2011 Draft

The 2011 NBA Draft has come and gone. In the weeks leading up to the draft, I listened and read all of the stories and speculation about who the Jazz might take. I'm a bit of a Jazz fan. Okay, I'm a big Jazz fan and I enjoy the anticipation that comes with each off-season almost as much as I enjoy the season itself. There are essentially two types of Jazz fans, in my opinion. The one type doesn't question the decisions made by the front office or the way the coaching staff approaches things. The other side is always criticizing the front office, calling for the team to be "blown up", or in years past, for a Hall of Fame coach to be shown the door. I am in the first group. Kevin O'Connor is one of the most respected General Managers in the NBA. Time and time again he has shown his intelligence and ability to do what is best for the team and organization. Now that the Deron Williams trade is months behind us, take a look back and see what we got for him. Devin Harris, a serviceable point guard. Derrick Favors, a #3 pick with a defensive mind and improving offensive game who can run the floor like a deer. Enis Kanter, another #3 pick who many project could be an all star big man. Recently I've been shocked to hear and read about some of my fellow Utahns who think that the Jazz front office made the wrong move. Who do you think the Jazz should've drafted? Do you think they should've taken Jimmer? Fine, that's a valid statement if it weren't for one problem. He wasn't on the board at number 12, and you'd be high if you think that ANY team was going to take him higher than 7. You think the Jazz should've traded up to get him? Who's to say they didn't try? The only team that had shown any interest in trading picks with the Jazz was Detroit. News flash. If the Jazz traded up to 8 and took the Pistons pick, they weren't picking Jimmer. They were taking Knight. I heard today that the Jazz front office put in approximately 30,000 hours in researching for the draft, but somehow a bunch of fans think they know better. I'm happy with the direction the Jazz are headed and I expect to hear the boos when word comes that Paul Millsap has been traded. And, this time, just like every other time, the Jazz front office will be vindicated when it turns out that they made the right move. There, my rant is done. Any comments?