Posted by djsunyc:

Jazz audition shooting guards
posted: Thursday, May 18, 2006 | Feedback

The Utah Jazz barely missed the playoffs this season. With a healthy Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer, combined with a more experienced Deron Williams running the point, the Jazz should be able take the next step into the playoffs next year.

It's no secret that the Jazz need to add a two-guard to the mix, and they did little to hide it in their first series of draft workouts on Tuesday.

Michigan State's Maurice Ager, Temple's Mardy Collins, Arizona's Hassan Adams and Cincinnati's James White were in Salt Lake City auditioning for the Jazz's open two spot.

A spy inside the gym breaks down how they did:

Ager: He showed that he had deep range on his jumper -- "he shoots it easy from NBA range." He also showed excellent speed in the open court and good athleticism. Most importantly, he showed great intensity, and the team thought he was a great kid.

However, that's where the praise ends. The source said Ager was a little stiff, struggled handling the ball, had short arms and wasn't as quick as they thought.

Collins: The spy thought that Collins, more than any of the other players in the gym, showed a great feel for the game -- "he understands angles and knows how to get to the basket." Collins measured even bigger and longer than the team thought.

The knock on Collins is no real surprise. He struggled shooting and isn't nearly the athlete that Ager, Adams and White are.

Adams: He showed his trademark athletic explosiveness and toughness in the workout. But the spy said that they were fairly disappointed with his overall feel for the game. Adams also struggled shooting the ball ... something he struggled with all year.

White: He might be one of the real sleepers in the draft. White has knockout athleticism and has developed a great feel for the game on the defensive end. He also improved his shot, which showed in his workout with Utah. Though he doesn't have the stroke of Ager, he knocked down more jumpers than he missed.

White's ability to slash to the basket and play defense could be an attractive fit for the Jazz -- in the second round.

Of course, this was just the first series of workouts to be conducted by the Jazz.

In late May, two of the best two guards in the draft, J.J. Redick and Randy Foye, will work out for the Jazz. The Jazz are hoping one of the two falls to them at No. 14.

Foye is a better fit because of his athleticism and his ability to slash to the basket.

However, the word is that he'll measure a bit shorter than 6-4 (his listed height at Villanova). I've been hearing he'll be a little under or a little over 6-3 in shoes.

That said, Minnesota and Golden State have a lot of interest in Foye and could grab him before the Jazz pick.

Redick is more likely to be there when the Jazz pick, though Orlando is showing significant interest in him.

The problem is that Redick isn't the ideal pick for the Jazz. The Jazz need a two-guard who can penetrate and defend. Redick's specialty is shooting. Still, we hear that owner Larry Miller is a big fan.

The other top two-guard in the draft, Brandon Roy, won't work out for the Jazz, we've been told, assuming the Jazz don't move up in the lottery. At the moment it appears that Roy is planning on limiting his workouts to the top five teams in the draft.

If Foye, Redick and Roy are off the board, the Jazz might decide between Ager, Collins, Michigan State's Shannon Brown or Rutgers' Quincy Douby. Both may actually have more upside than Ager or Collins.

Or they could choose to go big. With Greg Ostertag retiring, they need a defense-minded big man who can rebound and back up Mehmet Okur.

Two big guys have caught their eye -- Patrick O'Bryant and Hilton Armstrong. Both will be in Salt Lake City to work out this month.