Flies are buzzing round my head- Boozer trades edition 2

If you have been paying close attention to the Utah Jazz rumor mills, you know that the above pictured men, have all been rumored as possible trade targets for one Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr.  Personally, I am growing a little tired of all of the hubbub and banter.  Wake me up when a trade has become official.  Because as fun as all of the talk about potential trades goes, the deal that you want to see made, rarely is.  Because as we speak, Jazz fans are lighting up the blogosphere about this trade.  Now I could write you a nice report on what that trade would or wouldn’t do for the Jazz’s chances of winning a championship in the next couple of years, but most likely I would just be wasting space.   Let’s face it, there is a good chance that the Rockets, Jazz and Bulls haven’t even said one word to each other about this deal and we are just making ourselves look like fools by pretending that this deal might happen.  It reminds me of Jim Morrison’s studies on human behavior, where he would join large crowds and see if he could start riots due to small skirmishes.  He would get one guy heated up about something and have him fight another guy and see how far it could go.  Try it at home.  Go tweet some possible rumor trade and see if it flies.  It might.  I have started one or two that I have seen carried from website to website.

I will not propogate the unnecessary riots and rumors.  I won’t be surprised if all of the sudden, the Jazz do make a trade involving Carlos Boozer.  It is most likely going to happen, but I think it will happen more like a thief in the night rather than a slow train comin’, and the more wound up I become about possible deals, the more likely I am to be disappointed by the trade that actually happens.  What I will do, is discuss the dilemma that the Jazz have in dealing Carlos Boozer, what they need in return, and how Carlos Boozer continues to muck things up in Jazzland.

The dillema that the Jazz have, is that they would be better off having Boozer contribute to the Jazz this season.  If Boozer were able to play nice and contribute to the team, it would increase his value as a player and as an expiring contract.  Right now teams are probably willing to take on Carlos Boozer’s contract, but if he plays the first couple months of the season and looks like he is back to old form, not only are more teams going to be interested, but they will be more willing to move good players to get him.  And as the season progresses, more teams will want Boozer since he is an expiring contract.  Players that aren’t available right now, might be two months into the season.   There are going to be teams with big payrolls, that think they are going to be competitive this season, but when they start the season 15-20 so, they may rethink things.  New Orleans and especially Washington fit this mold.  So players like Tyson Chandler or Caron Butler might be available, or at least more available, two or so months into the season.  The cons to this type of approach are easy to locate.  First, it seems that the Jazz just don’t want Boozer around this season.  He has already distanced himself from the team and they may be ready to move on in hopes of team chemistry improving.  Also, it is risky to wait til later in hopes that a better deal comes along.  But Kevin O’Connor is certainly keeping this option open, by making statements like this: “What I can say is if you’re under contract, we’re an organization that expects you come and fulfill your contract and play hard….we expect any player that’s under contract — especially one that decided to opt in — to come and compete.”   It’s a smart move by KOC, because the Jazz can’t appear to be desperate to move Boozer.

If you want Caron Butler on the Jazz, you are going to have to put up with a couple months of Boozer.

Whatever sort of deal happens with Boozer, the Jazz need to get one of two things in return:  cap relief this year, or else a player who improves the Jazz at one of the positions.  The perfect deal would obviously bring the Jazz both.  That is why the Jazz are trying to desperately get a third team with cap space involved in any deal, because that is the only way they are getting tax relief and a good player.  If the Jazz can pull off a deal where they give up Carlos Boozer and pick up a promising up and coming player for under $8 million or so, then the wait will be worth it.

In closing, let me just make an appeal to Carlos Boozer.  Please, be quiet. Don’t go on any more talk radio shows and try to get yourself traded.  We all know that you aren’t super happy at the fact that the Jazz don’t want you long term.  We know that you have places that you would rather be traded to.  But you have already made things difficult on the Jazz by thinking of yourself and not the team.  This time, just suit up, play hard and realize that the Jazz can find the best place for you if you prove you can be an all-star again.