Peterson meets with Jazz today

Morris Peterson is in town to hear what Utah has to offer.

But the Toronto Raptors free agent has something to say too — and, from the sound of it, the Jazz are bound to like hearing what he has to offer them.

"I think they have a great team, and may be one piece away from a championship or making it to the (NBA) Finals," Peterson said after arriving Sunday in Salt Lake City so he and his agent can meet today with Jazz owner Larry H. Miller, basketball operations senior vice president Kevin O'Connor and head coach Jerry Sloan.

"From watching them in the playoffs, especially with the loss of Derek Fisher," Peterson added, "they need a guy who can come in and play some defense and make 3-pointers and knock down shots."

He can be that guy, suggested Peterson, a swingman who seems willing to woo the Jazz as hard as they're recruiting him.

Peterson — who averaged a career-high 16.8 points per game two seasons ago, but just 8.9 after losing his starting job this past season — feels he's quite capable of filling the Jazz's vacancy at starting shooting guard.

"First of all, I think Derek Fisher did a great job. He's a total professional," Peterson said of the veteran guard who is walking away from the final three years and $20.58 of his Jazz contract to be close to the best medical for his young daughter, who is battling childhood eye cancer. "And I think if you kook at (the Jazz's) roster, they have some guys who can play.

"But their style reminds me of Michigan State," added Peterson, who helped lead the Spartans to the 2000 NCAA championship. "The way we played there, there were a lot of plays coming off screens. It's the same style offense."

Peterson, who turns 30 years old next month, appears to be the Jazz's top target in the NBA's summer free-agency market.

But they aren't the only team vying for his services.

According to a report Sunday in The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune, "a league source said Saturday that the Hornets are involved in serious discussions to sign Peterson, a veteran shooting guard whom the team signed to an offer sheet in 2004."

The Raptors matched that '04 offer to Peterson, a restricted free agent at the time. After seven years in Toronto, though, Peterson is now unrestricted and drawing attention from multiple clubs.

Reported the Times-Picayune: "Five teams have expressed an interest ... but the source said Peterson is seriously considering the Hornets offer, as well as one from the Utah Jazz."

Peterson suggested he didn't have a formal offer from the Jazz on the table as of Sunday night, but he did confirm Utah and New Orleans are his strongest suitors.

Both contacted him immediately after the league's summer shopping market opened about a week ago.