NOTES

Hoping to avoid the rumors that have him signing with the Jazz as a free agent, and to give close friend Karl Malone some space, Isaac Austin of the Clippers, a Salt Lake City resident, left town this week and instead continued his off-season workouts near his agent’s home in Phoenix.

“I’m thinking about staying in shape and keeping the right attitude,” Austin told the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “I don’t need any distractions and I know Karl doesn’t. I’m just letting him keep his head right.”

In other words, no hosting parties like a year ago when the Jazz also played the Bulls in the finals. He attended a couple games at the Delta Center in the second round against San Antonio, but skipped the opener of the championship series Wednesday and was not scheduled to watch in person Friday either.

All that leaves is whether this will one day be his basketball home as well. Austin said that, contrary to speculation, the Jazz is not the front-runner to sign him this summer, despite the friendship with Malone, and that Clipper General Manager Elgin Baylor had accurately read the situation when he said just after the lottery that the center had enjoyed his time in Los Angeles and would like to return.

“He’s speaking the truth,” Austin said. “I do like the city. L.A. is nice and I thought they treated me well after they traded for me. I hope we can work things out.”