Episode IV: A New Hope — Big man Al Jefferson could thrive in Utah Jazz's system

SALT LAKE CITY — Greatness, in the strictest sense, is confined to one man when it comes to Jazz power forwards over the past 25 years.

Karl Malone was a two-time NBA MVP and 14-time All-Star during his Hall of Fame career.

But don't discount that usual small forward Andrei Kirilenko made his only All-Star Game appearance playing the position, or that Carlos Boozer was a second-round draft choice before becoming a two-time All-Star during his six seasons with the Jazz.

That in mind, it's little wonder Al Jefferson — acquired by Utah from Minnesota last July — has spoken openly about the tradition of terrific Jazz 4s, and about how he looks forward to taking advantage of an offensive system suited to yielding optimal production from its power forward.

Therein lies the quandary.

Boozer's longtime backup, Paul Millsap, will finally get the max minutes he deserves, but power forward is inarguably his natural position. And with usual starter Mehmet Okur sidelined indefinitely by a surgically repaired Achilles tendon, Utah needs a center.

Couple those realities with the suggestion that the 6-foot-10, 280-pound Jefferson's skill set — bruising low-post scorer, burly-bodied inside rebounder, less-than-effective up-top screen-setter — probably serves him better as an undersized center than a Jazz-system power forward, and it seems Jefferson's plan for following in Malone's footsteps may be fundamentally flawed.

No worries in that regard at Jazz camp, though.

Since Utah traded for him, and even more so since training camp for the 2010-11 NBA season opened early last week, Jefferson has made it abundantly clear he'll contribute however and where he can.

And no one with the Jazz — Jefferson included — seems too hung up on the whole power forward/center thing anyway.

"When me and Paul (Millsap) are there together," Jefferson said, "coach (Jerry Sloan) made it real clear that we can play the same position — (Millsap) plays the 4, I play the 5, or we switch it up.

"That's the beauty of the offense."

The system calls for power forwards and centers, along with shooting guards and small forwards, to essentially do the same thing.

All that changes who does what, when and where is which side of the floor plays are run from.