You may have heard by now, but Eric Maynor is now a Thunder man.---

 

On Tuesday the Jazz traded Eric Maynor and the contract to Matt Harpring for the rights to Peter Fehse. Fehse has never played in the NBA and is currently playing in Germany.

 

So what does this mean for the Jazz? The team is left with 2 point guards. If Deron Williams or Ronnie Price gets sick or injured, we don’t really have a backup. Everyone cross your fingers to keep us from finding out what might happen if they did.

 

Another point, the Jazz roster now stands at 12 players. The minimum number of players allowed is 13, meaning that we still need to find a replacement. The question is, will it be a cheap player to send to the D-League and keep salaries as low as possible? Or will it be a player the Jazz hope will make a difference? Judging by a letter from Greg Miller to season ticket holders, moving Eric was based solely the current financial situation of the franchise. He suggested Eric was the only player we could get rid of and still have a good chance to win. This is the first season in franchise history the Jazz have been over the salary cap, and it looks like management is looking to change that.

 

What does this mean for Eric? During his time with the Jazz, Eric has earned a spot in the line-up, a fan base and a lot of respect. He made the difference in several games, giving the team a spark that no one else could at the time. During our injury plagued start, he stepped up and proved his potential. I think that is why its so hard for everyone to see him leave. He could turn into another Mo Williams (currently on the Cavaliers) and become an All-Star that we let go.

 

This move could prove better for Eric in the long run. I don’t think his career goal is to become a good backup point guard, and everyone knows that the Jazz’s point guard is Deron Williams and will be Deron Williams for a long time. Oklahoma City is a very young team. Their starting point guard, Russell Westbrook, is just in his second season in the NBA. and is actually younger than Maynor. They can learn and grow together, competing the whole way. The Thunder have already played 2 games since the trade and Eric has done well in both. He played 12-13 minutes in each game. He had 5 assists against Phoenix and 7 points vs. Charlotte. An article on the Thunder’s website indicates how comfortable Eric already is in Oklahoma. He already has relationships with a few players and is looking forward to working with the coaching staff. It’s definitely a good trait to have in the NBA, being able to adapt to whatever situations you are put in.

 

It has been great watching Eric for the short 26 games he played with the Jazz. With the fundamentals he has learned from the best point guard in the NBA (that’s right, I said it) and the coach with the most experience, the foundation is there. I’m telling you, you should keep an eye on him. No matter where he plays, you can expect great things from Eric Maynor. I wish him the best and look forward to seeing what he does during his career.