Utah Jazz notebook: Korver's knee surgery was successful

DENVER — After undergoing arthroscopic surgery Wednesday in New York to remove a bone spur from his left knee, Jazz shooting guard Kyle Korver plans to return to Utah and begin rehab as soon as he's fit to travel.

Dr. David Altcheck performed the procedure and afterward, according to the Jazz, said it went "extremely well."

"It's about what they expected," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said.

Korver is scheduled for a follow-up visit with Altcheck in New York on Nov. 9, the same day the Jazz open a four-stop Eastern road trip with a game against the Knicks.

O'Connor said no timetable for Korver's anticipated return will be made public until after the follow-up, but it's believed Korver anticipates he'll be out for about six weeks.

"On Nov. 9 I think we'll have a better feel," the Jazz GM said during Utah's morning shootaround prior to Wednesday night's-season opener at Denver.

Korver was bothered throughout the preseason by inflammation in the knee, and played in only one of eight exhibition games as a result.

With swingman C.J. Miles (thumb ligament surgery) and forward Matt Harpring (ankle, knee) also out Wednesday, the Jazz dressed just 11 healthy players - one fewer than they're allowed - against the Nuggets.

Guard Ronnie Price returned after missing the Jazz's final four preseason games with a strained left hamstring, and starting shooting guard Ronnie Brewer played after missing last Friday's preseason-ending win at Sacramento due to back spasms.

STILL WAITING: The Jazz are expected to exercise their $1.3 million third-season option on the rookie contract of second-year big man Kosta Koufos.

An announcement should come either today or Friday.

TRIED AND TRUE: Some NBA teams are changing their habits - New York no longer is holding a morning shootaround prior to home games, and Boston reportedly has eliminated day-of-game shootarounds and pushed practices from the morning to noontime - but the Jazz don't plan on doing anything differently this season.

"We've got a young team," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "If I had a veteran team, yeah, I'd consider (doing away with shootarounds) a lot.

"Veteran teams - they have the know-how to step out there and do what you've got to do. We're trying to teach kids how to play together, and how to be together, and sometimes I think you have to be together in order to learn how to do that."

REJECTED: Heading into Wednesday's opener, Sloan was bemoaning his club's lack of a big-bodied shot-blocker.