Giricek will be back at EnergySolutions Arena only four days after he was traded by the Jazz and two weeks after he clashed with coach Jerry Sloan in what proved to be the last time he played for the team,
He arrived in Salt Lake City on Monday night as the newest member of the 76ers and opted for the high road when asked about his conflict with Sloan. "I can explain,'' Giricek said by phone, "but I won't go in that direction right now."
"What concerned me all the time was to be respected as a man,'' Giricek added. "Not my role, but to be respected as a man."
In addition, Giricek drew distinctions between his new situation with the Sixers and his old one with the Jazz. "When I play, I feel more a part of the team, more involved in something,'' he said. "I feel more free. I play 14 minutes, but I feel more free."
In his first game with the Sixers, Giricek played 14 minutes, scoring six points and making 2 of 3 shots in a victory over Seattle.
The biggest difference, Giricek said, was not worrying that one mistake was going to result in a ticket back to the bench.
"It's great,'' Giricek said. "When I enter the game, I feel so much more free. I didn't feel any restrictions, any blockages in my moves when I play. I just play freely, and that's a great feeling, because I didn't feel that for a long time."
The time Giricek has had to get to know his new teammates and coaches is better measured in hours than days, but he has formed some early impressions of Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks, who has a player-friendly reputation around the league.
"He's a good guy. Great guy, as a matter of fact,'' Giricek said. "It's easy to talk to him. The way he coaches is quick. His timeouts are quick, his plays are quick. He was a player, so he understands what we are talking about. I think he's a great guy."
Giricek said he knew he was going to be traded even as he was reinstated after a Thursday meeting with Sloan and general manager Kevin O'Connor.
He didn't play the next night against the L.A. Lakers and was traded the following morning.
The only surprise was that he was headed to Philadelphia. The Sixers will be able to use Giricek's expiring contract to free salary-cap space this summer and are rebuilding after last season's Allen Iverson trade.
For his part, Giricek said he don't know if he would be part of the team's future. Philadelphia has a number of promising young guards in Andre Iguodala, Rodney Carney, Louis Williams, Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith.
"Everything is possible,'' Giricek said. "I think they probably have some plans. I honestly don't think about these things. This is second half of season and I just want to enjoy the game the way I was enjoying it before and see what happens in the end."
Although he felt maligned by Sloan, particularly when it came to criticism of his defense, Giricek said he didn't want to "fight words with words" when asked if he wanted to set the record straight about anything.
"Words can be empty sometimes,'' he said, "and I don't like to talk that much about these things." He did say that fans will be able to draw their own conclusions based on his play.
Back in Utah for one night, Giricek was planning on having dinner with his girlfriend at his favorite restaurant. He said he wouldn't be out to try to prove something on the court.
Giricek played three full seasons with the Jazz and parts of two others, starting 104 games as the team climbed from a 26-56 record in 2004-05 to the Western Conference finals. He was asked what he would want to say to the team's fans by way of goodbye.
"Thank you for supporting me the last 3 1/2 seasons,'' Giricek said. "I appreciated the support and all the best wishes. I have great respect for them. They were great in supporting me and supporting the team."
rsiler@sltrib.com
Where: EnergySolutions Arena
Tipoff: Today, 7 p.m.
TV: FSN Utah
Radio: 1320 AM, 98.7 FM
Records: Jazz 17-16; Philadelphia 14-17
Last meeting: Jazz, 106-95 (Nov. 28)
Line: Jazz by 10
About the Jazz: The Jazz enjoyed a cruise-control victory over the Sixers the first time the teams played, even as Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur both suffered injuries. . . . There's probably a better chance of C.J. Miles matching up against Gordan Giricek than Kyle Korver tonight.
About the 76ers: Philadelphia has gone 2-1 so far on its six-game Western Conference trip, beating injury-depleted teams in Sacramento and Seattle. . . . Guard Andre Iguodala finished with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists in the first meeting with the Jazz.
What concerned me all the time was to be respected as a man. Not my role, but to be respected
as a man."
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GORDAN GIRICEK, 76ers player and former Jazz guard on his conflict with Utah coach Jerry Sloan
