Jazz keep F Paul Millsap

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Paul Millsap is staying with the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz matched the Portland Trail Blazers' $32 million offer for the restricted free agent, keeping Millsap in Utah with a new four-year deal.

"Keeping Paul on our roster was one of our main goals this offseason," general manager Kevin O'Connor said in a release Friday. "We look forward to watching him play a key role on this team for many years to come."

But it's going to cost the Jazz.

Portland structured its offer with a promise of $10.3 million up front, requiring the Jazz to quickly come up with the cash to keep the promising young forward on Utah's roster and off the division rival Trail Blazers'.

Utah had seven days to match the offer and made the division rival Trail Blazers wait the full week before making it official Friday, provided Millsap passes a physical. The Jazz did say Thursday night that they intended to match the offer to Millsap, a second-round surprise in the 2006 draft.

In addition to the giant raise, Millsap could be taking over the starting job if the Jazz trade Carlos Boozer.

Boozer told a Chicago radio station this week that he and the Jazz had agreed to work out a trade that would send him - and his $12.7 million salary for next season - elsewhere. O'Connor has not commented on Boozer's prediction that he will be traded and did not return a message Friday.

The Jazz still have plenty of time to trade Boozer before training camp in October.

Boozer is a two-time All-Star who - when healthy - has been Utah's top scorer. Millsap is a couple inches shorter, but is a tenacious rebounder who has become a fan favorite for his hustle, effort and durability. He also averaged career-high 13.5 points last season and 8.6 rebounds last season.

In three seasons, he has missed only six games. He had a string of 19 straight double-doubles when he took over for Boozer for three months last season.

The Jazz took a chance on Millsap with their second-round pick three years ago. He had led the nation in rebounding three straight years at Louisiana Tech, the alma mater of Jazz great Karl Malone.

Millsap's work ethic has even met coach Jerry Sloan's high standards. He's been one of Sloan's favorites since arriving as a rookie in 2006.

"One thing about Paul is the good Lord was good to him and gave him two ears and he's using them. Everybody thinks they're supposed to have two mouths. There's a big difference there," Sloan said in Millsap's rookie season. "Once they learn that philosophy - that you've got two ears and one mouth, they've got a better chance of listening and learning."