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Monday, September 30
 
Jazz's calls for backup going unanswered

By Marc J. Spears
Special to ESPN.com

JAZZ TRAINING CAMP GUIDE
Location
Franklin Convey; Salt Lake City, Utah.

Preseason schedule (all times ET)
Oct. 6: at Seattle, 9 p.m.
Oct. 8: at Portland, 10 p.m.
Oct. 10: at Sacramento, 10:30 p.m.
Oct. 15: New York, 9 p.m.
Oct. 18: at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19: at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 22: at New York, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 24: Toronto, 9 p.m.
Team roster | Depth chart | Offseason moves

Camp question
The 40-year-old John Stockton proved he can still play by averaging 13.4 points and 8.2 assists last season. But once Stockton came out the game, the Jazz had a hard time keeping up his pace with John Crotty and Rusty LaRue. Entering training camp, the Jazz are faced with the same problem as they currently don't have any veteran backup on the roster. The Jazz signed second-year point guard Carlos Arroyo this offseason, but while Arroyo has potential to become a decent point guard, he still needs more seasoning before assuming the backup point guard duties full-time. Heralded rookie point guard Raul Lopez is out for the season following knee surgery. The Jazz are expected to make a run at signing 37-year-old Mark Jackson, who was bought out of his contract and waived by Denver last week. While Jackson seems headed toward Salt Lake City, the Jazz may end up getting competition for his services.

Camp project
It's time for the DeShawn Stevenson show to begin. For the past two summers, Stevenson has been a human highlight reel during the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league. But summer league is summer league. The athletic and gifted 21-year-old has yet to prove he can duplicate his summer highlights in real NBA competition, averaging only 4.9 points and 16.9 minutes per game. Stevenson has said that he has dreams of being an all-star. Now, it's time for him to show on a consistent basis that he is a superstar in the making and not just hype.

FANTASY GAMES KEY CAMPER
Who to watch: He may not be a household name, but Andrei Kirilenko is one of the key components as Utah winds down the Malone-Stockton era and moves forward. Kirilenko contributes in points, steals and blocks and should start asserting himself more this season as he picks up minutes after the departure of Donyell Marshall.
— Eric Karabell

Camp comeback
Remember John Amaechi? It was just a couple years ago that Amaechi turned down playing for the Lakers. Last season, the once-coveted Englishman was warming the bench for the Jazz. The 6-10, 270-pounder had two solid seasons for the Magic from 1999 to 2001 in which he averaged 9.1 points and missed just two games. With the Jazz last season, Amaechi was a disappointment, averaging just 3.2 points in 54 games. With Jarron Collins coming off a solid rookie season and Greg Ostertag still on the roster, the odds are against Amaechi to fare much better this season.

Camp controversy
Who will be in the backcourt with Stockton this season? Will it be Stevenson or Calbert Cheaney? If Stevenson lives up to his potential, the job will likely be his. But the inconsistency and inexperience of Stevenson could put the job in Cheaney's lap. After being plagued by injuries, Cheaney finally was able to stay healthy during the 2001-02 season and averaged 7.3 points per game for Denver. Cheaney also provides strong defense, doesn't make many mistakes and will easily fit into Utah's system. Keep an eye on newcomer swingman Matt Harpring, who is known as a sharp-shooting small forward but can also play some shooting guard.

Marc J. Spears, who covers the NBA for the Denver Post, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.






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