Until the Andrei Kirilenko situation came up recently, many people assumed if the Utah Jazz made an offseason trade, shooting guard Gordan Giricek would probably be involved.

After all, Utah drafted Morris Almond at the same position, had Ronnie Brewer, issued restricted free agent C.J. Miles a qualifying offer and acquired point guards Jason Hart and Ronnie Price, who can both play the two.

"Lucky me. I wasn't here, so I didn't hear much. I was in Croatia," responded Giricek cheerfully at Monday's media day.

Certainly he knew some of the talk despite being in his homeland for the summer.

"I had some slight information from my agent, but I wasn't bothered," he said. "I always believe what's going to happen is going to happen."

Giricek said if the Jazz had decided to make a change that included him, "I can only say I agree because they're going to decide what is best for the team," he said. "They're going to decide, not the players."

But he chose not to dwell on it. "I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself."

And he is back in a Jazz uniform at training camp in Boise today.

"I'm glad that I came back, and I'm happy to be part of a team that had great success last season," Giricek said.

As for the extra competition and the thought that the Jazz are not settled at shooting guard?

"This gives me reason to prove that wrong," Giricek said. "It's extra motivation to show them they are wrong."

Giricek lost about 10 pounds over the summer and hopes that will improve the difficulties he had last season with his Achilles tendon. He played only 61 regular-season games, and his scoring average dropped two points.

"I thought maybe it's going to be easier for my legs, my Achilles, and I think it will be," he said. "I feel light. I feel more explosive."

BOOZER UPDATE: Nobody is sure when Carlos Boozer will be able to come to camp, though Jazz coach Jerry Sloan talked with his power forward recently and said Boozer "was excited about the progress" his baby son was making following a bone marrow transplant in Miami. "But you don't know what tomorrow will bring," Sloan said.

Boozer has permission to miss what time is necessary to tend to his son.

When Boozer returns, "He will be ready to play," Sloan said. "I would about bet you money he's ready right now."