clarinews@clarinet.com (02/03/90)
SALT LAKE CITY (UPI) -- Jose Ortiz, the 1987 PAC-10 Player of the Year at Oregon State but a seldom-used forward with the Utah Jazz, will be released next week, franchise officials said Friday. Scott Layden, Jazz player personnel director, said the club will ask for waivers Monday on the 6-foot-10 Ortiz. And the second-year NBA player said he initiated the idea. ``I've been thinking about this since the beginning of the season. I tried to get waived and get things worked out for me. I've just got to think about my career,'' said Ortiz, who averaged just 4.9 minutes of playing time per game this season. And Layden said, ``I think the forward sitution is the big reason it didn't work out.'' The Jazz already had two outstanding forwards in NBA All Star Karl Malone and Thurl Bailey. And rookie Blue Edwards, Utah's 1989 first-round draft pick, and second-year forward Eric Leckner were playing ahead of Ortiz. If he is not claimed by another NBA club, Ortiz said he hopes to return to Spain, where he spent the 1987-88 season so he could maintain his amateur status and represent his native Puerto Rico in the 1988 Summer Olympics. He called the Utah situation ``difficult for me and difficult for them. The chance to go to Spain is an opportunity for me to play and that has always been my main concern. I have talked with a couple of Spanish teams but have nothing firm.'' At Oregon State, Ortiz averaged 16.4 points per game as a junior in 1985-86 and 22.3 in 1986-87, leading the PAC 10 in scoring and earning the league's most valuable player honor. He was all-conference both years. Ortiz was Utah's No. 1 draft pick in 1987, but skipped the 1987-88 NBA season while playing in Spain. He signed a 4-year contract with Utah on Sept. 1, 1988. Last season, he averaged just 2.8 points per game with Utah. He missed 17 of Utah's 42 games thus far this season while recovering from mononucleosis and had appeared in just 13 other games, averaging 3.2 points for the Midwest Division-leading Jazz. ``The most important aspect of this step today is that it allows Jose the opportunity to play and to work on his skills,'' Layden said. ``I guess, selfishly, we could hold onto Jose and try to wait things out. But, I think it's in everyone's interest to do it this way.'' Coach Jerry Sloan said his staff ``hasn't discussed'' a replacement for Ortiz.