Once steady Jazz suddenly singing a new tune
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Utah Jazz, once held up as the NBA's model of stability, were jolted by their second major upheaval in two weeks on Wednesday and warned more change could be on the horizon.
The Jazz traded All-Star guard Deron Williams, their top scorer, to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, two draft picks and cash just weeks after Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan sent a shockwave through Salt Lake City when resigned after 23 years in charge.
Utah general manager Kevin O'Connor said he has had several conversations and expects to be active heading into Thursday's NBA trade deadline but stopped short of calling the latest deal the start of a full-blown rebuild.
"I wouldn't be doing my job if I said it was the end of the moves," O'Connor told reporters. "If we can improve our team we will ... Are we looking to rebuild or rebuilding right now, I don't think that is the correct word."
While many locker rooms in the NBA seem to be equipped with a revolving door, Jazz fans have grown accustomed to seeing familiar faces on their team's bench.
Karl Malone, twice the NBA's most valuable player, played 18 seasons with the Jazz and fellow Hall of Famer John Stockton set the NBA record for assists and steals during a 20-year career spent entirely with Utah.
Until two weeks ago, Sloan had been a Jazz fixture and team owner Greg Miller promised to restore the franchise's famous stability.
"The fact is nobody can be around forever," said Miller. "But I can tell you this, it is my intent to do everything I can to deliver stability to the Utah Jazz."
"There are obviously things beyond my control but within the realm of things that I can influence and control I'm all about perpetuating the great legends, the great traditions that are this franchise."
Williams had been placed at the epicenter of the Utah upheaval, fingered for Sloan's decision to resign after several disagreements.
Following Williams's move to New Jersey one of the first questions asked was whether that might signal Sloan's return as the Jazz coach.
"There's no need to make a villain out of this," said Miller. "Deron is a very competitive, very driven individual everyone understands that. Jerry was as well.
"They had a number of conflicts over the course of their career together but this doesn't directly tie into that. They are separate events."
"People just don't want to believe it was what it was. Jerry just felt it was time for him to go."
(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto, Editing by Frank Pingue)
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