And goodbye ... Arroyo sent to Detroit for Campbell, '06 pick

"Every team has different dynamics as far as communication goes. Some coaches will come and grab you. And Jerry's not like that. I've had to go grab him, and just ask to sit with him. And he's fine, if you can do that," Bell added. "And I don't know that that was something Carlos could do. I tried to tell him to do it, and I think other people did. Maybe he just wanted to go. I don't know."

As recently as Thursday Arroyo said his preference was playing, and starting, in Utah.

In Detroit, he probably won't start ahead of Chauncey Billups for the defending NBA-champion Pistons. But he should play, especially with Detroit desperately needing backup point help.

The trade also means the Jazz's point play now rests with starter Keith McLeod, backup Raul Lopez and No. 3 point/combo guard Howard Eisley.

Those three all suggested Friday that having four points was somewhat awkward, but evidently Arroyo and Sloan felt it was much more problematic.

"It will be better for us, and hopefully it will be better for Carlos as well," Sloan said. "The guys we have here — hopefully they'll play, and know they're going to be here and have a chance to play."

The Jazz say they're not writing off their season, but it's clear they're looking ahead.

"What we're comfortable with is trying to keep evaluating," Jazz basketball operations senior vice president Kevin O'Connor said, who did not see the Jazz getting a better offer for Arroyo even if they waited until closer to the NBA's Feb. 24 trade deadline.

"I don't think we saw anybody out there who could give us immediate help," he added, "and we still have a lot of young kids that we're trying to work into the lineup."

O'Connor considers the draft pick to be the prize of the Pistons' return package.

Campbell, who makes $4.4 million in a two-year deal's final season, allows the swap to conform to 15-percent NBA salary-matching trade standards.

The 15-season, 36-year-old vet averaged 4.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 10.8 minutes in 21 games this season. It's seems unlikely, however, that the 7-foot Clemson product and longtime Los Angeles Laker ever plays a game for the Jazz.

"It would be hard for me to bring an older guy in at this point and play him," Sloan said shortly before the deal was formally announced. "I've got younger decisions to make."

Taking $4 million off next season's books won't give the Jazz salary cap relief, since they'll already be over the cap.

But they will have extra spending room under the NBA's luxury-tax threshold, which monetarily penalizes team that engage in excess spending — a line Jazz owner Larry H. Miller has vowed never to cross.

Utah also gets unexpected roster-space flexibility, though Lopez is their only current point under contract through 2006.