"Larry's been as involved in the past month as much as he's been previously," Rigby said. "Specifically with Deron, every bit as involved as he had conveyed to Kevin (O'Connor) and I that he wanted to be informed, which is kind of the same as he's been in the past. That's exactly how it's proceeded."

At least for now, then, Larry Miller remains the Jazz's last line of defense — the person who signs off on all player transactions, the one who approves all major financial matters involving the franchise.

"I think for the time being that will be Larry," Greg Miller said. "I think as I grow into the position and as I learn more about some of those issues, then I'll take on more of that role."

Eventually, the ultimate decision involving the team that must be made will be that of ownership succession.

Asked Wednesday if he could say with certainty that the franchise will remain a Miller-owned entity, Greg Miller made it perfectly clearly where he stood.

"Absolutely, as long as I have anything to say about it," he said. "Absolutely."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com