The 64-year-old Miller was taken to the hospital June 10 and is believed to have remained hospitalized since. The state of his health has been closely guarded, but Miller has spoken regularly with top Jazz officials.

Bob Hyde, the Jazz's executive vice president and chief financial officer, said he talked to Miller for 20 to 30 minutes Monday about Williams' extension. "He's very, very involved in the strategy and the direction we'll go," Hyde said.

After telling Miller he hoped he felt better, Hyde said Miller told him that he was working on it and doing some therapy. "If I know Larry the way I think I do," Hyde said, "I think he misses being in the saddle."

Miller's oldest son, Greg, is out of the country and hasn't commented about his father's condition since June 16. Jazz president Randy Rigby is away on vacation but did e-mail in response to a question about Miller.

"I have visited with Larry on a number of occasions and he was in good spirits and dealt with me on issues as normal," Rigby wrote. "I have no knowledge on the status of his hospital stay."

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor didn't return messages Tuesday.

Miller's mother, Lorille, said she was reassured when she visited her son at the University of Utah hospital last week. Although Miller "certainly wasn't exuberant," she said he was able to speak.

"I asked him, 'How the hell are you going to get out of this?'" Lorille Miller said, "and he said, 'The same way I got into it. One step at a time.' "

The Jazz had expected Miller to take the lead in negotiations for what could be one of the biggest contracts in franchise history. Williams is eligible to sign an extension for as many as five years and worth as much as $90 million.

rsiler@sltrib.com