"It all depends on the individual," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "Some people probably stay in better shape after they quit playing. I don't even know what he's doing. But guys who stay in great shape, sometimes they can come back and give you a lift."

"It's difficult. He knows that, and he knows the speed of the game," Jazz big man Jarron Collins added. "I wish him well. He was a great teammate, a great locker room guy. ... But, after three years, he has to be seen by teams that are going to do due diligence to see if he still has it. That's for other people to evaluate. Hopefully, if his skill level is up to par, he'll get a chance."

Russell -- who played on both of the Jazz's NBA Finals teams in the late 1990s and spent most of his four-team, 13-season career in Utah -- told ESPN.com he stopped playing for Denver in November of 2005 only because of a knee injury.

But now he's "working out every day, lifting, shooting."

"You name it, I've been doing it," Russell said to the Web site. "I definitely feel like physically I'm in shape. I can run up and down the court with the best of them. I feel like I can still play a good, solid 15-20 (NBA) minutes.

"If teams need someone who can play defense, rebound and shoot the ball, maybe they'll take a look," he added. "Some of these teams need an experienced veteran. They may say, 'We don't know what Bryon Russell has done for the last three years,' but I think the league still needs guys like myself. Good guys, well-spoken, no trouble. I think I can definitely still shoot the ball, stay between the guy I'm guarding and the basket. If they need some leadership, if they want to take the chance, I know the game."

Sloan was surprised to learn Russell's age, but suggested that alone shouldn't disqualify a comeback bid.

"I always look at him as being 20, but I know he's got to be a little bit older than that," he said. "A lot of time (nearly seven years) has passed since he's been here."

But, the Jazz coach added, "I wouldn't say no to anybody -- if they want to play and they want to put the work into it."

UP FROM THE FARM: He struggled early in Saturday's game at Portland.

But Jazz big man Kyrylo Fesenko has played in every game since being recalled from the NBA Development League's Utah Flash on Jan. 24, and Sloan suggested Saturday that's no coincidence.

"I've got to see where he is," Sloan said.

"You know," he added, "you've got to give him some opportunity to play somewhere in order for him to hopefully work harder to make himself better."

Shooting guard Morris Almond, meanwhile, was inactive again Saturday and hasn't played in nine straight games.

Sloan said the Jazz have discussed perhaps assigning him to the Flash, but they haven't due to their many recent injury woes.

SUPER SPOT: Injured Jazz All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer is the spokesman for a 30-second Overstock.com commercial scheduled to air immediately after halftime of today's Super Bowl.

According to a news release from the Salt Lake City-based Internet retail sales company, the ad "is the third in Overstock.com's recent branding campaign to promote themes of determination, a sense of home, and community," and it "shows Boozer talking with kids about dedication." E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com