Jazz After Van HornThe Utah Jazz's
make over may begin sooner than anyone thought. Just one week after Jazz
brass sat down and discussed the future of the franchise, the Jazz are talking
to the New Jersey Nets about swapping for Nets forward
Keith Van
Horn. According to the
Salt Lake Tribune, the Jazz have
offered
Donyell Marshall and Bryon Russell to the Nets
in return for Van Horn. Both Jazz players will be free agents at the end of
next season.
"We've had ongoing conversations with New Jersey for the last two years
about Keith," Jazz exec Kevin O'Connor confirmed. "It would be a natural fit for
him here. . . . What we've told them all along is, 'If you ever consider moving
him, we'd be interested in talking.' And we've had some
conversations."
Complicating things for the Jazz is the fact that Van Horn remains
a base-year player, meaning the Nets can only take back half of his salary
right now. Starting July 1st, Van Horn becomes a partial base-year player
meaning the Nets can take back 75% of his salary. To get the numbers
to work, the Nets will have to throw in an extra player like Jamie
Feick or Aaron Williams.
Van Horn played college ball at the University of Utah and has been
the apple of the Jazz's eye for some time. If the Jazz are rebuilding,
then Marshall and Russell become expendable. The Jazz would like to give
more time to two younger players: DeShawn Stevenson and Russian
Andrei Kirilenko (who will join the Jazz this season).
Adding Van Horn to the mix allows the Jazz to build for the future without
falling into the cellar.
For the Nets, moving Van Horn has become one of the top priorities this
off-season. Van Horn hasn't seemed to click with point guard Stephon
Marbury and the Nets would like to go more up-tempo next year.
Adding Russell and Marshall takes care of the Nets woes at the shooting guard
and small guard position and gives two more running mates to Marbury. The
move would also allow the Nets to focus on landing a big man in the draft.