Here are the ugly numbers in the small market Jazz trying to keep this team together…......

NOTE: Accoridng to a source I spoke with last night, the NBA salary cap is expected to be about $57.3M next season a drop from the $58.68 the NBA worked with this past season. Also, the luxury tax, where a team pays dollar for dollar the amount it is over will drop from $71.15M (61% of basketball related revenue) to around $70M accoridng to the source. Each team who does not go over the cap ($58.68M this past season), divdes the money over the luxury tax the big boys like New York, LA and Dallas are. It’s a Robin Hood type thing, where the Jazz annually get about $5M from their rich team freinds around the league. So not only do the Jazz not have to pay, they receive free money which a small market team needs and actually budgets for. That is why this team will never go over these numbers, it makes no finacial sense as a business to do so in the #32 media market in the country.

There are an estimated 10 NBA teams with salary cap numbers in excess of $71.15 million and are looking at luxury tax payments this season – New York ($95.9 million), Dallas ($93.2 million), Cleveland ($90.8 million), Portland ($79.1 million), Boston ($78.7 million), Lakers ($78.2 million), Phoenix ($75.1 million), Sacramento ($75.4 million), Toronto ($72.5 million) and Miami ($72.1 million). Based on 2009 salary cap obligations as many as 14 NBA teams could be facing tax next season, and that’s before any free agent business is done. This could turn out to be a very tough summer to be a free agent, and 2010 could be even worse if declines go as expected. Huge drops in the salary cap could motivate the upper echelon free agents to take contract extensions and extend the terms of their current deals rather than hit free agency and smaller possible deals.

With that as the back drop, here are the Jazz salaries for the 2009-2010 season:

ANDREI KIRILENKO: Salary goes up from $15.1M to $16.4M in 2009-10 and the last year in 2010-2011 goes to $17.8M
DERON WILLIAMS: Salary jummps from $5.1M to $13.8M in first year of three-year extension
CARLOS BOOZER: 2009-2010 salary was $11.6M and he can opt out as we all know. If he were to stay he would get $12.4M, he’s looking for $14-15M per.
MEMO: Last season Memo made $8.5M and he can opt out of the last year at $9M. He wants $10-12M.
MATT HARPRING: Owed $6.5M on last year of deal in 2009-2010.
KYLE KORVER: Can opt out or is owed $5.4M next season.
CJ MILES: Is owed $3.7M the next 2 seasons and then the Jazz have a 3.7M option on the 4th year of deal.
RONNIE BREWER: Owed $2.7M next season with a team option for $3.8 in 2010-2011, eligible to sign an extension this off-season like D-Will did last off-season.
KOSTA KOUFOS: $1.2M next season with team options of $1.3 and $2.2 and $3.2M after that.
PAUL MILLSAP: Made the lowest salary on the team last season $797,513. In line for a 5-year $30-35M deal on the open maket.
K-FEZ: Made $810,000 this past season, Jazz have a $870,000 option for next season.

 

FREE AGENTS

RONNIE PRICE
BREVIN KNIGHT
JARRON COLLINS
MORRIS ALMOND

BOTTOM LINE

SALARY COMMITED TO 2009-2010 WITH NO OPT OUTS: $77.8M
SALARY WITH PROJECTED RAISES: $83M
BOTTOM LINE: Jazz will have to cut around $20M from projcted payroll to say under cap, not just luxury tax…....

 

 

Let’s play the Jazz game of who’s staying and who’s going….......

 

STAYING

1. DERON WILLIAMS: The team’s $70M dollar man wants some say in who comes, who goes and who stays. He signed the short term 3-year deal so the clocking is ticking now.

2. ANDREI KIRILENKO: Unless Isiah Thomas resurfaces, the Jazz are stuck with the worst contract in the NBA. $15M for a moody underachiver with the mouthy wife.

3. CJ MILES: Jazz shouldn’t have matched OKC’s offer last off-season. Will make about $4M next season.

4. MATT HARPRING: Unless he retires and he should, Jazz are stuck with $6M for one more season of MASH unit Matt.

5. KOSTA KOUFOS: Entering second year of rookie deal and shows promise.

GONZO

1. CARLOS BOOZER: Mutual decesion. Jazz need the financial flexibilty, Pistons need a PF to replace Rasheed. Done and done.

2. RONNIE PRICE: Nice audtion late vs. Lakers for another team. proved he’s a #2 in last year’s playoffs but Jazz didn’t pay attention. His resentment towards orginization for that means he’ll be somewhere else next season.

3. BREVIN KNIGHT: If he comes back SLC will riot. Not a Derek Fisher type leader because he’s hardly ever been to the playoffs, let alone won a title. His shot makes Ronnie Brewer’s look like Kyle Korver’s.

4. K-FEZ: He’s had enough of Orem and the Jazz have had enough of him not taking the NBA seriously enough. At least we’ll always have the hair.

5. JERRON COLLINS: Proved in the Lakers series that the gravy train is over. They don’t have posse’s at Stanford so I’m sure he saved his “well earned” money.

6. MORRIS ALMOND: Jazz didn’t pick up his rookie year option of $1.15M and he’s anxious to show he’s not just a D-League phenom. Never got a real chance and the Jazz may regret letting him go if Korver opts out and leaves.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO NOW?

1. PAUL MILLSAP: Jazz want him back and he’ll go from lowest paid player on the team to 5-years and $30-35M. Should be back unless some team throws crazy money at him which could happen based on “the streak”.

2. MEMO: Likely to opt out and Jazz could use him as a sign and trade chip for a defensive minded big man. Can’t play the undersized Millsap and Memo together for long stretches defensively.

3. RONNIE BREWER: Brewer is a Sloan favorite, but what if Jerry isn’t around? Also is eligibale for an extension that the Jazz may or may not be able to afford given the other priorities this off-season. Could also be used in a trade to aquire a big man or a shooter if Korver and Memo leave.

4. JERRY SLOAN: Maybe his toughest season from a personal and professional stand point. Lost Larry Miller, his brother and former Bulls teammates Red Kerr and Norm Van Leir. Will decide in the next couple of weeks on the farm if he’s coming back for year #21.

5.  KYLE KORVER: Jazz fans not as in love as they were with dreamy Kyle last year. Can opt out but not sure if he can get more than the $6M he’s owed. he doesn’t let on how much he likes or doesn’t like playing in Utah. He does like the East though….....

 

CELEBS AT THE GAME INCLUDED WILL FERRALL, P DIDDY, JOHN McENROE, CHRIS BOSH, DUSTIN HOFFMAN, TOBEY McGUIRE, TOM ARNOLD & LEONARDO DICAPRIO.  JUST GOT A PIC OF FERRALL (above) AND PDIDDY (below).  PLUS A BONUS PIC OF ROSS SILERS RENTAL…JAZZ COLORED LINCOLN CONTINENTAL.

Here are my “Tweets” via Twitter.com/1280thezone.  You can also join my own personal Twitter at Twitter.com/kgraham1280.  Remember these are texts-hence the spelling! 

-KG @ Staples. Jackson says w/Walton out rotation will depend on who Jazz play. other ?‘s tryin to bait him to talk about Hou next rd. Didnt bite

-Sloan says anxious to see how competitive this team will be tonight. Memo is starting again. not sure on how will perform.

-LA crowd already belting out Utah Sucks chant as game starts. Celeb watch-John McEnroe in the house

-Memo back at least shooting wise. Jazz shooting 55% to LA 40%. Jazz Insider Ross Siler thought Den-NO score misprint. It’s not 113-55 Den

-End of 1 26-26. Sloppy qter. AK active 6pt 3st. Odom 7pt 4reb 2blk. LA w/6 TO’s. Kobe just 4pt 1-3FG. Jazz need to hang with bench in 2nd

-Why CJ Miles assigned to Kobe? Better yet why CJ even playing?! Or why did they match the OKC contract to begin with? Get him out of game!

-Celeb watch…P Diddy, Will Ferrell & Chris Bosh here. Also T-Buck of DNews wants to report that he talked to Jack. Says he’s a good guy.

-LA 56-43 half. 2nd qt not kind 2 Jazz again. outscored 30-17. Settling-missing jumpers. AK active 12pt. Booz just 4pt. Odom & Kobe 16pt.

-With LA up 67-48 it’s looking like everybody on the Jazz is going the selfish route trying to get there pts. It could get ugly

-It’s a beating 80-58 2:02 left 3. U know it’s bad when Price is actually going to play. Stats: LA Reb 38-25; FG LA 48.3%-38.2%; LA 8-16 3’s

-LA 82-63 end 3. Price came in w/4pts incl sky dunk off miss. In 2min played better than Knight most of yr. AK/DWill 14pt. Kobe 24; Odom 22

-Jazz fight back from 22 to 11 5:49 left. Price-Korv-Okur-Brew-Millsap on floor. At least these 5 showed some heart. DWill-Booz stay on bench

-Jazz cut lead to 6. Millsap showing why he wants to be starter next yr scoring 5 straight hoops-16pt. Brew going for boards. Impressive

-Jazz made it interesting but crumbled missing lay-ups; close jumpers; ran out of gas. Sloan shows frustration getting tossed.

-Jazz LR: Sloan says never had player play as hard in short amount time in Ronnie Price. Says shows mistake he made in not playing him b4

-Booz like to stay in Utah but will meet w/team-agent-fam. He’s gone. DWill says team tough dec ahead-thinks some things need to be changed

-Locker room cleanout at 12n. More on Monson & Graham 2p-6p 1280 The Zone. Good night from LA

MORE MANLAND 2009 HY-JINKS!

KELLY KAYE AND ARIANNA IN THE BULLFROG SPAS HOT TUB UNTIL AN UNWANTED VISITOR ARRIVES…....

JAKE PAYS UP IN KANGAROO COURT: LONDON IS THE ONE WHO LOSES THOUGH…...

HANS AND KEVIN ROCK IN ROCKBAND….....SO THEY THINK…

THE JOHN AND HANS BEST BUY TRIP FOR VEGAS NIGHT PRIZES…....

.........

Still more to come…......Stay tuned!

.........

 

THE LAKERS ACTUALLY UPGRADED MY SEAT FOR GAME TWO MOVING ME FROM THE RAFTERS TO MIDLEVEL.  THEN THE JAZZ PR STAFF (Thanks to Jonathan & Derek) UPGRADED ME AGAIN TO WHERE THE SLC MEDIA WAS SITTING.  IN ADDITION TO WATCHING (AND TWEETING) FROM THE GAME, KEVIN HAD TIME TO GET CELEB PICS AS HE PLAYED PAPARAZZI WITH HIS BLACKBERRY…THE ABOVE PIC IS THE VIEW FROM MY SEAT.

THIS IS THE VIEW OF THE LAKER GIRLS FROM MY SEAT!

THIS IS JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND JESSICA BIEL SITTING JUST IN FRONT OF ME.

THIS IS JUSTIN AND JESSICA KISSING IN FRONT OF ME AS THEY WERE PUT ON KISS CAM ON THE JUMBOTRON

THIS IS “E” FROM ENTOURAGE (very little guy) AND IN THE BLACK HAT IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU’LL NOTICE LEONARDO DICAPRIO

THIS ARNOLD’S WIFE AND FIRST LADY OF CALIFORNIA MARIA SHRIVER

HERE IS JACK (off the Jumbotron).  TONIGHT WAS HIS BIRTHDAY!

HERE ARE THE TOP MAN LAND 2009 VIDEOS SO FAR…........CHECK BACK OFTEN FOR UPDATES TO THE LIST:

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT MAN LAND

JAZZ G RONNIE BREWER AT MAN LAND

KELLY KAYE-ARIANNA SHOWER CONFESSIONALS

LAVELL’S FAVORITE HANS TRICK….....

ULTIMATE FIGHTER DEMARCUS JOHNSON MAKES HANS RETIRE

BRADLEY TAKES GUNTHER DOWN

HANS AND HIS BOYS OVERFLOW THE BULLFROG SPA

KEVIN’S VEGAS NIGHT TITLE SPEECH

TAYLOR GOES HIGH ADVENTURE

HANS SHOWS OFF HIS FOREHEAD SKIN

 

THIS IS MY SEAT WHERE I TWITTERED AWAY FOR THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS.  GREAT VANTAGE POINT EH?!

THIS IS FROM THE SEAT I MOVED TO IN THE STANDS DURING THE 4TH QUARTER AND THIS IS THE BACK OF KELSEY GRAMMAR’S HEAD!

THIS A PICTURE AFTER THE PRESS CONFERENCES OF DWILL, KOBE AND BOOZER TELLING JOKES!  I’m not kidding.  DWill went over to Kobe to say hello. Kobe then said he wanted Boozer to tell that joke he must have told at some point.  I get they were Olympic teamates but telling jokes to the dude that just kicked your butt after the game?!?!  This goes to that lack of nastiness Sloan referred to after the game. 

So Twitter is all the rage these days in the NBA and in life so I decided to buy in.  Here are the “Tweets” I sent out live from the Staples Center Sunday in the Jazz 113-100 loss.  If you want to get the texts via Twitter just click here to join the 1280TheZone group.  If you want to join just my twitter group exclusively click here (At games I usually tweet from the 1280 The Zone site).  Once again these are texts so don’t email me how I can’t spell!

-KG from jazz LR in LA. starters today: DWill-Brew-Collins-Korver-Booz. Okur inactive. CJ active
 
-per Ross Siler-Korvers start just 3rd in Jazz uniform

-KG from my seat @Staples. Min from tip. LA fans worse than Jazz fans on arriving on time! Jazz need strong start or it will be long day

-1 of keys: how jazz respond to adversity. Jazz attack early-then fall into shooting jumpers. LA hitting open 3’s off Jazz 2ble. On 12-4 run

-Booz-DWill 2 fouls. So much 4 composure-Sloan gets tech. Team forcing shots & taking bad jumpers. Bench has to provide spark or their toast

-Btw, LA up 17-10 5:28 left in 1st. Kobe 0 pts!
 
-Fans chant Utah sucks. Should b Jazz Def sucks. LA shoots 70.6% 1st qt. Jazz 39.1%. Down 30-19. so much 4 pressure all on LA. could get ugly
-Booz-DWill 2 fouls. So much 4 composure-Sloan gets tech. Team forcing shots & taking bad jumpers. Bench has to provide spark or their toast

-Knight 2 TO’s. Due to foul trouble & Okur out they go small & get torched down 39-23. So much 4 bench providing spark. This is a joke!

-Brew goes 0-3 1st & goes to bench 4:28 mark. Yet to return 6min left 2nd. Miles tho is 1-6 & stinking up place but stays in. don’t get it.

-btw Laker girls r overrated & this comes after spending a week in manland. What is wrong with me!?

-Sloan must be on twitter. Brewer returns right after i sent out that tweet!

-LA 62-40 @half. Jazz r who we thought they were…lack heart, energy, Def & body lang of players awful. This gm & most likely series over.

-Hear weather good in slc today. I would enjoy it if I were u. I know I would if I could. 90 & sunny here! I’ll keep u posted on 2nd half

-Jazz show pulse start 10-1 run. LA disinterested. As I stood outside LA locker rm at half-players came out laughing & joking. LA now engaged

-Jazz go from 22 down to 9 late 3rd. Playing better. Booz hitting shots. LA sloppy. DWill disappeard w/8pts-6 in 1st. LA will respond

-LA 86-73 after 3. Handed tick to sit in stands. Fig will exp 4th qt from that perspective. Will send tweets from the seat from cell.

-in stands now. Jazz going after boards. cant convert. fans kind of uneasy jazz hangin around

-in front of my sect near court is Kelsey Grammar w/young hot wife. would walk up but security guy there!

-wow. Ak pick pockets kobe drawing aahs from crowd & then throws it away on break. not his day

-Jazz down 106-97 1:58 left. get sense LA frustrated Jazz still hangin around. where was this effort in 1st half?!

-Kobe just dunks past Millsap. should be it up 109-98 just over 1min left. will tweet any news from Locker Rm

-sitting in podium rm waiting 4 Booz-Dwill. talked to Brew-Korv-Millsap in LR. negative is way started. Positive pointing to 2nd half play

-Just asked Kobe bout 2nd half-was it Jazz played well or LA let up…says combo both. Game became a muck-ugly

-Sloan said young players not nasty enuff. Dwill says they have it them but havent shown it

-my take…u r who u r. if u havent shown it to this point u dont have it. this team is soft. lacks heart

Best Buy provided great prizes and Kelly Kaye and Ariana provided the great sights at Best Buy Vegas night at Man Land! Click on the pics to see em’ better…..