Boozer - 猶他爵士 Utah Jazz

By Mark Murphy/ NBA Notes
Sunday, October 22, 2006 - Updated: 01:41 AM EST

Danny Ainge's search for veteran help may have hit dormancy as league
personnel bosses determine what they like, what they need and what they can
give up.

That doesn't mean that opportunity has ended for the fall.

According to a league source, the Celtics were involved in lengthy talks
with Utah about power forward Carlos Boozer, before discussions cooled off in
late July.

The price would have been Al Jefferson, with Theo Ratliff's $11.7 million
annual salary a match for Boozer's almost identical number. Boozer's contract
- considered one of the worst cases of overpaying an athlete in recent memory
- runs two years longer than Ratliff's deal, through the 2009-10 season.

Boozer, whose name in Cleveland is muddier than that of Ricky Davis,
hasn't exactly spread warmth across the league, starting with his cold-blooded
departure from the Cavs. Utah owner Larry Miller wasn't much happier when
his bonus baby missed 80 games to injuries over his first two years as a
member of the Jazz, including the first 49 last year with a strained hamstring.

Miller was particularly incensed that his big investment did not stay
with the team, and instead rehabbed at his offseason home in Los Angeles.

Then again, Boozer may be working his way back into Miller's good graces.
Averages of 16.8 points and 9.5 rebounds over the first four exhibition games
of the season can have that effect.

http://celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/view.bg?articleid=163539

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