So tomorrow you can head on down to the ESA and catch the NBA draft while chowing on some free hot dogs and drinks.  It’s also a much better environment to watch the draft.  So when the Jazz select Kyrylo Fesenko, you can hear the collective moan and whats? of other Jazz fans.  That’s what makes the draft so great.  You don’t know whether you’re going to be getting another Millsap or the next Jose Ortiz (who actually has had a long career playing in Europe and for the Puerto Rican national team that beat Team USA in 2004).  What it looks like the Jazz won’t be getting is the #5 pick from Boston.   Ainge has stated they’re not likely to trade the pick.  And if they did, it would probably be part of a trade that would land them Garnett or Marion. 

This also means that it looks like AK is staying for now.  I still like AK and think he’s a big part of this team.  But it’s going to be on the defensive end mainly unless the Jazz go with the game plan they had with Golden State in the playoffs.  He was effective there a a slasher and scorer.  But with Utah’s day-to-day system, he’s still going to be the fourth option.  I’d love to see him get a lot of put backs, but he’s needed on the defensive end there.  His offensive role could be limited even more if the Jazz acquire a reliable shooting guard.  I also just bought my boy an AK jersey last year that he wore once.  So I’d like for AK to stay so I could get a better return on my investment.  Shouldn’t there be a law that the team has to replace jerseys with another one if the player is traded within a year of purchase?  I would like some assurance on future purchases.

So with the 25th pick in the 2007 NBA draft, the Utah Jazz select, Marco Belinelli.  Belinelli gives the Jazz the shooting guard who can nail threes consistently and is athletic enough to run and slash.  He seems to be the most polished of the Euro guards and should be able to contribute immediately.  There’s some question on his contract, but it’s expected that he’ll be able to buy out of that.  Now if the Jazz could replace Collins with a tree stump, we’d be set.

Bonus:  The top ten draft outfits [video].   Three former Jazz men, Thurl Bailey, Kelly Tripucka, and of course, Karl Malone.