Apr

29

The Jazz Need To Lock Up Boozer To Stay Competitive

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Analysis, NBA Free Agents 

The Utah Jazz did not have the year they were expecting coming into the 2008-2009 NBA campaign. A major problem for the team was injuries including to their two best players point guard Deron Williams and power forward Carlos Boozer missing games. Williams who had he played 10 years earlier would be looked at as the best point guard in the Association (just his luck he happens to be playing in the Chris Paul Era. As Bill Gates says “Life Is Not Fair“) missed 14 games in the regular season.

However the bigger loss was the other Jazz player who was a member of the 2008 Team USA Olympic squad that won the Gold Medal in Beijing. Boozer missed 45 games due to injury and after two stellar seasons in a row with the Jazz his numbers suffered as well. Mainly because of the loss of the veteran power forward who just finished his seventh campaign in the Association the Jazz ended up as the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. They fell earlier this week in the first round of the Post Season to the Los Angeles Lakers who took the series 4-1.

Wednesday “The Salt Lake Tribune” reported that the former Duke player has made it clear that Utah is the place where he wants to play next season and into the foreseeable future. The Jazz can extend Boozer’s current contract which is for one more season. They will have that option until June 30. Boozer also has an opt-out clause on his side of the deal and could become an unrestricted free agent. The deal he is currently under would pay him $12.7 million next season.

Boozer told reporters that there is no doubt in his mind where he wants to play. The  veteran said “I do want to stay here, I want to be in Utah, I want to play for the Jazz! I made that loud and clear from day one, and we’ll see what happens from here.” Boozer also said that if he does decide to opt-out Utah would still be where he would want to end up.

The current edition of the team from Utah has never matched the success of the Karl Malone John Stockton era team and they may never reach the Finals as that team did. However if The Jazz want any hopes at all of getting to the Finals and possibly winning their first NBA Title they have to lock Boozer up long term. If he leaves any hope of being any better than just another decent team in the West goes with him.

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