Jazz could sign big man today

The Jazz on Sunday released big man Paul Grant, opening the door to another potential signing that could come as soon as today.

"I think we're gonna do something," Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's senior vice president of basketball operations, said Sunday.

That "something" could be the signing of a call-up from the National Basketball Development League, perhaps Mikki Moore, a 7-footer who leads the NBDL in rebounds with an average of 9.0 per game and is second among all NBDL scorers at 21.0 points per game.

Less-likely possibilities include a couple of rookie pros with local ties, former Utah State forward Desmond Penigar, who averages 7.1 rebounds and a league-leading 21.1 points for the NBDL's Asheville Altitude, and ex-University of Utah forward Britton Johnsen, averaging 14.9 boards per game for Fayetteville of the NBDL after the Orlando Magic waived him early in the NBA season.

Grant, a journeyman 7-footer playing on his second and final 10-day contract of the season with the Jazz, was waived one game before Utah would have been forced to either let him go or sign him for the rest of the season.

"We wanted to make a move," O'Connor said, "and we'd rather get the clock started on this other thing sooner rather than later."

O'Connor said the Jazz were looking to bring in another big man, "a more active guy who (also) can play a little bit of power forward."

At 7-feet and 225 pounds, 29-year-old center Moore seems to fit the bill.

He has played in parts of five NBA seasons, including 81 games in 2000-01 with Detroit, for whom he logged 142 games over four seasons from 1999-2002. Last season, the University of Nebraska product played briefly with Boston and Atlanta.

Moore has played 14 games this season for Roanoke of the NBDL, also averaging 1.6 blocks per game. His career NBA averages: 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 150 games.

Grant was waived by the Jazz in training camp but signed Jan. 1, after reserve big man Ben Handlogten sustained a season-ending knee surgery.

After playing only pick-up ball in Boston following his October release by the Jazz, the 7-foot Grant averaged 2.5 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10 games with Utah.

NOTE: The Jazz are listing reserve guard Mo Williams as "doubtful" for tonight's game against the Los Angeles Clippers because of a sprained left ankle sustained in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's loss to the Los Angeles.

With Grant waived, and if Williams does not play, the Jazz will have only nine healthy players available tonight.

Whomever is signed next is not expected to play against the Clippers.

---

E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com