Will the Jazz ever win again?

This is the second time I have used this title for a post. The Jazz have yet to win during the Tyrone Corbin era.

I wanted to give myself some time to digest the Jerry Sloan resignation before putting my thoughts into the Sport Continuum. Verily, on Wednesday morning, yesterday, I felt ready to post my thoughts. Around 9:30 AM that all changed when I received an alert from ESPN that Deron Williams was to be traded to the New Jersey Nets. This, of course, came as a shock and sent the ever-stable Jazz franchise to the uncharted waters of instability.

So, what now Jazz fans?

Derrick Favors and Devin Harris plus draft picks and cash for Deron Williams. Good trade? For me, an answer cannot be given to this question without a host of 'ifs'. IF Deron Williams was going to leave after next year rather than extend with the Jazz, then Jazz management made a good move in that what they received in return was of high value. IF Deron was going to walk AND there is going to be a owner-imposed lockout (possibly losing a whole season), the Jazz front office made a very good move that would ensure that when a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was instilled, the franchise would not have to essentially start from scratch. IF in the new CBA a so-called "franchise-tag" was included, giving the Jazz the ability to keep Deron, regardless of his contract expiring, then the move can be questioned. Then again, IF Deron was bent on leaving the Jazz, a franchise tag being placed on him may turn into a negative as he uses every method at his disposal to force a trade. I personally do not think Deron is that type of player and would, regardless of his happiness with staying in Utah, play hard. IF Deron would have signed a contract extension with the Jazz after next season (or even this season), then the trade was the worst move in franchise history.

Greg Miller, CEO of the Utah Jazz, explained that he had a "gut feeling" that Deron was not going to re-sign. Now, I do not believe that the move was made solely on a feeling but in concert with solid evidence. Deron has been noticeably more frustrated this season. His body language on and off the court has indicated as much. Also, the very fact that Deron's name would come up over the all-star break in connection with the Knicks and the 2012 season is not a good thing, regardless of even the smallest speck of veracity. The general instability of the Jazz this season. Deron's discontent with the process of inculcating the new guys. His lamenting of the inability of the Jazz to attract big name free agents. The current fad of all of the 2008 olympians trying to re-create the happy days in Beijing. Finally, and probably most importantly, Deron not giving a commitment or indication that he would re-sign with the Jazz. All of these things add up and the writing on the wall seems to be that after the next year Deron Williams would look to take his services elsewhere.

Personally, I have had the feeling that Deron would not extend. Therefore, I support the trade. The Jazz extracted as much value as they could from their star player. Essentially, they avoided the route taken by Cleveland and Toronto that leads to a dead end and then a pit.

To my knowledge, no one has any clue what the new CBA will look like. The Jazz could not afford to just hope that after the dust clears from the CBA talks, they would be able to retain their superstar. That would be a foolish business decision.

All things constant, the Jazz will probably never be able to attract big-time free agents. Their best work has been done in the draft and getting to most out of their players. Carlos Boozer, Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and even Mehmet Okur all became all-stars in Utah. Paul Millsap, a second-round pick, has become a solid player. The Jazz have done well for the most part. (Of course, the constant through all of that was hall of famer Jerry Sloan.) In Favors as well as the first round picks they received in the trade, the Jazz have a chance to do some reloading of talent.

The Jazz have put themselves in a position that is a break from 25+ years of Utah Jazz protocol. At this point there is no way to determine if the boat will rock in their favor or to their detriment. For a franchise that has largely depended on its stability for success, they have put themselves in a very unstable position.

However, at least they aren't Cleveland or Toronto.