The ledger
The Stockton–Malone era (1984–2003)1997–98 Utah Jazz
The defending Western Conference champions lost their point guard before the season even started. On October 13, John Stockton — who had missed four games in 13 years and had played 609 consecutive regular-season games, the third-longest active streak in the league — had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to remove loose cartilage, followed by a micro-fracture procedure . The team doctor warned he might have permanent limitations . Stockton missed the first 18 games.
19 in, 2 out. Every move the record shows for this season, with the reason where a source gives one. Where no reason is documented, the entry says nothing rather than guess.
In
19 ARRIVED1997 NBA draft first round pick (#27 overall)
- Utah took him 27th overall in 1997 and he spent four seasons behind John Stockton. The Jazz made no effort to re-sign him in 2001, confident Stockton would return with John Crotty as backup. He signed with Atlanta that July.
- Later head coach of both the Orlando Magic and the Brooklyn Nets.
- Background: CONFIRMATION FROM A SECOND ARTICLE (Deseret, August 1, 2001): Vaughn 'signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks — no great loss from the Jazz's perspective, since they didn't intend to re-sign him anyway.' Here is also the length of the contract: ONE YEAR. source
- ARRIVAL: Utah takes him 27th overall in the 1997 draft, debut on October 31, 1997, on a team just off a Finals appearance and built around Stockton and Malone. Four seasons as Stockton's backup. source
1997 NBA draft second round pick (#56 overall)
Nate Erdmann never played a minute for the club
re-signed free agent to a 1-year contract
signed to a 2-year contract
Shadon Anderson
re-signed free agent to a 2-year contract
- ARRIVAL: selected by Utah in the second round, 54th overall, in the 1996 draft (from Georgia). He played three seasons in Utah — 197 regular-season games, averaging 7.6 pts and 2.7 rebounds — and appeared in both NBA Finals (1997 and 1998). source
re-signed to a rumored 5-year $20M contract
signed first round pick to a 3-year, $2M contract
- ARRIVAL: Utah takes him 27th overall in the 1997 draft, debut on October 31, 1997, on a team just off a Finals appearance and built around Stockton and Malone. Four seasons as Stockton's backup. source
re-signed
re-signed to a 2-year contract
re-signed to a 6-year, $30M contract
signed free agent to a 1-year contract
Greg Dreiling never played a minute for the club
signed free agent to a 1-year contract
Nate Green never played a minute for the club
signed free agent to a 1-year contract
- Undrafted, he fought his way onto the roster and debuted on October 31, 1997 — and the Jazz waived him on December 28, two months later.
- Averaged over 20 points a game in the 2003 playoffs for Minnesota, one of the great postseason surprises.
signed free agent to a 1-year contract
Bryon Ruffner never played a minute for the club
signed second round pick to a 1-year, $240K contract
Nate Erdmann never played a minute for the club
signed free agent to a 10-day contract
Will Cunningham
trade with Magic (trade nullified on 1998-02-18 when Seikaly failed to report)
Rony Seikaly never played a minute for the club
- the club gave up: Greg Foster, Chris Morris, 1998 first round pick
1998-02-16 trade with Magic nullified when Seikaly failed to report
- the club gave up: Rony Seikaly
re-signed to a second 10-day contract
Will Cunningham
Out
2 LEFTplayer became an unrestricted free agent
waived (date 10-10 per P)
Bryon Ruffner never played a minute for the club