Saturday night I saw my good friend Ben at the Utah Arts Festival. It was a lovely gathering of expensive art, loud music and stinky hippies. Tons of fun. Of course, instead of talking art, Ben and I jumped right into talk of the draft… he was pimping the pickup of Morris Almond. Almond is a nice player, but I just feel that the Jazz are going to try to move AK, and I told Ben that the Jazz should look to Boston to make a deal for the 5th pick.

And then we get this today from the Deseret News.

HE WROTE IT: Peter May, in Sunday’s Boston Globe: “There is someone out there the Celtics might be able to obtain, a former All-Star who would give them a dimension they don’t have and might not have any objection (like Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett) to playing in Boston: Andrei Kirilenko of the Jazz.
“He was an All-Star in 2004. He would give the Celtics something they lack — a defensive presence and shot-blocker — and you’d have to think the Jazz would at least entertain a proposal in which Boston surrendered the fifth pick (Thursday), Theo Ratliff and his wonderful, expiring contract, and a couple young-uns. Boston might have to take back a bad contract (Matt Harpring or Derek Fisher) to make it balance, but not necessarily.
“If the Celtics sent Gerald Green, (Delonte) West, the fifth pick, and Ratliff for Kirilenko and (Utah’s) 25th pick, it’d work. You could also insert (Al) Jefferson and (Sebastian) Telfair into the mix instead of Green and West, but … I’d think long and hard about dealing Jefferson.
“Why would Utah do it? Well, for starters, the Jazz would be happy to get rid of the Kirilenko contract … There seems to be some concern as to whether Kirilenko and (coach Jerry) Sloan can coexist. Utah also has to re-sign Deron Williams in the next year or two and, given the way he’s going, he’s going to demand big bucks.
“The Celtics would be absorbing a big contract, but not nearly as big as Garnett’s or (Jermaine) O’Neal’s. They’d also avoid having to re-sign a pair of their kids, which would account for untold millions … Once they make that trade, I would do what I could to turn the 25th pick into former Boston College center Sean Williams (by moving up via another trade). With him and Kirilenko on board, the Celtics could amp up their defense considerably and not lose a whole lot of offense. And with Kirilenko in the East, he could be an All-Star once again.”

Are you kidding me? If the Jazz could make that deal they have to jump on it. The 5th pick could be huge. I personally think that Corey Brewer has the type of game and game time experience to step in and play meaningful minutes for the Jazz right away. Delonte West is a great combo guard that can hit the three and lock up the opposing point guard, Gerald Green is an incredible athlete that can be the finisher on the break that the Jazz lack and has shown the ability to hit the three. Not to mention that Theo Ratliff has declared that he will be healthy next year. If he can even give the Jazz 15 minutes a night of solid defense in the post, the Jazz would fill all of their gaps in one move and save a load of cash next year.

Kevin O’Conner, if this deal is on the table take it. Don’t hesitate, fill out the papers and make a move.

—

Of course, I would still be stoked if the Jazz could somehow pull off a trade for Rashard Lewis.

That trade would be unbelievable, not only for the Jazz but for the Sonics. With a core of AK, Kevin Durant and Ray Allen, to go along with a bunch of other talented young players, the Sonics would be in the playoff hunt immediately and in title contention within a couple of years.

But it is for the Jazz that I cheer for, and in that regard this trade is remarkable.

Think about it. Boozer down low with your other front-line players… Memo and Lewis on the wings. D-Will can break down any defender to get to the hole and Brewer could be the slasher on offense. That is a perfect half-court offensive team. Furthermore, that is an incredibly long-athletic team.

Williams 6′3″
Brewer 6′8″
Lewis 6′10″
Boozer 6′9″ - (but plays much bigger as we know)
Memo 6′11″

Then with Millsap, Harpring and Fisher coming off the bench, the Jazz would simply tear down the opposition. Add in Araujo with those three and the Jazz bench would just beat up the opposition.

I can’t keep writing, I am too excited just thinking about it.