Booz Gets to Choose

I was interested in the headline in this morning’s Deseret News that said, “Boozer wants to stay with Jazz.”

I’m thinking they should have added, “…if they pay him enough.”

On “Jim Rome is Burning,” Tuesday, he said, “You know, this is a team I’m proud to be a part of, and I hope it’s an option for me to come back and stay.”

Seems to me it already is an option. The man’s about to become an unrestricted free agent; he can sign with whomever he wants. The only reason he couldn’t return to Utah is if the Jazz offered him nothing at all. That might happen, considering salary cap worries, but the way he’s playing this year, I doubt it.

Boozer had a similar spin, last summer, when he said the ball was in the Jazz’s court, as far as whether he stayed in Utah. Not true. He had an opt-out clause in his contract, but instead he opted in.

All of his own choosing.

Once again, Boozer seems to be putting the onus on the Jazz. Yes, they need to make an offer.

After that, it’s entirely up to him.