SALT LAKE CITY (June 28, 2007) – Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has exercised its option on forward Paul Millsap for the 2008-09 season, and has tendered a qualifying offer to guard C.J. Miles.  Per team policy, financial terms were not released.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.

Originally selected by the Jazz in the second round (47th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft, Millsap (6-8, 258, Louisiana Tech) has appeared in all 164 possible regular season games and all 29 playoff games in his first two seasons, averaging 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.89 blocks in 19.4 minutes per game.  He increased his scoring, rebounding and assist averages from his rookie year, averaging 8.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 20.8 minutes per game in 2007-08.  Millsap scored in double figures 24 times this past season, registering four double-doubles while leading the Jazz in rebounding on seven occasions.  He was also selected to compete in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend for the second consecutive season.  

Miles (6-6, 215, Skyline H.S.) has appeared in 120 games (26 starts) over three seasons with the Jazz, averaging 4.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 10.5 minutes per game. The 21-year-old saw action in 60 games during the 2007-08 regular season, making 13 starts and averaging a career-high 5.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.5 minutes.  He led the Jazz in scoring twice and reached double figures nine times, scoring a career-high 29 points (12-17 FG, 4-6 3FG) vs. Washington on 3/31.  Originally selected by the Jazz in the second round (34th pick overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft, the then 18-year-old became the youngest player in Jazz franchise history.