Jazz backup point guard Raul Lopez has decided not to play for his native Spain in the upcoming Summer Olympics. In Spain, the Jazz are being blamed. In Utah, Jazz officials deny they pressured Lopez into opting out ? and say the call was all his. "We said to him, 'You have to make the decision on the Olympics,' " said Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's basketball operations senior vice president. "We told him, 'Here are the things you have to consider, ' " O'Connor added. "And we said we would back him in anything he wanted to do." Lopez's American agent backs O'Connor's contention. In fact, David Bauman said he's pleased Lopez will not play this August in Athens, Greece ? and suggested Lopez's agents in Spain should not have faulted the Jazz like they did. Link
