If they brought Okur and Millsap back nonetheless, and Boozer indeed didn't opt out, that could push their payroll upwards of $85 million — and would mean Utah, unless it later dumped salary via trade, would owe the NBA a whopping $13 million to $15 million in tax penalty for exceeding the threshold.

Under-the-threshold teams would divvy the windfall, and the Jazz would not get a share of the tax collections, which amount to millions per team.

Millsap's camp, meanwhile, spent Monday in wait-and-see mode — and wishing they knew what sort of offers are coming.

"But you can't really, because that's the nature of the business," said Millsap's representative and uncle, DeAngelo Simmons. "Because with the deadline, and not being allowed to talk to other teams yet, it's one of those things (you can't avoid)."

According to one NBA agent not representingy Millsap, however, Oklahoma City "will make Paul a big offer."

Also impacting Millsap's situation is Milwaukee's decision Monday to not make a qualifying offer to veteran Charlie Villaneuva, making him an unrestricted free agent rather than restricted.

That adds one more unrestricted forward to this summer's market, which could affect restricted types such as Millsap and New York's David Lee.

The biggest decision influencing Millsap's fate, however, is Boozer's.

Should he not opt out, it could kink the Jazz's plan to either re-sign Millsap or match any offer sheet he signs with another team.

"It's not comforting," Simmons said late last week, "that it's left up to somebody else. But it is what is."

e-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com