The Pistons had until Thursday to match Utah's offer but officially let nothing else stand in the way yesterday when they waived their right to match the six-year, $50-million offer sheet Okur signed with the Jazz this month, leaving Okur free to play at Utah next season. The move became a foregone conclusion when the Pistons agreed to contracts with forwards Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace.

"It was nothing more than a formality," team vice president John Hammond said Monday. "After signing Rasheed and Antonio, we had no room to sign Mehmet."

Last week, Okur told the Zaman newspaper in Turkey that he was happy to be going to the Jazz.

"I had a really hard term last year with the Detroit uniform," he said.