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SALT LAKE CITY -- The decision made Tuesday by Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur helped the Jazz keep the team's core intact. In doing so, the Jazz will pay the price. For the first time in franchise history, they'll become luxury tax payers.
Jazz owner Greg Miller said, "We would be willing to go into the luxury tax realm to preserve and protect the team, and put the most competitive team we can on the floor."
They now have around $73 million committed to 11 players next season, with the leagues tax threshold expected to be set at $69.92 million.
That doesn't count Paul Millsap, who is now a restricted free agent.
On May 17, Greg Miller said on Sportsbeat Sunday, the Jazz will pay the luxury tax to keep Millsap in the fold.
"We feel that his development has been marvelous over the years he's been with us, and we think that he has a great future ahead of him." Miller said, "If we need to, we would not rule out paying luxury tax money in order to keep him on the team."
But how much is too much? Not only do they have to pay a dollar for every dollar they spend over the tax threshold, but they also lose out on their share of tax revenue. This year, it was $3 million dollars.
Jazz President Randy Rigby did his best to answer that question on the Jon and Hans show on 1280 The Zone.
"My job is to protect the financial well-being of the organization from both a short-term and long-term prospective." Rigby said, "And so, there's short-term issues we have to deal with: cash flow, impact of what the luxury tax is. But there's also the long-term impact of not having a Millsap maybe on our roster. What's the impact of that for us?"
With two more players to add to the roster, the Jazz could have the highest payroll in the league, despite being one of the leagues smallest markets.
Greg Miller and the Jazz can live with that, if the team can be a championship contender.
"If we could get every player to come with everything they've got inside them every night, I think we'd be nearly unstoppable." Miller said.
E-mail: jjensen@ksl.com
