Not surprisingly, the Utah Jazz's summer-league roster will include their two recent draft picks and their only sophomore.
What the Jazz's entry into the 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League won't include, however, is their biggest player.
On Tuesday, the franchise announced its expected roster for next week's summer league in Florida where the Jazz will play because the Rocky Mountain Revue was canceled. And while it includes second-year center Kosta Koufos, first-round pick Eric Maynor and second-rounder Goran Suton, returning big man Kyrylo Fesenko's name is noticeably missing from the list.
Calls to his Colorado-based agent were not answered on Tuesday, but it's likely the 7-foot-1 Fesenko, whose third year of his rookie contract was recently picked up by the Jazz, is choosing instead to participate with the Ukrainian national team in European competition this summer.
Several players with local ties will be on the Jazz team, which begins a mini-camp today at RDV SportsPlex in Maitland, Fla.
Utah State post player Gary Wilkinson, who went undrafted after working out for the Jazz, has accepted an invitation along with Kevin Lyde, a former Jazz camp participant, and Utah Flash players Kevin Kruger and Andre Ingram. Former Aggie Jaycee Carroll will play with the New Orleans Hornets.
Others listed on the Jazz roster include former NBA players James Augustine, Cedric Bozeman and Justin Reed; and first-year players Jim Baron, Josh Duncan, Wes Mathews, Reyshawn Terry and Larry Turner.
Derrick Brown, a second-round pick from Charlotte, will also be on the team because the Bobcats do not have their own summer-league team this year.
The host Magic, Boston, Indiana and Oklahoma City will also have teams along with a split squad comprised of players from New Jersey and Philadelphia.
Utah's first game is against Boston at 5 p.m. on July 6, with the Jazz facing the other four teams over the following four days.
ANDREI CAP-KILLER-ENKO: Andrei Kirilenko should be laughing all the way to the bank, if you ask ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan, who listed the lanky Jazz forward among his Top 15 Dead Money Players and Cap-Killing Contracts in an article Tuesday.
The NBA writer claimed the Jazz "were throwing mad money around" in 2004 when they inked a long-term deal with Kirilenko that will pay him $16.4 million for 2009-10 and $17.8 million the following and final year of the contract. Because AK-47's production has dropped — whatever happened to those five-by-fives, anyway? — Sheridan lists the Russian's jackpot as the No. 6 cap-killer.
The $9 million of salary that Darius Miles will get from Portland next year tops Sheridan's list.
WAITING GAME: He's been with the Jazz for the past eight years, but unrestricted free agent Jarron Collins isn't quite sure yet where he'll end up.
The veteran center, who missed much of last season due to an elbow injury incurred during an offseason golf-cart accident, definitely wants to play in the NBA some more and all the better if it's still with the only team for which he's played.
"I think he would be happy to return," said player agent Bob Myers of WMG Management. "Jarron feels like he's got a lot left in the tank, and I think he feels like he's got a lot of basketball left in him to play."
Myers said he couldn't start talking with teams until 10 p.m. MST Tuesday, and added that he expects to know more about his client's prospects after top-tier free agents agree to deals. In the meantime, Collins, who averaged 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds during his career in Utah, is training with his twin brother, Jason, in Southern California.
"We're hopeful he'll have offers from multiple teams," Myers said. "In the next week or so, we'll be able to gauge better what the demand is and what the Jazz's thoughts are, and kind of go from there."
The agent for point guard Ronnie Price, whom the Jazz have shown interest in re-signing, could not be reached for comment. Guards Morris Almond and Brevin Knight are also now unrestricted free agents, whose playing days in Utah appear to be over.
E-mail: jody@desnews.com
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would get a real PG, a vet who could shoot and run the team, instead of Price. Price did not run the team very well last year much of the time. That is why coach Sloan played Knight. Knight could not shoot but he knew how to run the team. Price is More..
a non guaranteed contract? Then when Harp/Price are traded at mid season to save salary, a cheap PG can come back in trade for the 3rd PG.
Maynor should be able to run the team better than Price by mid season.
Non guaranteed More..
Price may get a few offers. He's a decent backup and played very well with the starters when Deron was out to start the season.
Jazz will let him explore all his options, then offer a 1-year, vet minimum contract. If he doesn't accept, More..