A position, that is, like Malone made a tradition of manning, and redefining, during his 18 seasons with the Jazz before leaving Utah last summer to pursue free-agent opportunities with the Lakers.

The Jazz have an emerging core of perimeter players, Miller said, but they still need "somebody that can go to the low post, and score for us down there to open (things) up.

"We've got to have somebody that can overpower a zone, physically," he said. "I mean, Karl's the model for that — in the history of the game."

Kirilenko. Tom Gugliotta. Jarron Collins. Greg Ostertag. Mikki Moore. Michael Ruffin. Matt Harpring. Curtis Borchardt. Ben Handlogten. Paul Grant. Even Keon Clark for a couple of games.

The Jazz gave everybody and their brother a chance to be a dominant go-to player on the inside, but none — either because of injuries, skill level or the mere fact their game works better from the outside-in — managed to establish the sort of presence so desperately needed in Malone's absence.

That in mind, the Jazz go into this offseason seeking to fill the need.

The June 24 NBA Draft offers one opportunity to do just that, but with picks currently at No. 14 (their own), No. 16 (originally belonging to New York, and acquired from Phoenix) and No. 21 (acquired from Houston), it seems unlikely instant gratification will be realized.

Unless, of course, the Jazz find fortune on their side and turn their No. 14 selection into either No. 1, 2 or 3 — UConn's 6-foot-9 Emeka Okafor would fit the bill at power forward — when the annual draft lottery is held May 26.

Otherwise, big men who could be available — including Serbians Predrag Samardziski and Kosta Perovic, and Latvian Andris Biedrins — all would need time to develop.

"It could be answered through the draft," Miller said, "but probably only if we get real lucky with pingpong balls.

"At 14," he added, "we're not gonna get a 4 or a 5 that can help us right now. It would probably have to be one, two or three (in the draft) that could help us right now, at either position."

That leaves two possibilities for seeking such talent.

The Jazz will have a bundle of money to spend on free agents, with Detroit restricted free agent Mehmet Okur one possible target. If they take the trade route, the list of potential power forwards available probably will include Portland's Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Whatever the Jazz do, though, this much seems clear:

"Clearly," Miller said, "we need help on the front line, at 4 and 5."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com