Jazz not adding to roster

Published: Tuesday, Nov. 25 2003 8:17 a.m. MST

Even with starting point guard Carlos Arroyo out up to two weeks with a sprained left ankle sustained last Friday night vs. Milwaukee, the Jazz have no current plans to sign a third point guard, coach Jerry Sloan said Monday.

Reiterating what basketball operations senior vice president Kevin O'Connor said Saturday, Sloan suggested duties at the point will be turned over to two rookies, backup Raul Lopez and No. 3 Mo Williams.

Lopez will start Wednesday night vs. Houston, Sloan said Monday, and Williams will back him up.

"He (Lopez) has earned that opportunity," the Jazz coach said.

Sloan also said starting shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson, apparently ready to return after spraining his neck Friday, could play some at the point in a pinch.

"Maybe we can mix and match a little bit there with (Stevenson) some," Sloan said, "because he's been around here long enough to . . . have a pretty good grasp on what we're doing."

Things might be different if Arroyo were expected to be out much longer.

But, since that's not the case, Sloan is comfortable giving backup minutes to Williams, who has played sparingly so far this season.

"(If) I bring another guy in," Sloan said, "I may take another 10 minutes away from (Williams)."


E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com

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