Utah Jazz: Miles will be happy to come off the bench

ANAHEIM, Calif. — For all but one of his five previous NBA seasons, he's been a part-time starter at most.

Now Jazz coach Jerry Sloan wants C.J. Miles in a reserve role again, and the 23-year-old swingman is just fine with the plan.

"I like it," said Miles, who — like he has in four of six previous exhibitions — again came off the bench when the Jazz faced the Los Angeles Lakers in a preseason game Tuesday night at the Honda Center here.

"It allows me to be a little more aggressive. ... And then, when other guys (most of the starters) come back in, I'm in the rhythm of the game more, too. So, it doesn't bother me. Not at all."

Sloan on Tuesday reiterated that he plans to start Deron Williams at the point, Raja Bell at shooting guard, Andrei Kirilenko at small forward, Paul Millsap at power forward and Al Jefferson at center when the Jazz open their regular season next Wednesday night at Denver.

"That's kind of who we are, I guess, right now," he said. "We haven't really talked about it. I think we'll probably stay this way for a while. See how it goes. See how our guys play off the bench."

Miles, he said Monday, "gives us some ability to be able to score some with our second group."

Heading into Tuesday's outing, Miles was the Jazz's second-leading scorer of the preseason with an average of 13.2 points per game — just two off Jefferson's team-high 15.2. Miles scored another 14, team high, in Tuesday's win over the Lakers.

"It's great that he (Sloan) thinks of me as able to do it," Miles said, "because he always says he's looking for a guy that can come off the bench able to do that. Him thinking I do it is extra confidence for me."

And should Sloan reserve course later this season?

"I've been in both positions," Miles said, "So it's not a stretch for me to go back and forth."

CUTS COMING: Roster cuts likely will be made Thursday, general manager Kevin O'Connor said Tuesday.

Seventeen players are in camp, including five — Sundiata Gaines, Othyus Jeffers, Jeremy Evans, Demetris Nichols and Ryan Thompson — whose contracts are not guaranteed.

The Jazz must get down to no more than 15 before the regular seasons starts, but Sloan said Tuesday that the plan for now is to keep only 13.

Whether that changes, and the Jazz ultimately opt to carry 14, remains to be seen.