Utah Jazz: Millsap and Okur ready, Harpring not

They had various injuries to deal with over the summer, but Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap each declared themselves to be "100 percent" healthy heading into Jazz training camp.

Matt Harpring, however, isn't quite so fortunate.

Harpring is still recuperating from a nasty strep infection that inflicted his lower leg as a result of complications from ankle surgery. As a result, the 11-year NBA veteran won't be camping with his teammates in Boise this week.

What Harpring said was supposed to be "a simple procedure" to remove bone spurs from his right ankle took an unexpected and painful detour, landing him in an Atlanta hospital for four days to receive medical treatment on his afflicted lower leg.

The infection spread into his joints, tendons and sheaths. Harpring received IV antibiotics through a pick in his arm for four weeks, and he spent a while hobbling on crutches. He also suffered digestive problems.

"It was a rough summer for me as far as that," Harpring said. "That infection is a lot of pain, no joke."

The infection finally cleared up in early August, but he was basically inactive for about a month. He is now playing catch-up on his physical fitness while also trying to get the "junk" out of his ankle.

"It wreaked some havoc down there," he said.

Because of that, Harpring will head to Santa Barbara, Calif., to work with private trainers at Peak Performance Project while the Jazz participate in training camp beginning today.

Harpring, who missed training camp last year after undergoing knee surgery, says his health is improving "almost weekly."

"I expect to make a full recovery," he said. "It's just kind of slower than I want to go."

Coach Jerry Sloan believes a healthy Harpring is important for the Jazz's success.

"He plays hard when he steps on the floor. It doesn't take him all day to warm up," Sloan said. "He'll step out there and compete. With guys coming off the bench, that's what you need."

Millsap and Okur, on the other hand, are relieved to have their medical issues in the rearview mirror.

Time off helped Okur fully recover from injuries he suffered last season, including a sprained shoulder, lower-back inflammation and a sore Achilles tendon that made for "tough" times.

"Now I'm 100 percent," the Jazz's starting center said. "Hopefully I'm going to stay healthy."

Millsap, who has played in every Jazz game for his first two seasons, said he's been at full strength for a few weeks. He had surgery in May to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb that he incurred during the Jazz's Game 6 loss in the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The injury prevented the backup power forward from lifting weights and from working out with the Jazz prior to the Rocky Mountain Revue.

"That was the worst part — for it to happen when it happened," he said. "It set me back for about a month and a half. There was a lot of work that I didn't get done."

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Contributing: Tim Buckley, The Associated Press

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