Thu, Feb 19, 2004 at 2:10pm

Gugliotta now in Utah

The Phoenix Suns acquired center Keon Clark and forward Ben Handlogten from the Utah Jazz in exchange for forward Tom Gugliotta and two future first-round draft picks.

What does it give the Phoenix Suns
Finally, a legitimate center for the future. Plus some needed salary cap relief. Clark has been out almost the entire season with an ankle injury, but is expected to return with a few weeks. When he does he'll provide the Suns with their first legitimate center in years, a long, athletic shot-blocking demon who can bang with the best of them down low. Whether they can hold onto him is another story, since Clark becomes a free agent after this season. Still, Clark will have more than a month to show what he can do, and will be motivated by his impending free agency to play hard. There's a good chance he'll stay in Phoenix, however, since the Suns are a class organization with a lot of promise. They also have reportedly coveted Clark for awhile. Handlogten is also injured, and may not have much of a future with the rebuilding team.

What does it give the Utah Jazz
A talented, underused ex-all star for the stretch run. And some quality draft picks. The Jazz quite possibly made out like bandits here. Gugliotta is finally healthy, and when healthy has the talent to be an all-star (which he once was). Still only 34, he's the sweet-shooting, team-first power forward the Jazz have lacked since Matt Harpring went down to injury. The Jazz have been slumping lately, and need a quality forward to take the heat off Andrei Kirilenko. They get that in Gugliotta, who should mesh well with Gordan Giricek as well. Utah also has the option of just letting the $12-million Gugliotta walk after the season (freeing up cap space), and / or re-signing him for much less. Googs could take off in Utah, where he'll finally get a chance to play. The two future first-round draft picks are a real coup for Utah as well.

Fantasy impact