Utah Jazz: Heat did not seriously bid for Carlos Boozer

PORTLAND, Ore. — It's been widely reported and confirmed that Miami made a late but failed bid before last Thursday's NBA trade deadline to acquire Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire as part of a deal that also would have sent Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer to the Suns for expiring contracts and draft picks.

But the deal never developed, partly because Utah wasn't interested.

It's also been widely reported that the Heat tried to acquire Boozer as part of proposed multi-team deals involving Washington and perhaps Memphis, but that's been denied in both Miami and Utah.

Heat president Pat Riley was among those denying the Boozer talk, and he seemed to reiterate as much when telling South Florida media members over the weekend his response "to being unable to land either" Stoudemire or Boozer "before the deadline, when there were intense talks regarding both."

Riley's answer: "Well, that's not true, as far as the intense talks on both, at all."

Repeating: Contrary to multiple national reports, Miami never did seriously bid for Boozer, if at all.

Furthermore, Miami is expected to pursue Stoudemire (and Toronto's Chris Bosh, and probably Atlanta's Joe Johnson) before Boozer during summer free agency.

Boozer, meanwhile, said last Friday that he came "really close" to being traded — and suggested that while some hoped it would be to Miami, he was fine with staying in Utah, at least for now and perhaps even longer.

"I live in Miami in the offseason, so a lot of friends in Miami were crossing their fingers. A lot of my friends in Utah were crossing their fingers," Boozer told national reporters. "When we landed, I was happy to still be a part of the team."

Boozer also said in front of at least one local reporter and multiple national reporters, that, as previously reported, there's "a great possibility" he'll remain in Utah beyond this season.

That said, it should be noted the Jazz wouldn't have cared it Boozer left last offseason; he was the one who opted to return for the final season of his current contract.

It should be noted that the Jazz weren't looking to trade Boozer this season if it meant adding salary for next season, because they want to reduce and not increase player payroll — though coach Jerry Sloan did want him to stay, especially with the team on its recent roll.