Jazz finally get a look at lauded swingman Tucker

With a strained quad muscle, 2007 NBA Draft prospect Alando Tucker canceled a visit to Utah scheduled for last Monday. The Jazz, however, really wanted to interview Tucker and get to know him.

As it turned out, they got that and a pinch more.

"Hearing from my agent," said Tucker, a senior swingman who conducted an abbreviated workout for Jazz brass on Saturday in advance of Thursday's draft, "they were really happy about getting me in.

"I cherish the opportunity to come here," added Tucker, an Associated Press first-team All-American and the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year after averaging 19.9 points per game for the University of Wisconsin this past season. "For them to try to ... get me back, it shows a lot."

Tucker — a possible pick for the Jazz with their No. 25 overall selection in the draft's first round — originally hurt his quad during a workout with New Jersey, and perhaps aggravated it a bit in Seattle two days before he initially was scheduled to come to Utah.

"I got banged up, and then I tried to go again right away, and I think I did more damage," said Tucker, adding he "got up a few shots up" before cutting Saturday's workout short.

"You could tell he wasn't 100 percent," said former University of Utah and Troy University swingman Richard Chaney, who also auditioned Saturday.

Tucker's glad to have come nonetheless.

"If I had a chance to play here at 25, it wouldn't bother me at all," he said, "because I know in the long run I'd be in a good situation."

UP NEXT: The Jazz this morning are scheduled work out big men Glen Davis of LSU, Joel Anthony of UNLV, Warren Carter of Illinois and Levon Kendall of Pittsburgh.

Of the four, only Davis — a junior who was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year after averaging an SEC-high 18.6 points per game during his sophomore season — is considered a potential first-round pick.

ALUMNI UPDATE: According to an AP report, injury-plagued former Jazz guard Troy Hudson very much wants out of Minnesota after five seasons there and his agent said he called Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor to make the fact known.

"It's not like I demanded a trade or anything," agent Bill Neff said. "It's just time to move on."

Hudson, who played eight games for Utah in the 1997-98 season, apparently has issues with 'Wolves coach Randy Wittman, who replaced the fired Dwane Casey last January.

"We weren't happy (when that happened)," the AP quoted Neff as saying.

Hudson was rumored to have been part of a proposed deal that would have sent Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett to Boston, but Garnett has made it known through his agent he has no desire to join the Celtics.

One potential roadblock to Hudson being included in another deal: The reserve guard has three years and more than $18 remaining on a six-year, $37 million contract he earned by averaging 14.2 points and 5.7 assists in 2002-03.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com