Jerry Sloan still is recovering from April 30 knee-replacement surgery, but the Jazz coach has been at the practice facility to watch tape of draft prospects in recent days and took part in the team's organizational meeting Thursday.
"It's like everybody else, you always want to get it done with quicker and this and that," Sloan said, joking that he'd hoped he'd only need two to three days to recover. "It's been OK. Just one of those things that take time, I guess." Sloan is under contract, but has yet to make his annual official commitment to return. All indications, though, are that he will be back for his 22nd season. He plans to be on hand when the Jazz start bringing in draft hopefuls for workouts in the coming weeks.
"As of today, I am [coming back], but you never know what tomorrow will bring," Sloan said, adding that he was looking forward to next season. If he can fly, Sloan said he would attend the Jazz's summer league next month in Orlando, Fla.
Having been bothered by his right knee all season, Sloan had it replaced two days after the Jazz were eliminated from the playoffs. He hasn't been able to resume running or driving, but said he is able to walk and get around pretty well.
"I guess that's the direction you want to be headed," Sloan cracked.
?
Africa trip
Jazz forward Carlos Boozer will travel to South Africa along with Toronto's Chris Bosh and Orlando's Dwight Howard as part of the NBA's annual Basketball Without Borders program, the league announced Thursday.
The three members of the gold-medal winning 2008 U.S. Olympic team will help lead the NBA's five-day camp in Johannesburg from Sept. 2-6. The NBA also will hold camps in Beijing and Mexico City this summer.
?
Draft talk
The Jazz are at least a week away from starting workouts in Utah, but have been in attendance at the NBA Combine in Chicago as well as group workouts hosted by Golden State and Minnesota.
"I think it's starting to look like a better draft class," said Walt Perrin , the Jazz's director of player personnel. "I still think there's a lot of guys in this draft who'll be role players in a couple years. I don't know if there's a lot of guys who'll be immediate starters."
Perrin added, "It's a draft that, more so than in the past, is in the eyes of the beholder," with players who could be chosen anywhere from Nos. 10 to 25, or Nos. 15 to 35. The Jazz hold the No. 20 pick in the first round.
rsiler@sltrib.com
