For nearly two decades Gordon Chiesa was a good soldier for the Utah Jazz, playing third fiddle to Jerry Sloan and Phil Johnson on the coaching bench and being the nice, likable guy that every media member around went to for a good quote or sound bite. But Gordie left the comfort of the Jazz to take a job with the big city New Jersey Nets this summer where he would be the No. 1 assistant to Lawrence Frank.

Not only was Chiesa getting a promotion, but he would also be making a reported $400,000 per season — a major raise from what the Jazz were paying him. Then, surprisingly, Chiesa resigned from the Nets this week, citing family issues.

While family problems may have played a role, according to the New York Post, there are other reasons Chiesa quit. It seems Frank is a bit of a control freak and "refused to designate any courtside authority whatsoever to his aides." . . .

Speaking of former Jazz employees, a radio report in Denver claimed the Nuggets were interested in acquiring retired 14-time All-Star Karl Malone. But when the Rocky Mountain News asked Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe if the team had made inquiries about the Mailman's availability, he said, "No, we haven't." . . .

With Shaquille O'Neal going down with an ankle injury in the home opener, the Miami Heat may be looking to add a player to its roster. It just isn't expected to be Latrell Sprewell.

According to the Miami Herald, an Internet rumor on Thursday said two unnamed Heat officials had confirmed that Sprewell would soon sign with the Heat. Sprewell last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and has been a free agent since July 1.

But the rumor is false, according to the Herald and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The Heat vehemently denied the transaction was about to take place. The team feels it will be fine at the small forward position once James Posey returns from a thumb injury and ex-Jazzman Shandon Anderson's back is healthy enough for him to play.

Sprewell turned down a three-year, $21 million extension from the T-Wolves last season. . . .

Talk about your role models. T.J. Ford of the Milwaukee Bucks recently said, "I'm just trying to be like Ron Artest."

Bucks fans need not worry, however. Ford is not trying to emulate the NBA's biggest bad boy since Dennis Rodman's retirement as far as temperament is concerned. He just wants to be like Artest on the court — because Artest is a strong defender in addition to being a more-than-capable scoring threat. . . .

Young Heat star Dwyane Wade's new Converse shoe — named ".08" — hit stores on Thursday. So what's with the name?

Apparently, it's a reference to a pair of game-winning shots Wade has made with under a second on the clock — one coming in Game 1 of the 2004 playoffs against the Hornets and one last season in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. . . .

Larry Brown's dislike of playing rookies is again showing. While with the Detroit Pistons, Brown selected Darko Milicic with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft — then hardly ever played the center during his first two years in the league.

Brown, now the head coach of the Knicks, has three celebrated rookie first-round draft picks — Nate Robinson, Channing Frye and David Lee. During the opener, Robinson, the undersized but super-quick point guard from Washington, was the only one to get off the bench, and he played just nine minutes. Frye was on the active roster but got a DNP/coach's decision, the only person on the 12-man team not to get into the game. Lee was on the inactive list. . . .

Retired Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller has angered some of his old teammates with some of his commentary on TNT, according to the Indianapolis Star.

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Miller picked the Pistons to win the East, saying, "Until Indiana shows me they've solved their chemistry problems, you have to go with a team that doesn't argue, that gets the job done at the end of the day. Any little thing can set Indiana off."

"Everybody is entitled to their opinion," said the Pacers' Stephen Jackson. "I respect Reggie too much to degrade his statement, but I don't agree with it. We're the best team in the league. We know it." . . .

The Dallas Morning News recently researched the win/loss record of the Mavericks with every NBA official over the past two seasons. Veteran official Bennett Salvatore has officiated more Mav losses than any other ref the past two seasons. They are 3-5 in games he's called.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, are most likely to win a game if Michael Smith is there. They are 11-1 when he calls their games.

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