The Utah Jazz traded last year's starting center, Felton Spencer, to the Orlando Magic in August for Kenny Gattison, Brooks Thompson and a future first round draft pick.
Well, the Jazz still get the future draft pick.Gattison never wore a Jazz uniform, as he retired before the season to become an assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets. Thompson, meanwhile, never scored a regular season point for Utah.
Thompson was released Friday to make room for Jamie Watson, who rejoined the team after coming off the injured reserve list.
"It was a killer decision for us to have to make," said vice president Scott Layden. "We had 13 terrific players, but one had to go and, unfortunately for him, it was Brooks. We just wish him the best."
Thompson, a 6-4 third-year guard out of Oklahoma State, averaged 4.2 points in limited minutes for the Magic last season. He had only two brief appearances for the Jazz.
The Jazz, with ironman John Stockton and improving back-up Howard Eisley, simply didn't have much use for a third-string point guard on their 12-man roster.
"We all sat down to decide what was the right thing to do for our organization and we felt letting Brooks go was the right thing to do," explained Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. "It's unfortunate when those things happen to anybody, but that's the way it is in this business."
Watson, who played in only 16 games for the Jazz during an injury-plagued '95-96 season, was in uniform and available to play during Utah's 104-96 victory over Vancouver Friday in the Delta Center, but he didn't see any action.
BIG COUNTRY VS. BIG O: The Grizzlies' Bryant "Big Country" Reeves and Jazzman Greg Ostertag go way back even though they are both only in their second NBA seasons.
The two big-bodied, 7-footers with flat tops became heated rivals during their collegiate playing days in the Big 8 Conference - Reeves for Oklahoma State and Ostertag at Kansas.
"Big Country and me are old rivals and hopefully we'll continue to be rivals with long careers ahead of us in the NBA," said Ostertag.
Mike Strauss, the new sports information director at Utah State who until recently held a similar position at Oklahoma State, recalls some titanic battles between the two in college. Reeves, for instance, scored 33 points and pulled down 20 rebounds in the first game between OSU and Kansas when they were seniors in '95. Then, in the rematch that was for the conference regular-season title, Reeves failed to score a point the entire game - for the first time in his career - and the Jayhawks won.
"Ostertag has always been a great defensive center," said Reeves. "I knew he'd have a shot at making it in the NBA.
Said Strauss, "Big Country was the one that got all the attention in college, but he seemed to bring out the best in Ostertag whenever they played against each other."
That must still be the case, as Ostertag pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds, scored 16 points and blocked three shots Friday night. Reeves finished with 19 points and five boards.
FRANK'S RECOVERING: Utah Jazz president Frank Layden, who had his gall bladder removed Wednesday, was released from the hospital Friday.
"He's home now and doing great," said Scott Layden, Frank's son.