Boozer, Okur decide to stay with Jazz
June 30, 2009
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)—Carlos Boozer(notes) and Mehmet Okur(notes) are both staying with theUtah Jazz next season.
About two hours after Boozer let the Jazz know he decided against opting outof the final year of his contract—which he once said he intended to do—Okurjoined him Tuesday night.
The moves keep the Jazz lineup intact, but at a hefty price, as Boozer isscheduled to make $12.7 million next season and Okur $9 million.
Boozer told an ESPN.com reporter in December that he was definitely going toopt out of his contract, but backed off his original statement and said when theseason ended he wanted to consider all of his options.
He chose not to chance an iffy free agent market for more money and possiblya long-term deal.
“We are excited that Carlos has decided to remain with the Jazz,” generalmanager Kevin O’Connor said in a release. “We are hopeful he can continue toplay at an All-Star level and will have an injury-free season.”
Boozer and Okur took until the final day to reach a decision, announcingtheir choice one day after Kyle Korver(notes) told the team he would be return for hisguaranteed $5.2 million.
While relieved to have the three players back, O’Connor is looking at a hugepayroll that also includes $16.2 million for forward Andrei Kirilenko(notes)—andcould still get bigger.
Forward Paul Millsap(notes) is a restricted free agent who will draw interest inthe next week, when teams can negotiate with players. The Jazz will have theright to match any other offers in order to keep him, but could easily top theluxury tax threshold if another team puts up a big contract.
When healthy, Boozer has been the Jazz’s top scorer and rebounder and helpedlead Utah to three straight playoff appearances. He’s been an All-Star twice andwas a member of last year’s U.S. Olympic gold medal team, but injuries havetaken him out for large chunks of three of his five seasons in Utah.
Boozer has averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds since Utah signed him awayfrom the Cleveland Cavaliers as a restricted free agent five years ago, but hasonly played in 276 of a possible 410 games with the Jazz. He was limited to 37games last season, due largely to an injury that required surgery on his leftknee in January.
Okur, who joined the Jazz as a free agent shortly after Boozer, has averaged16 points and eight rebounds for Utah and is the team’s top 3-point shooter.
The Jazz struggled without him when he missed the first three games of theplayoffs this spring with a hamstring injury, falling behind the Lakers andnever recovering.
“He has clearly been an integral part of our success since his arrival andwe are hopeful that he will continue to perform at such a high level in thefuture,” O’Connor said.
Millsap averaged 13.5 points last season, getting double-doubles in 19straight games while starting for Boozer, and has career averages of 9.4 pointsand 6.4 rebounds since the Jazz selected him with the No. 47 pick in the 2006draft.
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