Asked if the Jazz played hard in Charlotte, where they blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead, Sloan said, "I thought we had our moments where we did. Yeah, we played pretty hard. I thought we played hard. Because we were trying hard down the stretch, as I (said Wednesday night). I went back and looked at the film. I thought we were trying. We made some mistakes, and they were anxious mistakes."

Anxiety, meanwhile, hovers over Giricek's future in Utah.

Jazz management on Thursday said no decision has been made regarding the status of the former member of the Magic who was acquired via trade with Orlando in 2004.

"Basically where it's at is we didn't come to any conclusions," general manager Kevin O'Connor said Thursday night. "So I don't have an answer.

"I think we'll work to make a decision," he added, "but I don't know what decision will be made, if there is one."

Reiterating comments made earlier Thursday by Jazz owner Larry H. Miller, O'Connor also said, "We just want to take a deep breath and see what's going on."

Said Sloan: "I don't have a problem with whatever transpires. One way or the other. I'll move on down the road. I've been through too many of these rodeos."

Asked how tough it was to send someone home from the road, Sloan said, "It's just a decision you sometimes make. It's something I did."

O'Connor wouldn't say if Giricek was still being paid, but Jazz history in such situations is to not fine players who are suspended and/or ordered to spend some time away from the team.

Asked about Giricek's future, Fleisher — whose client is in the final season of a four-year, $16-million deal with the Jazz, and previously has privately expressed to Jazz brass his desire to leave Utah — seemed uncertain.

"That's really more a question for them than it is for us," said Fleisher, who also represents two Jazz high-profile starters, small forward Andrei Kirilenko and injured center Mehmet Okur. "Giri reiterated (Wednesday) night that he likes his team, he likes his teammates, he is very happy living in Salt Lake City.

"He sees a role for himself on the team, but he is frustrated and has had a difficult time understanding what Jerry wants from him," Fleisher added. "And this is not a new problem. It's gone on for a while. But he's adamant he did nothing wrong, and nothing to provoke this."

Three times Wednesday night, Giricek said, "I didn't do anything wrong."

Jazz teammates, meanwhile, spent Thursday trying to focus on the Magic.

"Of course it's (upsetting) to see one of your teammates go to the locker room and have this kind of situation," Kirilenko said.

Asked if what happened to Giricek was fair, however, Kirilenko — who also has had his share of frustrations with Sloan — offered a curt "no comment."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com