Al Jefferson Goes All That Jazz
Bad news for the Minnesota fans; Al Jefferson is excited for his trade by the Minnesota Timberwolves. After capturing 15 wins in previous season, he cannot hide his gratitude for moving to Utah Jazz. If Jefferson would have stuck up with the Timberwolves, his glorious past season would have been no more than a rebuilding session.
“Minnesota Timberwolves has some nice guys one would look up to. They play fairly well. But they need time to have continuous wins. Minneapolis is my second home. I am really thankful to the fans, whose ardent support helped me reach this place... but not everyone knows the wolves. When I told people I played for T’wolves - many of them did not even know there existed any such team.” He went on to add, “Utah Jazz is not a small name. Everyone knows the team and all its Jazz. It’s just like moving from a Toyota to a Bentley. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
Jefferson was traded to Jazz for Kosta Koufos. The shift helped Jazz find a hefty swap for Carlos Boozer, the power forward. Boozer had recently moved to Chicago Bulls via a free agency. The replacement alleviated Al Jefferson by stepping him up to the playoff team with Deron Williams, an All-Star point guard.
The T’wolves had many hopes from Jefferson. They regarded him as their future star and the hub of their reforming efforts. Minnesota Timberwolves had acquired the remarkable player before 2007-2008 season started by transferring Kevin Garnett to Boston Celtics. Jefferson fulfilled the team’s expectations and gave 11.1 rebounds with an average of 21.1 points. The second season brought along noticeable improvements - Jefferson had 11 boards in 50 games and an average of 23.1, but alas, he injured his anterior cruciate ligament. Jefferson’s damaged knee required immediate medical treatment, and, it could be easily guessed that he had a few days left in T’wolves. This was particularly true when David Kahn became the Minnesota T’wolves General Manager in the mid 2009.
Jefferson struggled desperately to find a cosy place in Kurt Rambis triangle offense, who was the new coach then. His knee injury had not properly healed but somehow he managed to score an average of 17.1 with 9.3 rebounds for last season. Now, after the swap, he wants to reward Jazz for putting faith in a half-recovered Jefferson.
“Players with any sort of injury should consider more than training camps. Getting back to the game and getting noticed requires a lot of hard work,” says Jefferson. He added, “Utah only chose me because they believed I was fit. I proved myself that I am ready for the game. My injury has helped me take my performance to the next level.”
Jefferson is also eyed by the Dallas Mavericks but he prefers sticking with Utah. He believes that Williams is the best point guard of the game. “Deron told me that he was going to make me an All-Star,” says the excited player. “It was the best thing I had heard in a long time. It means a lot to me. In fact, it is a blessing for me. Williams is an outmatched point guard in the game and an All-Star. He’s going to stick here, and I just want to make sure that I am ready before I move to All-Star.”
Jefferson’s swap, Carlos Boozer was a regular contributor to the Jazz. Although he suffered many injuries, Boozer gave 11.2 rebounds last season and averaged 19.5 points. On the other hand, Jefferson’s knee is close to full recovery and he claims to deliver similar results.
Al Jefferson clarifies that he has no intents to replace his Jazz trade. But he admits having his eyes on taking over the Jazz’s most popular legacy of all times, Karl Malone. However, Malone was not fortunate to end his career with a title. Jefferson wishes otherwise. He desires to grow old with Deron and enjoy a title at the end of his career. The rising star says, “I mean no disrespect to Malone or Stockton. I think that I and Deron make a better duo and can win the trophy. I really wish my dream comes true.”
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