Utah Jazz: Carlos Boozer, Jerry Sloan work well together

DENVER — The NBA's trade deadline is now exactly one month away, but even with that looming Jazz coach Jerry Sloan doesn't fret over his players' heads will be in the days and weeks to come.

"I can't worry about that," Sloan, whose club is now halfway through its season, said before the Jazz's loss to Denver on Sunday night.

The reason?

"General managers — they have to explore every avenue to try to make your team better," Sloan said.

No one's name with the Jazz has come up more in recent rumors than two-time All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer.

Dallas reportedly tried to acquire him earlier this month; Detroit has reported interest as well.

But Sloan said Sunday he doesn't worry about that being a distraction in the month to come, either.

"There's been a lot of talk about Boozer and that situation," he said.

"I sat down with him when he came back (before training camp) and said, 'You've got to play and I've got to coach; we'll support you any way we can.' And he's here, and that's the only thing you can do," Sloan added, telling Denver reporters what he's repeatedly told those from Utah. "He's been terrific to work with under those conditions."

This time, Sloan offered some details of his preseason conversation with Boozer, whom the Jazz discussed in talk talks with multiple teams following his decision to opt in for the sixth and final season of his current contract in Utah.

Said Sloan: "I told him, 'As soon as you miss a free throw that's a big free throw, you may have 20 points and 20 rebounds, but they're still gonna boo you. That's just pretty plain. If every little thing doesn't go your way, if you make a mistake and say some things, people are gonna ride that. But you've got to go on with your life.'"

From afar, at least for Nuggets coach George Karl, perception is that Sloan and Boozer make their relationship work.

"I get the feeling that Coach Sloan and Boozer are pros," Karl said Sunday.

"I mean, off the court they might have some disagreements, off the court they might have some individual discussions that maybe they don't have harmony," he added. "But when the practices start and the games start they don't seem like they're out of harmony at all. They seem like they're committed and ready to go."