Kirilenko Pulls A Kobe

[Medvedenko]

I like AK better than Howard...but Ak's last couple of seasons have been sub par and needs a change of scenery. Still, Howard I feel has a better head on his shoulders and probably a better team guy.

[duncan228]

He's still trying to get out. He'll take anything.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Kirilenko still wants trade
Jazz forward has three years left on contract

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Disgruntled forward Andrei Kirilenko is apparently willing to accept any option that will get him away from Utah.

Whether he really has any choices will be up to the Jazz.

Kirilenko repeated his trade request to a Russian newspaper, saying he is unhappy playing the structured style Utah coach Jerry Sloan demands. Unfortunately for Kirilenko, the $86 million deal he signed three years ago has him under contract with the Jazz through 2011.

"For the past two years I've been going on the court and acting like a robot," Kirilenko told Russia's Sport-Express in a story published Friday. "When I signed my contract the future looked completely different -- I thought I would play, win and get pleasure from it. Unfortunately, this is out of the question now -- even in successful games. This is the worst feeling."

Kirilenko, who just led Russia to the European championship, said he is even considering leaving the NBA and signing with a European team. But he can't do that while Utah still holds his rights.

And the Jazz may not be very agreeable when Kirilenko's request is based primarily on his deteriorated relationship with Sloan, who is entering his 20th season as Utah's coach. The team's only comment since Kirilenko went public this week has been that he is under contract and expected to be there when practice begins on Oct. 2.

Even team owner Larry Miller, who is openly critical when he's not happy with a player, is not commenting on Kirilenko's request.

Unless Kirilenko and agent Marc Fleisher, who did not return messages Friday, can work out a buyout or persuade the Jazz to trade him, Kirilenko's only options will be to sit out or return for a seventh season in Utah.

"Anyway, while my contract with the Jazz is in place, I don't have the right to negotiate," Kirilenko said. "I think there will be offers. But it's meaningless to talk about that now."

[TheAuthority]

Kirilenko is unquestionably the better defender -- head and shoulders above Howard. His contract is awful though, obviously. I think Howard's game goes better with Dirk's, too.

[ducks]

Williams not worried about A.K.
By Loren Jorgensen
Deseret Morning News
Published: September 22, 2007
Andrei Kirilenko isn't talking, but one of his teammates was Friday.
In an interview on 1280 The Zone's "Big Show," Jazz point guard Deron Williams made it clear he thinks the Jazz need Kirilenko, but he also directed some criticism at the former All-Star who has made it known he wants out of Utah.

"It would definitely hurt us," Williams said of the possibility of losing Kirilenko. "But at the same time, you don't want to sit across in the locker room from somebody who doesn't want to be there."

Williams did say Kirilenko's recent comments are "just words" and that he expected his teammate to be in camp.

"He can be a special player for us," Williams said. "There's not too many guys in the NBA that can fill up a stat sheet like he can."

The third-year point guard, however, also alluded to Kirilenko's work ethic.

"You see guys, you see Booz (Carlos Boozer) after practice shooting for 25-30 minutes, you see Memo (Mehmet Okur) shooting for 20 minutes, you see all the rookies, the young guys, you see Hafa (Rafael Araujo) in there working, and you see Andrei being the first guy out the door," Williams said. "He's coming off a screen on one side, and Matt Harpring's coming off a screen on one side, who do you think you're gonna pass to? You think you're gonna pass to the guy you see working every day in the gym? Or you gonna pass to the guy who never works on his shot but wants to shoot ... "Kirilenko, apparently told by his agent to avoid any more interviews or controversy for the time being, has gone more than a day now without telling a Russian news agency about his desire to leave the Utah Jazz.

But the damage has been done. Kirilenko, in no uncertain terms, has said he doesn't want to play for the Jazz — or, more specifically, for Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. He would like to be traded to another NBA team, but if that doesn't happen, he told Russian newspaper Sport Express that he would be willing to walk away from his contract — a deal that still has four years and $63 million remaining on it.

Williams, however, doesn't see that happening.

"I don't see anybody walking away from $60 million," he said.

Kirilenko has also said he would be willing to stay and play in Europe, preferably his native Russia. He is a national hero there, especially after earning MVP honors in leading the Russians to their first European championship in 22 years last week. He can't simply walk away from his Jazz contract to play in Russia, however, since European pro teams are bound by FIBA bylaws. For him to play in Europe, there would have to be some sort of buyout or agreement with the Jazz.

Jazz fans' reactions — in comments on the Deseret Morning News' Web site and on other message boards and talk radio — have been mixed. Some blame Kirilenko and say he should grow up, accept his role for the Jazz, keep cashing paychecks and be quiet. Others lay the blame on Sloan for being unable to keep the former all-star happy and productive. Some feel the Jazz should simply let him out of his contract. Others feel the team needs to take a hard line and either have him play here or get value back in the form of a trade with another NBA team.

For now, the Jazz's stance has been that they expect Kirilenko to show up for training camp, which starts with media day Oct. 1 in Salt Lake City and with practices in Boise on Oct. 2. If he doesn't show, he can be fined by the team and/or suspended. If he refuses to show up and the Jazz don't let him out of his contract, they wouldn't have to pay him, but his contract would still count against the Jazz for salary-cap purposes.

While Kirilenko, thanks to his max-money contract, would be tough to trade due to salary cap and salary match concerns, it certainly wouldn't be impossible.

"I'm not looking to trade Andrei Kirilenko," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said on Wednesday. "That being said — if we can improve our team, we won't hesitate to make a deal."

http://deseretnews.com/article/cont...5212283,00.html

[SpursIndonesia]

Kirilenko is unquestionably the better defender -- head and shoulders above Howard. His contract is awful though, obviously. I think Howard's game goes better with Dirk's, too.

Unquestionably better HELP, weakside defender. I'll take JHo any day of the week to guard other perimeter players as a SF over Kirilenko slow footed perimeter D.

[TheAuthority]

Unquestionably better HELP, weakside defender. I'll take JHo any day of the week to guard other perimeter players as a SF over Kirilenko slow footed perimeter D.

Yeah, I'm definitely taking a guy that can guard 1 position as opposed to a guy that can guard all 5. Nice sense. You'd make a keen GM.

[Indazone]

If I was the Mav's I do that in a sec. Lose Erica Dampier and Pickup AK47

[Obstructed_View]

Wouldn't he have to rescind his trade demand and repeat it two or three times to actually "pull a Kobe"? In addition, I don't recall Kobe agreeing to give up any money for the opportunity to play elsewhere.

Technically, AK "pulled a Kobe" when he started blubbering after a loss.

[SpursIndonesia]

Yeah, I'm definitely taking a guy that can guard 1 position as opposed to a guy that can guard all 5. Nice sense. You'd make a keen GM.

Well, Bowen's mostly perimeter defender only, do you count him in your theory ?

I'm not saying that Howard's in Bowen league perimeter D's speaking, but his good offensive repertoirs more than make it up for him as a complete wing player. I'd rather have one specialized guy who can do his job convincingly well than having a jack of all trades who's mentally weak & can't help the team when they need him the most -OVERPAID too.

[SpursIndonesia]

If I was the Mav's I do that in a sec. Lose Erica Dampier and Pickup AK47

Yeah, considering his current value, Dumbpier is not all that bad oc compensation if they can get a draft pick to go along. Atleast he's a big body who can give them a different look downlow compared to what Memo has to offer on the court.

[The Franchise]

If a grown ass man cries on national television over minutes he shouldn't be bold enough to ask for anything.Now he has the ordacity to demand a trade? get your nuts to come back down from inside you first then MAYBE we can talk.