Arroyo wants back into Jazz lineup

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan continues to say Carlos Arroyo has to work his way back into the rotation by doing well in practice.

Arroyo wonders how he can do that when court time in practice comes in the same ratio as court time in games — and he's played just two minutes in the last five games.

Arroyo said Thursday, however, that he not only plans to get back on the court for the Jazz but also expects to stay with Utah a long time, despite nationwide rumors that he might be ripe for a swap.

"No, I never wanted a trade," said Arroyo, adding that it's hard to see his name linked to other teams. "That's not my intention. I signed to be here four years, with the intention to play a lot of minutes and come here and do a job, and that's what I expect. I signed to be here for four years, to be happy here four years and make Utah my home."

Seeing his name in a trade context, Arroyo said, is difficult, even though, "If they don't mention you, you're not important.

"My plans are to stay here," he insisted.

"I don't want my name to be out there. I signed four years for my name to be here and only here, but I guess when you're not playing — from starting to not playing — people are going to wonder what's going on. That's the NBA."

He sees himself back on the Jazz's court at some point. "Yeah, I expect that. I cannot expect any less than that," Arroyo said. "I feel that I should be out there. That's not happening now, but I'm still ready.

"There's things that I can do, maintain a good attitude and keep working on my own, staying ready for whenever he calls my name to be in good physical condition." Arroyo said he realizes it's Sloan's call and all the players should respect that. The rest of it — whether Sloan has told him why he's been benched or what he can do about it — "That's internal," Arroyo said.

While sitting is unpleasant, Arroyo is trying to stay positive. "It's helped me grow as a person. This is a tough experience, but it's helped me grow as a player. It's very hard. I want to be out there, and he hasn't given me the chance to be out there."

ROSTER JUGGLING: Currently the Jazz's No. 4 point guard, Arroyo is one option to be put on the Jazz's injured list should Andrei Kirilenko and/or Jarron Collins be returned to playing status Saturday.

Kirilenko is still expected to be activated for Saturday's game with Memphis in the Delta Center at 7 p.m., and Collins is a possibility, having been cleared by his doctor Tuesday to return to full practices Thursday.