Utah Jazz: No punishment for Jerry Sloan for run-in with referee

SALT LAKE CITY — Longtime Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has escaped punishment for his recent run-in with referee Michael Smith.

A review of the incident is complete and there is "nothing" in terms of a fine or suspension for Sloan, an NBA spokesman said Sunday.

"It's good news, and business as usual," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said Sunday night.

Sloan made contact with Smith with 0.2 seconds remaining in Friday night's loss at Phoenix, but the contact — according to a Jazz spokesman — was deemed "incidental" by the league.

The last time he made contact with a referee, shoving Courtney Kirkland during a 2003 game in Sacramento, Sloan was suspended seven games without pay.

A similar incident in 1993 cost him one game.

This time, Sloan said he put his forearm up against Smith's chest to prevent the referee from making contact with him.

Sloan spent about 40 minutes Saturday speaking with NBA security and explaining his side of the matter, which developed as Smith approached him alongside the sideline.

Sloan initially had to be held back by security from getting to the game's officiating crew while it was reviewing a hard Grant Hill foul on Jazz guard Ronnie Price's meaningless last-second dunk attempt.

After Smith eventually came to hear Sloan's grievance, Sloan warned the referee — who was within inches of the recently inducted Naismith Hall of Fame coach — in no uncertain terms that he had come too close.

Sloan said he wanted to complain not about Hill's foul on Price, but instead that Suns big man Amar'e Stoudemire had left Phoenix's bench and approached the Jazz's.

Stoudemire heard the buzzer sound, thought the game had ended — 0.2 seconds later were restored — and ran downcourt to slap teammate Hill's hand.

NBA executive vice president and league disciplinarian Stu Jackson made the decision to not fine or suspend Sloan, who does owe $1,000 for a technical foul called on him.

BOOZER BABBLE: The Detroit Pistons could have a tough time landing Carlos Boozer when the Jazz power forward becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason, the Detroit Free Press reported Sunday.

According to the newspaper, "one potential option — a possible deal involving (Boozer) — appears unlikely.

"The main obstacle facing the Pistons is that they won't have the cap room to sign Boozer. So they would have to work a sign-and-trade deal with the Jazz, which technically could benefit all parties: The Pistons get Boozer, he gets a better deal, and the Jazz would get something instead of Boozer just walking.

"But the Jazz might not be interested in any of the current Pistons making enough cash to make a deal work."

However, the report came with a caveat: "Who knows whether that will change, especially considering Tayshaun Prince is playing very well, and his expiring deal could offer future financial flexibility."

It's known, though, that the Jazz have no interest in Prince as long as starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko remains on their roster.

The Miami Herald, meanwhile, reported that Boozer remains a secondary fallback possibility for the Miami Heat this summer.

According to the Herald, which didn't name its sources, "One general manager said if the Heat doesn't get any of its top targets — (Chris) Bosh, Stoudemire or long shot LeBron James — the best fallback would be signing Atlanta guard Joe Johnson and playing him at small forward.

"Another scout said Miami's best fallback approach (if it misses out on Bosh or Stoudemire) would be signing Boozer and trading Michael Beasley, or trying to sign Memphis restricted free agent Rudy Gay. ... The Heat would pursue Boozer if it can't get other targets, but worries he and Beasley would overlap."

HEALTH MATTERS: The Jazz didn't practice Sunday and had no update on the health of Kirilenko and starting center Mehmet Okur, or their availability for tonight's game vs. Boston.

Kirilenko has missed four of Utah's last five games with a strained left calf. Okur sat out Saturday's win over New Orleans and the second half of the Phoenix game Friday with a stomach ailment.

e-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com