Carlos Boozer News

"With big-bucks, multi-year deals recently drawing NBA players like Josh Childress and Carlos Arroyo to play international ball overseas, could Carlos Boozer be drawn away by foreign interests?

Boozer, who is eligible to opt out of the final season of his six-year, $68-million contract next offseason, said he would be open to all offers - including with a foreign team.

"As a business decision, we definitely would have to look at it," said Boozer, in Beijing as a second-time Olympian. "But it doesn't mean that you're on the next flight out."

He said he would "absolutely" consider the possibility, "if my wife was down with it and the money was right.""

"Take heart, Cavaliers fans. About 1.3 billion people think Carlos Boozer lied, too. Or at least that he has an oddly shaped head. In honor of the Beijing Olympics, which began Friday, The Plain Dealer sought to honor the ancient wisdom of China by unearthing some of the culture's nicknames for NBA players - since hoops is so popular in the Far East. Our Chosen One, LeBron James, is "Xiao Huang Di," which means Little Emperor. That's a translation of his "King James" nickname, but interestingly is also the name of a syndrome that afflicts an excessively spoiled only child in China. Hey, we just report the facts. According to Bao Renjun, a reporter for the Cleveland-based Erie Chinese ..."

"Carlos Boozer is not making a "big" issue out of a smallish, speed-oriented United States men's Olympic basketball team and the fact that rotations and court combinations are cutting into his playing time.The Utah Jazz all-star power forward is one of three big men on the U.S. roster, joined by starter Dwight Howard and fellow reserve Chris Bosh.But there are times when head coach Mike Krzyzewski has swingmen Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James as the tallest Americans out on the court.No big deal, says Boozer."I'm playing for my country, and I'm honored to be out there," said Boozer, who didn't even get off the bench in Tuesday's exhibition victory over Australia. "If I'm out there for five ..."

"They caught each other's eye as they emerged from locker rooms on opposite sides of the hall, stepping through throngs of Chinese reporters and a smattering of international journalists to acknowledge, embrace and whisper - first privately a hotel room number in order to meet up later that night, and then share words of encouragement.

Just like you'd expect from teammates, rather than opponents.

For 40 minutes Sunday afternoon at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, the Utah Jazz frontline tandem of Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko were just that - teammates-turned-foes.

Actually, the Jazz combo was really a trio in the Shanghai spotlight Sunday afternoon, with Boozer and Utah ..."

"Deron Williams had four points and two assists while Carlos Boozer totaled five points and three rebounds as the U.S. flattened Turkey over the final three quarters Thursday in a 114-82 victory on their Olympic warm-up tour in Macau. Both Willams and Boozer did all their scoring in the fourth quarter. Williams again played as an off guard while Chris Paul played point guard off the bench for the U.S. LeBron James scored 20 points with six rebounds, five steals and four assists in his return from a mild ankle sprain. The U.S. will play Lithuania on Friday (6 a.m. MDT) in Macau. The U.S. hammered Turkey 83-52 the final three quarters after leading only ..."

"Carlos Boozer hinted during Team USA training camp Monday that he plans to sign a contract extension with the Jazz when he becomes eligible to do so next summer. While teammate Deron Williams downplayed the idea that he would use his time with Boozer at the Beijing Olympics to lobby the power forward to re-sign with the Jazz now that Williams has done so - "he knows I want him here," Williams said - Boozer good-naturedly spoke about spending "the next four years" with Williams in Utah."

"Point guard Deron Williams made a long-term commitment to the Jazz on Friday, signing a multiyear contract extension that could keep him in Utah through 2013. Shortly after he did, Williams made a plea for All-Star power forward and fellow Team USA Olympian Carlos Boozer — who is eligible to opt out of the final season of his six-year, $68 million contract next offseason — to make a similar commitment. We've talked about it since I've been here. He said his main thing was he probably wouldn't stay if I wasn't here — if I wasn't signing an extension, Williams said."

"As often as Carlos Boozer's name has been mentioned in connection with the Miami Heat, Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said Tuesday he has no interest in asking the NBA to conduct an investigation into possible tampering. O'Connor said he had too much respect for Miami president Pat Riley and general manager Randy Pfund to do so. "I really have a great deal of confidence that that's not something that they would do," O'Connor added. At the same time, O'Connor acknowledged to being irritated by the nonstop speculation that Boozer will opt out of his contract after next season to sign as a free agent with Miami, where he lives in the off-season."

"Much musing has been made recently about the Miami Heat making a possible move for Utah Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer if the latter were to opt out of the final year of his contract after the 2008-09 NBA season. At Saturday's mini-camp debut of the 2008 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team in Las Vegas, Boozer wasn't in a talking mood about last week's rumblings involving the Heat, but Jazz/USA teammate Deron Williams was a willing contributor to conversations. After next season, Boozer can opt out of the final year of his current six-year, $68 million contract with the Jazz and negotiate a potential six-year deal worth an estimated to $136 million. "He's 26 years old, why wouldn't ..."

"Deron Williams admitted he's "a little bit" worried that Jazz teammate Carlos Boozer will opt out of his contract after next season, but acknowledged that doing so would be a smart move. "Why wouldn't he?" Williams said after practice with the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team Saturday. "It's a no-brainer. He could make more money." Boozer told KSL-TV on Friday that if he does opt out of his $68 million contract, it would be a "business decision" about which fans should not fret, because he could simply re-sign with the Jazz. Opting out, however, would make Boozer a free agent able to sign with any team - though the Jazz could offer a longer and more lucrative new deal."

"For the Utah Jazz, a winning hand for its USA Basketball involvement in the 2008 Beijing Olympics is a pair of sevens. The Jazz duo of point guard Deron Williams and power forward Carlos Boozer, both of whom wore the USA jersey No. 7 the last time they played internationally, were among the 12 NBA players named Monday to represent the United States at the upcoming Summer Games."

"The 12 members of the 2008 USA Basketball men's senior national team - which will represent the United States in the upcoming Beijing Olympics - will be announced this morning in a series of news conferences and teleconferences. Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams are two of the 33 NBA players who make up the U.S. Select roster, which was compiled over the past several years and will be used to determine the Olympic roster. Williams and Boozer are expected to be named to the team headed to Beijing."

"The official announcement won't come until Monday, but USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo all but confirmed Friday that the Jazz's Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams will be making the trip to Beijing as members of the Olympic team."

"Two Jazz stars - point guard Deron Williams and two-time NBA All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer - both have an increasingly likely shot at making USA Basketball's 12-man Olympic roster when it is unveiled Monday. ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reported Tuesday that Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups has withdrawn from consideration for the team, citing undisclosed personal family issues. That makes Williams, who probably would have made it anyway, a virtual certainty for making his first Olympic team."

"he is at all concerned about the possibility of losing Carlos Boozer and/or Mehmet Okur as free agents next summer, Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor didn't sound it Wednesday. This time next year, Boozer and Okur could elect to opt out of the final year of their contracts. Boozer would be opting out of $12.7 million while Okur has an early termination option for 2009-10, when he is due to make $9 million. "I can't make it a concern," O'Connor said, adding, "Those things have to work themselves out a little bit and you've got to be in a position to understand that it's a business and it's a business for us, too.""

"With the Heat eager to clear big 2009 salary-cap space to add another elite player, one logical scenario -- if the Bulls pass up on Derrick Rose -- would be drafting Rose at No. 2 (Miami's hope) and pursuing potential free agent power forwards Carlos Boozer or Elton Brand in the summer of 2009. But if Miami drafts and keeps power forward Michael Beasley, Pat Riley faces harder decisions. Although nothing can be assumed in free agency, an associate said Boozer -- who has a residence here -- likes Dwyane Wade and would be very receptive to Heat interest in 2009, when he is expected to opt out of his Utah contract. Brand displayed a liking for Miami when he signed a Heat offer sheet ..."

"Standing outside the locker room with an enormous jeweled chain around his neck and a diamond-encrusted watch around his wrist, the Jazz's Carlos Boozer would seem to have everything: Money. Fame. Style, good looks and charm. Plus, the youthful energy with which to most thoroughly enjoy it all. Yet even a man so irrefutably blessed feels awed by the prospect of competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics this summer, of doing for nothing what usually costs employers millions for the simple sake of representing his country on what one of his teammates described as "the biggest stage there is.""