Friday report
There were some bleary-eyed folks at Jazz practice Friday. A handful of us didn't leave the arena until after 1 a.m. thanks to the late TNT game and pretty much everyone got to bed between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., much like the Jazz players.
The Jazz typically push back practice an hour to accommodate a late game, but they stuck to their usual 10 a.m. start Friday because there was either a players association meeting or an NBA meeting to attend.
It was a milestone practice, however, since the Jazz had all 15 players on their roster take part. That hadn't happened once this season - - and the Jazz have been holding practices since the start of training camp Sept. 30.
Carlos Boozer was set to go through full practice. Boozer said he and the Jazz had agreed he would need at least two practices before returning for a game. He won't play Saturday against New Orleans but could return Monday against Atlanta.
Deron Williams expressed surprise that the Jazz were missing players as far back as training camp. I reminded him that Matt Harpring didn't even make the trip to Boise, Idaho, and spent the entire preseason rehabbing from an ankle infection.
"We expect that," Williams joked. "He planned that whole infection thing. That was all planned. All to get out of training camp."
* * *
Talked to Mark Bartelstein, the agent for Mikki Moore, this afternoon. Bartelstein hadn't yet heard from Kevin O'Connor to express any Jazz interest in Moore. Bartelstein said 10 other teams had already called about the free-agent center. That suggests the Jazz aren't in the running for Moore, not surprising since they would have to cut a player to sign him.
* * *
With Oklahoma City rescinding its trade for Tyson Chandler this week, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan could see the similarities to what happened in February 1998, when the Jazz had to void a trade with Orlando for Rony Seikaly.
The Jazz had agreed to trade Greg Foster, Chris Morris and a first-round draft pick, but the deal was voided when Seikaly failed to report to Utah. Foster and Morris even practiced with the Magic before returning to the Jazz.
"They came back and were very professional about what had happened," Sloan said. "There wasn't any animosity. They came back just like they'd always been here. Our players, well they joked around about it a little bit, but you've got to be able to handle that."
Added Sloan: "Sometimes the best trades you make are the ones you don't make."
--Ross Siler
The Jazz typically push back practice an hour to accommodate a late game, but they stuck to their usual 10 a.m. start Friday because there was either a players association meeting or an NBA meeting to attend.
It was a milestone practice, however, since the Jazz had all 15 players on their roster take part. That hadn't happened once this season - - and the Jazz have been holding practices since the start of training camp Sept. 30.
Carlos Boozer was set to go through full practice. Boozer said he and the Jazz had agreed he would need at least two practices before returning for a game. He won't play Saturday against New Orleans but could return Monday against Atlanta.
Deron Williams expressed surprise that the Jazz were missing players as far back as training camp. I reminded him that Matt Harpring didn't even make the trip to Boise, Idaho, and spent the entire preseason rehabbing from an ankle infection.
"We expect that," Williams joked. "He planned that whole infection thing. That was all planned. All to get out of training camp."
* * *
Talked to Mark Bartelstein, the agent for Mikki Moore, this afternoon. Bartelstein hadn't yet heard from Kevin O'Connor to express any Jazz interest in Moore. Bartelstein said 10 other teams had already called about the free-agent center. That suggests the Jazz aren't in the running for Moore, not surprising since they would have to cut a player to sign him.
* * *
With Oklahoma City rescinding its trade for Tyson Chandler this week, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan could see the similarities to what happened in February 1998, when the Jazz had to void a trade with Orlando for Rony Seikaly.
The Jazz had agreed to trade Greg Foster, Chris Morris and a first-round draft pick, but the deal was voided when Seikaly failed to report to Utah. Foster and Morris even practiced with the Magic before returning to the Jazz.
"They came back and were very professional about what had happened," Sloan said. "There wasn't any animosity. They came back just like they'd always been here. Our players, well they joked around about it a little bit, but you've got to be able to handle that."
Added Sloan: "Sometimes the best trades you make are the ones you don't make."
--Ross Siler
2:27 PM
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