With Korver out, Maynor gone, Jazz have holes to fill

SALT LAKE CITY -- It didn't quite qualify as a "Home Alone" moment, but when the Utah Jazz took off for Minneapolis on Tuesday, they left Kyle Korver to fend for himself.

The Jazz will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight, but they will do so with an 11-man roster.

Korver remained in Utah to continue rehab work on his ailing left knee.

The 28-year-old swingman will miss tonight's game and Thursday's contest at Oklahoma City.

A team spokesman said Tuesday Korver will be a gametime decision when the Jazz play host to the Denver Nuggets Saturday at EnergySolutions Arena.

"I can't wait to be able to just go and grab a ball and jump and shoot," Korver said. "It's been a really long time, it's been frustrating."

Korver underwent surgery in October and missed the first 23 games of the season.

He made his debut on Dec. 14 and played in the next four contests. However, he began to experience more pain during a Dec. 19 victory at Charlotte and was kept out of the next two games.

He played briefly in last Saturday's victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring three points in three minutes of work.

"(The knee) doesn't feel amazing by any means," he said. "But it's good enough. I understand there's going to be some pain, regardless."

The main trouble seems to be an inability to jump or push off using his left leg.

Korver's absence makes the Jazz even more shorthanded than they already were.

After trading rookie Eric Maynor and Matt Harpring's $6.5 million contract to Oklahoma City last week, Utah cleared better than $10 million in salary cap.

However, it also left the Jazz with only 12 players. By rule they are required to have at least 13, so the team has been in search of a No. 3 point guard behind Deron Williams and Ronnie Price.

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor met with coach Jerry Sloan and other team personnel over the weekend to discuss their next move.

"We're going to study some tapes and make some phone calls about availability," O'Connor said.

A report Tuesday on the sports website Fanhouse.com said the Jazz were close to signing Utah Flash point guard Dontell Jefferson, a former college teammate of Jazz guard Ronnie Brewer at Arkansas.

O'Connor attended Monday's game between the Flash and Idaho Stampede in Boise, where Jefferson played 44 minutes, scoring 17 points to go along with six assists and seven rebounds in a 112-109 Utah victory.

The Jazz also were considering former Flash point man Kevin Kruger, son of UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger.

Kruger has been playing this season in Italy.

While not mentioning players by name, O'Connor said the Jazz would either take a chance on a younger player "to see if they can get better and become part of the future" or a veteran free agent, "who has been in the league a while and would protect us if somebody got hurt."

* JAZZ NOTES: With the Jazz coming in for tonight's game, the Timberwolves on Tuesday competed a trade involving former Jazzman Jason Hart. The 'Wolves sent Hart to the Phoenix Suns for swingman Alando Tucker, a future second-round draft consideration and cash.

The Suns immediately released Hart, which possibly could effect the Jazz's decision on filling their final roster spot.

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