Tim Buckley of the Desert News reports that the negotiations between the Jazz and free agent forward Donyell Marshall are still dragging. "I really, really tried to get something done with them (Wednesday), and they just are not moving in the right direction," said Dwight Manley, who for the second time in six days said, "It doesn't look like Donyell's gonna be back to Utah."

Manley also seems disturbed by the Jazz movement away from another one of his clients, Bryon Russell in favor of Calbert Cheaney. Manley suggests that the release of the more talented Russell in favor of the less-expensive Cheaney is a sign of a team in ?rebuilding mode?.

Manley suggested he was baffled that the Jazz apparently are "replacing Bryon (Russell) now with Calbert Cheaney" while "yesterday they said they were getting younger, and today they're not getting younger."

"It's a real tough situation, because it's not only money we're talking about, but the direction of the team being in a rebuilding mode, and a player in his prime not going in the same direction. . . . Donyell (Marshall) is not in a rebuilding mode," said Manley, who also made a case for Marshall being a $10 million player ? about $3 million more in annual salary than what the Jazz have been offering the player whose re-signing they have identified to be their top priority of the summer free-agent market.?

Asked if he was allowing the situation of one of his clients (Russell) to affect that of another (Marshall), Manley said this: "Don't all the players' situations affect each other? It's a team, so every piece matters. Regardless of who their agent is, every piece matters.
"Donyell was willing to go back to the team without Bryon being there . . . but the Jazz," Manley added, "are making it quite obvious that Donyell is not the priority that they've made him out to be."

If Marshall can?t work out a deal with the Jazz, he can try to force a sign and trade deal to another team, or he could sign with another team for the $4.5 million mid-class exception. The Jazz have reportedly turned down a few sign and trade offers from the Nets (Keith Van Horn) and the Raptors (Hakeem Olajuwon).