"By taking a risk on signing Josh Howard, the Utah Jazz showed they're willing to give people second chances.

But what about Howard's well-publicized negative incidents, you wonder?

The marijuana admission? Drag racing? Reported (and refuted) hangover-related game absence? National anthem disrespecting?

The dirty laundry's been aired out.

Skeletons are no longer in the closet.

Having done their homework on the 31-year-old, the Jazz are willing to get past his checkered past.

Howard's fresh start begins today.

He's scheduled to practice with the Jazz this morning and should dress, maybe even play a few minutes, in tonight's intrasquad scrimmage.

"It's an opportunity for him to continue playing basketball, and that's what we talked about," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "You've got to learn from your mistakes and move on. You may not get another chance after this one, and I think he understands the magnitude of that."

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor admits he doesn't have an absolute assurance that Howard will be a model citizen in Utah. But the Jazz — players, coaches and management alike — are pretty confident he'll add instead of detract or distract.

"You try to do as much intelligence work as you can," O'Connor said. "What he's done since then is as important as what he's learned. Over the last couple of years, he's been terrific."

Except for his knee, that is.

Shortly after being traded from Dallas to Washington in 2010, Howard suffered a surgery-requiring ACL tear. Last season, he attempted to return too soon and was hampered by tendinitis."