Booz's still here (oops) — let's hope it works

Let's get one thing out of the way from the get-go.

A couple of months ago, right after the Utah Jazz signed Paul Millsap to a four-year, $32 million deal, I wrote that Carlos Boozer would soon be traded away, sent packing to Miami, Chicago or one of those other NBA destinations that the much-maligned power forward seemed to be yearning for this summer.

He was Traded Man Walking, wasn't he? Surely he'd be outta here right after the signing of Millsap, an up-and-comer who performed so well in Boozer's injury-plagued absence last season. There was no way the Jazz were gonna keep both Boozer and Millsap, whose signing sent them soaring over the NBA's salary cap and sets them up for a hefty luxury-cap penalty, was there? Well, let me be the first to admit that I was totally wrong. Yep, I'll readily admit that I completely blew it. In hindsight, me and my prediction made Dumb and Dumber look like a couple of rocket scientists.

More than two months later, Boozer hasn't gone anywhere, roster-wise. The Jazz front office could not find a deal which was to their liking — there either weren't any takers, or those teams that expressed interest weren't willing to give up fair market value for a player of Boozer's worth.

So he's still here to tantalize us with his talent and, hopefully, stop torturing Jazz fans with his pension for not playing defense, not playing through pain and not playing nice on sports-talk radio shows in other cities.

Me — and about everyone else with a so-called educated opinion — figured Boozer's days in Utah were definitely numbered.

Well, maybe they still are, although now that number looks like it might be 137 — the number of days remaining before the NBA's 2010 trade deadline next February.

So what do we make of this somewhat strange, unexpected situation in which the Jazz are paying big money to a pair of players who both want and expect to be the starting power forward for this franchise?

Boozer started the preseason-opener at the 4 (power forward) position, while Jazz coach Jerry Sloan showed great wisdom and versatility by moving Millsap over to the 3 (small forward) spot, which had previously been unfamiliar territory for the fourth-year pro out of Louisiana Tech.

Now, it remains to be seen if egos, personalties or hurt feelings will get in the way as the Jazz prepare for the 2009-10 campaign.