Utah Jazz decline option on Almond, seek to trade him

He is still on the roster, for now.

But the Jazz don't want to be on the hook for Morris Almond's contract next season, and they made that clear Friday by declining to pick up the 2009-10 third-year option on his rookie contract.

Moreover, they've actively been trying to deal him.

Almond, who would have made $1,156,920 had the Jazz exercised their option, sounded Friday like he's ready to part ways, too.

"I'm open to playing. I'll say that," Almond said when asked if — in light of the news — he'd embrace a trade to any other NBA team. "But ... I'll let my agent handle all that."

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor declined comment when asked Friday to explain the Jazz's reasoning on their first-round draft choice — 25th overall — from 2007.

Lon Babby, Almond's Washington, D.C-based agent, said there's "no animosity" over the decision.

"From our perspective, and the way it was communicated to us, it was not a reaction to their opinion of him as a player," Babby said. "It was a business decision that they're entitled to make."

The Jazz face possible payroll issues next offseason, and wiping Almond's modest-by-NBA-standards salary off the books allows them extra luxury-tax threshold room to address re-signing the likes of Paul Millsap and, potentially, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver.

"It more reflects financial concerns, and also a realistic assessment of where their roster is at that position," Babby said. "So it is what it is."

Asked if he'd prefer to pursue an opportunity elsewhere sooner rather than later, Almond responded in the affirmative.

"Sure," he said.

"Last year I was just happy to be here. You're happy to be with a team, and part of a franchise," added Almond, who since his arrival has been unable to crack coach Jerry Sloan's regular rotation. "But going into your second year, it's kind of time to get your career started and make a mark in this league."

Almond, a shooting guard from Rice University, appeared in just nine games as a Jazz rookie last season. He also played 34 games for the NBA Development League's Jazz-affiliated Utah Flash, including two in which he scored more than 50 points.

The 23-year-old was on the 1-0 Jazz's 12-man active roster for last Wednesday's season-opening win over Denver.