Korver staying with Utah
June 30th, 2009 Posted in NBA basketball newsThe Utah Jazz know at least one player with the option to leave is staying.
Now, for the other two.
Kyle Korver told the Jazz on Monday that he will not opt out of the final year of his contract, taking the guaranteed money over becoming a free agent.
We are thrilled to have Kyle remain with the Jazz, general manager Kevin OConnor said in a release Monday.
Korvers decision was the first of three that are due before Tuesdays free agency deadline. Center Mehmet Okur and forward Carlos Boozer can also opt out of their remaining season. The Jazz had no updates other than Korvers on the eve of the deadline.
Okurs agent Marc Fleisher said in an e-mail Monday that his client was leaning toward opting out, but had not decided.
OConnor didnt expect decisions to come until the last moment. One finally came Monday afternoon from Jeff Schwartz, Korvers agent.
Korver averaged nine points per game last season, giving the Jazz an outside shooting threat off the bench. He shot 44 percent from the field and 38.6 from 3-point range. He has one year remaining on the contract the Jazz took off Philadelphias hands in a trade midway through the 2007-08 season.
Of the three players with options, Korvers $5.2 million salary for next season is by far the smallest. Boozer and Okur will have a much bigger impact on the Jazzs payroll if they decide to stick around.
The choice is to gamble that the recession wont affect their market value or take the guaranteed money over the next year, then hope the economy looks better in a year.
The Jazz are leaving it up to them.
Everybody has a number that they like and if those numbers dont work, then it doesnt work, OConnor said Friday, when all three players futures were still uncertain.
OConnor said he understood the stalemate, saying its a fact of negotiating. One side wants maximum money and the other wants maximum return while keeping salaries at or under the NBA cap.
Okur is scheduled to make $9 million next season. He could test the free agent market for more money or a long-term deal that would cover the 30-year-old late into his career – something he had hoped would come from the Jazz before the deadline.
Boozer has $12.7 million guaranteed next year if he stays in Utah. He has said he would definitely opt out, then that he hadnt reached a decision and wouldnt do so until the deadline. He also said the day after the season ended that he would take a long-term contract from the Jazz if they offered – but didnt say what kind of money it would take to keep him.
I would say it is up to us – after he makes his decision, OConnor said Friday. Thats the bottom line.
Boozer agent Rob Pelinka didnt return messages seeking comment Monday. Boozer has averaged a double-double for the Jazz each of the last three seasons – but played in only 35 games because of injuries. In five seasons with Utah, he has missed 134 games.
OConnor said all three would be welcomed back, keeping together a team that went 48-34 despite a rash of injuries that led to 148 missed games.
Wed like to see what we could have done healthy, OConnor said. Wed like to still see what we could do healthy.
