Utah Jazz notebook: Trade stuns Maynor, but rookie is in good spirits

MIAMI — When Eric Maynor phoned and said he'd been traded to Oklahoma City — three days before Christmas — Jazz guard Ronnie Price, napping at the time, thought his teammate was joking.

It's what NBA players do.

Maynor, however, wasn't kidding.

He was dealt Tuesday along with the expiring contract of veteran forward Matt Harpring for the rights to a forward from Germany who will never play a day in Utah, all so the Jazz could save more than $10 million, including nearly $7.8 million in luxury-tax penalties.

"I just said, 'Hey man, it has nothing to do with your play. It has nothing to do with anything that you do on the court. It's just a money situation, and a business situation,' " said Price, who immediately went to Maynor's room and consoled the rookie at the Jazz's team hotel here in Miami.

"I said, 'There's plenty of players that's been in this league that had to go through the things that you're going through right now. But you know what? Everything happens for a reason.

And who knows? It might be a better opportunity for you over in Oklahoma City to grow.' "

Price and teammate Wesley Matthews both said Maynor — who joined the Thunder on Wednesday night for its game at Phoenix — was stunned by the news.

"It really did hit home, how fragile everything is," said Matthews, who awoke to the news as well.

"He's in good spirits, and he's just gonna keep moving," added Matthews, Maynor's close friend, before Utah's game Wednesday at Miami.

"He's gonna keep rolling."

Like Price, Jazz starting point guard Deron Williams — who also woke up to the news — is confident Maynor will thrive in Oklahoma City.

"It's definitely going to help their team a lot," Williams said. "It's a (Northwest) division team, so you don't like to see them get better."

Many with the Jazz, though, seemed to accept the deal Wednesday as a reality of their world.

"We coach whoever's here," said coach Jerry Sloan, who broke the news to Maynor.

"That's the only thing I know. ... We've always known there are certain parameters we work under, and you don't do anything about that."