From Deseret News archives:

Miller says Sloan's future is up to Sloan

Published: Monday, April 10, 2006 11:59 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Responding to a caller's question about his coaching future while speaking Sunday night on KSL-TV Ch. 5, Jerry Sloan dropped this little nugget: "Maybe he doesn't want me back, or something like that."

"He" would be Larry H. Miller, owner of the Jazz.

Yet "he" has no idea what would possibly prompt Sloan to even wonder about not being wanted back.

"I don't know what it would be," Miller said before the Jazz beat Houston on Monday night at the Delta Center. "I was watching, too. And I kind of went . . . 'Wonder what made him say that?'

"In fact," Miller added, "I've done just the opposite with him, where I've reassured him that everything, as far as I'm concerned, in the relationship is still intact."

The decision on whether or not to return, Miller said, belongs to Sloan, who has two years remaining on his current contract.

"I've told him it's got to be his call," Miller said, "but he should not do it out of a sense of obligation to the team or to me or anything else. (Only if) he wants to be here."

It sure seems he does.

Sloan said later Monday that it was "just a comment."

"I think you always have to be aware of that, so you're not shocked," he said. "That's just part of this business."

Story continues below
But, Sloan added, "everything's fine . . . there's not any reason at this point" to think otherwise.

With just five more regular-season games remaining for Utah, the Jazz coach actually seems more enthused about what's ahead than he was at the end of any recent season.

"Last season we were really not very good," Sloan said. "But these guys have tried to hang in there all year long, despite the fact we haven't had everybody healthy.

"I think this team can be a better team. Last year, I didn't know where we were going to go," added Sloan, who in his 18th season is tenured with the same team longer than any other coach or manager in America's four major professional sports leagues. "I just look at the whole picture and say they can be a good basketball team if some things fall into place."

Even with the Jazz's playoff hopes ever so slim, Miller also remains enthusiastic about his franchise's future — and Sloan's place in it.

"He's solid," said Miller, who about a month ago met personally with Sloan — at the coach's request — during a particularly rough period in the Jazz's season.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Related content
previousnext

Latest comments

NFL locals watch

Late perhaps to catch it on newstands, but SI had an article on Peyton...

4A All-State volleyball teams

Thank you Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. White, and Mrs. Greenwood for your posts!

To "Smity | 7:45 a.m. " how well did the risk sharing work out for the...

you haven't learned yet the politics that lies in sports...at every...

Letters: It's just a game

I am just amazed at how tender hearted the Utes are. Year after year I hear...

Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?

Benson, Would you impose thought control rules on the BYU players. Or just...

Avoid pitfalls in clean-energy plans

What's wrong with oil? It powers cars, heats homes, creates jobs (lots of...

'I, too, have lived other places and have noticed a difference between Utah...

Just as I though, most on the critical end of the President's plan. So, to...

Sorry But it wont happen . The BCS isnt involved in anti trust so the big...

Advertisements