Jazz, Fesenko stuck in waiting game

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Contract negotiations between the Utah Jazz and center Kyrylo Fesenko are ongoing but not moving forward. The Jazz want Fesenko on the team and are planning to start training camp in late September with him on the roster. But a waiting game is prolonging the situation. Utah wants Fesenko to accept a one-year, $1 million qualifying offer. Fesenko is hoping for at least a two-year deal. The most likely scenario in which Fesenko does not rejoin the Jazz is if another team makes a last-minute, multi-year offer the Jazz cannot afford to match. This is unlikely. However, a Western Conference team has shown recent interest in the third-year center from Ukraine. A more likely scenario is that Fesenko rejoins the Jazz right before camp starts, accepting the qualifying offer. He would then be a free agent in 2011-12, heading into a possible lockout season.

— Brian T. Smith

Twitter: tribjazz