Hart ended the season out of the rotation as the team's No. 3 point guard.

Hart will make $2.484 million next season. He had until June 30 to decide about the option, but Neff said there was little debate with Hart likely having to accept a minimum contract ($1.070 million) as a free agent.

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said he had yet to receive the paperwork, although O'Connor is away attending the NBA predraft camp in Orlando, Fla. Neff said it was signed and mailed last Thursday.

"This past year, [Hart] probably would have liked to have played more and we would have liked for him to have played more," O'Connor said. "But he'll get the chance to come in and compete for a position again next year behind Deron [Williams]."

Neff said there had been no talk of a buyout, although that could change closer to the July 1 start of free agency.

"There's always that hope," Neff said. "That's a big investment for a third guard, so you always have that. In this day and age, to give someone close to half the midlevel [exception] and then not play him isn't that wise."

Hart was expected to help fill the void left by Derek Fisher's departure when he signed a two-year, $4.8 million contract with the Jazz last July. He had started 22 games for the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of the 2006-07 season, with the team nearly reaching the playoffs.

But Hart struggled in Utah with both his shooting and the limited playing time available as Williams' backup. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.5 assists in 10.6 minutes last season while shooting a career-worst 32.2 percent.

Hart lost the backup job to Ronnie Price 52 games into the season and failed to see action in 17 of the final 30 regular-season games.

Hart, who turned 30 on April 29, was used in only two of the Jazz's 12 postseason games.

rsiler@sltrib.com