The Jazz will wear the jerseys 5 more times this season:
Jan. 29 vs. Sacramento
Feb. 17 at New Orleans
Feb. 27 vs. Houston
March 17 vs. Minnesota
March 24 at Toronto

Last game: Jan 20, Utah Jazz 105 – San Antonio Spurs 98
Next game: vs. New Jersey Nets, Jan 23 9:00pm ET

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The Jazz puzzle me, it seems like every season they take a step backwards on defense. The Jazz are missing a lot of players but i dont see any fight in this team right now.

Key Additions: Eric Maynor, Wes Matthews

Key Subtractions: Morris Almond, Jarron Collins

Projected Starting Lineup: Deron Williams/ Ronnie Brewer/ Andrei Kirilenko/ Carlos Boozer/ Mehmet Okur

Key Reserves: Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Price, Eric Maynor, Wes Matthews, C.J. Miles, Kosta Koufos

-Bennice

All throughout the 2008-09 NBA season it was a forgone conclusion that Carlos Boozer would opt out of his contract. It  wasn’t just speculation. Not only did the Jazz front office say it, but Boozer said he’d opt out a numerous of times. However, when the time came to do so, Carlos Boozer decided not to put himself on the market this season as he did not opt out of his contract. By doing so, Boozer caused a domino-effect as every team in the league who had a plan this free agency depending on Boozer opting out had to resort to their Plan B. No problem for those teams though. They have to be prepared that a certain player will not be available during free agency. However, the Jazz on the other hand ended up being dealt a whole new problem. Boozer opting out was suppose to create room under the luxury tax for the franchise to re-sign Paul Millsap with no problems. Now, in order for the Jazz to obtain their power forward, a loan of $10.3 Million would have to be taken out in order for them to match the offersheet extended to Millsap from the Portland Trailblazers. The Blazers decided to frontload his contract knowing that it would create all types of problems for the Jazz to be able to match it.

Utah’s all-star forward Carlos Boozer insists on opting out to secure a long-term deal with the Utah Jazz, but can the Jazz handle an off-season where they’d have to re-sign all of their big men? Rumor has it the Pistons will target all of the big men of the Utah Jazz and a guy like Boozer or Millsap will definitely fit in with the Pistons. I can’t say the same for Okur, who is another big man that loves to shoot the ball from the perimeter. No one knows if the Jazz will even give Boozer his long-term deal seeing as he’s struggled to remain healthy, but can they afford to just let him walk for nothing? Would Boozer even risk opting out to get that long term deal and then jumping ship?

He jumped ship with his last team to end up in Utah and if he were to do it again, he’d give the image of a player who is not loyal to a franchise and will only do whatever benefits him. Signing with the Pistons could be big for him and the Pistons, but does he want to actually leave Utah? They’ve done all they could to accommodate him and try to get him a quality team around him. Going to a team with an uncertain future wouldn’t be the smartest thing for Boozer.

Transactions

• Selected Kosta Koufos 23rd overall.

• Selected Ante Tomic 44th overall.

• Selected Tadija Dragicevic 53rd overall.

Utah got excellent value out of their picks. Koufos was expected to go in the top 19 or 20, and they were fortunate enough to snatch the Ohio State big at 23. He may not play a great deal right away on account of the Jerry Sloan rookie treatment, but down the line Koufos can be a real player. In fact, he’s even drawn comparisons to Jazz big man Mehmet Okur.

Utah came away with another steal in the second round with Ante Tomic, who has been coveted by many teams over the past couple of years. Picking him up in the mid-second round is a great pick.

Grade: A-

Georgetown center Roy Hibbert recently stopped in for a pre-draft workout with the Utah Jazz, and 1280 The Zone filmed a post-session interview.

Brief thoughts: Hibbert could be a guy that can raise his stock based on performances in individual workouts and potentially climb up a few teams’ draft boards. The main reason is attributed to how fundamentally sound and heady he is, but don’t sleep on the good old phrase “you can’t teach size.” Hibbert stands a legitimate 7′2” to go along with his large standing reach and ability to clog the lane when needed.

As far as his on-court fit, it’s tough to think of a better situation for Hibbert than Utah. Coming off of a four-year tenure at Georgetown, where they preach the Princeton offense and constant player/ball movement, Utah’s style is right up his alley.

It’ll be interesting to see whether or not he falls to Utah’s pick at 23rd overall, but as we’ve learned through history, anything can happen in the NBA draft.

Side note: Hibbert’s face looks noticeable slimmer in that video than it did during the 2007-2008 NCAA season.

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Posted By: Dustin Chapman

Utah’s offseason injury bug has struck yet again, as RealGM reports that Jazz swingman Kyle Korver is set to have a bone spur removed.

Utah Jazz guard/forward Kyle Korver will undergo surgery today to remove a bone spur from atop his left foot, Jazz General Manager Kevin O’Connor announced. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Jonathan Deland in New York City on Wednesday evening. A report on the surgery and an estimated timeline for Korver’s recovery will be provided on Thursday.

Posted By: Dustin Chapman

Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune reports that Jazz guard Jason Hart has exercised his $2.5 million player option through the 2008-2009 season.

Despite a disappointing season with the Jazz, Jason Hart has exercised his option to return for the 2008-09 season, agent Bill Neff said Wednesday.

Hart ended the season out of the rotation as the team’s No. 3 point guard.

Hart will make $2.484 million next season. He had until June 30 to decide about the option, but Neff said there was little debate with Hart likely having to accept a minimum contract ($1.070 million) as a free agent.

Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor said he had yet to receive the paperwork, although O’Connor is away attending the NBA predraft camp in Orlando, Fla. Neff said it was signed and mailed last Thursday.

“This past year, [Hart] probably would have liked to have played more and we would have liked for him to have played more,” O’Connor said. “But he’ll get the chance to come in and compete for a position again next year behind Deron [Williams].”

Neff said there had been no talk of a buyout, although that could change closer to the July 1 start of free agency.

“There’s always that hope,” Neff said. “That’s a big investment for a third guard, so you always have that. In this day and age, to give someone close to half the midlevel [exception] and then not play him isn’t that wise.”

Posted By: Dustin Chapman