Nobody's pressuring Stockton

By Tim Buckley Deseret News sports writer

We want an answer, and we want it, well, not now but as soon as possible, pretty please, Mr. Stockton, sir. That's the basic approach being taken by the Jazz, whose future personnel needs are in a bind until their 40-year-old point guard decides whether he will retire or return for a 19th NBA season in Utah. Jazz brass are hopeful John Stockton will return, but they don't want to publicly press the issue. That's not the case, though, with everyone in the organization. "Yes, absolutely. And he knows that, and he's prepared to do that," Jazz owner Larry H. Miller said when asked if he wants Stockton to make his intentions known sooner rather than later

Stockton has one season left on his current contract but also has an agreement with Miller that he does not have to honor the final year. Stockton's plans, then, greatly influence how the Jazz will pick in the June NBA Draft and what approach they will take when the offseason free-agent market opens in July. That is why Miller isn't shy about letting Stockton know when he would like an answer. Other Jazz leaders, however, aren't so bold. "Look, John has no pressure on him. We're not trying to put any pressure on him whatsoever as to his decision," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "We have to go on about our business and try to build a team as best we can." "You know what? As far as I'm concerned, John is coming back next year," added Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's vice president of basketball operations. "Until he tells us something different, that's the way I feel about it." O'Connor doesn't want to push Stockton into committing, one way or the other. "Because he's earned the right to do anything he wants to do, whenever he wants to do it," O'Connor said. "And he'd never do anything that would be detrimental to the team. He's proven that over the 18 years, so I don't worry about it."

Miller and Stockton will meet sometime in the next few weeks. When they do, no matter how tempting prodding or even begging may be, Miller won't lobby Stockton to stay. But that is only because he is confident the NBA's all-time steals and assists leader knows how he feels, and because he knows the call rests squarely with Stockton. "I won't say anything to encourage him, There's no coercion or selling of each other," Miller said. "It is what it is. But, again, for selfish reasons, I hope he hasn't played his last game." Jazz leaders aren't sure which way Stockton leans. "Obviously, if he is banged up, it is a difficult thing to do. But that's entirely up to him. I'm not trying to influence him one way or the other," Sloan said. "I just think he had an excellent year considering the fact he (has) got some age on him. (And) he still knows how to play basketball."

Sloan hopes Stockton will do "whatever makes him happy." Miller, who feels similarly, was at a loss when asked recently to describe precisely what makes Stockton special. "I realized pretty quick it was an exercise in futility," Miller said, "because whatever it is that burns inside of him isn't rare. It's unique." One thing not unique, though, is how Stockton (who has no agent) will approach his decision. "The two rules he and I have always had," Miller said, "(are) ,I need to be able to say to him 'The team wants you back; we think you can help us,' and he needs to be able to say two things, 'I still love the game and want to play, not just for the paycheck; and, that I feel like I can handle it physically.'

" Make no mistake, the Jazz would welcome Stockton back in a heartbeat. "Oh," Miller said, "absolutely, We need him.' "Beyond the emotion, who would you take that's better? Coming down the stretch, especially with the game on the line, he's the guy I want on the floor, with the ball in his hands, for this team." Stockton made it through the regular season relatively injury-free, playing all 82 games despite sustaining a fluky finger laceration early in the season. Back problems proved problematic late in the season, but he never missed a game because of them. Physical issues aside, Stockton does still have fun playing. He said so early last week, when the Jazz's postseason abruptly ended with a first-round playoff loss to the Sacramento Kings. "He does love the game," Miller said. "So I think that would be the primary driving reason he would want to come backÑ if he felt he could answer the bell, on his terms." A franchise waits for the answer, and Stockton doesn't intend to string it along any more than absolutely necessary. "I want this team to succeed whether I'm here or not, because this organization means a lot to me," said Stockton, who in recent seasons has waited until late summer before confirming he would be back. "So," Stockton added, "if they say that they want a decision by June 1, and that's what they want, then I'll give them the decision that I can get June 1. And then you live with it." One way, or the other.