Yahoo: Spurs' talks for Andrei Kirilenko end without deal

[Bruno]

If you think he's making only 3 million this year, I've got some beautiful ocean front condos to sell you in Montana.

If you start thinking that Kirilenko get below the table money from Prokhorov, Spurs paying $6M or $8M to Kirilenko would have made no difference. Prokhorov will pay $185M in salary and luxury tax this season. That about twice more than the second highest spending team. At that level, giving illegally $5M or $10M to Kirilenko makes no difference.

And don't forget that Nets shouldn't have had the mini MLE to spend on Kirilenko. They wanted to spend it on Korver and then on Bogdanovic.

[cd98]

there was reports out neal was getting $ then spurs were willing to match and signed belinelli

Yes, but given Neal has not signed anything, I'm curious how legit that report is.

[coyotes_geek]

You had to admit that is kinda unlikely that $180K would have made a difference.

Sure, the $180k wasn't a big deal. The risk of Belinelli rethinking his decision to walk away from $12 million, or Cleveland upping their offer was a big deal.

And it took one minutes to Spurs to create $6.2M in cap space.

Which doesn't mean much when it's still $2-$3 mil short of what AK was asking for at the time.

Again, had the Spurs had the psychic ability to forsee AK's logic-defying willingness to sign a few days later for a fraction of what he was asking for, the Spurs probably play things differently than they did.

[stéphane]

If you start thinking that Kirilenko get below the table money from Prokhorov, Spurs paying $6M or $8M to Kirilenko would have made no difference. Prokhorov will pay $185M in salary and luxury tax this season. That about twice more than the second highest spending team. At that level, giving illegally $5M or $10M to Kirilenko makes no difference.

And don't forget that Nets shouldn't have had the mini MLE to spend on Kirilenko. They wanted to spend it on Korver and then on Bogdanovic.

I like you a lot Bruno and I understand your point.
I can admit that he may or may not get additionnal $$ this year BUT we are talking about a guy who took an offer way below what he could have goten from another contender to play for Prokhorov who happens to be not only one of richest man in the world but also ... (I'm not writing but I know you're smart enough to know the big picture about him and his reported activities).

[ace3g]

Like Bruno mentioned totally forgot the impact Korver and Bogdanovic had on the Spurs landing AK

Jeff Zillgitt @JeffZillgitt
When Bogdanovic buyout was in jeopardy yesterday, Nets GM Billy King said, "We have a backup plan." Kirilenko is a pretty good backup plan.

[Bruno]

Again, had the Spurs had the psychic ability to forsee AK's logic-defying willingness to sign a few days later for a fraction of what he was asking for, the Spurs probably play things differently than they did.

Disagree. On July 2nd, Minny agreed to terms with Kevin Martin which mean that Kirilenko's bird rights would likely be renounced. Most of the teams with cap-space were rebuilding teams that wouldn't be interested in a 32 years old Kirilenko. So, on July 2nd, the market for Kirilenko at above the MLE was limited to something like 3-4 teams. It isn't a crazy psychic reach to think that these teams might opt to go after other free agents that Kirlenko.

[Bruno]

I like you a lot Bruno and I understand your point.
I can admit that he may or may not get additionnal $$ this year BUT we are talking about a guy who took an offer way below what he could have goten from another contender to play for Prokhorov

Honest question: what other contender could have offered Kirilenko more than $3M ?

[stéphane]

Honest question: what other contender could have offered Kirilenko more than $3M ?

Man, tough question coming from ST's financial guru!
I guess some contender could either move asset or have part of the MLE to throw at him right?
I can throw names and let you correct... Houston, OKC, Miami (yeah they're not looking for his profile), Indiana or Chicago.

[coyotes_geek]

Disagree. On July 2nd, Minny agreed to terms with Kevin Martin which mean that Kirilenko's bird rights would likely be renounced. Most of the teams with cap-space were rebuilding teams that wouldn't be interested in a 32 years old Kirilenko. So, on July 2nd, the market for Kirilenko at above the MLE was limited to something like 3-4 teams. It isn't a crazy psychic reach to think that these teams might opt to go after other free agents that Kirlenko.

Minnesota was a rebuilding team that was obviously intereted in a 31 year old Kirilenko. Doesn't seem unreasonable at all to think that rebuilding teams with cap room might show interest in the guy. It also doesn't seem unreasonable to think that even if you're going to try the approach of waiting out AK until he backs off his number that it's going to take a lot longer than the July 17th deadline the Spurs have to make an Amnesty decision on Bonner.

AK settled for 1/3 of his asking price two days into the signing period. How would it be reasonable to expect the Spurs to forsee that?

[xmas1997]

I like you a lot Bruno and I understand your point.
I can admit that he may or may not get additionnal $$ this year BUT we are talking about a guy who took an offer way below what he could have goten from another contender to play for Prokhorov who happens to be not only one of richest man in the world but also ... (I'm not writing but I know you're smart enough to know the big picture about him and his reported activities).

You can say it, this is a free country: former KGB. Most in the know know they rule Russia now and the Nuevo rich Russians are former KGB. It is common knowledge all over the world now.

[Bruno]

Man, tough question coming from ST's financial guru!
I guess some contender could either move asset or have part of the MLE to throw at him right?
I can throw names and let you correct... Houston, OKC, Miami (yeah they're not looking for his profile), Indiana or Chicago.

Only OKC still has the MLE of $5.15M among these teams and I don't think they will spend it for luxury tax reasons. Other teams aren't able to offer him more than the $3M give by Nets.

I have no idea whether or not Prokhorov is given some money in addition to his salary at Kirilenko. You could say it's likely if Kirilenko turn down $5M from another contender to sign with Nets for $3M but, as far I know, it isn't the case.

[Bruno]

Minnesota was a rebuilding team that was obviously intereted in a 31 year old Kirilenko. Doesn't seem unreasonable at all to think that rebuilding teams with cap room might show interest in the guy. It also doesn't seem unreasonable to think that even if you're going to try the approach of waiting out AK until he backs off his number that it's going to take a lot longer than the July 17th deadline the Spurs have to make an Amnesty decision on Bonner.

AK settled for 1/3 of his asking price two days into the signing period. How would it be reasonable to expect the Spurs to forsee that?

Well, Minny's GM was Kahn...

And I agree it wasn't really foreseeable to see Kirilenko signing for $3M but the market for Kirilenko shrinking and Kirilenko settling for a contract that was couple of $M per year below his expectation.

[Duncanonu]

I for one am thrilled that the Spurs did NOT give AK-47 a long term deal at $8-$9 million per. That would have been a worse signing than Splitter. He simply isn't worth that, and it would have meant that the Spurs would have about $22-$23 million in salary next year for 3 players that aren't even in the Spurs best lineup.

[ducks]

I for one would like to know who spurs offered to wolves

[ducks]

I for one am thrilled that the Spurs did NOT give AK-47 a long term deal at $8-$9 million per. That would have been a worse signing than Splitter. He simply isn't worth that, and it would have meant that the Spurs would have about $22-$23 million in salary next year for 3 players that aren't even in the Spurs best lineup.

if spurs won it all next year or the year after it would be worth it

[ace3g]

Adrian Wojnarowski @WojYahooNBA
Column: As the Kirilenko deal fuels the fury of an enraged and su ious NBA, Prokhorov's Nets arrive as a power. tinyurl.com/n42vmcz

[spurraider21]

You can say it, this is a free country: former KGB. Most in the know know they rule Russia now and the Nuevo rich Russians are former KGB. It is common knowledge all over the world now.

You can blame the drunko boris yeltsin for that

[cd98]

Adrian Wojnarowski @WojYahooNBA
Column: As the Kirilenko deal fuels the fury of an enraged and su ious NBA, Prokhorov's Nets arrive as a power. tinyurl.com/n42vmcz

No doubt that acquisition makes Nets a lot better.

[cd98]

Minnesota was a rebuilding team that was obviously intereted in a 31 year old Kirilenko. Doesn't seem unreasonable at all to think that rebuilding teams with cap room might show interest in the guy. It also doesn't seem unreasonable to think that even if you're going to try the approach of waiting out AK until he backs off his number that it's going to take a lot longer than the July 17th deadline the Spurs have to make an Amnesty decision on Bonner.

AK settled for 1/3 of his asking price two days into the signing period. How would it be reasonable to expect the Spurs to forsee that?

All of this is kind of a pointless argument because we probably don't have all the facts. That said, I don't think Minnesota was a rebuilding team in the way other teams were rebuilding teams last year when Kirilenko signed with them. It's not like Minnesota was Toronto or the Bobcats. I think he saw Minnesota as an up and coming team. One that has favored foreigners. One that gave him a good contract after he was out of the league for a year. I'm not sure there were other teams that were willing to pay him what he wanted. Maybe Cleaveland, which is kind of like Minnesota last year sans a Kevin Love type of player.

[T Park]

If you start thinking that Kirilenko get below the table money from Prokhorov, Spurs paying $6M or $8M to Kirilenko would have made no difference. Prokhorov will pay $185M in salary and luxury tax this season. That about twice more than the second highest spending team. At that level, giving illegally $5M or $10M to Kirilenko makes no difference.

And don't forget that Nets shouldn't have had the mini MLE to spend on Kirilenko. They wanted to spend it on Korver and then on Bogdanovic.

The Bogdanovic signing was another "fishy" situation too.

This isn't on the up and up like that either.

[Drom John]

I'm not with conspiracy theorists on this one, even though the Russian angle is su ious.

Kirilenko misjudged the market. Dwight Howard slowed things up. Minnesota is under new management. Spurs bungling the cap combined with Timberwolves not wanting our sign and trade. Utah going from playoff contender to tanker. OKC scared of the tax. Cavaliers surprisingly getting Bynum.
Whoops, sorry older former star, there's nothing higher than the Nets $3.1M.

Kirilenko was slighty overpaid by the Timberwolves as Schved mentor.

I believe that a lesser player than Kirilenko will be a good comparison: Monta Ellis will also sign for less than he walked away (though maybe the Hawks will surprise).

[Mel_13]

I'm not with conspiracy theorists on this one, even though the Russian angle is su ious.

Kirilenko misjudged the market. Dwight Howard slowed things up. Minnesota is under new management. Spurs bungling the cap combined with Timberwolves not wanting our sign and trade. Utah going from playoff contender to tanker. OKC scared of the tax. Cavaliers surprisingly getting Bynum.
Whoops, sorry older former star, there's nothing higher than the Nets $3.1M.

Kirilenko was slighty overpaid by the Timberwolves as Schved mentor.

I believe that a lesser player than Kirilenko will be a good comparison: Monta Ellis will also sign for less than he walked away (though maybe the Hawks will surprise).

Need a better comparison:



Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine
Monta Ellis and Mavericks closing in on a three-year deal that could rise to as much as $30 million. Deal on course to be completed today

[Kindergarten Cop]

Need a better comparison:



Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine
Monta Ellis and Mavericks closing in on a three-year deal that could rise to as much as $30 million. Deal on course to be completed today

Technically, he is still "signing for less than he walked away from". $11M>$10M

[cd98]

Wow. Read From Russia With Loathe. WOJ letting Nets have it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--ne...180604173.html

[Drom John]

Need a better comparison:



Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine
Monta Ellis and Mavericks closing in on a three-year deal that could rise to as much as $30 million. Deal on course to be completed today

Whoops.
So Ellis now fits in the Blazers/Splitter trade thread. Had we waited, the Mavericks may have been prepared to overpay.