Jazz not necessarily eager to make a trade

With the Phoenix Suns (Shaquille O'Neal), Los Angeles Lakers (Pau Gasol), Golden State Warriors (Chris Webber) and probably the Dallas Mavericks (Jason Kidd) making recent roster additions to shore up for a huge Western Conference playoff chase, on the heels of the Utah Jazz's late-December trade for Kyle Korver, Jazz-watchers want to know if there's more movement in store before Thursday's trade deadline.

"On a scale of one to 10, I have no idea," said the man who has the best idea about the Jazz of anyone, senior vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor.

He said he's not going to make a deal that's just reactionary to what others have done.

"I think you make a mistake in trying to keep up with the Joneses. What you do is try and improve your team, and if you can do something that does that, we would look to do it. If it doesn't, then we're not going to do something.

"Are we afraid to make a deal? No, we're not afraid to make a deal if it improves our team. Are we going to have conversations? Sure, everyone does it at this time of the year," he said, not divulging if there's anything serious in the works.

One thing he said he won't do is sit back and think his work is done after acquiring spacing-maker Korver, whose deadly shot helps open up the interior game for Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams.

"No, I don't think you do that. You look at a long-term basis and look at needs and try and address those," O'Connor said, adding he does expect more trades in the NBA overall.

Post defense is seen as Utah's biggest need now, but O'Connor noted that all 30 teams would probably like to get better at the same thing.

QUIET: Jazz owner Larry Miller said on television Sunday night that he had not heard of any possibilities for a trade, and coach Jerry Sloan said Monday night he hadn't either.

"I haven't heard anything," said Sloan. "Yeah, I probably would be surprised if we did anything. Really, we're not out looking to make trades very often unless somebody offers us something we think is good for our organization."

Miller and Sloan are honest, but also O'Connor doesn't trouble owner and coach with trade talk until it's serious. "We've got a roster spot," he reminded. Utah has 14 players under contract.