During forward DeMarre Carroll's Jazz tenure, I wondered if he ever would score 20 points in a game.
That never happened.
Now that Carroll is in the NBA playoffs with the Atlanta Hawks, the question became when he ever would score fewer than 20 points.
That finally happened Saturday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals vs. Washington, as Carroll settled for 14 points in a 103-101 loss that ended with Paul Pierce's buzzer-beating shot for the Wizards.
Surrounded by four teammates who appeared in the 2015 All-Star Game, Carroll has been the Hawks' steadiest player of the postseason. His six-game run of 20-plus points in the playoffs that began with Game 3 of a first-round series with Brooklyn has been topped only by Dominique Wilkins in Atlanta's franchise history.
In the process, Carroll has enhanced his credentials as the greatest overachiever of all-time among former Jazzmen with other NBA teams. He's also the biggest bargain in the league right now, while completing a two-year, $5 million contract.
Fans generally assign one of two labels to players who move from the Jazz. Either they never were that good (Enes Kanter, Deron Williams) or they never should have been allowed to leave (Wesley Matthews, Paul Millsap).
Carroll defies such packaging, even as a huge success story. Nothing about his Jazz stint suggested he ever would develop his offensive game to this level and become such a valuable player for a good team. Quin Snyder's influence is a big part of Carroll's improvement, adding intrigue to this story as the Hawks thrive with three ex-Jazz players in the starting lineup — Carroll, Millsap and Kyle Korver.
In the 90 games Carroll played for the Jazz over two seasons, including a 2012 playoff series against San Antonio, he came close to 20 points only once. He scored 19 against a horrible Charlotte team. His offensive potential was discovered last season, once he arrived in Atlanta and began playing for coach Mike Budenholzer's staff. Snyder worked with him extensively, earning Carroll's praise and appreciation.
So the lament of Carroll's getting away from the Jazz is all about timing. If Snyder had been coaching the Jazz in 2013, Carroll's tenure in Utah may have lasted much longer. Under the circumstances, with the Jazz in the beginning stages of long-term rebuilding that featured swingmen Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks, management underestimated Carroll's ability. Who didn't, though?
Carroll was popular in Utah, because of his attitude and hustle. He could describe himself as the "Junkyard Dog" and even make a third-person reference seem endearing. But nobody could have imagined him becoming a genuinely good NBA shooter.
So the Jazz allowed Carroll (and Millsap) to depart that summer, while acquiring Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins and Brandon Rush. Those transactions will always appear silly on paper, but they were forward-thinking moves for the sake of expiring contracts.
As a starter for two seasons with the Hawks, Carroll has added offense to his game. Atlanta's scheme creates open shots for him, and he's been making them in the playoffs, to a stunning degree. Through nine games, he's shooting 54 percent and averaging 18.3 points.
It would be tough for anyone to displace Bernard King or Adrian Dantley as a forward on my All-Time Ex-Jazz First Team, but Carroll and Millsap have played their way onto the second team.
Even with different personnel, the Hawks' efficiency is a good sign for the Jazz's future. Snyder already improved the Jazz's defense, so he should be able to help the offense eventually.
The temptation is to say that Carroll could come back and help the Jazz, now that he's a free agent. He might have a role as an undersized power forward. Otherwise, though, the Jazz have Hayward, Burks and Rodney Hood as wing players, so where would Carroll fit?
Carroll just seems destined to have his own niche in Jazz history, as a player whose talent surfaced only after he left town. The consolation is that Snyder helped bring out such ability, and he's here now.
kkragthorpe@sltrib.com
Twitter: @tribkurt