JAZZ: Andrei Kirilenko demands trade

[ducks]

A.K I bet is the one making vacations plan where playing spurs in playoffs

[Indazone]

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/conte...212283,00.html

Hmm shades of JVG and Spanoulis. It's the Bobby Knight, JVG, Sloan, Larry Brown school of coaching my way or the highway class. These guys are dinosaurs. Their way of coaching doesn't work anymore. I say get rid of the lot of em.

[Trainwreck2100]

You'll never see SA management on the wrong side of as bad a contract as this.

Malik and Rasho were pretty bad.

[Indazone]

All these Euro guys should know. You don't come to the NBA and sign a contract for teams with the following coaches. Jeff Van Gundy, Pat Riley, Jerry Sloan, Stan Van Gundy, Larry Brown, Isiah Thomas, Mussellman, Rick Carlisle. Aside from that, all the other coaches are pretty fair and will give the Euro's a chance.

[wildbill2u]

Malik and Rasho were pretty bad.

They were pretty bad contracts, but not so bad they couldn't be unloaded. At 13,000,000 per year or whatever, AK is too risky a proposition for most teams.

[Scola Trade]

Kirilenko's defense consists of getting taken off the dribble every time and hoping he can get a block from behind with his long arms. In other words, he gets a block or 2 a game but his defense blows.

Totally agree:

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=10fCRPyCf2E