Lab results delay closing of Price deal
The Jazz and Price, who was made a free agent a week ago when the Sacramento Kings rescinded an offer sheet to him, will tie up all the loose ends on Monday, O'Connor said.
That leaves restricted free agent Dee Brown and agent Henry Thomas wondering all weekend about where the young backup point guard fits in Jazz plans. "We have an offer sheet on him," was all O'Connor would say.
O'Connor said he may address that situation Monday.
When Price's deal is official, Utah will have four players who are essentially point guards. "It certainly crowds that backcourt a little bit more than it was crowded the day before," said Thomas by phone Friday afternoon.
The Jazz gave Brown, who just completed his rookie year with the Jazz, a qualifying offer sheet on July 1. He has not signed it, but since the Jazz did not rescind it by last Monday, the only way it can be voided is by mutual choice. Brown said in a blog on his personal Web site that he seeks a guaranteed offer, though Thomas would not comment about the details.
Asked if Brown had any offers from other teams, Thomas said, "The best I can say is that we're exploring the market right now, and we'll see whether there's the requisite interest in him to see whether or not there's something to bring back to Utah. Utah still has the right to match any offer that we would get out in the market. We'll see how it plays out."
BREWER STILL HURTING: Thomas is also the agent for shooting guard Ronnie Brewer, also going into his second season, and he indicated Friday that Brewer is still hurting from the hamstring pull that kept him out of most of the Rocky Mountain Revue that concluded July 20. Brewer aggravated an earlier hamstring injury in the first practice of the Revue, played 20 minutes in the first game before twisting an ankle and didn't play again.
"It's coming along," Thomas said of Brewer's hamstring. "It's unfortunately not where it needs to be. He was, of course, very disappointed he was unable to participate in the Revue."
Thomas said teammate Carlos Boozer, who missed a whole year due to a hamstring, "has shared that with Ronnie.
"Those are tough injuries. I think he just wants to be real careful right now. I agree. I think the team agrees — not make it a worse situation than it is. I think the thing to do now is to be smart in terms of rehabbing it and making sure he gets it back to 100 percent," Thomas said.
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