Utah Jazz notebook: Brewer benefits greatly from departure of Fisher

Jazz fans who feel compelled to boo. The Jazz payroll, trimmed of $21 million over three seasons. And Derek Fisher himself, who was able to both feel comfortable with the medical care for his child and re-join the Los Angeles Lakers.

All are among the well-chronicled beneficiaries of the decision by Fisher — whose young daughter, Tatum, was diagnosed last season with a rare form of childhood eye cancer — to ask out of his contract with the Jazz last summer and return to L.A.

Perhaps the least-publicized beneficiary, though, has been second-season Jazz shooting guard Ronnie Brewer, who took the starting job that Fisher held and developed his game far beyond where he had during his rookie season.

"I doubt that (Brewer) would have gotten the opportunity," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "Probably would have been disappointed a great deal in not playing."

Instead, Brewer — Utah's 2006 first-round draft choice — is thriving, averaging 11.9 points and 28 minutes per game heading into Thursday night's late-starting game against Fisher and the Lakers.

Teammates notice the difference.

"From my experience," power forward Carlos Boozer said, "once you get thrown in the fire, you grow up faster, you learn faster."

Brewer knew Fisher's departure would give him a chance he did not have as a rookie.

The University of Arkansas product didn't realize just how big it would be, though, until the Jazz were unable to land Toronto free agent Morris Peterson, who instead signed with New Orleans.

"Nothing was sketched in stone, because once (Fisher) left they were trying to get Mo Peterson," Brewer said. "So I had to continue to work on my game, continue to get better. I had the mindset that no matter who they have, or who they drafted, or who they got coming to the team, I've got to work on my individual game and bring something to the team that those other guys don't.

"You never know if I would have got to play a lot this year if Fish would have stayed, or if MoPete would have came here," he added. "But I'm glad it worked out."

Now that it has, Sloan wants Brewer to take his game to yet another level.

"We really admire what he's done thus far," the Jazz coach said. "But we expect more. And he has to expect more out of himself. He can't just say, 'Well, I'm in the NBA.' ... He's got a tremendous amount of growing to do."