He's also grown mentally, he says, after a year that started with him looking like a villain for taking the Jazz's $68 million. Cleveland released him from restricted free agent status, claiming a pending verbal agreement with him for $42 million, only to have him bolt for more.

After a good start came inconsistency on the court — Sloan said it's common for young players who don't know how to adjust when the opponent changes how it plays them — and criticism from the team owner.

Though he was the Jazz's leading scorer (17.8) and rebounder (9.0), Boozer was more effective early in the season.

"I've seen a lot in my young career already. The good thing about that is I have experience, and I've matured already," said Boozer, who last season didn't fully embrace the idea of being a difference-maker. "Not as much as I needed to," he said, adding that then he was new to the Jazz and didn't "want to be too demonstrative because you have to learn what they're about.

"Now I know what they're about, and now I can totally put myself out there on a limb a lot more. I look forward to doing that every night," Boozer declared.

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