I don’t see the Jazz doing anything major this summer. Wesley Matthews and Kyrylo Fesenko are restricted free agents that the Jazz would like to keep. I see the biggest needs for the Jazz coming into free agency being needs for a backup shooting guard and a backup center. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Brad Miller seem like good fits at center to back up Mehmet Okur who is coming off major surgery. I also like guards like Tony Allen, Flip Murray and Roger Mason thinking any of them would be a good fit on the Jazz. It appears as if Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver will both price themselves out of the range of the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz have extended qualifying offers to 23-year old shooting guard Wes Matthews and 23-year old center Kyrylo Fesenko. This gives the Jazz the right to match any offer either of them get. Matthews played in 82 games (48 starts) for the Jazz last season as a undrafted free agent and he averaged 24.7 minutes, 9.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Fesenko played in 49 games (5 starts) for the Jazz last year and he averaged 8.3 minutes, 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. He has played in 79 games (6 starts) in his three years with the Jazz and he has averaged 8.0 minutes, 2.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Matthews is the higher priority for the Jazz but they would like to keep both of these players.

The Jazz have picked 22-year old forward Jeremy Evans with the 55th overall pick of the NBA Draft. Evans played in 34 games for Western Kentucky last season and he averaged 10.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game. He played in 134 games in college in which he averaged 7.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.7 blocked shots per game. Evans’ defense might earn him some P.T. off the bench for the Jazz next season.

The Jazz have picked 20-year old small forward Gordon Hayward with the 9th overall pick of the NBA Draft. Hayward played in 37 games (all starts) at Butler last season and he averaged 15.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He played in 69 games (all starts) in his two years with Butler and he averaged 14.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Hayward will likely be coming off the bench as a rookie with the idea that he could fill Kyle Korver’s shoes as instant offense off the bench.

The Jazz will let Carlos Boozer walk this summer as he is going to get a big offer from some team. Kyle Korver is a player I’m sure that the Jazz would like to bring back but he’s not going to be cheap. The toughest guy to re-sign is likely going to be 2nd year shooting guard Wes Matthews who had a solid rookie year. He is a restricted free agent and the Jazz will likely match any offer he gets as long as no one goes too crazy. Kyrylo Fesenko is also a restricted free agent and the Jazz would likely want him back as long as the price is reasonable.

Deron Williams had the best first round out of pretty much any player in the playoffs, but in the second round the Los Angeles Lakers have been able to slow him down and that is why the Utah Jazz are down 2-0 so far.  Williams is shooting just 36% from the field and averaging 19.5 points and 8.5 assists in two games against the Lakers.  In the first round he was on fire, shooting 49% from the field and 48% from three, on his way to averaging 25.8 points and 11.3 assists.  Williams had a decent outing in game one, but they needed more than 24 points and 8 assists from him.  He only 15 points in game two, so Williams has to step it up and try and get back in the groove he was in during their first round series against the Nuggets.  The Lakers are much better defensive team than the Nuggets though, and the Lakers size has been making it much more difficult for Williams and the rest of the Jazz to finish in the paint.  The Jazz are going to need Williams to put up some monster numbers if they want a chance in this series, because if he keeps playing like this they will get swept.

Starting center Mehmet Okur will miss the rest of the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. He will miss the next 6-9 months after he decides to have surgery which could put him out o action until next Christmas. Okur played in 11 minutes in the first game of the playoff series against the Nuggets and he finished up with 7 points and 2 rebounds. Losing Okur is a big blow to the Jazz as either Kyrylo Fesenko or Kosta Koufos will start at center for the rest of the year. More than likely though the Jazz will go with a small lineup most of the time with Paul Millsap and Carlos Boozer on the court at the same time.

Starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko will miss at least the next two weeks as he aggravated his strained calf during practice. Kirilenko has played in 58 games (35 starts) this season for the Jazz in which he averaged 29.0 minutes, 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocked shots per game. The Jazz will really miss AK-47 as he was going to unleash his really good D on Carmelo Anthony. That job will now fall to C.J. Miles. Miles played in 63 games (28 starts) this season for the Jazz and he averaged 23.8 minutes, 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Starting power forward Carlos Boozer will be a game time decision for Game #1 of the playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a oblique injury. Boozer has played in 78 games (all starts) for the Jazz this season and he has averaged 34.3 minutes, 19.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. If Boozer can’t go the Jazz will turn to Paul Millsap who is a outstanding player in his own right. Millsap played in 82 games (8 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 27.8 minutes, 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game. Millsap will do a good job if needed to start but the Jazz would be better off having both Boozer & Millsap tomorrow against the Nuggets.

Paul Millsap has been stepping it up lately for the Utah Jazz, especially on the glass.  Millsap has been a rebounding machine recently, and he proved that last night when he pulled down 24 rebounds in a win against the Golden State Warriors.  He also had 10 points and 3 assists.  Millsap has been playing great over the past seven games, averaging 13.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.6 steals.  Millsap definitely has the ability to be a starter in this league, but the Jazz have an All-Star in Carlos Boozer in front of him, so he is one of the top front-court bench players in the league.  Boozer may be gone after this year though, so Millsap may be the starter next season for the Jazz.  Either way, Millsap has been a great asset for the Utah Jazz in his young career.  With his strength inside and his knack for the ball, Millsap will be a very valuable asset for the Jazz in the playoffs.