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Greg Miller: A couple of years later there was a lockout in the NBA. By then, the Honda dealership was established, employing about 85 people. Karl co-hosted a radio show at that time and made some comments on the air about wanting to play for a team “in a town where it rains” and when the lockout was over he’d “demand to be traded”. His comments were well documented. The next day car sales dropped by half. Karl continued to make similar comments on his show. After a few days I drove to the studio that broadcast his show and waited until his show was over to speak with him. I told him I respected his right to say whatever he wanted, but that his comments were keeping customers away. I suggested he consider the impact his comments were having on his partner(s) and on the 85 people whose livelihoods depended on customers coming to his dealership. I still remember the surprised look on his face when I pointed those things out to him. Thankfully, that was the end of his trade demands. Greg In Utah

Utah Jazz, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

Greg Miller: Some years later Karl scheduled and cancelled or blew off a number of lunch appointments with me. On three separate occasions Karl had one of his assistants schedule a lunch appointment with me. The first time Karl never showed up. When I called his assistant I was told that Karl had something come up and he wouldn’t be able to join me. We rescheduled. I got a call on the way to the second appointment a few weeks later to tell me Karl couldn’t make it. That happened again the third time a month or so later. Greg In Utah

Utah Jazz, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

Greg Miller: A year ago, when Jerry retired, Karl rushed to Salt Lake City. He got in front of every camera he could find at the first game following Jerry’s departure. He positioned himself as an authority on Jerry’s departure by saying something like “the Jerry Sloan I know isn’t a quitter. He left because he didn’t feel wanted.” Karl wasn’t in the locker room during the conversations with me and Jerry. Had he been, he would have seen me (and my mom) do everything possible to convince Jerry to stay. By his own admission Karl hadn’t spoken to Jerry since Jerry left. Karl’s comments on the radio and on national television made an already stressful situation worse. Then in his next breath, on national television, Karl asked me to hire him as a coach. Greg In Utah

Utah Jazz, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

Greg Miller: These are just a few experiences I’ve had with Karl that clearly demonstrate that he can’t be counted on. I am not willing to invite the elements of unreliability and instability into the Jazz organization. It would obviously do more harm than good. Earlier tonight I sent out the following tweet relative to Karl’s claim that he had to buy a ticket to that Jazz game from a scalper because he couldn’t get one from the Jazz: “Hey Karl- you’re lying. You have my number. Next time you need a seat to a Jazz game call me. You can have mine.” All three statements are true. Greg In Utah

Utah Jazz, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

Greg Miller: Karl, I’m not sure where or how our relationship became so sour. I wish it was otherwise. I’m sorry if I’ve offended you in any way. I’d love to do whatever I can to mend the fence and make you feel welcome at Jazz games. I would love to have you as an ambassador for the Utah Jazz. You have a standing invitation to do both. Greg In Utah

Utah Jazz, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

For four hours last Friday, Malone co-hosted my radio show and talked about many topics, the way only Malone can. His signature point: He said the Jazz botched the Williams-Sloan situation, giving the player too much power, and essentially blamed Kevin O’Connor and Greg Miller for undermining an icon who had coached the Jazz for 23 years. “On the whole handling of that, I would have to give [them] a D or F, and I would lean more toward an F,” said Malone, who has remained close to Sloan since his own retirement in 2004. Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Deron Williams, Jerry Sloan, Kevin O'Connor, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

Trouble had been stirring between Williams and Sloan for months. Sloan admitted that the two “got into it.” Malone said the Jazz had empowered the point guard to go directly to O’Connor when he disagreed with Sloan and that was, as Karl called it, “the perfect storm.” “I know for a fact that [Sloan] was overridden on practices sometime on the road because Deron was calling our G.M. at that time,” Malone said. “ … You give a guy that much power, and he’s the kind of player you think he played hard all the time, but if he wanted to sulk he could sulk. … I never went to Larry [Miller] to talk about Coach Sloan. … It’s not one time, in my gut and heart, that I would go over his head.” Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Deron Williams, Jerry Sloan, Kevin O'Connor, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

The Jazz have stayed with their company line that Sloan simply got tired and decided the time was right to jump aboard his John Deere and ride off into the sunset. Malone, who regularly talks with Sloan, called B.S. on that. “That defining moment when [management and ownership] should have stood up for Jerry Sloan, they chose Deron Williams,” he said. “And Coach Sloan, being the coach I know and love, said, ‘You know what? We should part ways.’ And he said what he said. And once Coach Sloan says something, it’s history.” Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Deron Williams, Jerry Sloan, Kevin O'Connor, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

O’Connor, who heard what Malone said on Friday, agreed to come on the show on Tuesday, and he called B.S. back. “Karl wasn’t in the room, I was in the room,” O’Connor said, “and the only thing I can tell you is, I’d like you guys to go ask Jerry. … Greg was in there. He did everything possible with Jerry to make him stay, to have him finish off the season. [Sloan] had complete autonomy to do anything he wanted to do, as far as any kind of punishment. Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Deron Williams, Jerry Sloan, Kevin O'Connor, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

“The next morning, we’d asked him to sleep on it, and Gail [Miller] came in and both Greg and Gail asked him. So, I can honestly say that there’s nothing farther from the truth than those kinds of comments. “The minute [Sloan] said [he was quitting], we said, ‘Don’t do it.’ … What I know is, I was in every meeting. I heard every sentence, every word, and I can tell you what transpired. I would love for you to go speak to Jerry and to Phil Johnson … and ask them these questions.” Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Deron Williams, Jerry Sloan, Kevin O'Connor, Karl Malone, Greg Miller 

Jazz owner Gail Miller and CEO Greg Miller were not at Saturday's Utah Reunion with all those familiar faces from New Jersey. Their absence was noticeable, but they didn't miss the Jazz-Nets game to avoid an awkward encounter with either of the ex-Jazzmen who were traded to New Jersey in the past year. The Millers were simply hosting their annual out-of-town retreat for Larry H. Miller Group of Companies' senior management. The timing was coincidental but unavoidable due to a scheduling conflict. "It had nothing at all to do with Memo (Okur) or Deron (Williams) or the fact that we were playing the Nets," Jazz senior vice president of communications Linda Luchetti said. "This was planned last summer." Deseret News

Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, Deron Williams, Greg Miller, Larry H. Miller 

Brian T. Smith: #UtahJazz's Greg Miller: "Ever since 1985, we've been fortunate that we haven't been threatened about the Jazz being a threat to the other businesses, and that is still the case today. When we spent the money that we did last year on our players, that was by design — it wasn't an accident. We knew where we stood. There's nothing that's an accident. It's all deliberate." Twitter

Utah Jazz, Greg Miller 

Brian T. Smith: Miller: "Even with the numbers with the way they we were, it was by design, it wasn't an accident. And we have absolutely no intention of selling the team. ... We're not even in the realm of consideration of that right now." Twitter

Utah Jazz, Greg Miller 

Greg Miller on a report he could sell the Jazz: "I … I get frustrated whenever I see that. Because my Dad has said since he bought the team in 1985 that the Jazz will be a part of the Salt Lake landscape and the Utah landscape as long as they're not a burden on the other businesses that we depend on to keep our employees employed and feed our families and so on. Ever since 1985, we've been fortunate that we haven't been threatened with the Jazz being a threat to the other businesses, and that is still the case today. When we spent the money that we did last year on our players, that was by design — it wasn't an accident. We knew where we stood. There's nothing that's an accident. It's all deliberate. Now, there are certainly things beyond our control that sometimes change your plan in midstream. But it basically worked out as we expected it to economically. Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Greg Miller 

On Monday, Greg Miller took to Twitter to dispute the report. "Speculation of the Jazz being sold is unfortunate & irresponsible. Thanks to unprecedented fan & sponsor support the Jazz is solid as ever," Greg Miller posted. Sporting News

Utah Jazz, Greg Miller 

In fact, one source with intimate knowledge of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies' inner workings speculated that small-market-related economic hardships could force Jazz ownership to place a "For Sale" sign on the franchise. The source told the Deseret News that the Jazz were expected to report losses in the $17 million range for the 2010-11 season. Deseret News

Utah Jazz, Greg Miller 

"Greg has consistently stated that as long as owning the Jazz makes financial sense, the Millers will own the team," the source said. "However, under the current system, it doesn't make financial sense." Deseret News

Utah Jazz, Greg Miller 

But the team, the source said, has lost money almost every year since moving to Utah from New Orleans in 1979. Last year, Greg Miller admitted to ESPN that, "some years we make money, and some years we lose money." Deseret News

Utah Jazz, Greg Miller 

From his vantage point, RSL owner and pro sports mogul Dave Checketts can't envision the Miller family selling the Jazz. He doesn't view their commitment as conditional. "I think the Jazz have a tremendous, tremendous fan following. I think teams like that will always exist in the markets they're in," said Checketts, whose resume includes time spent as the Jazz's president and general manager. "I don't think the Jazz are an endangered species." Deseret News

Utah Jazz, Greg Miller, Dave Checketts 

In LHM’s diverse business flowchart, the flashy Jazz are just one strong branch on an ever-growing multibillion-dollar tree, and the team is protected and supported by the businesses it feeds. Miller’s vision in full-bloom: 45 auto dealerships in seven states that are on track to sell about 65,000 vehicles this year; 73 sports merchandise stores in 14 states; six Megaplex Theatres with 84 screens in Utah, including one that opened Oct. 14 in Centerville. How large has LHM become? If the Jazz were based upon wheels and fenders instead of a basketball bouncing upon hardwood, the team would be only LHM’s fourth-largest Toyota dealership in terms of revenue. “And when it comes to profitability, it goes way down,” said Greg Miller, LHM and Jazz chief executive. Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Larry Miller, Greg Miller