Heat, Jazz talk Boozer
February, 18, 2010 Feb 181:34PM ETComment Email Print Share By Marc Stein and Chad Ford

The Miami Heat have opened discussions with the Utah Jazz on a Carlos Boozer deal in advance of Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline, according to NBA front-office sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that Miami, with its courting of Amare Stoudemire fading, turned its attention to another marquee frontcourt player in its ongoing quest to keep star guard Dwyane Wade happy before Wade becomes a free agent July 1.

But after the teams commenced talks Thursday, one source with knowledge of Utah’s thinking said it was “unlikely” that the Heat could offer enough to tempt the Jazz to back off its long-held stance against trading Boozer this season.

Armed with the expiring contracts of Udonis Haslem and Quentin Richardson, Miami made an “unexpected” offer to the Jazz this morning, one source told ESPN.com.

Utah, though, has insisted for weeks that it prefers keep Boozer for the rest of the season, even though he can leave the Jazz without compensation this summer as an unrestricted free agent.

One source told ESPN.com that the Jazz and Heat might need a third team regardless to complete a Boozer trade if the talks regain steam before the deadline.

sebstar wrote:Not a fan of Boozer. Thats a bad rebound situation from not getting Amare. Get it "bad rebound" Im here all night!

lol seb