Harpring's out for exhibition opener; limited practice also due to unreported ankle surgery

Matt Harpring has had difficulties with his knees and their surgeries — the latest one arthroscopically on his right knee in early August to clean out scar tissue.

He participated in only one practice a day during last week's two-a-days, and he's been held out of most contact work and is out for tonight's preseason opener for the Jazz against the Milwaukee Bucks at EnergySolutions Arena at 7.

But another reason Harpring's a little slow to come around is that he also had a previously unreported surgery on his left ankle around Labor Day to repair bone spurs.

Speaking of ankles, C.J. Miles mildly sprained an ankle in Tuesday's practice but participated in Wednesday's shootaround and is expected to play tonight, as is Ukrainian rookie Kyrylo Fesenko, who on Tuesday was suffering from apparent food poisoning after dining on sushi.

The latest on Carlos Boozer, still in Miami caring for his young son Carmani following the latter's bone marrow transplant, is that it sounds as though he may be getting close to joining the team.

Jazz senior vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor said Wednesday that Boozer would not leave Salt Lake City Thursday with the Jazz as they head to Detroit for another exhibition game, but, "after that, I don't know. It's got to be his call."

O'Connor said he had "nothing definitive" regarding Boozer, but he and Sloan sounded vaguely as though they might expect Boozer to join them during this three-game road trip to Detroit, Milwaukee and Phoenix.

Sloan said he won't play Boozer until he's practiced.

"Getting back in the flow of playing and running and reading defenses and executing plays, that takes some time to do," Sloan said. "He has told me that he's worked very hard. I'll find that out in a day or two."

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E-mail: lham@desnews.com