Veteran big man Al Jefferson has been one of the most talked-about names on the trading block this season, as the Jazz have a crowded frontcourt and he is headed for free agency this summer. However, Jefferson told Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.com that he does not expect to be traded before the February 21 deadline:
“It’s my ninth year in the league man,” Jefferson said to HOOPSWORLD regarding the trade rumors. “It’s just part of the business. My first couple of years in the league I used to be listening to the rumors daily and then I’d hear my name in those types of trade rumors. But this is my ninth year and its part of the business. There are things you’re just going to have to deal with. It’s just like you say they’re rumors, you know, so that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to be true. It’s a part of the game.”
Jefferson also expressed his desire to finish out the 2012/13 season in Utah, even if he understands he won't likely be re-signed this summer.
“The great thing about Utah’s crowd is that they’re not just there to watch basketball, they know basketball,” Jefferson said about his joy playing in Utah. “They’re on you if they know you’re supposed to be doing something that you’re not doing, but they truly support you. It’s a great feeling playing for them. It is good to play in front of people who know the game of basketball, who knows you’re not superman, can do everything or make every shot. Utah fans just want you to play hard and that’s something you can do, something you can control. It’s great playing in front of them.”
Jefferson, 28, is averaging 17.2 PPG and 9.8 RPG for the Jazz this season.