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Leverage is a ....EURO MVP...please trade me....
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/...rry-Sloan.html
Andrei Kirilenko has apparently asked to be traded; a Russian-language tale that appears to have been written by Kirilenko himself was published yesterday on the website Sports.ru. Here it is in the original Russian. And here, with the kind of brilliant comedic timing you could not fabricate, is some of that same story as translated by Google:
For the week to come to the club, but if honest, special joy on this occasion did not have. Last season was disappointing for me and very seriously disappointed. Many thought about it and came to the decision - I want to leave the "Concept". European soccer ended was a peculiar litmus test, and it was all for me to their seats.
Coach Sloan is one of the reasons, but not the only one. Six of the NBA years, I, of course, has enormous experience. It is clear that the NBA-strongest league world. Every game makes you better as a player only because it is a challenge. Call for battle. Such conditions zakalyayut. All these words have been fair to me, except for the last two seasons. I now feel that progressiruyu not as a player. I try, but fails. 5 40NB. Do not give. Do not get support coach and the club. I am convinced that the methods Sloan had a negative impact on me. His main method of motivating players - care guilt. Our wages, our mistakes in the games, our actions outside the track is always cause for criticism. I want to play basketball, I want to enjoy it and not be a robot, piece of Sloan. Therefore, do not see their future in the team, "Utah Jazz."
Take that, you robot piece of Sloan.
Kirilenko (or someone posing as Kirilenko) also writes about how much he loved playing for David Blatt. He contrasts that experience with how much he does not enjoy playing for Sloan.
Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune has enjoyed actual human translation, and wrote an informative story based on it. An excerpt:
Kirilenko also revealed that he talked to Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's senior vice president of basketball operations, a few weeks ago and asked to be traded. O'Connor said Tuesday that he had spoken with Kirilenko but declined to comment on what was said.
"What you're trying to do is overall look at the success he's had with us,'' O'Connor said. "He has a long-term contract with us and I don't think we would have given him a contract like that if we weren't confident he'd be here."
Kirilenko is required to report for camp by Oct. 1 and O'Connor said, "We explained to him when everybody was supposed to be back and we expect him to be here."
The Jazz would face sizable obstacles in trying to trade Kirilenko, their highest-paid player owed $63 million through the 2010-11 season. They also face untold distractions as they open the season trying to build off a conference finals appearance.
Of his conversation with O'Connor, Kirilenko wrote, "I told him that I don't see myself in the team and want to leave." He added: "I don't want myself and my contract to be a burden for the club. I want the club to continue in its own direction."
But Kirilenko wrote that he hadn't heard back from O'Connor or the organization in a week, which he took as a sign of disrespect.
Plenty of people are not high on Kirilenko. I am not one of them. Back then the Blazers still had Zach Randolph, and it wasn't clear what they were going to do with him, I was keen on the idea that they might swap him for AK-47. Why? Of course, a big part of the reason is because Kirilenko plays hard all over the court, is long like a piece of spaghetti, and has a ton of skill. But mainly because he has an unbelievable knack for getting his hand where the ball is. He can strip you, he can block you, he can pick up the loose ball, he can grab the rebound. He can just get that ball better than most, and players like that are disheartening to play against. He is also willing to work hard to improve his shooting stroke, while being willing to be the team's third or fourth scoring option.
Let me share something with you about Andrei Kirilenko, the professional. Consider this account, from coach Dan Barto, of running Kirilenko's workouts last summer:
I had the pleasure of working with Andrei for a little over six weeks last summer. Upon meeting him he stated his goals for what he wanted to accomplish and why. In no uncertain terms he knew what was going to happen both with the Jazz this past season and with the Russian National Team this summer.
Stating "things (with the Jazz) are going to change for me because our team is going to win by pounding people off ball screens and defending. My opportunities are going to come in transition like always, spot ups and some isolation/mismatch. I will be the fourth option and I have to do what is best for my team."
He talked about his skill improvement and shooting both off of the catch and dribble "a couple years" process where he would probably fail numerous times to successfully implement them, but would eventually master them and increase the length of his career and value.
He stated that the summer of '06 was his first summer of not playing with the national team because he needed to rest. With the playoffs, international play and being an NBA starter, he would play more minutes than anyone in the world from October through next training camp. Also he talked about trying to get his body right since he dealt with so many injuries in the past. With the FIBA qualifiers and Olympics over the next two summers this would be his only chance to do that.
These were not ingenious concepts, but so few players are able to look at the scope of 12 months with such precision, honesty and hunger, let alone 3 years. Over the next six weeks Andrei would teach me so much about the international game, being a "professional" and how many different ways "dawg" could be used in the English language.
Utah fan and TrueHoop reader Doug emails to say:
For all of us Jazz fans who have been thinking it would be best if Kirilenko and the Jazz parted ways,it finally looks like its happening. But now that he has demanded a trade ... we'll get almost nothing for him. I wish the Jazz would have stepped up and gotten something done to get the Matrix; especially if its true that Andrei spoke with Kevin O'Connor privately about this two weeks ago before going public. Regardless whether Marion liked Utah or not, it was a much shorter term contract and would have allowed the Jazz to have a solid 3 during his remaining years.
Here is some Andrei Kirilenko information you have to see to understand.
What happens now? Will the Jazz move him? It takes two to tango, and it's no secret the Jazz are ready to dance. Even the owner has admitted as much. The Tribune's Ross Siler wrote this on his blog back in June:
In case you missed it, Andrei Kirilenko has a contract worth $63 million that makes him difficult, if not impossible, to trade. Larry Miller admitted as much Thursday on the radio. Yet Sloan and Miller have each taken their shots at Kirilenko this week -- a player who most likely is going to wind up back with the Jazz next season.
Looking for one other team ... We have heard it might be the Suns, right? If they are really concerned that Shawn Marion might walk away for nothing when he can opt out next summer, perhaps they really would consider getting Kirilenko (who is cheaper per season, but has a hefty four years left). Any other ideas about what might work? Get trading.
Leverage is a ....EURO MVP...please trade me....
could the Mavericks go after him?
well with the mavericks abundance of wings, and the jazz lack of, it should be a possiblity
What's with all these nba players demanding trades? Who do they think they are? If that team is paying you that much, you better do your best.
They'd surely require Josh Howard to be part of the deal, probably Diop too. The Mavs don't really have anything else that the Jazz would be interested in to make a deal happen.
I don't think the Jazz can be picky in this matter, yes Kirilenko got some leverage this summer, but that's simply not enough to cover Kirilenko bad reps gained in the past 2 NBA seasons. IMHO, the best deal they can get would be a 2nd tier player with some salary cap relieve in terms of an ending contract or two -hopefully a future draft pick to boot.
Thats ridiculous. Howard is far better than AK47 ever will be.
His contract makes him nearly untradable.
the only thing ridiculous is that statement.
I love Josh, but a wing player is much easier to come by than a player that is 6'9 with a 7'0 foot wingspan, who can guard pretty much anybody on the court, is a good ballhandler, and has shown that when absolutely neccessary, he can play point for a stretch of time.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3029816
Report: Kirilenko 'ready' to leave NBA, $63M contract
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services
Andrei Kirilenko is so prepared to leave the Utah Jazz, he's willing to forsake the remaining $63 million of his contract to play overseas.
According to a translation by The Salt Lake Tribune, Kirilenko said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Sport Express that he is prepared to go without the money remaining on his NBA contract to get away from the Jazz.
According to the Tribune, Kirilenko is quoted in the Russian newspaper as saying: "I just want to explain to everybody what I think and feel and that I could sacrifice my career with the NBA. The only thing I'm not prepared for is if I'm told, 'Andrei, we want you to stay anyway.' I'm sure then the next season would be a repe ion of the previous one, and what will the fans say then? How could you possibly rely on a player who wants to leave?"
Kirilenko, who is under contract through the 2010-11 season, told Sport Express he thinks the chances of his contract being voided are small. But he remains steadfast in his desire to leave Utah, even if it means playing on a worse team, NBA or otherwise.
"I have never been unfair and I don't want to enjoy something that I don't deserve," Kirilenko told Sport Express. "Big money is obviously good, but I am prepared to make less. The size of my salary doesn't mean that much for me. The main thing is to play with a spark."
He says he would like to play in Russia, although as long as he is under contract with Utah, that cannot happen as NBA and FIBA teams must honor each other's contracts. Kirilenko starred for CSKA Moscow in the Euroleague before coming to the NBA, but he says he'd also consider other European teams.
"I would like to be where I am needed and right now I feel that my country needs me," Kirilenko told Sport Express. "But I cannot exclude some European clubs. Trust me, I really am prepared to leave NBA. It certainly does not mean that I'm dying to go to Europe. I'm just ready."
Kirilenko could face a fine or suspension by the Jazz if he fails to report to camp on Oct. 1.
He contrasted his displeasure with Jazz coach Jerry Sloan with the experience he had with Russian coach David Blatt during the recent European Basketball Tournament. Russia won the tournament and Kirilenko was named MVP.
"Last year, we had a conversation with him," Kirilenko told Sport Express "and Sloan said, 'Andrei, if you don't like something about the way I conduct training you could always break the contract with the Jazz.' So that's exactly what I want to do now!"
Kirilenko doesn't want to lose another year or two playing for Sloan and told Sport Express he talked with Jazz owner Larry Miller while he was in Spain for the European Basketball Tournament.
"It seems like Larry understood me," Kirilenko said. "But he will make the final decision himself, obviously."
Yes. Because Cherokee Parks > Michael Jordan.
I mean, hey, he's a big guy, right?
did you just compare howard to jordan?
Contrary to what some people that don't know about basketball believe, Kirilenko is actually not a very good defender. His defense consists of getting taken off the dribble by his man and hoping to get a block from behind with his long arms. Sure he gets a block or 2 a game that might look nice to your casual ignorant fan but he isn't shutting anyone down.
are you ing re ed? Did Cherokee Parks have the talent & athleticism of Kirilenko?
A player with good size who has Kirilenko's skill set could very easily be considered more valuable than a good swingman because the 6-5 to 6-7 swingmen are a dime a dozen in the NBA. Meanwhile, name me 5 players who can score, defend, rebound, & pass like Kirilenko with his size. Hint: Cherokee Parks isn't a good answer.
Kirilenko is the only player that I can think of in recent memory that has recorded a 5-banger (i dunno what the correct term is. at least 5 points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals all in one game. he's got his faults but he's ing talented and comparing him to Cherokee Parks might be the stupidest thing I've ever seen on this forum.
EDIT: It's called a five-by-five and the only players to do it more than once in NBA history are Olajuwon and Kirilenko. Suck it.
Mavs aren't stupid enough to do that. The Jazz can have Dampier, the salaries would work.
I get what you're trying to say. You need to remember most people here don't have the scope to get your point. He's not making a direct comparison to Cherokee, it could have been any big man with a long wingspan...empty space insert name.
Not every big man has the skills that Kirilenko has. Nobody on here will take any idiot who's tall with a big wingspan, but someone who's tall with a big wingspan who can also score, rebound, pass, & defend at Kirilenko's level is always greater than a run of the mill swingman.
And this isn't even saying Kirilenko > Howard.....just that it's easy to see why somebody would think that.
I really don't know what was more stupid, comparing Kirilenko to Cherokee Parks or comparing Josh Howard to Jordan.
He also showed that he nuts up very easily as well, and cries like a little got in practice. Give me Howard anyday.
I was about to say the same exact thing. He's a decent defender, but he relies too much on the block. He isn't a shut down defender like Bruce Bowen is. I don't even think his defense is better than Howard's.
If motivated & in a good playing spell, i think AK47 and JHo are in the same tier of elite players. But considering their contract value, age, health, & mental strength, i'll take JHo over the Russian leaper.
He doesn't deserve to be called AK47 anymore....maybe squirtgun.
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