Sloan no fan of NBA's inactive list

OAKLAND, Calif. — If Jazz coach Jerry Sloan had his way, everyone on Utah's 14-man roster would be active for each game of the season.

Instead, NBA rules dictate that only 12 can be active on a game-to-game basis.

"I hate the list," Sloan said.

"I don't see the advantage of it," he added. "I just get tired of going and telling (players) he's gonna be on the inactive list — whoever it is."

On the receiving end of Sloan's dreaded news Tuesday were rookies Morris Almond and Kyrylo Fesenko, who watched the season's 2007-08 NBA season-opener at Golden State on Tuesday night from behind the bench and dressed in street clothes.

Experience, Sloan suggested, was the deciding factor.

"They're two young kids," the Jazz coach said.

The call confirms Almond, the Jazz's first-round pick in last June's NBA Draft, is fourth on Utah's depth chart at shooting guard behind starter Ronnie Brewer, veteran Gordan Giricek and third-year pro C.J. Miles.

Fesenko, a second-round draft choice, is Utah's No. 3 center behind starter Mehmet Okur and backup Jarron Collins.

AY AY, CAPTAIN: Sloan on Tuesday also said starting point guard Deron Williams and starting power forward Carlos Boozer will serve as team co-captains throughout the season.

The Jazz rotated multiple players as captains last season.

Naming permanent captains, Sloan suggested, simply makes his life easier.

"I didn't want to (answer questions about that) all year," he said. "That keeps everybody off my back."

One more question Sloan will avoid this season is that of why he sets a nightly curfew for players. This season, there is no curfew.

HARPRING TOUGH, JOHNSON BEST: NBA.com's recent survey of general mangers from throughout the league has Jazz backup small forward Matt Harpring tied for fourth with Caron Butler and Shaquille O'Neal in the category of league's toughest player, trailing only Ron Artest, Ben Wallace and Andres Nocioni.

Harpring missed all seven games of the preseason while rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee, but played Tuesday.