Raja Rings the Bell Back in Utah

The last time that Raja Bell played in a Jazz uniform, Raul Lopez was proving to all of us he was just another Spanish guy and Carlos Boozer missed the first of many games in his career here in Utah.

In fact, as of April 1, 2005, this was the roster here below.

NO. PLAYER                      POS   HT   WT  YRS      DOB  FROM   
==  ======                      ===   ==   ==  ===      ===  ====   
2  Randy Livingston             G   6-4  210   8    4/2/75  LSU
3  Kirk Snyder                  G   6-6  225   R    6/5/83  Nevada
5 I-Carlos Boozer               F   6-8  258   2  11/20/81  Duke
6  Howard Eisley                G   6-2  185  10   12/4/72  Boston College
10  Gordan Giricek               G   6-5  210   1   6/20/77  Croatia
13  Mehmet Okur                  F   6-11 249   1   5/26/79  Turkey
15  Matt Harpring                F   6-7  231   5   5/31/76  Georgia Tech
19  Raja Bell                    G   6-5  210   3   9/19/76  Fla. International
22  Curtis Borchardt             C   6-11 238   1   9/13/80  Stanford
24 I-Raul Lopez                  G   6-0  175   1   4/15/80  Spain
25  Keith McLeod                 G   6-2  190   1   11/5/79  Bowling Green
31  Jarron Collins               C   6-11 252   2   12/2/78  Stanford
43  Kris Humphries               F   6-9  235   R    2/6/85  Minnesota
44  Ben Handlogten               F   6-10 240   1  11/16/73  Western Michigan
47 I-Andrei Kirilenko            F   6-9  205   2   2/18/81  Russia

I- Injured List

Coach: Jerry Sloan

I wonder what Keith McLeod and Ben Handlogten are up to. I would like to think they are somewhere on a cruise ship with Adam Keefe and David Benoit just livin' the dream. In all seriousness, though, I am not sure if this is the best move the Jazz could have made, but it is a good move.

After canceling on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, Bell agreed to a 3-year deal worth around $10 million with the Jazz. It looks like Wesley Matthews' offer from the Blazers, a five-year $34 million offer, will not be met by the Utah Jazz, barring Bell passing his physical.

Bell in his two seasons for the Jazz averaged about 12 points a game and almost 40% from downtown. In his last full season of play (2008-09), he averaged 13 points a game for Charlotte and just under 10 for Phoenix after being moved there in that same year. Matthews only averaged 9.4 points in his one season in Utah, however, he's still young and can only get better.

Of course, Bell who is almost 34, isn't going to be asked to do everything, but one thing I believe that has been missing from this team since the run of 2006-07 is the veteran leadership role, which Bell can fill. Yes, Derron Williams can be this guy. No question about it, but can he do it alone? Well, no, and that's why Bell was brought in. That and the Jazz needed a less expensive alternative.

Then, of course, there is also the acquisition of Al Jefferson. Jefferson averaged over 17 points a game for the Timberwolves last season along with 8 boards a game. He seems to not only be happy to be here in Utah, but to actually be playing with a playoff team. Even without his services, the Jazz were at least an 8th seed in the West.

You then have to consider what is going to happen to Paul Millsap? Millsap signed a 4-year roughly $32 million dollar deal last year that starts this year. Could they possibly trade Paul? The answer to that is yes, but all indications right now point towards no.

You also have to consider Mehmet Okur? Okur is coming off of a ruptured Achilles tendon injury that at his age may not make him as productive as he was. Now, it is possible that he comes back to play and is fine, but he isn't nearly as athletic, as say, Vinny Testaverde after he ruptured his in 1999.

It is looking more and more like the starting five for the Utah Jazz could be Deron Williams at the point, Raja Bell or CJ Miles at shooting guard, Andre Kirilenko at the small forward, Paul Millsap at power forward, and Al Jefferson at center. Of course, this is all speculation at this point by me. Although, don't be surprised if any of these moves actually happen.

While I am sure that the Jazz will be competitive, the real question remains that with these moves, does it just set them up for another early exit from the playoffs? Depending on what seed they get in the playoffs, the Jazz could end up in the conference finals. It is also possible they could end up tanking it as well. Only time will tell.

It really could be worse, we could be talking about Gordan Giricek, Raul Lopez, Howard Eisley, and Ben Handlogten starting for the Jazz.