The Jazz really didn’t have a reliable shooting guard last year. Considering all of the good shooting guards and small forwards in the league, it seems strange that many teams can’t seem to find one that fits their system well, or can play consistently well at that position.
Here is what the Jazz had at that position last year…
Before I address the main question of this post, I have to wonder this question?
How has Kirilenko not been fined by the NBA for his comments?
NBA players are not supposed to publicly demand trades as it hurts their trade value for their current teams. His comments certainly have to be construed as damaging to his trade value. Is any other team going to want a player who would rather just forgo his salary and return to his native land to play?
I have to think that it might put a slight damper on trade negotiations.
That brings us to the question at hand, though.
Did the Utah Jazz know that Andrei Kirilenko REALLY wanted a trade out of Utah?
Most of us saw this one coming.
Andrei Kirilenko has posted a blog on his website asking for a trade from the Utah Jazz and suggesting that he has already talking with the Jazz brass in private about that very thing.
Kirilenko has a contract that still runs for several years, so it isn’t likely that management will have to get rid of him quickly (as they might have had to do if he was in the final year of his contract or had a player exception at the end of this year).
Russia won the European Championships against a tough field of European teams — much tougher than anything the United States faced over here where the only tough team would have been Argentina had they suited up their top players.
Andrei Kirilenko played stellar for the Russians and was awarded the MVP of the European Championships for his effort.
With all that said, though, he is only the fourth option offensively on a talented young Utah Jazz team, though he is most likely the first option on the defensive end.
Will the Gold Medal and the MVP award go to his head?
Most likely.
Will other teams be willing to take a chance on a guy who is known to whine if he doesn’t get the offensive touches that he thinks he deserves?
