You can tell it's that time of year by his eyes. They have that preoccupied look that says the body is present but the mind is out of town on a business trip.
Kevin O'Connor is moving into his heavy work season. Call his secretary and she'll say what she said Friday: "Yes, he's here today but, actually, he's been on the phone all morning. May I have him return your call?"O'Connor is great at returning calls, it's just that he has a lot to make. He might get back to you later than sooner. The Jazz vice president of basketball operations has this ahead for the next six weeks: pre-draft camps, the opening of the Starzz season and biggest of all, the NBA Draft.
In July comes the signing -- or not -- of the Jazz's own free agents, the looking at trade possibilities and the consideration of other free agents. Just when the players are headed for summer vacation, O'Connor is headed for 70-hour weeks.
It's a great schedule for a workaholic but a bad schedule for someone who likes golf.
O'Connor's job description, whittled down, is to make the Jazz better. Everyone in Jazzdom has an idea how to do that, and guess what? So does O'Connor. But unlike the talk-radio callers, he has to deal with the rules and restrictions of the NBA, not just his imagination.
How about Tim Duncan playing center instead of Olden Polynice? Nice thought. Maybe Eddie Jones as a replacement for Jeff Hornacek. Other free agents available this summer: Grant Hill, Rashard Lewis and Tracy McGrady.
I say sign Duncan immediately if not sooner.
But I don't have to worry about the salary cap.
Sorry, but all the aforementioned players are out of the Jazz's price range. Lower priced but still probably out of reach: Jalen Rose, Maurice Taylor, Glen Rice and Brian Grant. Problem is, in laymen's terms, the Jazz's credit cards are maxed out. They have no room under the salary cap for free agents, other than the annual $1.2 million exception. That's why in recent years they've added players like Pete Chilcutt, Olden Polynice, Armen Gilliam, Antoine Carr and Greg Foster -- they came at bargain basement prices. The Jazz payroll is now $49 million, $15 million over the league maximum.
So it's safe to say signing Duncan isn't a done deal.
An occasional trade occurs that improves a team dramatically -- but not often. The collective bargaining agreement is set up to encourage teams to keep their players, not sign other teams'. The Blazers did get Scottie Pippen in exchange for six players last year, but the Jazz don't have that many marketable players on their roster. They could throw in six players and the City of Payson and it still wouldn't be enough to get someone of Pippen's stature.
Portland also acquired Steve Smith but had Jimmy Jackson and Isaiah Rider to offer in exchange.
In theory, L.A. could sign Rice and trade him to the Jazz. Reports say he could be signed for $4 million to $7 million. What do the Jazz have to offer in the $4 million to $7 million range?
Greg Ostertag.
Even improving through the draft has become onerous. The Jazz usually end up with picks in the high 20s. This year they have the No. 23 (from Miami) and No. 26 picks. What do you get with the No. 23 selection? Terry Porter was actually a No. 24 pick in 1985. More often, though, at No. 23 or below you get Ken Barlow (Lakers, 1986), Dwayne Schintzius (Spurs, 1990), Roy Marble (Hawks, 1989) or Devean George (Lakers, 1999).
Coach Jerry Sloan insists his team play hard against everyone, even the Clippers. Consequently, The Jazz end up playing so well during the year that their record keeps them from getting high draft picks. They finish with one of the three or four best records in the league, even though they aren't among the three or four best teams.
They've seen the enemy and the enemy is them.
Their best chance at an impact player may be a sign-and-trade agreement, inking Howard Eisley to a contract higher than they would normally pay him, and trading him for a player of equivalent salary.
Still, don't expect things to change much. The Jazz locked themselves in for several years when they signed John Stockton and Karl Malone to their latest deals. The drawback is the two provide the Jazz with enough wins to keep the team from getting high draft picks, yet their salaries prevent the team from signing top free agents.
Which boils down to this: No Duncan.
And this: The Jazz will just have to get bad before they get better.