HOUSTON -- The Jazz made its first personnel move of the 1999-2000 season, cutting veteran forward Pete Chilcutt after practice Friday morning to make way for the expected signing of a free-agent addition.
Chilcutt was a free agent when the Jazz signed him to a one-year deal last Oct. 3. The 6-10 University of North Carolina product was making $885,000, the minimum allowed for a player with his experience according terms of the least CBA between the NBA and the NBA Players Association, and the Jazz will pay him all of what remains on the guaranteed contract.A big man with a reputation for a solid outside shooting touch, Chilcutt never seemed to fit in comfortably with Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's system and has used less and less as the season progressed. He did not play in the Jazz's 105-92 victory at Dallas on Thursday night, and has not played in three of Utah's last four games.
"It wasn't too shocking," Chilcutt said shortly after being told the news. "I haven't been getting too many minutes, so it wasn't shocking."
Chilcutt has not played more than seven minutes in any of the Jazz's last nine games. He was producing 1.7 rebounds and a team-low 1.8 points per game over 26 games in which he averaged 8.6 minutes per game.
"I didn't ever really get comfortable," Chilcutt said, "but, then again, I didn't play well at all when I was in, so it wasn't like I deserved to get any more minutes than what they did give me."
As for Chilcutt, Utah may have even been his last NBA stop.
"They're a kind of team that doesn't mess around," he said of the Jazz. . . . It's a business decision. I just accept it, and move on. I have to think something might come up, but I'm not so sure if I want to run around and play on (10-day contracts) the rest of my career."