The Jazz and Sixers were dealing again in the second round of Thursday's NBA draft, with the Jazz selecting Providence forward-center Herbert Hill with the 55th pick and sending him to Philadelphia for 20-year-old Ukrainian center Kyrylo Fesenko, who was taken 38th.

O'Connor, the Jazz's senior vice president of basketball operations, worked to finalize the deal until after 11:30 p.m. The Sixers received future trade considerations; O'Connor said the deal did not

complete the Henderson trade.

O'Connor didn't address the contract situation with Fesenko's Ukrainian club team and wasn't sure if the Jazz would keep the 7-footer in Europe another season while retaining his rights. He described Fesenko as a "long kid" and a high risk/reward pick.

"He's not a polished player," O'Connor said. "And we're going to see how he handles the NBA."

The Jazz worked out Fesenko on Wednesday, although they lacked a counterpart big man. He was practically a mystery, having played professionally the last three seasons in the Ukraine, most recently for Cherkaski Mavpi. The Jazz wondered if they had tape on him.

"He's a big strong kid that runs pretty well,'' O'Connor said. "He's got good hands, and we watched tape on him [yesterday] and he's active. He likes to take the ball to the hole, so he's aggressive.

"It's a long way off. I don't expect to put him in the rotation next year, but that's up to [Jazz coach Jerry Sloan] to see how he does."

Fesenko declared for the draft last season before withdrawing. He averaged 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks this season and is described in a scouting report as an aggressive rebounder and shot blocker who likes to play on the perimeter.

Sloan to return?

The operating assumption has been that Sloan will return for a 20th season as Jazz coach, though Sloan cautioned reporters that he always could wake up one morning and change his mind.

Owner Larry Miller took things a step farther in an interview with 1320 AM on Thursday. Miller was asked about Seattle's interest in assistant Tyrone Corbin for its head coaching job.

"If he's got a shot at a head coaching job, he has to take it,'' Miller said, "because Jerry, we know, is back for next year and we don't know how many years after that."

Briefly

The Jazz are still due a second-round pick in 2008 to complete the Henderson trade, O'Connor said. . . . . Even though Colorado State center Jason Smith slid to No. 20, O'Connor said the Jazz didn't try to trade up to get him. Smith was on the Jazz's "wish list." . . . O'Connor suffered a phone breakdown before the No. 23 pick and took calls on his cell phone.

rsiler@sltrib.com

Back at the February trade deadline, the Jazz did the Philadelphia 76ers a favor born out of the friendship between Kevin O'Connor and Billy King, acquiring Alan Henderson in a deal that kept the Sixers below the NBA's luxury-tax threshold.

That favor apparently was repaid in the second round of Thursday night's NBA draft. After drafting Providence center Herbert Hill with their No. 55 pick, the Jazz traded him to Philadelphia for Ukrainian center Kyrylo Fesenko, who was taken 38th.

O'Connor, the Jazz's senior vice president of basketball operations, still was pacing around EnergySolutions Arena as of 11 p.m. trying to finalize the deal.

The Jazz worked out Fesenko on Wednesday in Salt Lake, although they lacked a counterpart big man. Fesenko matched up against Arizona wing Marcus Williams and at times against assistant coach Tyrone Corbin.

For the most part, the 20-year-old Fesenko was a mystery, with director of player personnel Walt Perrin returning to his office after the workout to find some tape of the 7-footer. Perrin was impressed by Fesenko's offense.

He has played professionally in the Ukraine the last three seasons, most recently for Cherkaski Mavpi, and declared for the NBA draft last season before withdrawing. Fesenko averaged 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and blocked 1.6 shots this season.

The Jazz could opt to keep Fesenko in Europe for another season while retaining his rights. The scouting report on Fesenko is that he is an aggressive rebounder and shot-blocker, yet also a perimeter player.

rsiler@sltrib.com