He said his lack of a contract beyond the 2009-10 season is "not of consequence," and that he has a rock solid relationship with the Maloofs. Petrie said that he wants to continue to work going forward, though he didn't commit to keeping full basketball operations control beyond this season.

Regarding the team's relative inactivity this summer, despite being one of the few teams with a chunk of space under the salary cap line, Petrie said it was a combination of a lack of attractive options and the knowledge that he needed to keep an eye on the payroll with a tough revenue stream.

"We were certainly trying to manage our salary cap," Petrie said. He reiterated that he thinks the team improved plenty through the draft, and he's excited about the roster he's put together while being conscience of the fact that the team is starting off in rough space.

"What we're hoping to do is bounce back up from the bottom," he said.