Utah Jazz could be bound for Europe next preseason

The Jazz better be making sure their coach and player passports are up-to-date, because it's likely they're going to take a rather long trip next October.

The team, general manager Kevin O'Connor said Thursday, is under consideration to play two 2009 preseason games overseas.

"We've been contacted by the league about going to Europe," O'Connor said.

The Jazz are making preliminary plans to travel, though nothing is set in stone quite yet.

"Further discussions have gone on," the Jazz GM added. "But we've been given nothing in writing, or told definitely whether we're absolutely, positively, for sure going."

The club expects to play one game in each of two countries, with a few days in between that are designated for practice and public-relations activities.

The trip would be part of the NBA's annual Europe Live tour.

Possible locales come from a pool of countries including Germany, England, France, Spain and Turkey. City possibilities include Berlin, London, Paris and Madrid, though specifics remain uncertain.

"We've been given no destinations," O'Connor said.

The Jazz had been scheduled to play preseason games in Moscow in 2004, but that trip was canceled at the eleventh hour due to terrorist activity in Russia.

The Jazz's last preseason game at a non-NBA international site came in 2003, when Utah beat Dallas in Mexico City.

MILES UPDATE: C.J. Miles, the Jazz's starting small forward, had minimal swelling in his moderately sprained right ankle Thursday.

Miles sprained the ankle in Wednesday's win over New Orleans, and was re-evaluated Thursday.

He's being called "doubtful" by the team for Saturday's home game against Detroit, and is scheduled for additional re-evaluation before Monday's home game against Indiana.

Miles is the only Jazz player to appear in all 36 games this season, and he's started each, averaging 22.9 minutes per game.

ALMOND ALTERNATIVE: The Jazz didn't pick up Morris Almond's contract option for next season, and he's been healthy/inactive for the last three games.

But if Miles doesn't go against the Pistons, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan isn't averse to giving some of Miles' minutes to shooting-guard Almond.

"He's played pretty hard in practice, and deserves a chance to play," Sloan said.

"We're really overloaded some at that position," he added.

"I'll play Andrei (Kirilenko, the Jazz's sixth man) some at 2 and 3, and that takes away some minutes. But I wouldn't be afraid to put Morris out there."

BOOZER UPDATE: Jazz All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer still is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery today in Los Angeles.