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Derrick Favors: I hate not being able to play in the playoffs Twitter @dfavors14

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors 

With 9:23 left, the Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol scored from the lane, cutting Utah’s lead to 71-67. As he turned, Derrick Favors accidentally stepped on his heel and Gasol lost his shoe. Gasol angrily motioned at the closest official, perhaps thinking Favors had intentionally flattened his tire. Play continued, however, and Favors ended up driving to the basket on the ensuing possession. Gasol reached around and whacked him with his shoe. A non-shooting foul was called, and the Jazz inbounded. "I didn’t know he had his shoe," Favors said. "I thought it was his hand or something." Salt Lake Tribune

Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Marc Gasol 

Favors knew he had stepped on Gasol’s shoe, "but I didn’t do it on purpose. It just kind of happened. ... I think he was mad at the refs because he didn’t have his shoe. I don’t know." Corbin laughed when reminded of the incident prior to Sunday morning’s practice. "I’ve never seen a shoe foul," he said. "I thought it might be a flagrant, but I guess they didn’t see it that way. He hit him pretty good with his shoe, though." Salt Lake Tribune

Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Marc Gasol 

Alan Horton: #Jazz Favors on Love "just like any other stretch 4 in the league...probably a better rebounder but pretty much like every other stretch 4." Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Kevin Love 

The Jazz view themselves as a playoff contender, and as long as that remains the case dealing a player like Millsap or even Jefferson remains a low-priority items, according to sources. Of the two, Millsap seems to be the easiest player to trade, mainly because Jazz reserve Derrick Favors is clearly ready to play a bigger role. Moving Al Jefferson is a bit of a different story because his back up, Enes Kanter, isn’t nearly as evolved. Several of the Jazz players that spoke with HOOPSWORLD said they believed Favors was clearly ready for a bigger role, although Kanter, while having shown flashes of ability this season, still has more work to do, especially on his body. HoopsWorld

Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Trade, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter 

The Utah Jazz are in the playoff hunt and have two starting big men in the last years of their deals in Millsap and Al Jefferson. Utah also has two talented young big men in Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. Any big move by new general manager Dennis Lindsey, however, could disrupt Utah's playoff hopes. "I would think they would more likely trade Millsap over Jefferson because he is going to be harder to keep," one GM said. "He's made less money than Jefferson and he will go to the highest bidder." Yahoo! Sports

Utah Jazz, Trade, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors 

Bill Oram: Jazz F Derrick Favors will practice today and is a gametime decision vs the Spurs Twitter @tribjazz

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Injuries 

Favors didn't participate in shootaround as he continues to deal with a strained right arch. An MRI taken Sunday was inconclusive, but an ultrasound done on Monday confirmed he has plantar fasciitis. Both Williams and Favors are considered day-to-day. Deseret News

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Injuries 

“[Favors] is definitely going to be a superstar in this league and you can count on it in my opinion,” Jefferson added. HoopsWorld

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors 

If you have to deal Harden in exchange for financial breathing room, the dream scenario is to land a sure-thing player in the beginning stages of his rookie deal. A big man trumps a guard. Presti likely started with Anthony Davis before mulling over names like Klay Thompson, Utah's young bigs (Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter), Bradley Beal, Jonas Valanciunas (with Jose Calderon's expiring deal), and maybe one or two others before landing on Houston.1 Thompson would have been an especially nice fit. It's not hard to argue the Thunder could survive the loss of Harden if in return they received an elite shooter capable of some ballhandling duties and at least average defense on the wing. Subtract Harden, and the Thunder don't have much outside shooting on the floor at once; spacing can become an issue for them. Grantland

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Trade, Derrick Favors, James Harden, Enes Kanter, Jonas Valanciunas, Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal 

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has elected to exercise its fourth-year team options for forwards Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward, as well as the third-year team options on guard Alec Burks and center Enes Kanter. The options for all four players are through the 2013-14 season. Per team policy, financial terms were not released. NBA.com

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, Enes Kanter, Alec Burks 

Chris Haynes: Joel Freeland & Derrick Favors got into a shoving match in 2nd Q and Freeland says he's disappointed in himself for not being more physical. I'm always a person that likes to hit first instead of being hit first and I felt like tonight, I let them hit me first... Twitter @ChrisBHaynes

Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Joel Freeland 

The instruction extends beyond Kanter. Jefferson works with Derrick Favors, Jeremy Evans and other post players. But those relationships aren’t the same. They don’t seem to have the same playful admiration. "It seems like they were made for each other," forward Paul Millsap said. "They bond real well, they get along real well, despite the rookie hazing he was doing with him last year." Asked after Saturday’s win how he would reward Kanter for being a receptive student, Jefferson said, "I’m gonna knock him on the side of the head. That’s what I’m going to do for him. Tough love." Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors, Paul Millsap, Jeremy Evans, Enes Kanter 

Jody Genessy: Derrick Favors' assessment of Enes Kanter's dance: "Terrible. It was the worst worm I've ever seen." Twitter @DJJazzyJody

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter 

How he'll handle the situation if the Jazz end up starting Derrick Favors at power forward this season: I know what I can do. I know my capabilities. Everybody else do, too. Just get out there, don't really think about it. Haven't really thought about it thus far, and it's helping me out. Just continue to get out there and just try to get better, that's my main focus. Get better and get ready for training camp, and whatever happens after that just happens. Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, Paul Millsap, Training Camp 

He literally wants his time to get here sooner rather than later. "I want to play more than what I played last year," Favors admitted. "If it's starting, cool. If it's coming off the bench, cool. I don't mind. I just want to play more. I don't want to sit on the bench no more." Deseret News

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors 

Anthony Davis is reportedly the latest player to suffer an injury that will keep him out of the London Olympics, seemingly opening the possibility that the Jazz's Derrick Favors could be selected to replace him on the 12-man roster for Team USA as it seeks to defend its gold medal. However, a close with direct knowledge of the situation told The Salt Lake Tribune that it's “highly unlikely.” Sulia

Utah Jazz, Derrick Favors, USA Basketball, Injuries, Team USA, Olympics, Anthony Davis 

Brian T. Smith: Source says, as of right now, it's very unlikely Derrick Favors or DeMarcus Cousins are suddenly added to Team USA to replace Anthony Davis. Twitter

Derrick Favors, DeMarcus Cousins, USA Basketball, Marcus Cousin, Anthony Davis 

Fear not, Jazz fans. GM Kevin O'Connor is exploring ways to move up in the draft. They have the Warriors' pick in 2013 (top-six-protected) and veterans like Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson and Devin Harris, and they might even be willing to add another young player (as long as you don't ask for Derrick Favors or Enes Kanter). ESPN.com

Utah Jazz, Draft, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Paul Millsap, Enes Kanter 

Fear not, Jazz fans. GM Kevin O'Connor is exploring ways to move up in the draft. They have the Warriors' pick in 2013 (top-six-protected) and veterans like Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson and Devin Harris, and they might even be willing to add another young player (as long as you don't ask for Derrick Favors or Enes Kanter). The question is, how high can they go? Their presumed target is Weber State's Lillard. They need a point guard and know him better than any team in the league. But if they could get higher and get an even better prospect, they would. They like Beal and Kidd-Gilchrist a lot, too. ESPN.com

Utah Jazz, Draft, Trade, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Kevin O'Connor, Paul Millsap, Enes Kanter