Jazz cut 2 players from roster

Rumors of Hiram Fuller's departure are greatly exaggerated.

The Jazz did make two roster cuts after playing an open-to-the-public scrimmage at the Delta Center, but free-agent hopeful Fuller — contrary to a Web site suggesting he has already signed with a team in France — was not one of them.

Undrafted free agents Frans Steyn, a 7-foot-2 center who finished at NCAA Division II Southwest Baptist University after playing three seasons at Oklahoma State, and Tyler Smith, a forward from Penn State, both were released Thursday night.

The moves, Utah's first since training camp opened Oct. 3, leave the Jazz with 16 players heading into preseason road games Saturday at Indiana and Monday vs. Detroit.

Jazz officials have said they'll probably keep just 14 players to start the season rather than the maximum-allowed 15, meaning more decisions must be made.

One spot — the No. 3 point-guard position — may go to the winner of a battle between undrafted free agent Brian Chase, who scored 11 points on 3-of-6 field shooting Thursday, and 2006 second-round draft choice Dee Brown, who missed his only shot from the field.

To win the other spot, Fuller probably would have to beat out undrafted forward Roger Powell Jr. — who has $125,000 of his contract guaranteed.

The odds-stacked-against-him situation, however, does not prompt Fuller to ponder possibilities overseas.

"This is my whole focus right here," Fuller, a big man from Fresno State whose entire NBA career to date consists of four games with Atlanta in 2004, said of trying to stick with the Jazz.

The ProExposure.com Web site reported earlier Thursday that Fuller had signed with Pau-Orthez of the French Pro A League, the same team for which Fuller played 11 games last spring, but Fuller said that's simply not so.

Fuller's agent, J.R. Harris, said Fuller does have an offer on the table from Pau-Orthez — but no paperwork has been signed.

"That's not even in my mind right now," said Fuller, who had three rebounds in Thursday's scrimmage. "I'm just more so focused, 99.9 percent, on this right here."

KIRILENKO OK: Jazz coach Jerry Sloan expressed concern about forward Andrei Kirilenko following Thursday's scrimmage, but the forward from Russia insists there is no need to worry.

"Andrei's struggling with his game, for some reason," Sloan said. "I don't know if it's his back, or what."