The J-Notes
Fansided

Ranking the top 10 forwards in Utah Jazz history

By Nathan Smith

CHICAGO, UNITED STATES: Karl Malone (R) of the Utah Jazz battles for position with Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls 12 June during game five of the NBA Finals at the United Center in Chicago, IL. The Bulls lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES: Karl Malone (R) of the Utah Jazz battles for position with Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls 12 June during game five of the NBA Finals at the United Center in Chicago, IL. The Bulls lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 17: Paul Millsap #24 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball against the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center on November 17, 2012 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 17: Paul Millsap #24 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball against the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center on November 17, 2012 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

9. Paul Millsap

Career numbers: 12.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 540 GP, 2007 NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection. 

Paul Millsap has had a long, illustrious career in the NBA that started all the way back in 2007 with the Jazz, where he would mainly play a bench role behind Carlos Boozer, while still putting up solid numbers and helping rebuild this franchise after a slow start to the 2000’s. His best year came in 2010 where he would average a solid 17 and 10, showing flashes of the All-Star he would eventually become after he left the Utah Jazz for the Atlanta Hawks after an impressive seven years in Salt Lake City.

Millsap is yet another great example of how well the Jazz have drafted (although there has been some very bad misses), but another unfortunate example of how the team has struggled to keep players long term since the legendary run of Stockton and Malone. If he had of stayed longer in Utah, Millsap could have gone down as a top-three forward in franchise history, but as of right now, he was just a great player for this team, who ultimately left and went on to become an All-Star caliber player elsewhere.