Although he is under contract to return next season, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan always reserves the right to walk away after heading to his farm in McLeansboro, Ill., to decompress at the start of summer.
This off-season, Sloan's decision has been compromised by the knee replacement surgery he underwent April 30. More than a month later, Sloan has yet to make official his commitment to return, but all indications are that he will be back. Sloan is not yet able to drive or run, but he has been at the Jazz practice facility in recent days to watch tape of potential draft prospects. He also took part in the Jazz's organizational meetings this week.
If he is able to fly, Sloan plans to attend the Jazz's summer league games in Orlando, Fla. The strongest statement by Sloan might be that he is looking forward to next season, no matter how uncertain the Jazz's roster appears.
"It's like everybody else, you always want to get it done with quicker and this and that," said Sloan, who had his right knee replaced three days after the Jazz were eliminated in the playoffs. "It's been OK. Just one of those things that take time, I guess."
Sloan will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., in September and is the only coach in NBA history to have won 1,000 games with a single team. Next season would be his 22nd as Jazz coach.
SEASON HIGHLIGHT: The Jazz were still in search of a season-defining victory when they hosted the Lakers in their final game before the All-Star break. They rode Deron Williams' 31 points and 11 assists and a late three-pointer by Mehmet Okur to a 113-109 victory, doing what Boston and Cleveland had failed to do in the previous week and defend their home court against the Lakers. The Jazz did so with Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko both out injured and went on to beat the Celtics in their second game back from the All-Star break. It was the starting point for the Jazz's 12-game winning streak that solidified their playoff position.
TURNING POINT: The Jazz vaulted back into the Northwest Division lead with a 12-game winning streak in the wake of owner Larry Miller's death. They were poised to complete a successful Eastern Conference trip even after a March 11 loss to Atlanta. But the Jazz blew a seven-point lead in the final minute of regulation -- Andrei Kirilenko started the spiral with a costly charge -- and the Jazz went on to lose 140-129 in triple overtime March 14. They went on to lose the next night in Orlando to complete a 2-3 trip and won only twice more on the road the rest of the season.
