MIAMI — With the NBA's Thursday trade deadline fast-approaching, rumors involving the Jazz are rampant.
One that perhaps can be squashed: It sounds like starting center Greg Ostertag won't be moving.
"I was told by Kevin (O'Connor, the Jazz's basketball operations senior vice president) that there's nothing in the works for me," Ostertag, whose contract expires after this season, said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, according to an Orlando Sentinel report on Tuesday, Jazz guard DeShawn Stevenson is among several players — Philadelphia's Eric Snow, Chicago's Marcus Fizer and Golden State's Erick Dampier are others — the Magic have "ongoing interest in."
Orlando, much like Utah, seems poised to make a deal before the deadline.
"When you have the worst record in the league, not many guys are untouchable, so you get a lot of calls," John Weisbrod, the Magic's chief operating officer, told the Sentinel. "But whether that means four or five trades, or just standing pat, it's impossible to predict right now."
One published report last week suggested the Jazz have interest in Orlando shooter Gordon Giricek, but O'Connor denied that last Friday.
Utah and Orlando play tonight.
Also, ex-University of Utah center Michael Doleac — traded Sunday from New York to Atlanta — continues to be available, with the Jazz still reportedly interested in acquiring him.
Another much-discussed potential deal for Utah remains a possibility: acquiring Tom Gugliotta's expiring contract from Phoenix, perhaps in a package involving injured big man Keon Clark.
The Jazz have almost $7 million in extra salary-cap space, and seem willing to auction it off to the highest bidder — first-round draft choices and/or other commodities for the future particularly wanted — before the deadline.
If nothing better comes along, the Gugliotta deal — in which Utah apparently would also get at least one of Phoenix's first-round draft choices — seems the Jazz's likeliest possibility.
TAKE TWO: Jazz point guard Carlos Arroyo hopes Utah's game against Orlando tonight opens nothing like its Tuesday loss at Miami.
"We had a lot of days off to get some rest (during the All-Star break)," Arroyo said, "so hopefully we'll come out with the same energy."
After a pause, Arroyo added this: "I mean not 'the same' — but a lot more energy."
MALONE'S TIMETABLE: There is still a chance injured Los Angeles Laker Karl Malone will play his first game against his old team when the Lakers visit the Jazz on March 8 at the Delta Center.
According to Tuesday's Los Angeles Daily News, Malone — cleared Monday to begin stationary-bike rehab work on the MCL tear in his right knee — dropped a hint he may be ready sooner than the once-anticipated mid-March return date.
"I don't want to say," he told the Daily News, "but I have kind of a time I want to come back."
It's not too tough to figure out what that may be.
Malone also suggested his decision on whether to return to the Lakers next season or retire after this season may be tied to coach Phil Jackson's future. Malone controls his contract option for next season, and said he, like Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal, wants Jackson to return next season.
NO WEBBER: Chris Webber's eight-game suspension (five for violating anti-drug program terms, three for being convicted of federal criminal contempt) means the Sacramento star will must sit out a Feb. 27 visit by the Jazz.
NO DANTLEY: Sixteen finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame were quietly announced earlier this week, and there was one notable absence with Utah ties: ex-Jazz star Adrian Dantley, a finalist in the past.
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com