Now the two veteran point guards are trading places, with Knight coming to Utah in a swap his agent described as a "pleasant surprise" and Hart returning home to play for the Clippers after struggling during his lone season with the Jazz.

As happy as he was Wednesday, Hart called it an "unfortunate situation" that things didn't work out in Utah and said he apologized to Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor for "not being able to play up to my capabilities" when they talked Wednesday.

"Everything worked out," Hart said, "and hopefully I can get my career going again."

Knight, who turns 33 in November, is an 11-year veteran who averaged 4.6 points and 4.4 assists last season with the Clippers. His assist-to-turnover ratio (4.62 to 1) ranked second in the NBA only behind Toronto's Jose Calderon.

"We felt we got somebody that can run our team," O'Connor said. Knight, who will compete with Ronnie Price to back up Deron Williams, averaged just one turnover every 23 1-2 minutes he played last season.

The Jazz will save nearly $900,000 between what Knight ($1.6 million) and Hart ($2.484 million) are due to earn this season. That could increase the Jazz's likelihood of matching C.J. Miles' four-year, $15 million offer sheet from Oklahoma City.

Although undersized at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, Knight can be a pesky defender, averaging 1.4 steals last season. He becomes the oldest player on a Jazz team that O'Connor felt could benefit from having another veteran.

"I told him that we've had a pretty good couple of years and we'd like to keep getting better," O'Connor said.

Hart signed a two-year, $4.8 million deal last summer in the hope that he would help fill the void left when Derek Fisher asked to be released from his contract. Although he had played for five previous teams, Hart acknowledged he struggled to learn the Jazz's offense.

He lost his backup job to Price 50 games in and finished the season out of the rotation. Hart averaged 2.9 points and 1.5 assists in what proved to be limited minutes behind Williams. He shot a career-worst 32.2 percent and was guilty at times of forcing things.

"I just never got that comfort zone," Hart said. "It was a first for me, but it happens to a lot of players. I won't be the first and I won't be the last. But I never made any excuses."

Bill Neff, Hart's agent, said he had quietly asked the Jazz to consider trading Hart and thanked O'Connor for sending him to the Clippers. "It just didn't work," Neff said of Hart's season in Utah. "Just a bad match."

Having played with Knight on the expansion Charlotte Bobcats in 2004-05, Hart described the Jazz's newest addition as "the ultimate veteran."

Their fortunes were joined a year ago as free agents. With the Clippers chasing Steve Francis, Hart decided to sign with the Jazz rather than wait for an offer from the Clippers. After Francis went to Houston, the Clippers signed Knight to a two-year, $3.2 million contract to back up Sam Cassell.

It was a decision Hart admitted he questioned every time he watched the Clippers play. Knight averaged 22.6 minutes in 74 games, starting 39 times.

Hart nearly helped the Clippers to a playoff berth in 2006-07 after he was signed in the wake of Shaun Livingston's knee injury and started the season's final 22 games. He will back up Baron Davis and said he looked forward to picking up his son from school and driving to the arena for games.

As part of their conversation, O'Connor said Knight mentioned that he always respected the way Jazz coach Jerry Sloan ran things and appreciated the chance to play for a contender. The Jazz will be the ninth team in Knight's career.

"He recognizes the success of the franchise," Knight's agent, Bill Strickland, said, "the stability of the coaching situation, his potential role on the team behind a very good point guard and the possibility of coming in and contributing."

What Knight's arrival means for Price is uncertain. The third-year guard never looked back after supplanting Hart - - his close friend - - in the rotation and was a key playoff contributor.

"He's going to come in and compete for minutes," O'Connor said of Knight, "and I know Ronnie will accept the challenge."

The Jazz must decide by Friday about matching Oklahoma City's offer to Miles, their restricted free-agent guard. One source close to the situation said Wednesday that he believed the Jazz would match while another said no decision had been made.

O'Connor declined to comment about Miles. Knight will come to Utah next week after returning from vacation.

rsiler@sltrib.com