It is expected, however, that the Clippers would match virtually any offer Brand receives, diminishing the likelihood Utah will acquire him.

It also is thought the Jazz have serious interest in a limited number of other free agents, including Golden State point guard Gilbert Arenas, Clippers shooting guard Corey Maggette, Clippers point guard Andre Miller, Atlanta guard Jason Terry and perhaps Indiana center Brad Miller.

How much money the Jazz have to spend on players like Arenas, Maggette and Andre Miller will depend in part on how much is left after a decision by Malone, who apparently will be offered little, if any, more than $5 million by the Jazz.

That amount is only slightly more than what can be offered to Malone by teams that, like Dallas, already have exceeded the NBA's team-payroll salary cap — all of which seems to leave Malone's uncertain status with the Jazz even shakier than before the market opened.

Because Malone still has not decided for sure if he wants to leave Utah or return here for a 19th season, Manley made it clear the Mailman does not want to wait forever before meeting with the Jazz to discuss his options.

"We're going to do this as expeditiously as possible," Manley said.

"The more aggressive a team is, the more interested it is," he added. "So, that is an important factor in weighing where you go when money is not the No. 1 issue."

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E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com