Deron Williams wants to play.

His ankle does not, prompting the Jazz to make alternate plans for their 2008-09 NBA regular-season opener.

Utah Valley University product Ronnie Price will start at point guard tonight against the Denver Nuggets, backed up by offseason acquisition Brevin Knight.

That will afford Williams more time for recovery from the second-degree inversion sprain in his left ankle sustained during an Oct. 18 preseason game at Chicago.

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor declared Williams out Tuesday afternoon, and said the 2008 Team USA gold medal-winning Olympic guard also is "doubtful" for Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

"He's done everything humanly possible to get ready," O'Connor said. "He's just not ready to go."

Though they weren't certain of that prior to practice Tuesday, the Jazz seemed braced for the possibility.

All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer said the Jazz hoped Williams would be available, adding, "but we don't want him to come back too soon. ... We don't want him to come out there and make it worse for the long haul.

"We realize that one game isn't 82," Boozer said. "One game or two games isn't going to hurt our season.

"We're a better team with him," he added. "But, at the same time, we want to make sure he's 100 percent before he comes back, and that nothing's lingering."

A team spokesman said Tuesday that Williams had "increased (his) rehab activity," but that he was still undergoing treatment when the Jazz started their morning practice.

He did do some running and took part in some shooting drills Monday morning. But Williams, Boozer said, was "not at his (usual) pace."

By not playing tonight, Williams buys at least three more days for rest and rehab.

"I'm sure that's something he and (team trainer) Gary (Briggs) probably discussed," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

Williams declined interview requests Tuesday, and hasn't spoken with the media since last Thursday.

With Williams out, the undrafted Price will get his fifth NBA start in four seasons. Three of those starts came last season for the Jazz, but at shooting guard.

"He looks great," Boozer said of Price, a combo guard who spent his first two NBA seasons with Sacramento and last season as Williams' backup at the point.

"I keep telling people he's the most-improved player," Boozer added. "He looks great to me. He looks like he's ready to run the team. He's aggressive in knowing when to pick his spots. He's gonna score ... but he can slow down and be a set-up point guard too."

If Price acts anything like most young and inexperienced players, though, Sloan said he's likely to be "excited, probably, and anxious, sometimes ... to do a little too much."

Sloan's advice in such a situation: "You can't be Deron Williams or anybody like that," the Jazz coach said. "You have to be who you are."

Sloan's advice to the rest of his players: they better not feel sorry for themselves.

"If they're gonna say, 'I can't play until Deron's here,' what does that say about them?" he asked.

"The pressure's less on them to have to win, probably, sometimes, because people will accept the fact that Deron's not here," the Jazz coach added. "But I don't. I think the job still remains the same."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com