It isn't as though the Jazz have never considered retiring Dantley's number. But one argument is he played just 461 of his 955 games in a Jazz uniform. Yet it was still more games than he played with any of the other six teams for which he played. Pete Maravich's number is hanging in the rafters, and he played only 17 games in Utah.

Dantley is listed in the official NBA Register among the league's all-time great players. If the Jazz don't retire his number, who will?

Selfish or not, Dantley gave the Jazz credibility and drawing power when the franchise lacked it. It's true the team was on shaky financial ground when A.D. played, but without him it might not have lasted until Stockton and Malone arrived.

Time tends to smooth the rough edges, and that has happened with Dantley. He certainly wasn't the only Jazz player to get into a dispute with management. Malone has called the team management "cowards" and once declared he would never play another game in Utah. Yet his number will likely be the next one retired.

One national publication said when Carlos Boozer came to Utah he requested jersey No. 4 but was told the franchise had "other plans" for the number. Fair enough.

Why not start making them now?

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E-mail: rock@desnews.com