The Utah Jazz are looking for a backup point guard, will likely trade one of their shooting guards this summer and, if Jazz owner Larry H. Miller gets his way, former BYU center Rafael Araujo will be back in a Jazz uniform.

Miller gave Rotary Club members at Riverside Country Club in Provo some additional insight on the team's future plans when he was the guest speaker at the club's luncheon.

"I know a lot of people have been nervous about our log jam at shooting guard," Miller said. "With our (first round) draft pick we have four. Before the end of the summer we may be down to two or three. There will be some activity at that position for us almost surely as we move to bolster other things. We do have players on the team at two who a lot of other teams like so we can help ourselves at other positions. We've got to worry more about a backup point guard now that Derek (Fisher) is gone."

Miller also talked about the team's release of Fisher and how sincere he believed Fisher's request was to be released to be closer to a city where his daughter could receive the medical attention she would need.

Fisher's 1-year-old daughter Tatum has been diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer.

Fisher's release leaves a hole at the backup point guard that Miller said is top priority on the team's off-season shopping list.

"Our first thing, of course, is a point guard. We only have two if Dee (Brown) is second of those. Deron's going to play 40 minutes, so it's going to be tough to bring somebody here," Miller said. "It's almost going to have to be a player towards the end of their career that has enough left in him to help us."

Miller also cleared up a misconception among the media and fans regarding Fisher's salary that will be wiped off the books when he officially gets his release on July 11. The roughly $6.3 million he was supposed to make for the 2007-08 season will not help the team sign a free agent to take his place this year.

"We're still above the cap. In fact it's been mis-reported (that) shedding that much salary will help get under the cap," Miller said. "He (a member of the media) didn't know what he was talking about. First of all we're over the cap still, probably by a million or two, or three million."

After the Jazz sign their two draft picks from this year, Miller said the Jazz won't have any room under the cap and will have just the NBA mid-level exception to use for a free agent, which is roughly $5.5 million.

Another topic of the day that Miller addressed was the seemingly popular sentiment that NBA players don't like Utah.

"In coming here they express a little apprehension occasionally, but by the time they leave -- with only one exception in my 22 years of ownership -- has there been a problem with someone who was here."

The player Miller was referring to was former guard Kelly Tripuka, who was traded for Adrian Dantley.

Miller said Tripuka liked Utah, but his wife wanted to move and continually pestered him to be traded.

"He came in my office and said, 'will you trade mefi' " Miller said. "I told him we would try and asked him, 'where would you like to go and where wouldn't you like to gofi' He said, 'she's (wife) nagging me so bad, I'll go anywhere.' "

The Jazz tried to work a trade, but found no interest from other teams. Tripuka asked the Jazz to try again, so Utah fired up trade talks surrounding Tripuka and found only one team had an interest in him.

"About a month later I talked to him and said, 'you said you'd go anywhere, rightfi' He said, 'Yep.' 'Well this time one team said they would take you so we've arranged a trade for you.' And he said 'where is itfi' I told him the Clippers and he said, 'anywhere but the Clippers.' "

Since Miller was speaking in Provo, he opted to give BYU fans his thoughts on the former BYU center Araujo, who rarely played last year for the Jazz and is now a free agent.

"I don't call the plays for Jerry (Sloan) and I don't tell Kevin O'Connor who to sign or who not to. Kevin often comes to me to validate things he wants to do, but he knows I would like to have Rafael back at least one more year to see what he can do and get a few more minutes than he had," Miller said. "I like him. I would like to have him for at least one more year. If you saw his body you'd know his work ethic is stellar. He gives us a literal physical toughness we need. Tim Duncan does not like Rafael behind him. You don't ever send someone out to hurt anybody, but you don't mind them sending messages."

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This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C1.