The Jazz missed out on their No. 1 free-agent target this summer. But Elton Brand says Utah might not realize what a narrow miss it was.

Brand seriously considered the Jazz's six-year, $82 million offer and for a time, at least, "there was a great chance" that he would accept it.

"The Jazz were right there at the end," said Brand, who is helping Team USA qualify for the Athens Olympics at this week's qualifying tournament. "It was down to the wire. I saw positives about both [Miami and Utah], and there was definitely a time where I could see myself in Utah. It was a real tough decision."

Ultimately a meaningless one, too. Brand, a former top overall pick in the NBA draft, ended up accepting an offer for an identical maximum-money contract from the Heat, but as a restricted free agent, his old team retained the right to match it and keep him. The L.A. Clippers waited only a few days before doing so.

Still, Brand said, he was tempted by more than Utah's money. The Jazz offered the four-year veteran a chance to operate within the same offense that helped make the team's last power forward a future Hall of Famer.

"I really liked the way that Karl Malone touched the ball a lot. I felt pretty good about that. I could see myself fitting right in there," Brand said. "They showed me how I would get the ball, [and] they hoped they had [free-agent guard] Corey Maggette maybe coming in. They play defense and they're there every year, always in the playoffs. It was a really good offer."