Utah Jazz: National pundits weighing in on Carlos Boozer

SALT LAKE CITY — In the first 36-plus hours since the Jazz's 2009-10 NBA season ended with a second-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, speculation regarding now-unrestricted free agent power forward Carlos Boozer has run rampant.

"I don't think Boozer will be back," ESPN.com's Chad Ford said in an online chat Tuesday.

Under the headline "Boozer's stay in Utah could be over," Yahoo.com's Marc Spears wrote that "Boozer will be one of the top free agents on the market and figures to join the Toronto Raptors' Chris Bosh and the Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire as the three best big men available if Dirk Nowitzki stays with the Dallas Mavericks."

Added Spears: "(Boozer) might not land a max contract, but it will certainly be lucrative." ESPN.com identified five teams as "options" for Boozer, accompanied by the following comments:

Miami. "Along with Stoudemire and Bosh, Boozer will likely be a target of the (Miami) Heat."

Chicago. "The Bulls desperately need another scorer in the starting lineup, and Boozer could make an immediate impact next to Joakim Noah up front."

New Jersey. "With Brook Lopez at center, Boozer and him could make a formidable frontcourt."

New York. "Like the Heat, Boozer likely ranks behind Stoudemire and Bosh on their free-agent depth chart."

In Miami, however, there seems to be much doubt in the local media as to just how much interest the Heat will show in Boozer — who, by the way, makes his offseason home in the Miami area.

Under a blog entry titled "Is Boozer even worth a look from the Heat?" the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman wrote that "Considering how Boozer tried to cozy up to the Heat last summer, when he wasn't even a free agent, it will be interesting to see what he does this summer, now that he is.

"It also will be interesting," the longtime Heat beat writer added, "to see if there is reciprocal interest, considering how the Heat went out of its way to refute reports at the mid-February trading deadline that it had interest in the Jazz power forward" and "there were no such denials when it came to the reports regarding Stoudemire."

Adds Winderman: "Getting beyond the fact that Boozer turns 29 early next season, the Heat should pass. While Boozer is a scorer and a rebounder, he is not exactly an Eastern Conference power forward. ... Against the length of the Lakers, he was smothered in the Western Conference semifinals, reduced to the same jumpers that Michael Beasley can take for half the price.

"As it is, the Heat will almost certainly be losing the length of Jermaine O'Neal. ... It is why Bosh and Stoudemire make far more sense. And why if turning to Boozer is the next option, then the Heat should move on to addressing voids at small forward and point guard."

The Miami Herald, meanwhile, reported late Tuesday that Heat president Pay Riley's "priority — after re-signing (Dwyane) Wade — is to gauge (LeBron) James' interest in coming to Miami.

"Beyond that, the Heat's wish list is believed to feature Bosh, Stoudemire, (Atlanta's) Johnson and, perhaps, Boozer."

The Herald report also points out that "Riley previously balked at trading for Boozer."

e-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com