Korver performed extensive charity work for underprivileged children while in Philadelphia, and tonight — with the help of the shoe company Converse — about 200 kids will be on hand at Wachovia Center to watch the Jazz and 76ers.

He also established an annual coat drive in Philly, one he has continued in Salt Lake City — and that resulted in more than 800 pieces of brand-new outerwear recently being collected for two Utah-based charitable organizations.

Korver's new coach, though, treasures him most for what he's done on the court.

Even though he brings Korver off the bench behind Ronnie Brewer at shooting guard, and even though a wrist sprain this season has adversely impacted Korver's aim from both the field and the free-throw line, Jerry Sloan values the sharpshooter's mere presence.

"He's certainly made a difference," said Sloan, whose now 5-1 club is 43-17 in regular-season games since Korver played his first in Utah last New Year's Eve.

"Our big guys — it gives them more space to work and have opportunities to do their job," he added, "because he does spread the floor out."

When the trade was first made, Korver was about as apprehensive coming to Utah as he was transitioning to Philly from Pella, Iowa, and Nebraska's Creighton University.

To this day, he finds the Salt Lake vs. Philadelphia experience about as disparate as it gets.

"There's nothing that's similar," Korver said.

"The style of basketball to be played, the city itself. ... I'm not saying one is better than the other. They're just very, very different."

Though he says he's happy in Utah, Korver — who still checks 76ers box scores every night they play — clearly misses his first NBA home.

"I've got a lot of guys on the team I'm friends with. The coaching staff here I love to death," he said. "Just even people that work within the Sixers organization — I still talk to them a lot. There's a lot of great people here, so it makes things a little weird, I guess.

"I was pumped about the (Philadelphia) Phillies (winning the World Series last month)," Korver added. "Selfishly, I think, I was kind of wanting (the 76ers) to be the team that brought that championship here. I have a lot of friends who were starving for a long time and talk about it all the time."

But Korver has moved on now — "It's business. I get it," he said — and so have the 2-4 Sixers.

"It's gonna take a little bit of time to kind of find themselves," Korver said. "But they'll do it. Coach Cheeks' style — he'll get them going eventually."

Cheeks, too, sees the change as something that benefits all involved.

"No question," he said.

"He (Korver) ended up in a good situation playing for Utah and playing for the one of the best coaches (Sloan) in the NBA, and we end up getting cap space for that."

And it doesn't get much more heartening than that.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com