Utah Jazz: Boozer set to rock, pick and roll

BOISE — His scoring average was down more than five points from the regular season.

His focus was a blur, like trying to look long-distance through the reading portion of new bifocals.

His 2008 NBA postseason was a bust, and he readily admits as much.

On the opening day of training camp for the '08-09 season, however, Carlos Boozer was ready to leave all that behind and peer ahead with a thankfully much-clearer vision.

"I can't wait to play, to get that bad taste out of my mouth," Boozer said between sessions of two-a-day camp at Boise State University's Taco Bell Arena.

"You know, it kind of lingers around until the next game," he added. "So, I'm looking forward to the season, I'm looking forward to practice and playing and getting it out of my system."

The purge should be aided by an offseason in which the Jazz's two-time All-Star power forward won gold with Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

"For me personally," Boozer said, "I'm in a great place mentally, a great place physically, and ready to rock and roll."

Just how long he'll continue to make music with the Jazz, however, remains to be seen.

The team has discussed contract extensions with the camps of both Boozer and starting center Mehmet Okur, general manager Kevin O'Connor said Tuesday morning here.

But Boozer doesn't plan to decide anything until next offseason, including whether to extend or pursue opportunities in the free-agency market, he said before the Jazz's evening workout.

"We're going to enjoy this season and play basketball," Boozer said. "I look forward to having an opportunity to win, and hopefully win a championship.

"We're gonna let (contract matters) slide, so it's ready to be dealt with in the summertime," he added Tuesday night. "Right now we have an opportunity to play basketball, and have fun doing that, so we're going to focus on that."

Both Boozer and Okur are eligible to opt out of the final year of their current deals after the coming NBA season.

But neither player, evidently, is close to striking a deal.

"We've had some conversations with him (Boozer) about it," O'Connor said. "And, look: As far as I'm concerned, I feel Carlos wants to be here. And as far as we're concerned we certainly want him to be here, and then we're going to address it accordingly."

Asked Tuesday if he expected to continue talks with Boozer during the season, O'Connor said, "We might have some, but probably not."

Such also seems to be the case with Okur, an All-Star in 2007 who is in the fifth season of a six-year, $50 million contract.

"We've had a little bit of conversations, but same thing (as Boozer)," O'Connor said.

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