Carlos Boozer has had enough of the character assassination that has pounded him since last week's announcement that the Utah Jazz have offered him $68 million over six years.

Boozer has been accused of lying and backstabbing the team and its fans because he allegedly told the Cavaliers he would remain in Cleveland. As a result, the organization allowed him to become a free agent, with the intent to sign him to the mid-level exemption of $42 million over six years.

According to sources within the Cavs' organization, Boozer told team officials that if they didn't pick up his option, he would sign with them.

Boozer, speaking exclusively to The Plain Dealer by telephone Monday, said that is not true and he wants to set the record straight.

"I didn't make a prior agreement. And if I did, I would've stayed here," Boozer said. "For them [Cavaliers] taking shots at my character is incredibly wrong, and I don't understand that. I thought I had a great relationship with them. Maybe they're trying to save face or trying to make up stuff and kill my character. And if that's the road they want to take, that's OK."

Everything was apparently fine when Cavs management met with Boozer, his wife CeCe and agent Rob Pelinka on June 30. These were friendlier times, when the two sides were prepared to talk about Boozer's future with the organization. The only thing that is clear about this meeting is that the Cavs decided not to pick up the option on the last year of Boozer's contract, which was worth about $700,000. This is where things get cloudy.

"I assumed they were going to pick up my option and work something out for the long term, but they went another route," Boozer said. "I was shocked that they didn't pick up my option. I left the meeting excited because this meant that I was going to get a long-term contract."

Boozer was surprised the Cavs didn't pick up his option because he said management gave him every indication in earlier informal conversations that they would.

Boozer said he had no idea why they Cavs didn't pick up the option.