Utah was wise to lock up its building-block point guard, Deron Williams, with a three-year extension. Steve Aschburner's Mailbag Submit a comment or question for Steve. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

The Northwest Division is the home of identity crises this offseason.

First and most famously, the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics is awaiting its new nickname, logo and team colors, all due to be announced on Wednesday in Oklahoma City. The name has been a poorly-kept secret, though. They are expected to be called the Thunder, one of those collective plurals that is singularly bad. Besides, after spending its entire existence in a market defined by its rain, this franchise moved all the way to the Dust Bowl only to get stuck with a meteorological moniker?

Next there is the Minnesota club, which unveiled its new uniforms and touted the official axing of the "Timber'' from its players' shirts. Two decades of being stigmatized as the "T-Wolves'' apparently was enough. Then there is Utah's entry, which has been toting around that Jazz nickname in a town where Pete Fountain and the Preservation Hall guys likely never set foot. The fact is, it's hard to refer to this quintet as the Northwest Division at all, given that shift out of Seattle and the inclusion of a near-Texas market.

But when it comes to identities, at least the Jazz know who they are and the Trail Blazers are learning who they'll become. The Nuggets still aren't sure who their answer is, and the Wolves and (let's go for it) Thunder still are busy making introductions.

Utah Jazz

What went right:

Deron Williams is locked up through at least 2011-12.

Jazz owner Larry Miller spent nearly two months of this summer battling a series of formidable internal ailments. But no one could blame either his weakened condition or rosy, new life-is-short outlook for Miller's key offseason business move: signing his point guard to a three-year, $50 million contract extension that begins in 2009-10. It was, in fact, a deal as tough and shrewd as any hammered out by the old-school car salesman, because Williams is building block No. 1, both present and future, for Utah.

Williams' rough rookie season and the constant (and frequently unfavorable) comparisons to fellow Redeem Teamer Chris Paul are in the past. Williams is a favorite to make it to his first All-Star Game this season, an honor that still won't top the gold medal he won with Team USA. Williams' decision-making, his ability to get to the rim, and his big-play capabilities in the clutch took another big leap last season, and he's keeping Miller happy with his enhanced leadership skills.

The Jazz survived the Olympics just fine.

No NBA franchise had more players gunning for gold this summer: Williams and Carlos Boozer with the U.S. men's squad and Andrei Kirilenko with Russia. Had Turkey qualified, Mehmet Okur would have been booked, too. But the Jazz guys came through the Beijing workouts just fine. Boozer, in fact, cruised through 47 minutes spread across seven games, so he clearly got his rest.

Utah and coach Jerry Sloan historically haven't faced serious fatigue or injury issues with their international participants, dating back to the iron days of Stockton and Malone. It shouldn't be an issue this season, either, with a stocked roster capable of spotting the Olympic trio some early-season minutes.

What went wrong:

Andrei Kirilenko didn't get a lot of touches this summer.

And he might not get a lot this fall, either. Lack of touches became an issue for him and the Jazz last time around. The Russian forward had a disappointing national team experience, from his squad's 1-5 record in Beijing to his 39 percent FG shooting and long stretches out of the offense. Because he is Utah's third- or fourth-best player but is being paid like its first- or second-best ($49.3 million over the next three years), the versatile but somewhat less valuable Kirilenko will remain a trade candidate, especially with Boozer and Okur as re-signing priorities.

C.J. Miles we be paid $14.8 million over the next four seasons for, what exactly?

The Jazz matched the offer sheet Miles signed with Oklahoma City, but that keeps them crowded at the wing position where Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer got most of the time last season. Utah has Morris Almond, too, as a top prospect and has to sift among Kirilenko, Boozer, Matt Harpring, and Paul Millsap at the forward spots.

Grade: B+

Too much available talent isn't a common problem in the league. Coach Sloan doesn't tolerate fussin' and poutin', and that helps nip problems in the bud. No reason these guys shouldn't build on last year's 54 victories, though winning 37 at home again won't be easy.

Denver Nuggets

What went right:

Carmelo Anthony seems to get it. This time. Finally.

Deron Williams isn't the only guy in the division who came back from Beijing with an enlarged and enhanced reputation. Anthony did, too, after a nice less-was-more Olympic stint. The gold medal makes up for his association with, and complicity in, the disappointing bronze of Athens, and Anthony didn't strain to outshine any of his Team USA co-workers. That's best left for the NBA season anyway. It's time Anthony that carries a Denver team desperately in need of some accountability. Allen Iverson is a novelty player at this stage and other Nuggets can shrug off responsibility until Anthony shoulders his.

The Birdman has come home to roost.

Chris Andersen was a fan favorite for three seasons in Denver, and later in New Orleans, for his free spirit and remarkable leaping ability. But the raw 6-10 forward landed badly, getting banned from the NBA in January 2006 for violating the league's drug policy. He served his time without complaint or alibi, got reinstated last spring and has returned to the Nuggets. He won't elevate the team's collective hoops IQ, but he will give their fans an extra reason to root.

What went wrong:

Marcus Camby is a Clipper now.

There's no other way to characterize the Nuggets' giveaway of their defensive backbone -- heck, their defensive DNA -- than to call it a salary dump. They sacrificed Camby for a conditional second-round pick in order to shed his $10 million paycheck. Waving bye-bye to Eduardo Najera, a premier pest capable of irritating everyone from centers to shooting guards, was another blow to Denver's defense. "Blindsided, distraught, disrespected. All those adjectives,'' Camby told a reporter after the deal. He was talking about his reaction, but it could just as easily be the coaching staff's when it tries to coax a few stops from what's left on D.

J.R. Smith got judged and paid based on his ability.

Big deal. Wayne Gretzky, Ellen DeGeneres and Vladmir Putin could take one look at Smith and see a supremely talented player. The questions about him rarely have been about his skills. Instead, they've been focused on -- and dwelled on, out of necessity -- his maturity. Perhaps getting a three-year deal worth an estimated $4-$5 million will lock in his commitment, too. "We've seen him grow and develop before our very eyes,'' said VP of basketball operations Mark Warkentien. No doubt, Smith earns his dough as a three-point shooter and open-court threat. But as a defender, decision-maker and occasional headache off the court, he ought to give some of that cash back.

Grade: D

D as in defense. D as in Denver. D as in downgraded. D as in dumb. D as in doubtful of matching last season's 50-32 mark.