Utah Jazz Notebook: Carlos Boozer's heart beats for Miami

SALT LAKE CITY — He hasn't ruled out the possibility of remaining in Utah.

Yet longtime Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer, an unrestricted free agent this offseason, continues to openly profess his love for Miami.

According to a Florida newspaper report, "no prime outside free agent has shown more of an ongoing commitment to South Florida" than Boozer. And, the report said, while "promoting his series of youth basketball camps that will run throughout the summer at various (Miami area) venues" the two-time NBA All-Star "cast himself as someone who doesn't need to be sold on the virtues of year-round South Florida living."

"Me and my wife made this our home six years ago, and we'll be here forever to live," Boozer, a Duke University product and two-time United States Olympic Team member, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The paper also reported that "Boozer speaks regularly with (Nick) Arison, the (Miami) Heat's vice president of basketball operations and son of Heat owner Micky Arison, not to get an edge on free agency, but because of a shared basketball background that dates to Nick's time as the Duke team manager and Olympic team liaison."

Boozer also reiterated to the Sun Sentinel the depth of his relationship with Heat star and Olympic teammate Dwyane Wade.

According to the report: " 'Me and D-Wade are really close,' he said, with the two having consoled each other through marriage difficulties and other deeply personal issues."

Word of Boozer's affinity for Miami and friendship with Wade is nothing new, but it does speak volumes about his desire — expressed openly last offseason, even after he opted to remain under contract with the Jazz — to play for the Heat.

Whether that actually happens next season should be known sometime in the next six weeks or so.

As much as Boozer may want to will it to happen, and as much as he may trumpet his Heat connections, though, there are no guarantees.

To wit: On one hand, the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman reported what many have suspected for quite some time — that "the Heat's focus beyond retaining Wade appears to be on lengthier free-agency power options Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire."

Yet the longtime Heat beat writer also blogged this week that "with the shedding of Michael Beasley's contract, the Heat could slide in" both Boozer and Atanta Hawks free agent Joe Johnson.