Tom Chambers is back in a Utah uniform.
The 6-foot-10 former University of Utah star signed a contract with the Utah Jazz on Thursday, for one year plus an option year. The team announced the signing at a late afternoon press conference."This is a long time coming, but it's nice we have Tom back home," said Scott Layden, Jazz vice president of basketball operations. "We feel his experience is going to help a really good team be better."
"It is nice to have this day finally come about," said Chambers, who noted that he hoped to come to Utah five years ago, when he ended up in Phoenix, and even at the start of his 12-year NBA career, when he was drafted by the Clippers. He also played five seasons for the Seattle SuperSonics.
It is team policy to not discuss player's contracts, so there was no disclosure of Chambers' salary. But it is known that the Jazz had salary-cap problems, and the only leeway they had was supposed to be the $605,000 that forward Larry Krystkowiak made last season. Without revealing the actual numbers, Chambers conceded that that was the case.
"Basically, what they could offer me was what Larry made," he said.
It might have been easier for him to accept that figure, however, because of the reported $700,000 the Suns paid him when they bought out the last year of his contract.
Chambers emphasized, too, that it was neither the money nor the mere fact that Utah is home that made him want to join the Jazz.
"If this team didn't have the potential (to reach the NBA Finals), I wouldn't be here," he said.
Being home helped, though. Chambers, who lives in Eden, said he is looking forward to playing in front of his family, which has stayed in Utah the past few seasons while he has played in Phoenix, and friends. Asked if that might result in additional pressure, he said, "I don't look at it as pressure at all. It's going to be fun. It's not like I'm going to have to go out and score 30 points a night."
A four-time NBA All-Star, Chambers was released by the Suns soon after they lost to Chicago in the Finals in June. Shortly after that, he made it known publicly that he'd like to play for the Jazz. Asked if that declaration helped his cause, he said, "I think it kind of hurt me, to tell you the truth. I've been criticized for wearing my emotions on my shirtsleeves, but that's just the kind of guy I am."
Chambers did acknowledge that it probably helped when Jazz forward Karl Malone voiced his support of a Chambers-Jazz pact.
"I was real excited when he stepped forward, because that was one of the issues I didn't know about," Chambers said. "I was wondering if he wanted me to be a part of the team."
As for his role with the team, Chambers said he is available to play small forward, big forward or center. "Teams that are versatile are winning," he said. "I do think it is something the Jazz needed."
Layden said versatility is what made Chambers appealing.
"He gives our team so many different looks." he said.
When it was pointed out that the Jazz had said they hoped to get better perimeter shooting this offseason, Chambers said, "I can shoot from the outside. Even if I'm not hot, people guard me, so if nothing else I can be a decoy."
He cautioned, however, not to expect him to be primarily a three-point threat.
"I won't shoot a couple hundred three-pointers, but I might shoot a hundred. I don't think they brought me in to be a three-point shooter."
Chambers downplayed his alleged weakness on defense, again saying that's not why the Jazz acquired him. "I haven't ever seen that the Jazz have a problem defensively," he said. "But at times this team has played four-on-five basketball on the offensive end of the court."
Asked how much longer he might play, the 34-year-old Chambers said that depends on how he feels. "Right now I feel great," he said. "But I'm not going to continue to play longer than I want to play. After the season's over, if I don't want to play I won't."
Chambers' addition to the Jazz roster gives them five guys 6-10 or bigger; the others are 7-4 Mark Eaton, 7-2 Luther Wright, 7-0 Felton Spencer and 6-10 Isaac Austin. That fact will no doubt increase speculation that at least one of those guys will go, but Layden said that isn't a sure thing.
"That is a lot of big guys," he said. "But there is still an opportunity to make this team. We haven't done anything to close anybody out."
Utah now has 11 players under contract, only three of whom are guards. Last season they played with just four guards. If they choose to go that route again, the last roster spot will probably be filled by John Crotty, Corey Crowder or Jaren Jackson - all Jazz summer-league players who have been invited back for veterans' camp in October.