From Deseret News archives:

Utah Jazz swap backup point guards

Published: Thursday, July 24, 2008 12:04 a.m. MDT
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The swap saves the Jazz nearly $900,000 in salary, as Knight is scheduled to make $1.6 million next season in the second year of a two-year, $3.2 million deal, and Hart will earn $2,484,000 in the final year of his contract.

That sort of savings, though, isn't as important next season in terms of team payroll luxury-tax threshold implications as it would be in 2009-2010 and beyond, when the Jazz could conceivably have Williams, small forward Andrei Kirilenko and power forward Carlos Boozer all under contract for $15 million or more each.

The offer to Miles is believed to be for about $15.8 million over four years — about $800,000 more than originally reported in both Utah and Oklahoma.

But it also is thought to include a team option for the fourth season — something not previously made public.

Knight is on a family vacation and is not expected to be introduced to Utah media until sometime next week.

After playing three-plus seasons in Cleveland, as well as stints in Atlanta, Memphis, Phoenix, Washington, Milwaukee and Charlotte — including one playoff series with the Cavaliers, and one with the Bucks — his most-recent stop was in L.A., where he averaged 4.6 points, 4.4 assists and 22.6 minutes over 74 games, including 39 starts, for the Clippers.

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The heavy minutes came because the Clippers played all season without injured Shaun Livingston, but Knight is not expected to see nearly so much time behind Williams.

Should Williams be lost to injury or illness for an extended time period, however, Knight is someone who evidently can be trusted to handle longer playing time.

He finished second in the NBA last season in assists-per-turnover ratio at 4.62.

"I think it's up to him," O'Connor said, "to carve out his own role."


E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com

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