Another Sad Tune: With Carlos Boozer Gone, Are Utah Jazz Hearing Blues?

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Right now, everyone is talking about Cleveland as a heartbreak city. Lebron James has fled and the Cavs are left in ruins. But how many people have been focusing out west in the last few weeks? Probably not too many.

Cleveland may have had more sports history disasters but, to me, Salt Lake City has always been the place where their NBA team gets so close, but no cigar.

From the times when Michael Jordan's last second heroics beat the Jazz in the finals, to watching Stockton retire and losing Karl Malone to the arch-enemy Lakers, and to making the playoffs year-after-year, yet bringing home nothing but a first or second round loss. 

In 2005, Utah got a little heart back.

They brought in Carlos Boozer, freshly disgruntled from Cleveland, and looking for a new city to bring his game to. The big-time Duke player had already put up good numbers (actually around the same as Karl Malone's rookie season).

Getting Deron Williams soon after lifted Utah's spirits up even more. It was almost like the basketball gods had spoken, and reincarnated a new Malone/Stockton for Salt Lake City.

Fast forward four years of developing both players into multiple time all-stars, and building a solid play-off team around them. Yet again, after a disappointing sweep by the Lakers (after an esteem-building win over the higher-seed Nuggets), heartache has struck the championship-less city of Utah.

Carlos Boozer, after having a great season, has left the Jazz in the dust yet again by choosing to sign back East with the Chicago Bulls. On top of that, starting shooting guard Wesley Matthews is seemingly being plucked away by Portland after a great individual season as well.

There are talks of Al Jefferson becoming the new big man on the block. If this happens, I'm sure he'll receive an excellent standing ovation welcome on opening night, help lead the Jazz back to some first round playoff exits, and then try his talents elsewhere.

If this happens.

But as of now, Utah is left with a single star point guard who has no one to pass the ball to. Williams is arguably the best point guard in the league.

With the strain of luck that goes on out Utah's way, do any Jazz fans out there see him staying in Utah much longer?

We can all hope.

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