Jazz extend O'Connor's contract

PHOENIX — Kevin O'Connor does not mind staying out of the spotlight.

The work of the Jazz's basketball operations senior vice president has not gone without notice from owner Larry H. Miller, however, and on Thursday Miller rewarded O'Connor with a multiyear contract extension.

Neither length nor financial terms of the agreement were released by the club, which in January of 2002 gave O'Connor an extension that runs through the conclusion of this season.

O'Connor — who replaced current Jazz assistant coach Scott Layden in 1999, after Layden left Utah to run the New York Knicks — said his seven previous years in charge of the organization's basketball operations department have been highlighted by "putting this team in a position to compete without having a huge downturn" after John Stockton's retirement and Karl Malone's departure from Utah in 2003.

The Jazz contended for playoff berths without Stockton and Malone in 2004 and this past season, and had what O'Connor called "one lousy year" when they went 26-56 in 2004-05.

"I give credit to Coach (Jerry Sloan) for being able to do that," O'Connor said, "especially the first year after John and Karl."

The low-profile O'Connor has handled player procurement responsibilities largely while working in the shadow of Sloan, who — in his 19th season as head coach of the Jazz — wields much more decisionmaking responsibility in personnel matters than most NBA coaches.

Besides Miller, O'Connor said, "I honestly believe that Jerry is the most recognizable face of our franchise, and should be.

"I think Jerry's always done things for the good of the organization, and never deviated from that," he added, "so it's been very easy to work with somebody who ... looks out for the good of the franchise."

AYE, AYE CAPTAIN: Maybe it's paranoia, fear that players will have too much say in team issues.

Maybe it's simply because he doesn't want to upset one or more of the three who performed the task a season ago — forwards Matt Harpring, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko — by replacing them.

Whatever the case, Sloan won't name permanent team captains for this season and instead will assign different players to meet with referees and opponent captains prior to games.