigger than answers for the Jazz


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SALT LAKE CITY — The Jazz had three big losses coming out of the trade deadline and a big road trip looming then injuries happened and the Jazz were forced to start young players that lead to a rout of the Bobcats. With health issues still in question where do the Jazz go from here?

The Jazz will probably be without Al Jefferson and Mo Williams for another game, but both are on the mend and could be back this week. Jefferson just missed the Bobcats game, but Williams has been out for months. This will again make way for the youth movement, which could lead to questions as soon as these two team leaders come back.


If Williams is able to make it back this week, the timing couldn't be better. Utah could desperately use his experience at production at the point guard position, and finds itself in the middle of a furious four-team battle with Golden State, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers for the final three spots in the Western Conference playoffs.

–Joe Kaiser ESPN Rumor Central


ESPN Rumor Central quoted a David Locke tweet in saying that Williams could be back within the week. This is big news. "Joe Kaiser of Rumor Central wrote, "If Williams is able to make it back this week, the timing couldn't be better. Utah could desperately use his experience at production at the point guard position, and finds itself in the middle of a furious four-team battle with Golden State, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers for the final three spots in the Western Conference playoffs."

Currently, according to ESPN's Hollinger playoff odds, the Jazz are still expected to make the playoffs. They are slotted in the 8th seed, but still expected to go. That would make for the second year in a row that this rebuilding team has made the playoffs.

The big question for Jazz fans with Williams' return, assuming full health and decent play, will be what time does Alec Burks get. He has been playing very well lately and getting good minutes at the backup point guard position. If he gets moved back to the wing, will he lose minutes or will they be taken from DeMarre Carroll?

However, if the Jazz start to slip, say losing three to four road games this week, should they simply look at giving young players more time? Jefferson might lose some minutes when he comes back into the lineup just to make sure his ankle is healthy and Paul Millsap isn't 100 percent, both of which could open up time Katner and Favors to show what they can do.

Frank Madden of the Bucks SBNation site looked at the Bucks getting off easy against a team without their stars. Then he added this little jab at Jefferson's value, "I had a chance to grab dinner on Saturday night at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference with a handful of great NBA brains, and one of them argued that the price he'd pay for Al Jefferson in free agency would be zero."

If the Jazz keep going to Jefferson where would that leave the two young lottery picks for the Jazz. Favors was the crown jewel of the Deron Williams trade two years ago. The young defensive-minded power forward has been slowly improving, but needs to show in these types of games who he really is.

Utah Jazz's Enes Kanter (0) shoots as Charlotte Bobcats' DeSagana Diop (2) and teammate Gerald Henderson (9) defend in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 1, 2013, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Utah Jazz's Enes Kanter (0) shoots as Charlotte Bobcats' DeSagana Diop (2) and teammate Gerald Henderson (9) defend in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 1, 2013, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Tony Ramsey of Rant Sports wrote that Favors should be the face of the franchise.

"Favors production immediately increased with the Jazz, with Favors scoring and player efficiency numbers receiving a modest bump from 6.3 points and 12.6 PER with the Nets to 8.2 points and a 16.8 PER with the Jazz is about the same amount of minutes. Favors was more assertive with the Jazz as a back up for Millsap and Jefferson and produced at a similar rate with the Jazz in his second season.

"Jefferson and Millsap's exit opens the door for Favors and fellow young post player Kanter to become full-time starters, giving the Jazz a young core to develop together. If they continue to develop at their current rate Favors and Kanter could potentially grow into becoming one of the most formidable post duos in the NBA."

Kanter's chance proved to be legendary. The big man from Turkey put up numbers that have been seen in Jazz land since a certain Hall of Fame power forward put it up. The ESPN headline from the Elias Sports Bureau read "Kanter reminds us of Malone." High praise indeed, but it is simply for the numbers he put up against Charlotte.

"Enes Kanter scored 23 points to go along with his 22 rebounds for the Jazz in a 98-68 romp over the Bobcats. Kanter joined Karl Malone (four times) as the only players to accumulate 22 or more points and 22 or more rebounds for the Jazz in a regulation game since the team moved from New Orleans to Utah in 1979."

Kanter showed what he could do in one game, against a severely overmatched Charlotte Bobcats team, but could he do it long term? Will there be minutes available for him more than his usual 15 or so?

The Jazz have questions about their future. They will need to see what they have as they look at the impending free agency. This week could go a long way in deciding the Jazz's future. Exactly how the Jazz look at it and work through it might be a mystery, but in the end the Jazz want to win.

In the end however, if the Jazz start winning with this group of young players the questions will only loom larger.

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Jarom Moore

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