SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz need to add at least two players before the upcoming season begins.

It remains possible two familiar faces will fill those empty roster spots.

The Jazz are engaged in ongoing discussions with the camps of small forward Andrei Kirilenko and point guard Earl Watson, their agents told the Deseret News on Monday.

General manager Kevin O’Connor confirmed that he reached out to the former Jazz players on the team-owned radio station, 1320 KFAN.

O’Connor, who didn’t immediately return calls from the Deseret News, first contacted Utah’s current players when allowed Monday morning, he told play-by-play announcer David Locke. The Jazz G.M. then phoned former players who are free agents.

Monday marked the first day NBA front-office personnel were allowed to speak with players and free agents.

Kirilenko played for the Jazz the past 10 seasons, but he’s currently under contract with CSKA Moscow in his native Russia. Though nursing a broken nose and recovering from a bruised shoulder, Kirilenko is expected to play again this weekend with his Russian team while NBA negotiations continue, according to his representative.

“He’s still weighing his interest in different teams,” agent Marc Fleisher said.

As for Watson, the veteran playmaker has maintained a hope to return to Utah since last spring. The 10-year pro felt more comfortable running the team’s offense as his first season with Utah progressed, and he liked his reserve situation behind Deron Williams and Devin Harris.

“The organization knows how I feel,” Watson enthusiastically told the Deseret News on Monday.

Watson also took the time to thank Jazz fans who participated in a “BringBackEarl” campaign on Twitter with this message: “Thank you to all of jazz nation! Great fans!”

Friday is the first day players can officially come to an agreement with teams or trades can be made, pending the ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement.

That’s also when camps can begin.

The Jazz received good news on that front. Center Mehmet Okur will be here in time to participate from the get-go of the training sessions.

Okur was granted a release from his Turkish basketball team, allowing him to leave early despite a stipulation in the contract that he had to stay until a new NBA labor deal was officially in place.

Okur flew from Turkey to the United States on Monday. He’s returning, by the way, in much-improved health, his agent said, as the center’s surgically repaired left Achilles tendon and back have made significant progress from last season when he played in only 13 games for the Jazz.

SALT LAKE CITY — It’s been a couple of weeks since NBA players and owners sat down together at the bargaining table.

The Utah Jazz helped set up different kinds of tables Wednesday, giving 3,500 people ample reason to be thankful for a much more heartwarming example of a give-and-take situation.

This was the 13th time the Jazz hosted the “We Care — We Share” dinner celebration for the homeless and low-income population of Salt Lake City.

“Of course it warms your heart to be able to help,” Jazz owner Gail Miller said while dishing up meatloaf and cranberry sauce. “But it’s sad that there is such a need, and to see the families that come in just makes me want to cry.”

Utah Food Services literally cooked up tons of food, Jazz front-office personnel and the Miller family helped serve turkey and trimmings, the Salt Lake City Mission invited thousands of people in need, and the sounds and smells of a holiday party permeated the basketball-less building.

As usual, grins and gratitude were abundant.

Players and hoops highlights, however, are nowhere to be found at EnergySolutions Arena because of the lockout.

“It’s a good program and everything,” said retired railroad worker Wilson Pace, a Salt Lake City resident who helps with the Indian Walk-In Center. “I didn’t know if they were going to have one this year or not because of the NBA lockout.”

Thankfully, despite the ongoing NBA labor deal gloom and doom — and an ominous cloud of a possible canceled season looming — this annual festive feast went on.

Though 19,911 basketball seats remain empty every night, on this afternoon hearts and stomachs were filled with appreciation and a charitable meal.

Pace, a grateful recipient of this meal who fondly recalls mingling with the late Larry H. Miller and snapping a shot of Deron Williams serving food, admitted he’s glad they surprised him.

“They’re better cooks than I am,” he said.

The heartwarming event — complete with music, a clothing giveaway, laughter and a spirit of generosity — was a pleasant contrast to what’s been happening elsewhere in the NBA world (or not happening such as, say, negotiating toward a deal).

Instead of working together for the good of the sport and fans — and actually playing the game so many love to watch and depend on for their living — owners and players are battling and grasping for their “fair” split of a $4 billion pie (revenue, not pumpkin).

But for a few hours on this day, the focus wasn’t on current lawsuits or the #unfollownba campaign by fans on Twitter or ex-Jazz guard DeShawn Stevenson blasting union chief Billy Hunter or mixed news about popular NBA players in Europe (from Andrei Kirilenko being injured to Williams scoring 50 in a game).

SALT LAKE CITY — Imagine Greg Ostertag. Now picture a court full of guys who were much shorter, remarkably slower and worse outside shooters than the oft-goofy player Karl Malone called out for returning one fall with an oversized caboose.

That was what the Utah Jazz coaching staff had to work with during a fantasy training camp this past week.

Considering how silly they got to make newspaper, TV and radio guys look for a two-hour period, this was one media session the coaches clearly savored.

Perhaps their favorite part?

Most of us were too winded to ask inane questions.

While a new labor deal is hammered out, Tyrone Corbin, Scott Layden, Jeff Hornacek and Sidney Lowe have extra time on their hands. Sure, they’ve strategized and prepared for whenever real basketball gets here. In the meantime, they’ve put on camp-like clinics at the team training facility for season ticket holders, sponsors and VIPs.

For a day, participants experience what it’s like to be Paul Millsap and Gordon Hayward — minus the million dollar contracts and pink princess backpacks.

Wednesday was the media’s day, and we were given full access to the place.

We parked our clunkers in the secured lot where Deron Williams’ fancy cars used to chill.

We goofed around in the locker room, where smiling media guys took over personalized lockers usually occupied by NBA players.

We even got to dip into the water station gum dish.

There were limitations. No whirlpool, massages or kicking back with popcorn in the team theater room. While wandering through the training room, I was teased, “What are you doing back here?” (I resisted making a Carlos Boozer joke.)

But I did manage to find my way into Kevin O’Connor’s office, which has a big window that overlooks the two basketball courts.

“Keep your day job,” the Jazz general manager said after watching me struggle with 20 media types.

The coaches might be reconsidering their career paths due to their closer view of the court carnage. At the very least, they might have to reel in unrealistic expectations once they get their real players back and see how good they are compared to media ballers.

Coaches witnessed us stumble while stretching. They heard our groans in warm-up exercises, encouraged us as we tortured the rim (and air) with off-target layup and jumper attempts, patiently guided us through drills and watched as four teams struggled for 10 minutes to hit three buckets in scrimmage action.

Considered by many (people named Jody Genessy) to be the John Stockton of the Kearns South Stake in the 1980s, my hoop skills were rusty.

SALT LAKE CITY — Imagine Greg Ostertag. Now picture a court full of guys who were much shorter, remarkably slower and worse outside shooters than the oft-goofy player Karl Malone called out for returning one fall with an oversized caboose.

That was what the Utah Jazz coaching staff had to work with during a fantasy training camp this past week.

Considering how silly they got to make newspaper, TV and radio guys look for a two-hour period, this was one media session the coaches clearly savored.

Perhaps their favorite part?

Most of us were too winded to ask inane questions.

While a new labor deal is hammered out, Tyrone Corbin, Scott Layden, Jeff Hornacek and Sidney Lowe have extra time on their hands. Sure, they’ve strategized and prepared for whenever real basketball gets here. In the meantime, they’ve put on camp-like clinics at the team training facility for season ticket holders, sponsors and VIPs.

For a day, participants experience what it’s like to be Paul Millsap and Gordon Hayward — minus the million dollar contracts and pink princess backpacks.

Wednesday was the media’s day, and we were given full access to the place.

We parked our clunkers in the secured lot where Deron Williams’ fancy cars used to chill.

We goofed around in the locker room, where smiling media guys took over personalized lockers usually occupied by NBA players.

We even got to dip into the water station gum dish.

There were limitations. No whirlpool, massages or kicking back with popcorn in the team theater room. While wandering through the training room, I was teased, “What are you doing back here?” (I resisted making a Carlos Boozer joke.)

But I did manage to find my way into Kevin O’Connor’s office, which has a big window that overlooks the two basketball courts.

“Keep your day job,” the Jazz general manager said after watching me struggle with 20 media types.

The coaches might be reconsidering their career paths due to their closer view of the court carnage. At the very least, they might have to reel in unrealistic expectations once they get their real players back and see how good they are compared to media ballers.

Coaches witnessed us stumble while stretching. They heard our groans in warm-up exercises, encouraged us as we tortured the rim (and air) with off-target layup and jumper attempts, patiently guided us through drills and watched as four teams struggled for 10 minutes to hit three buckets in scrimmage action.

Considered by many (people named Jody Genessy) to be the John Stockton of the Kearns South Stake in the 1980s, my hoop skills were rusty.

Photo by Jess1820 on Flickr

SALT LAKE CITY — Mehmet Okur is playing professional basketball again.

The Utah Jazz center signed a contract today to play for Turk Telekom Ankara and will begin participating with the team from his country immediately, Okur’s agent Marc Fleisher told the Deseret News.

Okur’s contract includes a provision that will allow him to leave the Turkish team to return to the Jazz when and if the NBA lockout ends this season.

Fleisher said Okur, who is under contract with Utah through the end of the 2011-12 season, has recovered from his back issue and the left Achilles tendon injury that limited his court time last year.

“He’s healthy enough to play now,” Fleisher said.

Okur will immediately begin practicing and playing with Turk Telekom Ankara. The center looks forward to returning to the Jazz, though, as soon as the lockout ends.

“The driving force behind this is him not having played for a while and wanting to get back on court and finding a rhythm,” Fleisher said. “He wants to get ready sooner than later so he’ll be in a better position to contribute immediately (in the NBA).”

It’s possible Okur will face an old teammate in Turkey.

Former Jazz star point guard Deron Williams has signed with Besiktas — also in the Turkey Basketball League — and is scheduled to arrive in the country to begin training with his new squad this week.

Okur’s 2010-11 season got off to a late start after he was required to get surgery on his Achilles tendon following an injury in the 2010 playoffs. His return last season was hampered by both his tendon injury and recurring back issues, ultimately forcing him to shut it down before the year ended after only playing in 13 games.

Hayward going pro in video games

SALT LAKE CITY — Count Gordon Hayward among the NBA players who will join a new league during the lockout.

But he’s not headed overseas or to Las Vegas. He’ll also be playing a different kind of game.

The 21-year-old Utah Jazz player has joined a professional video game league with IGN Entertainment. Hayward will compete with other eSports video athletes in a StarCraft II competition from Oct. 6-9 at Caesars Atlantic City in the IGN Pro League.

Hayward is excited to be among 256 players shooting for a share of a $100,000 prize pool in IPL 3: Origins.

“I’ve been playing video games for as long as I can remember,” Hayward said in a news release. “I’m a competitive guy, and I love the competitive nature of video games.”

Email: jody@desnews.com

Twitter: DJJazzyJody

By Chris Tomasson, For the Deseret News

CHICAGO — For four years, Jimmermania has been building up in Utah. Has it possibly not reached a crescendo in the state?

The Jazz have two of the top dozen picks in the June 23 NBA Draft. A source said Thursday that while Jimmer Fredette isn’t being looked at for Utah’s No. 3 selection, he definitely will be given consideration if available at No. 12.

Consider the interest mutual.

“Yeah, that would be something that would be very cool,” the star guard from BYU said Thursday at the NBA Draft Combine about the possibility of being drafted by the Jazz. “Obviously, I have a big following out there. I feel comfortable there. I have a lot of family and friends in the area. It’s a good system, a lot of pick rolls.

“A guy like (former Utah guard) Deron Williams flourished in that type of system. I think I could do the same.”

Fredette, a native of Glens Falls, N.Y., said he would be “very happy” if drafted by the Jazz. He said he would have no problem with being selected No. 12, saying it’s “not how high I get drafted, it’s all about the system and where I can flourish the most.”

Jazz officials, who didn’t want to discuss Fredette in Chicago, were to have an interview with him Thursday night at the combine. Among those who were scheduled to meet with Fredette include general manager Kevin O’Connor, director of player personnel Walt Perrin, head coach Tyrone Corbin and assistants Scott Layden and Jeff Hornacek.

Fredette anticipated sitting down with nine NBA teams on Thursday in Chicago. But most important for Fredette is what he’ll be doing while standing up at the combine, which began Wednesday and runs through Saturday.

There’s not a lot of doubters when it comes to the offensive ability of the 6-foot-2 Fredette, who led the nation in scoring as a senior with a 28.9-point average and was the consensus National Player of the Year. But he’s determined to prove to scouts what he can do on the other side of the ball.

“I thought I impressed them,” Fredette said about Thursday’s drills. “Defensively, I thought I did pretty well on the one-on-one stuff. I think that’s what they want to see mostly out of me. They know I can shoot the ball. But they want to see the defensive end and see the lateral quickness.

“There’s definitely a perception (about him being a weak defender). When you get a stereotype, it’s hard to get rid of that stereotype until you go out and they see it for themselves. … I’m looking forward to showing them I’m a complete player, a guy who can not just score the basketball.”

Scouts will make a determination on whether Fredette can “D” up. But there’s no doubt he can fill it up.