Jimbo’s Mailbag – Does Shelvin Mack Make the Jazz a Contender?

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Q: Does the addition of Shelvin Mack make the Jazz instant contenders? Also, what does the other half of your face look like?

@JazzManZach

GREAT questions!

I was a little surprised that the Jazz traded for Shelvin Mack. In some ways you could argue that the Jazz already had Shelvin Mack in Erick Green. In other ways you could argue that by acquiring Shelvin Mack, Hayward’s former teammate at Butler and good friend, the Jazz are simply trying to give Hayward a reason to re-sign with the Jazz once his max contract is up. In more ways you could argue that none of this really matters since we’re all just floating in space on a giant blue ball of mostly water.

To answer your question though, I absolutely think that by adding Mack the Jazz transformed themselves into the favorite in the Western Conference. Think about it—Mack plays point guard, just like Stephen Curry does. What more is there? Sure, he doesn’t shoot quite as well, but what he lacks in shooting he MORE than makes up for in a cool last name.

As for your other question, I assume you are referring to my profile pic on www.twitter.com? That photo was taken in Pig Turd Alley, which is the name of one of my bathrooms. I call that piece, “Selfie Gone Wrong.” And the reason you only see half of my face is because the other half was horribly burned in a Hot Pocket accident and I’m VERY self-conscious.

Q: Trade deadline came and went like a Taco Time burrito. Who was the best player traded you wish the Jazz could’ve picked up?

@JimmerFrodette

Definitely NOT Jim Les, I’ll tell you that much. He was the worst.

The trade deadline DID come and go just like you said. I was uncomfortable and sweaty and a little unsatisfied at the end. It was a hot and wild ride while it lasted though, wasn’t it?

The thing I don’t love about the trade deadline is that it’s the same almost every year. You sit around hoping the Jazz make a trade that will make the team better and they one of five things:

1. The don’t make a trade (see most years).
2. They trade a player for a future draft pick (see Ronnie Brewer).
3. They trade a player for future draft picks and another player that they plan on waiving (see Enes Kanter).
4. They trade a good player for a couple of old players who were once good, or young players who they hope someday will be good (see D-Will).
5. They trade an average player for a player that comes in and helps the team immediately (see Kyle Korver).

The first four can be pretty demoralizing and the fifth one happens maybe once every decade. But as fans, there’s always that hope in the back of our minds that the Jazz will make a crazy-good deal that will catapult us to the top. It’s like on Christmas Eve when you KNOW you shouldn’t get your hopes up for Reebok Pumps, but you still allow yourself to imagine how cool it would be to finally have shoes that will give you the ability to dunk. Then, Christmas morning comes and you find out that instead of Reebok Pumps you got a bunch of new socks and a Skip-It.

Once the deadline comes and goes and the excitement wears off, it’s hard when you realize that you won’t be able to get excited for trades again until the end of the season. I guess I should just get over it. I’ve just always been a glass half empty kind of guy, but that’s mostly because I only own giant glasses.

Your second question is more difficult. I like Tobias Harris and I REALLY like Donatas Motiejunasusassauus’ game. But as far as who I would’ve liked for the Jazz, I’d have to say Courtney Lee. Lee is a pretty good shooter and an above-average wing defender and that is exactly what the Jazz need right now. However, you have to take into account that I don’t know how stats work and I don’t know that much about basketball.

Q: Can you believe Trey Burke’s folks? What’s with parents hoping their kids thrive in their career? The nerve!

@the6bees

I get the sarcasm in your question, but I can also understand the reasoning behind wanting his parents to stay out of it too. It’s hard for me to take a side in this thing because venting and messing with people on Twitter is kinda my thing, you know?

I guess if I had a job that was seen by the general public, I would probably prefer my parents not publicly ridicule my employer for their decision-making. I mean, I HAVE had my mother negotiate every single one of my raises so far and even though things got extremely embarrassing at times, it all worked out in the end. That hasn’t happened for months though. I’m a big boy now. I can take care of myself.

I understand the Burke’seses’ wanting the best for their kids and I’m sure it’s been hard for them to see him go from a promising starter to a backup playing behind a rookie. Especially after such a dominant college career. But I’m guessing it would be in everyone’s best interest going forward if opinions weren’t shared.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s just a crappy situation. Twenty years from now, IF people even remember Trey Burke it’ll be in a funny sort of “Remember before we won all those championships and we were fretting over Trey Burke and his parents on Twitter?” Then we’d laugh and laugh and laugh while we just stared at all those championship banners in the rafters.

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Thanks for the questions, you guys! Remember, stop keeping Jimbo’s Mailbag to yourselves! Tell your boss and coworkers about it so that they can also enjoy it too. Tell them while eating a giant handful of saltines. Make it weird.