http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_12399031 Jazz owner spouts opinions Greg Miller questions the team's toughness in a television interview. By Ross Siler The Salt Lake Tribune Updated: 05/19/2009 12:04:19 AM MDT Greg Miller's voice was calm and measured as he sat for an interview Sunday night on KSL Ch. 5, but his words could have been mistaken for his late father's as he addressed the issues facing the Jazz this summer. For all the talk about leaning on Kevin O'Connor, Bob Hyde and Randy Rigby in the Jazz front office, Miller offered his strongest opinions to date since taking over as CEO of his father's companies, in particular concerning Carlos Boozer. "We'd love to have Carlos here," Miller said. "Carlos is a very talented player. I think he would be one who would be considered a marquee player, but I do have concerns about Carlos' defense and I have some concerns about his ability to lead the team." Miller added that he has always been struck by Boozer's "commanding presence." Boozer has until June 30 to decide about opting out of the final year of his contract, in which he is due to make $12.7 million, to become a free agent. The Jazz also have decisions to make about re-signing restricted free agent Paul Millsap, with Miller describing the forward's "marvelous" development during his three years in Utah. "I just love what I see in him," Miller added. "I love his aggression. I love his hustle. He always just seems to be in the right place at the right time. I think he could have a bright future with the Utah Jazz." O'Connor and Rigby didn't return messages Monday. Should Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver not opt out of their contracts, the Jazz would have more than $71 million committed to only nine players for next season and likely face being luxury-tax payers. But Miller said the Jazz would be willing to pay the tax if it meant retaining Millsap. He added that the Jazz would welcome back Okur and said Korver "embodies the traits and the culture that we try to put forward as an organization." Miller was particularly no-nonsense in describing the Jazz as lacking toughness. The Jazz dropped seven of their last nine games of the regular season to finish as the Western Conference's No. 8 playoff seed and draw the Lakers in the first round. "The thing that I'm most concerned about is our toughness," Miller said. "I think we've got very talented players, we've got very capable players, we've got respected players, we've got players who know how to win, but I think that there were elements of our team that left a bit to be desired. "If we could get every player to come with everything that they've got inside of them every night, I think we'd be nearly unstoppable, but for some reason we just had sort of a mental lapse or an emotional lapse." Miller said it was frustrating for fans, players, coaches and his family alike. "Somehow we've just got to find a way to get that spark and get our players to step up," he said. [email protected] --

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