Sloan Decides to Return as Jazz Coach

Jerry Sloan announced Thursday that he would return for an 18th season as Utah Jazz coach and agreed to a contract extension through the 2007-08 season, lengthening what is already the longest tenure of any head coach in the four major league team sports.

Although Sloan, 63, had one year left on his contract, his future was unclear after Utah (26-56) finished with a losing record for the first time since 1983. Sloan has the sixth most wins in NBA history at 943-617.

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Phoenix Sun guard Joe Johnson underwent surgery to repair a displaced fracture in the bone around his left eye and will sit out at least the next two games and probably Game 5 of the Western Conference series against Dallas, the team said.

Jim Jackson will replace him.

Johnson, who also received a mild concussion, was hurt when he was fouled by Jerry Stackhouse on a drive late in the first half of the Suns’ loss in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Stackhouse was called for a flagrant foul, but the NBA rescinded it after reviewing the play.

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After a collective bargaining session ended without a written proposal changing hands, Billy Hunter, head of the NBA players’ union, said he remained unconvinced of the need to raise the minimum age.

“I’m flexible on anything if it makes economic sense and improves the overall conditions for my constituents,” Hunter said, adding that he believed a majority of the players were opposed to raising the minimum age.

The NBA wants to raise the minimum age to 20.

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Laker guard Kobe Bryant was not on the NBA All-Defensive team for the first time since 1998-99, breaking a string of five consecutive appearances on either the first or second team.

Bryant, 26, struggled defensively with the rest of the Lakers, who gave up 101.68 points a game, 27th in the league.

Bryant was a first-team member in 2000, 2003 and 2004 and a second-team member in 2001 and 2002. The team is voted on by the 30 NBA coaches.

Two San Antonio Spurs -- forward Tim Duncan and guard Bruce Bowen -- were on the first team, along with Detroit Piston center Ben Wallace, Minnesota Timberwolf forward Kevin Garnett and Washington Wizard guard Larry Hughes.

Second-team members were Piston forward Tayshaun Prince, Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, Denver Nugget center Marcus Camby, Piston guard Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and New Jersey Net guard Jason Kidd. Wade and Kidd tied in the voting, giving the second team six players

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New Jersey Net General Manager Ed Stefanski, who moved into the job last summer, signed a multiyear contract extension.