Kirilenko wants out of the NBA!

[Rip32]

Kirilenko is a guy who would be good with San Antonio. They can play both half court and faster, Popovich has shown he has confidence in a lot of different players, and with Bruce Bowen getting older I could see that being a perfect fit.

The only catch would be how would the Spurs aquire him? I dunno, I'm rambling sorry lol.

[Andrew]

I doubt the Spurs would be willing to give up the players Utah would want in return though, which means that if even if by some stroke of genius on San Antonio's part they managed to acquire him, he'd still be third or fourth in the pecking order which he probably wouldn't find to be any more satisfactory than his current situation with the Jazz.

[Rip32]

I doubt the Spurs would be willing to give up the players Utah would want in return though, which means that if even if by some stroke of genius on San Antonio's part they managed to acquire him, he'd still be third or fourth in the pecking order which he probably wouldn't find to be any more satisfactory than his current situation with the Jazz.

True, True, I was just thinking of a team that fit the style that AK47 would fit with. I don't see much of the Jazz so I don't really know what kind of offensive player he is. I know he's a great defender and needs to improve his perimeter jumper but thats about all. I hope he doesn't leave, he's one of the best european players in the NBA.

[Indy]

AK would be disappointed to go to San Antonio. He wants to go a team that plays faster and runs more.

[J@3]

From RealGM:

Deron Williams Rips Kirilenko's Work Ethic
Salt Lake Tribune - 09/22 - 8:58 AM EST
Utah point guard Deron Williams wants Andrei Kirilenko back with the Jazz next season, but hopes his unhappy teammate brings an improved work ethic with him.

In a Friday afternoon radio interview on 1280 The Zone, Williams told Salt Lake Tribune columnist Gordon Monson and co-host Kevin Graham that Kirilenko can be "a special player for us" if he returns with the right attitude.

Referring to teammates Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, Williams said, "You see Booz after practice shooting for 25 or 30 minutes. You see Memo shooting for 20 minutes. You see, you know, all the rookies. The young guys. You saw [Rafael Araujo] in there working. [Then] you see Andrei being the first one out the door."

As the Jazz's quarterback, Williams admitted he has looked for other targets with his passes because of Kirilenko's approach to the game last season.

"If he's coming off a screen on one side and Matt [Harpring] is coming off a screen on one side, who do you think you're going to pass to?" Williams said.

"You think you're going to pass to the guy you see working every day in the gym or are you going to pass to the guy who never works on his shot but yet wants to shoot 'em every time?"

Asked if Kirilenko's work ethic was a problem, Williams said, "I would say so."

[_marsal]

Well..I think D. Williams is exaggerating a little bit with that statement. Just because he doesn't stay in the gym working extra, doesn't mean his work ethic sucks. One's work ethic suck if he doesn't work hard in the practice. Once the practice is over, he can do whatever he wants. Don't get me wrong, I personally would stay after practice and work on my game, but hey, he can do whatever he wants. If that's the reason for Sloan not playing him, then AK has every right to be upset. But I think it's something else. Oh and this

"or are you going to pass to the guy who never works on his shot but yet wants to shoot 'em every time?"

is so unfair because we all know that Andrei is not the type of player who "will shot 'em" everytime.

[maceo24]

The fact that he's the "first one out the door" should be message enough that he wasnt happy. If Deron really wanted him back he should have paid attention to this during last season and not wait until this season to address it. Id let him walk, if hes not happy there, then he wont perform to the best of his abilities. Sloan isnt the type of coach to care about his players feelings, therefore anymore discussion is useless.

Williams irritated me with his statements. In one breath "Oh AK, we want you, come back." Another breath, "He doesnt work hard enough." Which is it? He's a proven talent, and his defensive presence alone makes Boozer and Okur better defenders.

Ask Deron this - who would you rather shade your defensive assignment to? Harpring, or AK. 'nuff said.

He isnt happy there anymore, and even if he was thinking of returning, Williams sounding off like that just sealed the deal. They only want him back because right now its too late to replace him. But what they don't seem to take into account, is the fact that his value to a team cant be measured in statistical numbers. He, way before Boozer/Millsap/Williams, restored that team's defensive personality. And in losing him they are losing the weakside presence that kept Okur from being exposed as a mediocre defender.

But enough's enough already. Let him go home.

[Fitzy]

what a bastard, thats really low to say about your own team mate. kirilenko carried the team on his shoulders for a few seasons while alot of the teams players were developing. maybe he thinks his jobs done at utah and just wants to go home. shame on deron

[Kbryant8]

63 millon or not, he has earned a lot more already.
In Russia he would get a good deal also i think, if the contracts says millions, then it`s a good deal, and again, he would get to play in hes homecountry.
Years ago NBA was the place where everybody dreamed to be. Weird how time changes things (Marbury wanted to play in Italy and so on, phh).

[Its_asdf]

I don't understand why Deron would do that. "AK, you're important to this team, but I don't like passing the ball to you because I consider you a slacker," great move, Mr. Williams.

Kirilenko's a bit of a pussy too. I would think that Kirilenko would be accepting of his new role as the third/fourth option considering that he was never really a go-to scorer to begin with. Wasn't this the same guy that cried when Paul Pierce completely torched him? I don't understand why this guy can be so emotionally fragile...

[Sauru]

i think he is a good player, a great role player, and a bad player to build a team around. he is the kind of guy you would love to get for the right price(and with the right attitude he is, so clearly i am saying all this based on his talents now him as a whole). he can do a bit of everything for you and is amazing on picking up your man if he gets a step on you.


however it seems he thinks he should be the main man for utah which i personally disagree with. i think he really does want to go home and is not just saying that to get traded elsewhere in the nba(though i also believe he would be happier somewhere else).

[Andrew]

The fact that he's the "first one out the door" should be message enough that he wasnt happy. If Deron really wanted him back he should have paid attention to this during last season and not wait until this season to address it. Id let him walk, if hes not happy there, then he wont perform to the best of his abilities. Sloan isnt the type of coach to care about his players feelings, therefore anymore discussion is useless.

Williams' comments might be poorly timed and may only serve to add fuel to the fire and Sloan's stance is unlikely to change but I think this is still shifting the blame somewhat. At the end of the day, Kirilenko's actions imply less commitment than his teammates simply because he's unhappy with his role. He's a talented player and you can't really fault him for wanting to play a bigger role since it suggests a strong competitive drive but at the same time he's hardly a selfless victim in all this.

What Deron Williams said was very blunt but perhaps he is frustrated with Kirilenko as much as as Kirilenko is frustrated with the Jazz. If Kirilenko is to be given a free pass for ripping his role with the team and coach Jerry Sloan, why should Williams be vilified for offering his perspective on the matter?

I guess you can criticise Williams for looking to pass the ball to other people because of what he perceives as a poor work ethic on Kirilenko's part, but there's merit in rewarding a hardworking teammate as well. Who's to say that in his dissatisfaction, Kirilenko has been less than an ideal teammate and that has alienated him from other players on the roster, like Williams?

[joejam999]

You can listen to the D-Will interview here.

http://www.1280thezone.com/persons/bigs ... -21-07.mp3

If I had a choice to pass to Harpring or AK for an open shot I would choose Harpring also.

[maceo24]

I don't really want to throw Williams under the bus, and you're absolutely right, Kirilenko isn't off the hook either. Part of being a true professional, no matter what the job, is performing to the best of your ability regardless of how you're feeling at the moment. But what irritated me about what Deron said, is that one of the responsibilities of leadership is the ability to deal with crisis publicly, and positively. He did neither with those statements, and to be more to the point - what he did was the equivalent of throwing water on a grease fire.

More food for thought - If Deron said this, just think about what Sloan has said. You cant tell me Jerry Sloan hasn't gone postal over this.

As the leader he should know better than to say something like that, regardless of his frustrations. You just don't talk about family problems to anybody, especially when they haven't been fully resolved. He may have prematurely ended talks that might have brought Kirilenko back into the fold.

As for andre, I feel for him because I cant imagine losing my passion for game, to feel the way he was, we've got to be talking about several years of him not being happy how things were going. I respect Sloan as a coach, but I really dont like his way of dealing with people, he's a prick when it comes to peoples personal lives, and I dont see it that far out the realm of reality to see Sloan calling Andrei a "commie f*ck" or something to that effect during practices and such. We all know he's said much worse. So while I'm not necessarily condoning his (AK's) actions, i think i understand his reasoning and unhappiness. If you're not in their good graces, Utah can be a mighty lonely place, especially for a foreigner.

[J J]

Actually, I'm not surprised with all this. Just show a picture of a kid with cancer to Andrei and he'll break down, just imagine how would being critized by your coach and the fans wouldn't do damage to him.

On the Jazz-Spurs series, he cried when he realized how poor his performance was, so it really proves he can't handle the Sloan system in which discouragement = improvement, poor guy, trade him for Josh Smith or something.

[Andrew]

I agree, Williams didn't exactly diffuse the situation so in that regard he should have employed more tact and less brutal honesty. All the same, I'm not sure if there's anything he could have said that would have truly changed Kirilenko's mind. It seems the relationship between Kirilenko and the Jazz has pretty much dissolved and as long as Sloan is the coach the situation is unlikely to change.

[Anthony15]

63 millon or not, he has earned a lot more already.
In Russia he would get a good deal also i think, if the contracts says millions, then it`s a good deal, and again, he would get to play in hes homecountry.
Years ago NBA was the place where everybody dreamed to be. Weird how time changes things (Marbury wanted to play in Italy and so on, phh).

If he goes to CSKA he's gonna get paid more than he did in Utah. I'd say screw NBA if you get more money playing for your hometown team and get paid more + having NBA experience will help them dominate EuroLeague.

[JT_55]

If he goes to CSKA he's gonna get paid more than he did in Utah. I'd say screw NBA if you get more money playing for your hometown team and get paid more + having NBA experience will help them dominate EuroLeague.

Wait, he's actually getting paid more? I thought he was willing to take a smaller contract. If it's true, then this isn't just about "pleasure of basketball", this is another case of a greedy player looking for more money.

[[Q]]

no way he makes more on a Russian contract than 63 million guaranteed

[Christopherson]

Yeah, I believe the highest paid player outside of the NBA makes like 4.5 million/year or something like that. That being said, its not like Kirilenko needs the 63 million. He has already made a ton of money and a contract in the 5 million/year ranger isn't quite going to send him to the poor house.

[Anthony15]

no way he makes more on a Russian contract than 63 million guaranteed

well...obviously you've never worked in russia. He might get paid like 5 m bucks, but trust me "bonuses/dirty money" (everybody's salary is low in russia, but people get rich from so called bonuses) will get him over the 63

[Christopherson]

well...obviously you've never worked in russia. He might get paid like 5 m bucks, but trust me "bonuses/dirty money" (everybody's salary is low in russia, but people get rich from so called bonuses) will get him over the 63

I call bullshit on that. There is no way that the Russian Leagues can afford to play their players as much as players in the NBA make, I don't care how many "bonuses" they get. It is simple economics. The leagues just don't generate enough revenue to pay employees that much.

[Indy]

I call bullshit on that. There is no way that the Russian Leagues can afford to play their players as much as players in the NBA make, I don't care how many "bonuses" they get. It is simple economics. The leagues just don't generate enough revenue to pay employees that much.

I agree with you as far as most players, but in order to get Kirilenko back playing in Russia again? Then I could definitley see that happening.

[emre]

sloan is stuck with stockton/malone system he never lets the players use their talents indepentently. i never saw an isolation play in Utah games or a 1on1. i think boozer and krilenko have far more potential. i think the same thing with Memo too. But hey give me 63 mils and i'll use my potention the worst that i can. So we can understand that for AK47 money is not an issue anymore.

[kbryant24]

looks like AK isnt getting along with his teammates and they are not supporting him back