2011-12 Jazz could play big-man musical chairs

Former Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko broke his nose and injured his left shoulder Saturday during a CSKA Moscow game.
CSKA's website said a postgame medical examination by doctors "did not reveal a concussion." However, Kirilenko will undergo additional tests during the next few days, with "special attention" paid to his shoulder.
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Kirilenko has excelled while playing overseas during the NBA lockout and was recently named weekly MVP of the Euroleague.
The longtime Jazz player will be an unrestricted free agent when the NBA's work stoppage ends.

Brian T. Smith

Agent Marc Fleisher speaks Monday about former Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko's recent injury.
Fleisher on what he knows about Kirilenko's injury and whether he received a concussion, which some media outlets reported: "I talked to him about 45 minutes after it happened. He told me he did not suffer a concussion. He said he broke his nose and had some bruises.

[quote]Mark Fleisher, agent for Mehmet Okur:

Andrei Kirilenko, now that a new CBA is reached in NBA and the lockout is over, will return to US, according to sources close to the situation. The Russian forward, who signed a multi-year deal with CSKA Moscow, wants to pen a multi-year deal in NBA where he has played for 10 years with Utah Jazz. Sportando

[quote]Emiliano Carchia: As per sources close to situation, Andrei Kirilenko will leave CSKA Moscow and try to sign a multi-year deal with Nets, Jazz or Los Angeles Twitter[/quote]

Wonder if that's the Lakers or Clipps. Could make sense for either of course as he could almost anywhere with his versatility.

Emiliano Carchia: As per sources close to situation, Andrei Kirilenko will leave CSKA Moscow and try to sign a multi-year deal with Nets, Jazz or Los Angeles Twitter

Former Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko has not made a decision about returning to the NBA and is still a member of CSKA Moscow, agent Marc Fleisher told The Salt Lake Tribune on Monday.

Salt Lake Tribune

Kirilenko plans to remain with CSKA until the NBA's labor situation clears up and details about what is expected be a chaotic free agency period are made concrete. "He and I have decided to evaluate the NBA interest versus what he has over there and then a decision will be made," Fleisher said.

Salt Lake Tribune

Kirilenko will be an unrestricted free agent once the lockout ends. Recent media reports claimed that Kirilenko had already made up his mind about returning to the NBA and had even narrowed down his ideal choice of teams. "I asked Andrei where all that stuff comes from and he said, 'I have no idea,' " Fleisher said.

Salt Lake Tribune

[quote]The Pacers talked to the Utah Jazz about forward Paul Milsap prior to the draft. Expect them to make a phone call to the Jazz again. The 26-year-old Milsap, a Pacer killer in the past, averaged a career-high 17 points last season. The Pacers can make this deal happen because they

Matt Harpring: my top free agent that will be worth the money, marc gasol. The offer would be 4yrs, 42 mil. He can be a good player on a good team.

Twitter

[quote]Our team

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You]Offer them Jefferson or Okur.[/QUOTE]
I don't see anything the Pacers would have to offer for Millsap unless it was Darren Collison or Roy Hibbert, and I don't see either of those guys being offered. My worst thought was they'd do Hansbrough and a 1st rounder, which would suck beyond all known suckage.

Jefferson you'd take what you could get since he's expendable. Same with Okur.

The Jazz are shopping Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, according to league executives.

The Jazz appear eager to build their frontcourt around the younger combination of Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors.

[quote]I don't see anything the Pacers would have to offer for Millsap unless it was Darren Collison or Roy Hibbert, and I don't see either of those guys being offered.[/quote]

They did get Hill from SA so they could possibly offer up Hill or Collison.

[quote]My worst thought was they'd do Hansbrough and a 1st rounder, which would suck beyond all known suckage.[/quote]

If they trade him they better get more than that. He and his contract are too good.

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700202276/Utah-Jazz-Mehmet-Okur-on-hold-in-Turkey.html[/url]

Former Jazz reserve center Kyrylo Fesenko plans to return to the United States in the hopes of signing with an NBA team once the lockout ends.
Fesenko, who played for Ukraine during EuroBasket 2011, will be an unrestricted free agent after the collective bargaining agreement is approved. He is living in his home country and has nearly recovered from an offseason knee injury.

Brian T. Smith

I wonder how much out of shape Fesenko is, doesn't strike me as someone who would be working hard as hell to get back into game shape.

Well he is a free agent so that might have motivated him? He's a stiff. Better concentrate his efforts on somewhere other than the NBA.

Derrick Williams: Was working out with Enes Kanter today .. Looks good Utah ! Y'all got a good player coming to you guys! Twitter

[quote]Brian T. Smith: Kirilenko received more interest than expected. Some calls were obviously exploratory. But there was interest from many teams. Twitter[/quote]

Why wouldn't many teams have interest?

[quote]You are a free agent now. Do you stay in Russia or come back to the NBA? Kirilenko: Before Dec. 9th I will listen to offers from the NBA. I am happy in CSKA and it will be a tough decision. Utah Jazz is in my heart and is on the priority list. I will look at everything on the table. You know here in Russia my kids are in school, the team is great and I have been playing really well. It will be a difficult decision. Deseret News[/quote]

The fact that he wants to be in Utah unlike most people has to be taken into consideration to.

Hansen: How many more years do you want to play? Kirilenko: I would like to play three or four more years. I feel have enough juice left for that many more years at a high level. After three to four years I don't know if I will be able to play at my highest level. Deseret News

I'd like AK back just because he's been with the franchise forever, but he's not worth much, and I'm sure someone will overpay for him. If they got him in the 2-4 million range... I guess that's fine, but he's always injured and really not a very good player in the first place.
Also, they need to free up some time for Jeremy Evans to play. They'll probably have 4 Bigs in front of him, so I don't know when he'll ever get a real chance.

AK's not very good?

Does Evans deserve to play or is he just an spot energy guy like Price? Can always send Evans to the D-league to get him time.

Jazz rookie center Enes Kanter is expected to arrive in Salt Lake City on Tuesday and be ready for the start of training camp Friday, The Salt Lake Tribune has learned.

Kanter was the No. 3 overall pick during the 2011 NBA Draft. The unsigned rookie big man will take a physical and go through medical tests before camp begins. He is in good health and no holdups are expected.
Brian T. Smith

I can't believe that they're shopping Milsap. He's been nothing but good for the Jazz organization. Unless somebody comes to them with some kind of godfather like offer. They should keep the guy and count thier blessings to have him. Who knows whether Kanter and Favors will pan out.

Yeah, he's the last guy I'd be looking to trade. He's their best player in so many ways and it would be hard to find a deal worthy of him and his contract.

[QUOTE]AK's not very good?[/QUOTE]
Average at best. He's not even that great of a defender anymore. He'll get a block a game, a steal a game, and make a couple passes, but then he doesn't really do much else.

[QUOTE]Does Evans deserve to play or is he just an spot energy guy like Price? Can always send Evans to the D-league to get him time.[/QUOTE]
Doesn't really matter if he deserves it. He needs it to grow. Playing against DLeague scrubs isn't really all that helpful,

[quote]Average at best. He's not even that great of a defender anymore. He'll get a block a game, a steal a game, and make a couple passes, but then he doesn't really do much else.[/quote]

Considering that he flys all over the court defensively I hate to think where they'll be without him. He's hardly an average player. Highly overpaid yes he was. Makes some bad decisions and can't shoot yes. An unselfish energy guy that makes plays are hard to come by, especially ones that actually want to be in Utah.

[quote]Doesn't really matter if he deserves it. He needs it to grow. Playing against DLeague scrubs isn't really all that helpful,[/quote]

Why give him the time to grow if he's not anything more than a spot energy guy at best? Winning and competing don't matter anymore? The D-league can certainly be more helpful for a guy if that's the level of player he is than being thrown into a situation where he is in over his head.

Brian T. Smith: Unless AK gives Jazz serious hometown discount, chances of Utah re-signing him are slim. Too much money, too many years, too much risk. Twitter

Brian T. Smith: Plus, it's not like Kirilenko isn't drawing interest from other teams. More than 10 contacted him when FA talks started last week. Twitter

David Locke: Kwame Brown's agent says he is garnering a lot of interest and that is why the Jazz went big with the #3 pick and Enes Kanter Twitter

Mike Wells: Kirilenko's agent, Marc Fleisher, said Pacers are one of about 15 teams interested in the free agent. Twitter

[quote]Chris Sheridan: If there was a third team on LAL-NO talks I would think maybe it's Utah sending Al Jefferson to NO, with Pau going to Jazz. Pau>AJ, younger. Twitter[/quote]

Poor Ty Corbin! Being put into a hole with Gasol! LOL! Sounds too good to be true. Make the Lakers take Raja. He and Kobe wanted each other last year. They deserve each other. Hornets probably wouldn't mind CJ either maybe Okur's expiring contract and Harris to replace Paul too? He's already replaced Kidd and Deron. Why not?

[quote]Andrei Kirilenko suffered an injured shoulder in a Russian League game last week.[/quote]

Same shoulder? Could make his price go down for bringing him back.

[quote]So wait, you're saying let's trade Jefferson, Bell, CJ, Okur, and Harris for Gasol? [/quote]

No. One rumor had Jefferson going to the Hornets and Gasol to the Jazz. Would be all over that. The others I would look to trade for whatever they can get.

[quote]Wouldn't trade Jefferson for Gasol straight up. Gasol is 31 and with all of the time he's played in Europe over the summer he's got a lot of mileage on his legs. He was clearly spent by the time the playoffs started and was horrible in the Mavs series because of fatigue. Most Gasol apologists say that he was tired due to having to compensate for Bynum's injury. [/quote]

Sounds like it had more to do with personal problems he was having at the time. Not like he would have to worry about it with the Jazz. They aren't going anywhere.

[quote] If he came to Utah he'd have to shoulder an even bigger load. [/quote]

And as he showed on a couple good Memphis teams he's capable of doing that. No one else on their roster is.

[quote]His defense isn't markedly better than Al's[/quote]

Other than he actually plays some.

[quote] he is five years older[/quote]

And in his prime with two rings. World Championship. An proven unselfish winner not a statistical black hole.

[quote]Al for Gasol does not make us a better team.[/quote]

Can't see how it wouldn't.

[quote]would rather trade Millsap[/quote]

Trade their best player and one of the best contracts in the league instead of someone that hasn't proven he can be part of a winning team?

[quote] I would rather see us pick up a guy like Danny Granger, who fills a bigger need for the Jazz than Gasol.[/quote]

Sure but Granger is supposedly untouchable while Gasol was just traded.

Gasol>AJ anyday

Why is my post under Cake of Death's name?

[quote]
Half a decade ago he proved he could (sort of) do that. Not sure I'd say the Grizz were good when he was the centerpiece; a perennial 8 seed that never won a single playoff game. Would be even harder to do that now given his age, wear, and tear.[/quote]

He's better now. He was the only guy playing over 30 minutes a game on the Grizz. He carried them. Believe they won 50 games. They were pretty good.

[quote]7 footers are not in their prime at 31.[/quote]

He is. He's been playing his best ball.

[quote] He's on his last big contract and will probably only have 2-3 years left once his current deal expires. Again, constant international play betrays his actual age. [/quote]

Remains to be seen.

[quote] Was not a proven winner until he joined an absolutely loaded Laker team with the best player of his generation and the best coach of all time.[/quote]

And that team would have won with Jefferson? No. He was a perfect fit. He doesn't need the ball all the time to be effective like Jefferson. He's unselfish. Can play high and low post. Can pass. Team player. All the things Jefferson isn't.

[quote]Strike while the iron is hot. I love 'sap but he has peaked. Has physical limitations that he can't change and that limits his ceiling. [/quote]

Again remains to be seen. If he shows he can play the 3 as well this year it's a whole new ball game. I'm not convinced he's peaked. Put him next to a guy that complements him better and who knows. Jefferson and him were a bad fit.

[quote] Jefferson has the size we need at the four and is unguardable down low[/quote]

For being unguardable he was less effective than Millsap.

[quote]get him to commit to some defensive basics and teach him to pass out of a double team and he could be a dominant player[/quote]

Can he be taught these things? Hasn't learned them yet.

[quote] team him up with more size (Favors, Kanter).[/quote]

You forgot Okur. LOL! Kanter doesn't sound like he's anywhere near ready.

[quote]Gasol never proved he could be part of a winning team until he was traded to a winning team with the winningest coach of all time and one of the winningest players in history to shoulder the load.[/quote]

Sure he did. Jefferson hasn't carried a team like Gasol did in Memphis. He's had the chance to do so.

[quote]Granger's name is floating all over the rumor mill.[/quote]

Might be. I read he and George are untouchable.

[quote] Only way the Lakers trade Gasol is if it brings them Paul or Howard. [/quote]

And that was the rumor I was commenting on. Jefferson to Hornets. Gasol to the Jazz. Obviously Scola, Odom and Martin are all better than Jefferson so that never materialized.

[quote]Stern isn't letting Paul go to the Lakers and I doubt Orlando would take Al for Howard. They'd rather have Bynum.[/quote]

Who says they want Bynum? Lakers might want that deal. i wouldn't. What has Bynum done?

Why is it posting under another name?

Haha, that's pretty funny. Your secret identity revealed?

Yeah guys like him are hard to come by. Better get something special for him. AJ is just another Boozer. Puts up numbers and gets paid.

I want Kanter and Favors 30+ minutes each, so good bye to either Jefferson, Okur or Millsap. Would prefer Al or Okur.

A lot of teams are in need of centers: Boston, Orlando(when Howard leaves), Miami, Portland(Camby is old), etc...

Al's $14 mill and Okur's $11 mill is a lot to take on though.