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0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 28, 2007 | by Tim Buckley Deseret Morning News

MORRIS ALMOND

Shooting guard

6-6, 225

22 years old

Prior NBA Experience: None. From: Rice. Acquired: First-round draft pick.

UPSIDE: The senior from Rice was billed as one of the top two pure shooters in the 2007 NBA Draft, along with Italian Marco Belinelli, and so far Almond is living up to the billing. He has a picture-perfect shot, and -- rookie nerves aside -- it seems to fall with relative ease. He's a solid catch-and-shoot type, too, which fits well in a Jazz offense designed to feed shooting guards coming off screens. Having played four seasons in college, Almond might also be more NBA-ready than many younger draft picks. He's also smart and seemingly coachable.

DOWN: As much as the Jazz need solid shot-making from the 2- spot, shooting alone isn't a guarantee for big-time minutes. For that, Conference USA's 2006 Player of the Year must show he's not too slow to defend at the NBA level -- one reason he didn't go higher in the draft -- and that he can stay in front of his man. Confidence also is bound to be an issue, as it seems to be for so many Jazz rookies. Though he averaged 26.4 points per game and hit 45.6 percent from 3-point range as a college senior, the draft's No. 25 overall pick may be integrated slowly into the Jazz's regular rotation.

CARLOS BOOZER

Power Forward

6-9, 266

25 years old

Prior NBA Experience: 5 years. Other NBA Team: Cleveland. From: Duke. Acquired: Free agency.

UPSIDE: A first-time NBA All-Star last season who hopes to play in next year's Summer Olympics in China, Boozer was a 20.9-point, 11.7-rebound double-double man in 2006-07 -- his second double- double season in the last five years. The starting power forward can score from just about anywhere down low, and with either hand, though he prefers his left. A career 15.8 points-per-game scorer, Boozer has established himself as a bona fide go-to guy who also has a nice short-distance fadeaway jumper.

DOWN: Boozer missed 80 games during his first two seasons in Utah due to foot and hamstring issues -- and another eight last season, plus the All-Star Game, with a fractured fibula head in his left knee. This season's question will be where his head is, since young son Carmani is fighting sickle cell anemia back home in Miami. He missed the first two weeks of training camp/preseason as a result. On the floor, opponents think Boozer coasts on defense -- and aren't afraid to go at him.

RONNIE BREWER

Shooting Guard/Small forward

6-7, 218

22 years old

Prior NBA Experience: 1 year. From: University of Arkansas. Acquired: First-round draft pick.

UPSIDE: Brewer is in much better shape and oozes much more confidence than he did during his rookie season. NBA retiree Ron Brewer's super-athletic son runs the floor well, can slash (he likes to go to his left) and gets on top of the basket at will. Quickness and long arms also make him a deflection/steals threat on the other end of the floor. If he continues to improve his defense, the 2006 lottery pick could wind up being Utah's starting shooting guard throughout the season.

DOWN: Playing regularly and establishing some rhythm could help matters, but Brewer struggled with his outside shooting as a rookie. He has a terrifically awkward release, the result of a freak childhood waterslide accident that resulted in a broken arm. Even if he does start as expected, it's defense that will determine if the ex-Razorback is on the floor at the end of games -- and Brewer still struggles some when it comes to keeping quicker shooting guards in front of him.

JARRON COLLINS

Center

6-11, 248

28 years old

Prior NBA Experience: 6 years. Other NBA Teams: None. From: Stanford. Acquired: Second-round draft pick.

UPSIDE: What Collins lacks in athleticism he makes up for with plenty of professionalism and smarts. After six seasons in Utah, he understands coach Jerry Sloan's system inside and out, and runs it accordingly. He sets solid picks, and can shoot off of them up to about 15 feet. A sneaky flopper on defense, too. His effort is also consistent, making Collins -- who didn't miss a game last season -- quite capable of handling the 10-to-12 minutes he'll likely log behind All-Star center Mehmet Okur.

DOWN: Minutes were down from a career-high 21.9 per game in 2005- 06 to just 11.1 last season, evidence that the continuing presence of big men Okur, Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap makes it unnecessary to overextend Collins. With limited hops, he has virtually no shot- blocking ability -- recording just eight swats, in fact, in 82 games last season. Collins also has had a slow start in this year's preseason, though he will still play ahead of rookie No. 3 center Kyrylo Fesenko.

KYRYLO FESENKO

Center

7-1, 288

20 years old

Prior NBA Experience: None. From: Ukraine. Acquired: Second- round draft pick via trade.

UPSIDE: With a 7-foot-4 wingspan and 9-4 standing reach, Fesenko has a decent NBA frame -- and, at age 20, should have plenty time to develop it. He can finish down low, and gets to the basket on the dribble fairly well. He's a banger, fights for rebounds and plays with a sense of toughness and physicality the Jazz seem to be sorely lacking among their bigs. He seems to have a good attitude, and with some time to grow his game -- probably including stints this season with the D-League's Utah Flash -- could grow into a steal at No. 38 overall in the 2006 draft's second round.