Redrafting the Jazz: 2006

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 28, 2006 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

Three seasons removed from Stockton and Malone, the Jazz were still rebuilding in 2005-06. But a promising picture was beginning to take shape with Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. But injuries limited Boozer to 33 games and Williams was just a rookie, so Utah only earned 41 wins and missed the playoffs.

The draft:

With the 14th pick, Utah drafted Ronnie Brewer, a defensive-minded swing man from Arkansas.

Thanks to a 2003 trade involving John Amaechi and Glen Rice, the Jazz owned Chicago’s second-round pick (No. 46), which they used on Deron Williams’ old Illinois teammate, point guard Dee Brown.

And with the 47th pick, Utah selected Paul Millsap, a power forward from Louisiana Tech.

Analysis:

Ronnie Brewer’s hustle quickly won him over with Jerry Sloan and he became a full-time starter in his second season. His terrible outside shooting certainly limited him offensively, but he was excellent at attacking the rim and scored a decent amount of points off layups and dunks. But what really set him apart was his defense. In the two full seasons he was a starter for Utah, he finished in the top 10 in the NBA for steals. Unfortunately, Brewer was traded to the Grizzlies during his fourth season, just to help the Jazz avoid the luxury tax. Brewer was injured the moment he arrived in Memphis and was never the same.

Brewer truly was exactly what the Jazz needed at that moment in time. He fit in so naturally with the starting lineup and was a big reason for Utah’s success in that three-year stretch. It wasn’t his fault Kevin O’Connor couldn’t find a better way to save the franchise money. And I don’t think it’s entirely unreasonable for me to suggest that maybe Brewer wouldn’t have torn his hamstring had he been able to stay in Utah. I’m a firm believer in the role emotions and stress can play on injuries, and Brewer’s trade was a pretty big shock — especially to Williams.

Yes, I know Rajon Rondo and Kyle Lowry have had much better careers. But I don’t think either of them would have been as good a fit on the Jazz at this time as Brewer was. So, slightly to my surprise, I’m going to recommend the Jazz stick with Brewer here.

Dee Brown helped Williams guide Illinois to a legendary 37-2 season, and it seemed like he was also destined for a great NBA career. But then he broke his foot and decided to go back to school for one more year. By the time he made it to the Jazz, he wasn’t nearly the explosive player he once was. Utah did give him 49 games to try to prove himself, but his NBA career never panned out.

So I recommend replacing Brown with Puerto Rico’s José Juan (J.J.) Barea. The undersized point guard used his tremendous grit and deep knowledge of the game to have a long, productive career with the Dallas Mavericks. I think he’s just the player Sloan would have loved.

Paul Millsap was one of Utah’s greatest draft picks of all time. Very few players taken this deep in the draft develop into four-time All-Stars. Unfortunately, Millsap made all those All-Star games after he left Utah and signed with Atlanta. He gave the Jazz seven very solid seasons, but when his contract expired, I felt like the team didn’t try very hard to keep him. Maybe his time in Utah would have been even better had he been encouraged to develop his 3-point shot earlier. Or if he wasn’t saddled alongside Al Jefferson right after he emerged from Boozer’s shadow. Regardless, the production he gave Utah was incredible, and there’s no way I’m recommending anyone else.

My advice:

1. Use the 14th pick on Ronnie Brewer.

2. Use the 46th pick on J.J. Barea.

3. Use the 47th pick on Paul Millsap.

This is the 12th draft I have redone for the Jazz. And it’s only the second time I’ve left the first-round pick as is. (Heck, if Dee Brown had been even slightly better, I might have even suggested no changes at all!) I know Ronnie Brewer wasn’t the best player available at that pick, but I think he was the best fit. And who knows what he could have developed into had he been able to stay and avoid injury.