tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11450263.post335091177312800169..comments2023-11-03T03:46:33.857-05:00Comments on Section F Sports: Kirilenko's Resurgence is Win-Win for JazzAdam Hoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12575786328320517798noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11450263.post-52459224765021003562007-06-16T11:17:00.000-05:002007-06-16T11:17:00.000-05:00well i like AK-47 he just is not worth the money t...well i like AK-47 he just is not worth the money the jazz are paying him. i am just saying that if the jazz got rid of him for ray allen the jazz team would win a title for sure. cause you got williams to start.and fisher to back those guys up when the get in foul troble. thats just my opinion but it should be taking accounted two.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11450263.post-39587388045880749492007-05-19T22:17:00.000-05:002007-05-19T22:17:00.000-05:00This was a great post, and I agree with your logic...This was a great post, and I agree with your logic -- if Andrei hadn't had a resurgence there's no way they make it this far... O'Connor knows that, the team knows that -- even if many SLC fanzz and the sports media don't. <BR/><BR/>However, I think the first commenter is right.<BR/><BR/>One of the things everyone seems to forget (including sloan -- which is unfathomably weird) AK is the loadstone of the Jazz defense, in the same way Duncan is the anchor of SA.<BR/><BR/>He makes up for many other player's consistent mistakes (see: everyone on the roster except Kingpin and Millsap). <BR/><BR/>Andrei is the only top flight defender on a team with one of the top defenses in the league. Think about what that means for a minute. <BR/><BR/>AK's trade value will be high, but O'Connor designed this roster around him. If you take him away (or ignore him, as Sloan did until recently) the team falls apart.DDDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01645111177929363790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11450263.post-12891837564033087552007-05-14T16:42:00.000-05:002007-05-14T16:42:00.000-05:00You're right that Kirilenko will be traded but you...You're right that Kirilenko will be traded but you're a year or two early.<BR/><BR/>The Jazz will need to dump AK's salary to give Max Deals to Boozer & Williams with bigger deals to Milsap & Okur.<BR/><BR/>They can play another year with the salaries as is to see if they can make a title run.LetItRide04https://www.blogger.com/profile/12728501140491527853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11450263.post-54887302131299570932007-05-10T23:53:00.000-05:002007-05-10T23:53:00.000-05:00Those are really good points. I guess the only th...Those are really good points. I guess the only thing worse than not getting total value for your $12 MM is to get beat by AK-47 in the playoffs. I also might be going overboard on what I believe to be an asset maximization approach by O'Connor. I didn't even really consider conferences. And to be honest, I'm already backing off this just a bit (note the draft picks throwaway comment), because I didn't realize that there just aren't that many good shooting guards on the market. And from the East? Forget it. There's Vince Carter (and I highly doubt Utah would want him) and then a vast wasteland. They might be better off just using the midlevel on a guy like Matt Carroll to replace GG and keeping Kirilenko. <BR/><BR/>The only other move that might make a lot of sense is a sign-and-trade with Atlanta for Josh Smith. Kirilenko is more of a 4 (which Atlanta needs) and Smith is more of a 3 (which Utah needs) and they provide some similar skills. Smith is set to make big dollars, so a sign and trade could work. Not sure Sloan would enjoy the profanity, but then again, I doubt J-Smooth would dare try that in SLC. <BR/><BR/>All in all though, I'm starting to think maybe there's not as much out there as I first surmised. <BR/><BR/>Either way though, O'Connor has to be pleased to see Kirilenko make this turnaround. If nothing else, he has more options and an improved bargaining position across the board.Adam Hoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12575786328320517798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11450263.post-63034732899426980012007-05-10T23:45:00.000-05:002007-05-10T23:45:00.000-05:00I think the Jazz would be best off keeping AK, pro...I think the Jazz would be best off keeping AK, provided of course, that he is able to play his game (slashing to the hoop, strong D), and isn't forced to settle for jumpers. <BR/>And, despite being a huge fan of Ray Allen, I don't think the Jazz trade AK anywhere in the West. The fewer times you have to face him, the better.<BR/>As for trading him for picks, that doesn't work too well either, largely because Sloan seems to hate 1st round picks. And you don't want to trade AK (who, even if he's not scoring, is providing a ton) for a bunch of guys who'll sit on the bench (especially with the key players under contract for 3 more years each).<BR/>Just my $0.02.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11450263.post-4241834549489203962007-05-10T18:48:00.000-05:002007-05-10T18:48:00.000-05:00I suppose that could be the case, but I would be s...I suppose that could be the case, but I would be surprised. O'Connor doesn't seem to be the type to get swept up in the moment. He seems like a Billy Beane type that will always trade ago if his market value is higher than his actual value to the team. AK-47 can't give Utah $12MM of production at SF, so it makes sense to trade him for someone who can. Getting someone like Ray Allen would take this team to the next level. The other way they could go would be to move AK-47 to a team with cap space (like the Bobcats or Magic) in exchange for high picks and young players. It just seems like they could get too much for him to keep him. <BR/><BR/>But maybe I'm way off.Adam Hoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12575786328320517798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11450263.post-33720649724703746172007-05-10T16:33:00.000-05:002007-05-10T16:33:00.000-05:00No way the Jazz trade Kirilenko at this point. No...No way the Jazz trade Kirilenko at this point. Not gonna happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com