Media day
It was difficult to listen to Carlos Boozer on Friday and not come away convinced that a trade would be in the best interests of both the Jazz and Boozer, which brings us back to square one as we head into the new season.
Boozer offered no apologies for his comments this summer, in fact blaming the questions he was asked in those radio interviews. All he said he was trying to do was promote the basketball camp he was holding in Alaska on a Chicago station.
Funny thing is, I think Boozer actually did go on the radio in Chicago to do just that, then got blindsided with a series of questions about getting traded and gave the answers he thought that audience would want to hear.
That's no excuse for the three (at least) subsequent interviews in which he alternated lavishing praise on Chicago and Miami as trade destinations, nor is it an excuse for Boozer's failure to clarify his comments in the subsequent two months.
There's blame on all sides, though. It's hard to argue with Boozer's claim that the Jazz - - both with actions and words - - gave him the impression that he was no longer in their future plans.
Start with Greg Miller's comments criticizing Boozer's defense and leadership. The Jazz then declined to offer Boozer a contract extension while signing Mehmet Okur to one for two years and $20.8 million, followed by matching Portland's offer sheet to Paul Millsap.
Boozer did not back down Friday in insisting that he was told by management he was no longer in the Jazz's plans, which only contributes to the perception that this is a lame-duck season for the former All-Star.
* * *
Several times during his session with reporters, Boozer talked about a dedication to play better defense, including an answer to my question about his reaction to Miller's comments.
"I'm looking forward to playing better defense, you know I need to," Boozer said. "I'm looking forward to proving it out there on the court. I think as a team we all have to play better defense, otherwise we're not going anywhere.
"For me, I'm going to take on that challenge of being a better defender. Our team as a whole, if we do a better job of team defense together, then we have a chance of being really good."
Asked about addressing what happened this summer with his teammates, Boozer sounded as if he didn't feel the need.
"This is my eighth year," he said. "It ain't the first time somebody's talked about trading me. It ain't the first time I've dealt with it. Some of these guys have been traded before. For us, we're just going to get going.
"I talked to everybody, said, 'What's up?' I'm happy to see everybody. Everybody looks great and everybody looks like they're in great shape and we'll see what happens tomorrow."
We'll see what reception Boozer gets at the Jazz's first preseason game Thursday. After that, it's off to London for a game against - - wouldn't you know? - - Chicago, which is sure to lead to continued Boozer-related questions. Point is, this isn't going away quietly.
* * *
Mehmet Okur has been in Salt Lake City for more than 40 days, which should give him a head-start on the season. Okur said he'd worked in the off-season on adding a jump hook that he could use around the basket.
"Most people can do like three, four moves good," he said, "but it's hard to add one more because you don't want to mess up the [other] ones."
We hadn't had the chance to talk to Okur since he signed his extension with the Jazz. He reminded us that he left for the off-season talking about Utah as his second home and wanting to stay with the Jazz.
"I kept my promise and I didn't go anywhere," Okur said.
* * *
Much as he did in July, Paul Millsap repeated that he felt he would play with less pressure than before after signing his huge contract this summer.
"I can go out there and really show what I can really do," Millsap said.
Asked what he worked on this summer, Millsap said conditioning and shooting. "Eighty-two games is a long season and I need my body ready to play all 82 games," Millsap said, "so conditioning, shooting, just continue to get better, period."
* * *
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said keeping a team together was worth three to four additional wins a season. With all the focus on Boozer, there wasn't a lot of attention paid to overall expectations for the Jazz's season. Most of them were centered around staying healthy. Deron Williams did acknowledge that Dallas, San Antonio and the Lakers all got better while the Jazz stayed the same.
* * *
Eric Maynor spent time in Houston training with John Lucas before arriving in Utah two weeks ago. Among the pros who were in Houston with Maynor were T.J. Ford, Daniel Gibson, Mike James and Chris Wilcox.
* * *
Turns out that Ronald Dupree once was cut from the Jazz's Rocky Mountain Revue summer-league team. Now he's probably the leading candidate to win a roster spot with Matt Harpring out indefinitely with ankle and knee injuries.
Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor compared Dupree to Raja Bell and John Starks as players who took the long road to the NBA.
"Those guys get better and guys that get better wind up playing," O'Connor said. As for Dupree, he added: "I've never heard of anybody getting yelled at for playing too much defense or getting too many rebounds. I think if he does those things, we can take a look."
* * *
Alex Johnson explained his decision to come to camp with the Jazz and said he wouldn't be here if he didn't think he could make the team.
"I thought it would be a good fit, especially playing the power forward," Johnson said. "I've seen them develop a lot of power forwards and I just thought it would be a good fit with the style they play and a couple other things."
* * *
I'll write a little more about this in the coming days, but C.J. Miles spent much of the summer working out in New York with a pair of NFL players. Miles agreed with my assessment that he benefited from not having to worry about his contract situation this summer.
* * *
Syracuse guard Paul Harris, a training camp invitee, suffered a sprained right ankle playing a pickup game this week and was on crutches and in a walking boot at media day.
--Ross Siler
Boozer offered no apologies for his comments this summer, in fact blaming the questions he was asked in those radio interviews. All he said he was trying to do was promote the basketball camp he was holding in Alaska on a Chicago station.
Funny thing is, I think Boozer actually did go on the radio in Chicago to do just that, then got blindsided with a series of questions about getting traded and gave the answers he thought that audience would want to hear.
That's no excuse for the three (at least) subsequent interviews in which he alternated lavishing praise on Chicago and Miami as trade destinations, nor is it an excuse for Boozer's failure to clarify his comments in the subsequent two months.
There's blame on all sides, though. It's hard to argue with Boozer's claim that the Jazz - - both with actions and words - - gave him the impression that he was no longer in their future plans.
Start with Greg Miller's comments criticizing Boozer's defense and leadership. The Jazz then declined to offer Boozer a contract extension while signing Mehmet Okur to one for two years and $20.8 million, followed by matching Portland's offer sheet to Paul Millsap.
Boozer did not back down Friday in insisting that he was told by management he was no longer in the Jazz's plans, which only contributes to the perception that this is a lame-duck season for the former All-Star.
* * *
Several times during his session with reporters, Boozer talked about a dedication to play better defense, including an answer to my question about his reaction to Miller's comments.
"I'm looking forward to playing better defense, you know I need to," Boozer said. "I'm looking forward to proving it out there on the court. I think as a team we all have to play better defense, otherwise we're not going anywhere.
"For me, I'm going to take on that challenge of being a better defender. Our team as a whole, if we do a better job of team defense together, then we have a chance of being really good."
Asked about addressing what happened this summer with his teammates, Boozer sounded as if he didn't feel the need.
"This is my eighth year," he said. "It ain't the first time somebody's talked about trading me. It ain't the first time I've dealt with it. Some of these guys have been traded before. For us, we're just going to get going.
"I talked to everybody, said, 'What's up?' I'm happy to see everybody. Everybody looks great and everybody looks like they're in great shape and we'll see what happens tomorrow."
We'll see what reception Boozer gets at the Jazz's first preseason game Thursday. After that, it's off to London for a game against - - wouldn't you know? - - Chicago, which is sure to lead to continued Boozer-related questions. Point is, this isn't going away quietly.
* * *
Mehmet Okur has been in Salt Lake City for more than 40 days, which should give him a head-start on the season. Okur said he'd worked in the off-season on adding a jump hook that he could use around the basket.
"Most people can do like three, four moves good," he said, "but it's hard to add one more because you don't want to mess up the [other] ones."
We hadn't had the chance to talk to Okur since he signed his extension with the Jazz. He reminded us that he left for the off-season talking about Utah as his second home and wanting to stay with the Jazz.
"I kept my promise and I didn't go anywhere," Okur said.
* * *
Much as he did in July, Paul Millsap repeated that he felt he would play with less pressure than before after signing his huge contract this summer.
"I can go out there and really show what I can really do," Millsap said.
Asked what he worked on this summer, Millsap said conditioning and shooting. "Eighty-two games is a long season and I need my body ready to play all 82 games," Millsap said, "so conditioning, shooting, just continue to get better, period."
* * *
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said keeping a team together was worth three to four additional wins a season. With all the focus on Boozer, there wasn't a lot of attention paid to overall expectations for the Jazz's season. Most of them were centered around staying healthy. Deron Williams did acknowledge that Dallas, San Antonio and the Lakers all got better while the Jazz stayed the same.
* * *
Eric Maynor spent time in Houston training with John Lucas before arriving in Utah two weeks ago. Among the pros who were in Houston with Maynor were T.J. Ford, Daniel Gibson, Mike James and Chris Wilcox.
* * *
Turns out that Ronald Dupree once was cut from the Jazz's Rocky Mountain Revue summer-league team. Now he's probably the leading candidate to win a roster spot with Matt Harpring out indefinitely with ankle and knee injuries.
Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor compared Dupree to Raja Bell and John Starks as players who took the long road to the NBA.
"Those guys get better and guys that get better wind up playing," O'Connor said. As for Dupree, he added: "I've never heard of anybody getting yelled at for playing too much defense or getting too many rebounds. I think if he does those things, we can take a look."
* * *
Alex Johnson explained his decision to come to camp with the Jazz and said he wouldn't be here if he didn't think he could make the team.
"I thought it would be a good fit, especially playing the power forward," Johnson said. "I've seen them develop a lot of power forwards and I just thought it would be a good fit with the style they play and a couple other things."
* * *
I'll write a little more about this in the coming days, but C.J. Miles spent much of the summer working out in New York with a pair of NFL players. Miles agreed with my assessment that he benefited from not having to worry about his contract situation this summer.
* * *
Syracuse guard Paul Harris, a training camp invitee, suffered a sprained right ankle playing a pickup game this week and was on crutches and in a walking boot at media day.
--Ross Siler
8:40 PM
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