The expectations were "higher than they've been in a long time," as Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said Tuesday. He acknowledged that "there's always a disappointment when you're not in a position to fulfill what you could do."
That was just in the regular season for O'Connor and the Jazz. Now comes what might be the organization's most difficult summer since John Stockton and Karl Malone both left after the 2002-03 season. As much as he took some comfort in the Jazz's 48-season in the wake of the injuries they battled, O'Connor also admitted that the team struggled in the final weeks of the regular season despite being at full strength.
"We thought we'd be better than we were at the end of the year, certainly," O'Connor said. "We did play a lot of good teams on the road, but I think it was kind of the way that we competed was the biggest disappointment that we had."
Asked what could be done to solve the issue, O'Connor said simply: "Go to work next year. Dig in a little bit."
The Jazz will wait for decisions from Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver about opting out of the final year of their contracts. As much as the Jazz value continuity as an organization, O'Connor was asked how feasible that was going forward.
"Not necessarily paying the most money is the best Basketball decision," O'Connor said, "but by the same token, you have to pay good players."
With the economy in recession and the auto industry particularly hard hit, O'Connor was asked if the Jazz and Miller family could support a payroll pushing $70 million next season, let alone the potential luxury-tax complications involved.
"I think we'll make Basketball decisions based on what's good for the Jazz," O'Connor said, "because I don't think you want to take a short-term look at things, you want to take a long-term look at things."
rsiler@sltrib.com
