Paul Millsap News

As if the Los Angeles Lakers , fresh from the franchise's 15th NBA championship, weren't tough enough to begin with, they just added renowned tough guy Ron Artest to a lineup that's already loaded.

Chris Broussard of ESPN writes ... The Portland Trail Blazers have offered Utah Jazz free agent Paul Millsap a four-year contract worth between $32 million and $36 million, according to league sources.

After losing out on Hedo Turkoglu, the Portland Trail Blazers are considering Paul Millsap.

With the Jazz 's vow to match any offer sheet he signs with another NBA team made loud-and-clear over the last several weeks, perhaps killing his chances of landing a lucrative contract, the level of Oklahoma City's actual interest in Jazz restricted free agent Paul Millsap now has come under question.

In the wake of last week's trades that sent Richard Jefferson to San Antonio, Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland and Vince Carter to Orlando, Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor offered his thoughts on the new NBA landscape.

A hypothetical open letter to hypothetical Jazz fans from a hypothetical power forward ... OK, OK, OK.

Should they explore a Carlos Boozer trade in the wake of the two-time All-Star forward's decision Tuesday to opt against free agency in favor of playing out the final year of his contract, the Jazz can expect to have several options.

Because I've never had an agent or anyone bidding over my services, I don't completely understand the concept of free agency.

Utah Jazz guard Ronnie Price grabs a loose ball and heads down court for the Utah Jazz.

Only a day into free agency, Paul Millsap 's options appeared to narrow to two suitors in the Jazz and Oklahoma City, while Millsap's agent, DeAngelo Simmons , couldn't be sure how long it would take for either to make an offer.

This is a bad year to be a free agent. Boozer promised he would opt out, but clearly he looked around and realized he couldna t improve on the $12.7 million he is scheduled to earn this year.

Carlos Boozer was going to become a free agent, poked his head into this summer's underwhelming free-agent landscape, and returned to the cocoon of the $12.7 million he will earn in the final season of his Jazz contract.

Interest in Jazz restricted free agent Paul Millsap evidently heated up this morning, when the first full day of the NBA's summer free-agency shopping market officially opened.

For all the attention being paid to Carlos Boozer , Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap at the start of free agency, the Jazz have four other players last season who will hit the market late tonight.

The uncertain economic atmosphere has most NBA teams in frugal mode for this year's free-agency period, especially with everyone saving their pennies for the potentially bigger market in 2010.

As Tuesday's are-you-with-us-or-not? deadline fast approaches, I find myself wondering whether anyone at all will be around to launch the next Jazz season.

General manager Kevin O'Connor has said the Jazz will make a contract offer to their own restricted free agent power forward, Paul Millsap, as soon as the NBA's summer negotiating period opens at 10 p.m. Tuesday.

With the 2009 NBA Draft now in the books, the Jazz finally can look forward to draft day 2010.

Good morning, and welcome to the least significant portion of the Jazz 's 2009 offseason.

Three months ago, DeJuan Blair didn't look like a first-round draft pick. After finishing his sophomore season at Pittsburgh, Blair's weight ballooned from 280 pounds to 315, thanks to a fast-food diet and the fact he wasn't working out while resting a sore knee.