Utah Jazz notes: Matthews' chance to stick looks good — or does it?

SACRAMENTO — During the summer, it seemed as if he had no prayer.

But there's no place better these days than Utah for a wing with a dream, and Wesley Matthews knows it.

With C.J. Miles, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, Ronnie Price and Matt Harpring all injured, the Jazz had just nine healthy players available for Friday's exhibition finale at Sacramento — and Matthews got another start, his fourth this preseason.

The Jazz still haven't told him anything definitive about how long he can expect to be around, and — since his contract isn't guaranteed — they may not for months.

They haven't even told him he'll be on the roster for Wednesday's regular-season opener at Denver, let alone if it's OK to unpack his suitcase.

"I don't usually tell (free agents) that, because I can't guarantee anything," coach Jerry Sloan said Friday. "I mean, if (another team) comes to (general manager) Kevin (O'Connor) and they want to make a trade, and we think that's the thing to do — that's the business we're in."

With Miles, Korver and Harpring all out long term, though, odds are he'll be on the 12-man active roster in Denver.

"What I would say is he's on the team for a while," O'Connor said after morning shootaround in Sacramento. "Who knows if we look at the waiver wire, and we look at whatever? I don't want to commit to anything."

Still, Matthews — undrafted out of Marquette, and the son of NBA retiree Wes Matthews — was accepting congratulations Friday.

Sort of.

"That's not enough for me," he said of still being around. "I want to stick around for a long, long, long time, you know? But it's definitely a start, and I'm definitely grateful, and I appreciate it more than I can ever express."

It's been quite a road for Matthews, who shot just 34.8 percent — 8-for-23, including 0-for-6 from 3-point range — for the Jazz at the Orlando Pro Summer League.

"I practiced well in Orlando, but I didn't really play as well as I wanted to. And I'm still not playing as well as I want to," said Matthews, who also toiled during the summer for Sacramento — but wasn't even invited to the Kings' fall training camp. "But ... it's still early, and I'm still young (23), I'm still growing, and still trying to get my feet wet in this league.

"I think I've come a long way, but I still have a long ways to go."

BREWER'S BACK: O'Connor said it's been confirmed that Brewer has been experiencing muscle spasms in his back, the reason cited for both his tardiness to practice Thursday and the decision that instead of traveling to Sacramento he remain in Utah.

He's being treated by a team chiropractor there.