"Anybody that's trying to be with our team, you would hope that they would try to make themselves better,'' Sloan said. "You don't make yourself better staying at home."

Miles is said to have decided the injury risk of playing was too great with a new contract at stake, although it is not known what teams have interest in him besides Utah. Araujo decided to play as an audition for the Jazz and rest of the league.

Sloan went on to say of Miles, "I just hope that he understands that playing basketball is what he needs," and didn't sound the most confident that the 20-year-old guard, a restricted free agent, would be returning to Utah.

"We wish him luck whatever happens,'' Sloan said. "We've been here for two years and we'd like to see him do well, whatever the case may be."

Peterson update

With the NBA's moratorium on free-agent signings over, Sloan said Monday's visit with Morris Peterson went well. That sentiment was echoed by a source close to Peterson, who hopes to sign in the next three to four days.

Peterson plans on visiting New Orleans and meeting with the Hornets, who signed him as a free agent in 2004 only to have Toronto match the contract. On his visit with Utah, Peterson reconnected with assistant Tyrone Corbin, a teammate his rookie season with the Raptors.

The Jazz have only had preliminary contract talks with Peterson, who is hoping for a deal starting at close to the midlevel exception of $5.356 million.

Sloan, meanwhile, talked about the Jazz's need for a veteran like Peterson after Derek Fisher was released from his contract.

"Veteran players help you become better quicker,'' Sloan said. "We've got young players that have talent, but they have to get better and you have to have a lot of motivation doing that."

Fisher fallout

The Jazz will make Fisher's release official today, but the fallout from his decision continues. Fisher has dumped agent Mark Bartelstein, who had represented him for four years and negotiated the six-year, $37 million contract he signed in 2004.

In asking to be released from the final three years of that deal, Fisher said his daughter's eye cancer treatment was his only concern. One day later, Bartelstein was quoted in two Los Angeles newspapers as seeking a new contract for the full midlevel.

The two originally approached the Jazz asking to find a team in a city that was a better medical fit. Those intentions weren't questioned when Fisher said he was open to several Eastern Conference trade options and eventually walked away from $20.6 million in guaranteed money.

Fisher has since been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers, his old team, who are searching for a starting guard. He could receive a three-year deal worth between $16 million and $17 million. Fisher changed agents to Rob Pelinka, who represents Kobe Bryant as well as Carlos Boozer.

Briefly

The Jazz reached an agreement with Kyrylo Fesenko's Ukrainian club team allowing the second-round draft pick to play in the Revue. . . . Ronnie Brewer sat out practice with a hamstring injury but was optimistic about returning today.

rsiler@sltrib.com