Utah Jazz: Jazz may not necessarily bring in a sharp-shooter

SALT LAKE CITY — Though they must soon make a decision regarding help on the wing, the Jazz don't necessarily feel compelled to add a sharpshooter to their roster.

So suggested Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor on Tuesday night.

His reasoning: "I think C.J. has improved so much at the shooting end of it," O'Connor said of swingman C.J. Miles, "and I think (first-round draft choice Gordon) Hayward can stretch a defense too, because you've got to guard him on the 3-point line."

If they opt against matching the five-year, frontloaded, $32.5 million offer sheet that starting shooting guard Wesley Matthews signed with Portland last Saturday, then, it's very possible Utah will consider going with a defensive-minded perimeter over a long-distance specialist.

"It would be nice if you can incorporate both (with the same player,)" O'Connor said, "but I don't know if you can or not."

It's with that in mind that the Jazz are seriously considering bringing back Ronnie Brewer, their starting shooting guard before they traded him to Memphis last February.

"We're talking to him," O'Connor said Tuesday. "We're talking to a lot of people."

The notion of a Brewer return to Utah isn't nearly as farfetched as it might have seemed a few short weeks ago.

"The Jazz definitely are interested in Ronnie Brewer," agent Henry Thomas said through a representative, "but it's going to depend on whether they match on Wesley Matthews."

The Jazz have until Monday to decide on Matthews, who took over as their starting shooting guard when Utah dealt Brewer.

For the longest time, it seemed quite likely that the University of Arkansas product — the Jazz's first-round lottery pick in 2006 — would remain with the Grizzlies.

But in June Memphis decided against extending a qualifying offer to Brewer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Memphis didn't immediately rule out signing him anyway.

But after starter Rudy Gay agreed to remain with the Grizzlies, and Memphis subsequently added defense-minded Boston Celtics swingman Tony Allen as well, Brewer remains on the open market.