It's entirely possible that sometime next month, Karl Malone and Larry Miller will renew their contractual vows to each other and express their delight that the future Hall of Famer will finish his career in a Jazz uniform.

But right now, the Jazz's owner and his star player certainly sound like they are headed for a basketball divorce.

"What he's done in the past week, in my opinion, is way, way out of bounds," Miller said Friday after a news conference to introduce the Jazz's two new draft choices. "You can tell I'm a little tense about it."

What Malone has done, Miller explained, is offend him by complaining publicly about the Jazz and their approach to re-signing the soon-to-be free agent. In lengthy television and radio interviews, Malone has openly questioned the Jazz's interest in bringing him back for a 19th season, once calling the team's efforts "half-hearted."

That was nothing, Miller even suggested at one point. Asked whether the Jazz still planned to make a contract pitch to Malone's agent once free agency begins Tuesday, Miller said, "Don't assume that automatically."