Kori Ellis
10-14-2004, 01:24 AM
Jazz, Andrei talks 'far apart'
Team, Kirilenko's agent disagree on forward's value
By Tim Buckley
Deseret Morning News
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595098139,00.html
Contract extension negotiations between the Jazz and the agent for All-Star Andrei Kirilenko have taken a turn for the worse.
"We're far apart on what we both see his value as being, and I'm not optimistic at the moment," said agent Marc Fleisher, who left with no deal in hand after coming to Salt Lake City for a face-to-face meeting with Jazz basketball operations senior vice president Kevin O'Connor.
"We met (Tuesday) night," Fleisher added Wednesday afternoon, "and I think there's a big disparity in what we see as Andrei's value."
The deadline for agreeing to an extension before this season is Oct. 31, and Fleisher said it is possible things can change before then.
But Kirilenko's side is standing firm on its demand for Pau Gasol money, meaning an extension just like the six-year, roughly $86 million deal Memphis recently gave to its big man from Spain.
The Jazz apparently are offering much less to their forward from Russia — perhaps even less than $76 million over six seasons that, as of last week, they were believed to be willing to pay.
"I think we believe Andrei is in the same class as Pau Gasol," said Fleisher, who got deals done with O'Connor for both big man Mehmet Okur (six years, $50 million) and shooting guard Gordan Giricek (four years, $16 million) this past summer.
"In fact, Andrei was selected over Pau Gasol as an All-Star (last season)," Fleisher added. "And the Jazz don't see it that way."
O'Connor did not return phone messages left Wednesday.
It should come as no great surprise that Kirilenko's camp is using the Gasol deal as a gauge, since that is a max-money rookie-contract extension under terms of the current collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and its players association.
This season, Kirilenko will earn $1.67 million — a far cry from what's in store.
"We believe that the market value for Andrei has been determined apart from us — meaning we didn't determine it, and nor did the Jazz," said Fleisher, who planned to return to his Connecticut office to deal with other client issues. "It's been determined for us, and we believe, and most people around the league feel, that Andrei is deserving of the sort of money Gasol got."
Fleisher said he and Kirilenko are adamant about that, and that they're willing to forgo the financial security that comes with signing an extension now in order to enter the NBA's free-agency market as a restricted free agent season.
There are pros and cons for both sides if that were to happen, but Fleisher suggested that is what will happen if that is what it takes for Kirilenko to be adequately compensated.
"Absolutely," Fleisher said.
"Andrei would like to get something done now," he added, "but, if not now, we believe there are a lot of teams out there that will believe his market value is as we see it."
Even if another team were to sign Kirilenko to an offer sheet next summer, the Jazz would have the opportunity to match.
They'd have to do so, however, under terms established by another franchise — meaning the possibility of dealing with a heavily front-loaded contract that can be avoided by coming to terms now.
Kirilenko, for his part, has been relatively mum on the issue.
The 23-year-old said last week he was "a little unhappy" that Gasol's extension was done before training camp opened and his was not, but he later expressed hope that a deal would be struck.
Jazz owner Larry H. Miller, too, has said the team would like to extend Kirilenko this month — and that it "makes sense for both sides."
Miller, though, also said it would require a degree of compromise from both sides to reach an accord.
Fleisher, seemingly unwilling to budge, isn't buying it.
"I read where Larry said (last week) he is '90 percent sure' this is gonna get done," the agent said. "I'm nowhere near that optimistic."
Team, Kirilenko's agent disagree on forward's value
By Tim Buckley
Deseret Morning News
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595098139,00.html
Contract extension negotiations between the Jazz and the agent for All-Star Andrei Kirilenko have taken a turn for the worse.
"We're far apart on what we both see his value as being, and I'm not optimistic at the moment," said agent Marc Fleisher, who left with no deal in hand after coming to Salt Lake City for a face-to-face meeting with Jazz basketball operations senior vice president Kevin O'Connor.
"We met (Tuesday) night," Fleisher added Wednesday afternoon, "and I think there's a big disparity in what we see as Andrei's value."
The deadline for agreeing to an extension before this season is Oct. 31, and Fleisher said it is possible things can change before then.
But Kirilenko's side is standing firm on its demand for Pau Gasol money, meaning an extension just like the six-year, roughly $86 million deal Memphis recently gave to its big man from Spain.
The Jazz apparently are offering much less to their forward from Russia — perhaps even less than $76 million over six seasons that, as of last week, they were believed to be willing to pay.
"I think we believe Andrei is in the same class as Pau Gasol," said Fleisher, who got deals done with O'Connor for both big man Mehmet Okur (six years, $50 million) and shooting guard Gordan Giricek (four years, $16 million) this past summer.
"In fact, Andrei was selected over Pau Gasol as an All-Star (last season)," Fleisher added. "And the Jazz don't see it that way."
O'Connor did not return phone messages left Wednesday.
It should come as no great surprise that Kirilenko's camp is using the Gasol deal as a gauge, since that is a max-money rookie-contract extension under terms of the current collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and its players association.
This season, Kirilenko will earn $1.67 million — a far cry from what's in store.
"We believe that the market value for Andrei has been determined apart from us — meaning we didn't determine it, and nor did the Jazz," said Fleisher, who planned to return to his Connecticut office to deal with other client issues. "It's been determined for us, and we believe, and most people around the league feel, that Andrei is deserving of the sort of money Gasol got."
Fleisher said he and Kirilenko are adamant about that, and that they're willing to forgo the financial security that comes with signing an extension now in order to enter the NBA's free-agency market as a restricted free agent season.
There are pros and cons for both sides if that were to happen, but Fleisher suggested that is what will happen if that is what it takes for Kirilenko to be adequately compensated.
"Absolutely," Fleisher said.
"Andrei would like to get something done now," he added, "but, if not now, we believe there are a lot of teams out there that will believe his market value is as we see it."
Even if another team were to sign Kirilenko to an offer sheet next summer, the Jazz would have the opportunity to match.
They'd have to do so, however, under terms established by another franchise — meaning the possibility of dealing with a heavily front-loaded contract that can be avoided by coming to terms now.
Kirilenko, for his part, has been relatively mum on the issue.
The 23-year-old said last week he was "a little unhappy" that Gasol's extension was done before training camp opened and his was not, but he later expressed hope that a deal would be struck.
Jazz owner Larry H. Miller, too, has said the team would like to extend Kirilenko this month — and that it "makes sense for both sides."
Miller, though, also said it would require a degree of compromise from both sides to reach an accord.
Fleisher, seemingly unwilling to budge, isn't buying it.
"I read where Larry said (last week) he is '90 percent sure' this is gonna get done," the agent said. "I'm nowhere near that optimistic."