BREAKING NEWS: AK-47 leaving for Europe? (Update: Deron interview)

by gsdubz on Sep 22, 2007 7:11 PM PDT Comment 51 comments

My first diary in 6 months! I know there's a huge huge AK 47 trade demand thread, but guess what? He's going to leave the $63M and go play in Europe, the man truly loves the game!

(ORRRRR, he's really pressuring the Jazz to trade him...either way, gotta give the man props).

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3029816

LETS SEE IF MY DIARY MAKES IT!

==========================================

[Moderator's Note, by OptionZero:]

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Deron went off on AK47:

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.

Williams goes on to say: - the Jazz need AK47 - he (Williams) would make it his job to help Ak47 improve next season - the Jazz do need to work on different ways of getting him involved

I recommend reading the whole article, its an interesting take.

Poll

Will AK-47 really leave the NBA?

Yes, he will be fine financially, and wants to enjoy his career

11 votes

No, he's pulling some CARAZY strategic move

45 votes

I don't care, he was overpaid anyways

19 votes

75 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

0 recs | Comment 51 comments

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Comments

Wow...Mad props to AK

whether or not he ever ends up in a dubs uni, i got a lot of respect for a guy who's willing to give up 63 million dollars because he wants to play somewhere he loves. from what i've heard and read (i saw an excerpt of Amaechi's book), Sloan sounds like a jackass. it's good to see that AK is not ALL TALK and plans on backing up his words with action (even if it ultimately is a move to get him traded). mad respect.

by sadleavy on Sep 20, 2007 11:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Crazy

He has to be absolutely nuts to walk away from 63 million. I bet he's bluffing to force a buyout or trade by the Jazz.

by nautica on Sep 20, 2007 11:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Does this mean

that we could get him for POB and an order of Oracles own snapper and shrimp combo?

The best duo since...

by Tim N Chris Burger on Sep 20, 2007 11:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

These

people have to honor their contracts. It's amazing if he can give up $63M but I'd believe it when I see it. I think if he truly wants to play elsewhere and leave that money then he doesn't have to tell the media about it, obviously trying to pressure the Jazz to trade him or lose him without any compensation (although $63M off the book IS the compensation). Don't see how we can trade for him but don't mind to have him either, just don't trade the whole team for him.

by semarubaka on Sep 20, 2007 11:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

wow

I highly doubt he actually leaves $63M guaranteed on the table, as..well..he's human, but thats quite a bold statement.

I got a couple nutty CBA loopholes that we might be able to exploit:

1. A Buyout.
Convoluted, try to stick with this...

AK47 agrees to a $15M/3year buyout, $5M per year roughly, saving the Jazz roughly $9-10M annually instantly.
AK47 clears waivers, since no one can take his $13.7M salary at this stage in the offseason
The Jazz retain Bird rights to re-sign him to any amount (up to the max) regardless of their cap level.
The Warriors use the TPE to sign-and-trade Kirilenko to a contract starting at $8.7M starting salary, which with his $5M buyout payments adds up to his original salary. I would happily deal an unprotected first rounder + the TPE for a chance to sign AK47.
Result is the Jazz save $8.7M or wutver, AK47 gets paid his full amount, and we wind up with AK47 for only $8.7M this year.

The hold up is that I don't know if you can sign and trade a player that's been boughtout and waived. I couldn't quite find anything on point in the NBA Salary Cap FAQ

2. The Non-Simultaneous Trade
If a team is sending one only one player, they can execute a non-simultaneous trade.
Example:
Team A trades Player 1 worth $2M.
Team B trades Player 2 worth $1M.

Ordinarily Team B would send more salary out, but under a non-simultaneous trade they can have up to 2 months to acquire or send another player to make up the difference.

Thus, Team B has 2 months to send another player and complete the trade. Let's say, then 2 months later, Team B trades Player 3 worth $1M to Team A in exchange for a draft pick (worth $0M).

Result: Team A trades Player 1 and a draft pick in exchange for Players 2 and 3, but in two separate stages.

Under this scenario, what we could do is
Send Mickael Pietrus in a sign/trade for $5M to Utah.

Utah sends us Ak47 ($13.7M).

We acquire Jason Williams ($9M)in a separate transaction using the TPE only.

We later send Jason Williams (alone, which is allowed under the CBA) to Utah to complete the trade, as an expiring salary @ $9M that completes the trade.

Result: Pietrus + Jason Williams' expiring for Ak47.

Both scenarios would provide the massive cap relief the Jazz would probably like assuming this latest rant has upped the ante. I would not be adverse to adding multiple first round picks to sweeten any deal.

I've tried to dig through the CBA to see if I've missed any rules that would screw all that up, but it's pretty complicated. If anyone can shed some light, please, share.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 21, 2007 12:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

So basically,

We get Ak47 at the cost of Pietrus and the TPE...

sounds good to me.

The best duo since...

by Tim N Chris Burger on Sep 21, 2007 12:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

on second thought,

why would miami do this trade? I thought they were gaga over pietrus. I doubt they dump white chocolate for just the $18mil they'd save; especially since milwakee just matched charlie bell's offer sheet, they'd be uber thin at pg.

The best duo since...

by Tim N Chris Burger on Sep 21, 2007 12:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

U know what

I was checking out espn's trade machine and it says the dubs have 2 tpes ($9.9 -richardson trade and $2.13 mil). That > $12 mil in tpes. Can that be combined?

The best duo since...

by Tim N Chris Burger on Sep 21, 2007 12:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow

Somebody's horny for someone. Sifting through the Collective Bargaining Agreement is seriously boring stuff. I can't read it to save my life.

by saintfloppy on Sep 21, 2007 12:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

number one

comment of all time

by thatrabbi on Sep 21, 2007 2:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

haha

You think that's funny, check out what sleepy51 thought of optionzero's trade proposal over on the real gm boards.

http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?topic=711455

"What? No firstborn children or handjobs for Jerry Sloan?

That's a ridiculous offer for one player. You are the worst GM in history."

by saintfloppy on Sep 21, 2007 2:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Poor OZ

It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. :-(

Personally, I think you gotta give him credit for truly putting himself in the other team's shoes when proposing a trade. So in this instance, he may have underestimated Utah's lack of leverage and offered a tad too much. Big deal. That's still better than 99.999% of the blogosphere's amateur trade proposals, which would earn at best a laugh and an immediate dialtone from an actual GM.

"Worst GM in history"? Hah. Good GMs understand that you gotta give to get, even when the other team has its ass to the flame.

"A ridiculous offer for one player?" Um ... Wright and Monta? Suppose that "one player" is LeBron James? Oh yeah, he's right -- that is a ridiculous offer.

Sleepy51 can suck it. OZ kicks ass. Go GSoM!

by Sleepy Freud on Sep 21, 2007 3:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nope

Sorry. Your scenarios do not work.

#1: When a player is put on waivers, their Bird rights disappear. Bird rights are granted to a player who has played three years without being waived or changing teams as a free agent. The Jazz would not retain his Bird rights and as such, couldn't re-sign him to a lesser contract for our benefit.

#2: A non-simultaneous trade is possible, but the salaries still have to match with the 125%+100k rule when both teams are over the cap. There is no way to simply say that you'll complete the rest of the trade later and then it will satisfy this provision. The non-simultaneous trades that are more disparate in salaries (like the theoretical example of the million and 2 million dollar players) require that one team (in that case the team taking back more salary) be under the cap.

by jae on Sep 21, 2007 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Darn

I knew that was simultaneously too clever and too easy to actually work.

The CBA really does put the kibosh on creativity; that, or it requires an extrodinairy amount beyond what I am capable of.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 21, 2007 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

basic rule

Start out with the assumption that it's not permissible under the CBA. If you start with that assumption, you're right more often than not.

by jae on Sep 21, 2007 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

JAE

Dug around a little more and found this:

A sign-and-trade deal can be made even with players who have been renounced, but cannot be made when the player is signed using the Mid-Level, Bi-Annual or Disabled Player exceptions. Sign-and-trade contracts must be for three years or longer, but only the first season of the contract must be guaranteed. The three year minimum (even though the last two seasons may be non-guaranteed) ensures that the new team will not acquire Bird rights to the player any sooner than if they had signed him directly, because if they want to give him a new contract using Bird rights then they would have to waive him first, which resets the Bird clock.

I know renounced isn't exactly waived...

The thing that bugs me is that I really don't think we can trade for AK47 because the pieces do not lineup.

Yet if he is bought out and becomes a free agent, we won't be able to sign him...we're not far enough under the cap.

On the other hand there is no possible way for him to make any decent money at all, because at this stage everyone is capped out.

That's why I'm trying to see if Utah can still sign-and-trade him after buying/waiving him- it's realistically our only way of acquiring him. We would use the TPE to give him a starting salary of up to $10M, which should be amenable to AK47 and presumably ship a draft pick or two to Utah. Assuming he's bought out for a nominal amount (and really, even that's doubtful), the Jazz should be happy to be under the cap and collecting extra picks.

Argh. This happening so late in the offseason is making it so much harder.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 22, 2007 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nevermind

I just e-mailed Larry Coon. No bird rights. Dang.

It's gonna have to be a trade, and I suspect it's gonna have to be a 3-way for us to have a chance.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 23, 2007 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i was thinking kind of the same

thing with a buyout. i forgot about the TPE but we could use that to our advantage. why does he want out so bad again? i forgot. no way a player that good will end up playing in europe. if he really wants out he should just have them buyout his contract for hella cheap.

by Proof on Sep 23, 2007 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think

TPE for AK then MP for JWill and then Jwill to Utah is a more likely scenario if the Jazz would be satisfied with just cap relief. We already know Heat wants MP so that part of the equation is solved. We just need to know if Utah will bite.

by lightz0ut on Sep 21, 2007 12:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think that

the combined $12mil+(if its legal) and future draft picks might be enough to snag AK47. I mean, its better than losing him for nothing.

The best duo since...

by Tim N Chris Burger on Sep 21, 2007 1:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The TPE

cannot be combined with anything- other TPEs, players, other exceptions nada.

The only thing you can add are draft picks and coupons

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 21, 2007 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Whoa

Crazy stuff -- nice scoop, GSDubz.

Well now, this is all pretty exciting. OZ, I like your #2 plan, if it's actually kosher. Alternately, we make it simpler: ship them Harrington, POB, and Lasme, all of whom would fill actual on-court needs for them. The financials work. They don't get the instant $13M salary relief they get with a straight buyout, or with an expiring like Kwame or Jefferson, but they get $5M of immediate relief, another $8M after next year, and a solid haul of NBA-ready talent (plus, you know, POB). Throw in a protected #1, if necessary.

Just to summarize the reasons this could be a perfect storm for a looting:

AK has now stated his position in no uncertain terms. These last quotes make Kobe's trade demands look like gentle pillow talk. Chances these comments can be forgotten and smoothed over: remote.
Utah would surely love to be out from under AK's contract, with Deron and Boozer's extensions upcoming.
AK's coming off a down year, which will likely depress his value in the eyes of other teams. Buy low.
We have more financial flexibility than most teams to take on AK's contract (though it might mean waving bye-bye to Monta at year's end).
Nellie and Baron both have slowly-closing windows of opportunity, and would kill for a versatile, athletic, veteran big man to complement Baron.
Nellieball's the absolute perfect fit for AK's game, and vice-versa.
Nellie's new mellow personality is the polar opposite of Adolf Sloan's.
The Bay Area is the perfect fit for AK's loony personality -- full of people who won't judge him for his weeping episodes or his open marriage; and further, a historic hub of Russian/Orthodox culture (as a magnet for Russian sailors in the early part of the 20th century).
The AK/AB hair connection.
OZ + Andrei sittin' in a tree...

Somehow, this has to happen.

by Sleepy Freud on Sep 21, 2007 2:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Harrington

Couple points:

I don't want to give him up. This is a point coma actually agrees with me on- Harrington's still useful, and is actually a perfect complement to AK47, perhaps more so than Ellis/Wright. This trade would push Jackson into the backcourt and give us then two hybrid forwards (no "PF" or "SF", just two "F"'s). Given AK47's ballhandling and passing, I'll be able to take my time finding another guard if it came down to that.
I don't think the Jazz want Harrington. The Warriors don't quite seem convinced Harrington can play SF, why would the Jazz be? He's shown he's most valuable in an uptempo, open system- the opposite of the "pick, cut, pick, cut, slug a defender, shoot a J" theater that Sloan orchestrates.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 21, 2007 8:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

werd

IIRC I had to convince you not to run him out of town. Everybody wants to sell Harrington down the river. I love the guy though, and think he's much more useful than most of the people here think.

I remember there was a certain point in time earlier this offseason where you couldn't see a trade suggestion WITHOUT Harrington's name in it.

He is a bona fide nellieballer.

http://westcoastbiased.blogspot.com

by coma on Sep 21, 2007 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

hahahahaha comment of the year!

OMG

"Adolf Sloan"

"open marriage"

"Yes, Lord Baron"

(in best Balki voice) Where do you come up with this stuff??

Seriously, we gotta hook up on gsom night, i have to meet u man lol.

If War brings peace Dubz wit' it den!

by gsdubz on Sep 21, 2007 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

did you just name drop balki bartakamos? i think you did!

by GameSix on Sep 21, 2007 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"inside joke"

...from Hash's youtube tribute to baron, where he actually refernced the "dance of joy"

http://goldenstateofmind.com/story/2007/9/18/143016/970

good to see you me and coma actually have something in common for once, hopefully we will be able to get along this season.

If War brings peace Dubz wit' it den!

by gsdubz on Sep 22, 2007 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

werd

Yeah, he's right. You definitely get propers for the Perfect Strangers reference.

http://westcoastbiased.blogspot.com

by coma on Sep 21, 2007 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Personally

I don't think the Jazz will move AK this season:

The Jazz will lose face especially Sloan because the attack on him is more personal. Simply put to what I understand AK wants to play with the Jazz and any NBA team but not with Sloan as his coach. I don't believe the Jazz will let it go lightly.
If AK will not report in the training camp, he will surely be reprimanded either fine or suspension. If suspended, the rift will widen and I am sure, it will be for worst.
At the moment, no rumors except that of Portland. I think no GM will touch a player if he threatens to break his contract just because he feels the coach is not giving him more playing time or more offensive options.
I think even Stern will not want this to happen in the NBA especially if the involved player is a superstar in Europe. Bad publicity and precedent.

by muritqua on Sep 21, 2007 3:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Based on what I've read

There's basically zero chance he plays for the Jazz season. If he's actually willing to rip up his contract, the Jazz will probably do jigs, since they'll be able to lock up Deron and Boozer long-term. If the threat is just smoke, they can almost certainly get an expiring deal (Kwame or Jefferson, e.g.), or some actual young talent (Jack, Frye, Harrington, Lasme, e,g.). Sloan hates him. He hates Sloan. Most Jazz fans on the message boards want him gone, even for a song. What left is there? Whether to Russia, another European country, or an NBA team, AK is gone. I'd bet my GSoM membership on it.

by Sleepy Freud on Sep 21, 2007 4:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

dunno

id hate to see you lose ur GSOM membership.

seriously tho, one thing about AK, the dude is super emotional/sensitive. His crying has been well documented, and he complained the last few years very "emo-like" when he wasn't playing well. My point-dude is kind of an emotional roller coaster. Who knows whats going to happen.

Now, got another question for anyone. True Hoop says the Warriors are too $$$ focused to get AK because he has a big contract. Do you see this as an issue as AK becomes more of a reality?

by jrizzle on Sep 21, 2007 8:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hold on...

Are you serious? Then, I withdraw my post and let OZ delete it rather than losing you in the GSoM community. Besides, I don't speak Russian anyway.

by muritqua on Sep 21, 2007 8:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aw shucks

Let's just say I think the chances of AK playing for Utah this season are extremely slim. As in: I think there's a better chance he'll be playing for the Warriors, and I'd rate our chances at like 10-25%.

Just for fun, let's say I'll take a voluntary two-week leave of absence if AK mends his fences in Utah and plays there. It'll be good for you guys, and Lord knows it'll be good for me.

by Sleepy Freud on Sep 21, 2007 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually think that

this latest "I'm playing in Europe" scenario, makes it even more probable that AK will be traded to another NBA team. At least the Jazz will be more motivated to do deal him. It's hard to imagine a "good fit" team, such as the Warriors or Suns, wouldn't pounce on a deal, if the price was right.

by San Francisco Slim on Sep 21, 2007 1:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

more percentages... u also said we had the highest percentage to get garnett. lol. with no rumors or anything at all involving the warriors how can u say we have up to 1/4 of a chance to get him. lol you know how tight we are with money? im thinking there is like a 5% chance we will get him. I also think that OZ's whole elaborate scheme involving buyouts and TPEs to get him for cheap is more realistic then just trading for him. I honestly don't think it is a very good move at all to send them a nice package of harrington and some other good players, a first rounder, lose monta and pay AK whatever he makes like 15 17 mil a year or whatever.

by Proof on Sep 23, 2007 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

I actually meant to write "10-15%" Maybe 5%, whatever. No need to be so literal; all I was trying to was attach a loose number to the phrase "unlikely but not impossible."

But I'm sure when he signs elsewhere, you'll be the first to let me know my 15% prediction was "wrong." ;-P

On KG, I think I put my chances of the Ws getting him at 20-25%, and IIRC I said I thought the Celtics were by far the most logical destination if KG's agent hadn't explicitly ruled them out. I still think we were the #2 or 3 most likely destination, ahead of Minnesota.

As for the lack of rumors ... so what? There've been no rumors involving any team, yet the chances are 100% Kirilenko is going to end up somewhere -- and much less than 100% that it'll be Utah. I'd guess they're working frantically behind the scenes to get something done, making it clear to their conversation partners that the slightest press leak could scuttle everyting.

Hindsight is 20:20; anyone can look back smugly at the GSoM archives and see what fools we all were. Why don't you stand up like a man and make an AK prediction instead of sitting in the back row and lol-ing?

by Sleepy Freud on Sep 23, 2007 7:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

okay man

don't get me wrong i love your predictions and i think you are very intelligent and are right about most stuff here. i was just giving you a hard time. and i can buy 10-15%

by Proof on Sep 24, 2007 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ha

Why don't you stand up like a man

go sleepy... go sleepy...

If War brings peace Dubz wit' it den!

by gsdubz on Sep 28, 2007 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

what portland rumor are you talking about?

here's hoping Chris Mullin pulls some more disgruntled-player-buy-low-transform-into-great-player-magic....

he's the best in the league at it!

by sadleavy on Sep 21, 2007 5:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're right

the Ws are on top of the list if ever there is a team that can snag AK. If Mulson want to gamble on AK, I think we can get him with our two TPEs plus some considerations without shipping out a player/s. But that is not the point as I entertain some scenarios that might happen.

The Jazz will have a press con prior training camp and with tears AK softens his stance to be with the Jazz and to be dealt next season where the Jazz can get a fair trade.
The Jazz can let him walk just like D'Fish but with a stiffer waiver and I am thinking of the Billy Donovan issue with Orlando from negating his contract. Fisher had a valid reason for terminating his contract i.e to be near a hospital where he could be monitor closely health of his daughter.
They will let him stay in Europe under the guise of him preparing for the Olympics for team Russia. Everybody save face.

by muritqua on Sep 21, 2007 10:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

New Jersey

I'm not quite sure why New Jersey wouldn't get on this.

They play a similar style to the Suns/Warriors
Their PF (Krstic) has some midrange game so Ak47 won't get Boozer'd
They can offer Jefferson straight up, who's a prototypical Sloan SF. Handle it a little, defend on the perimeter, shoot the J, pass the rock. He's a better Byron Russell. AK47's far more valuable and there's no salary relief (same contract), but the Nets could toss in a first rounder or something. Jefferson might bounce back away from Vince Carter.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 21, 2007 3:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

**** , that makes some sense

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

by sadleavy on Sep 21, 2007 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also:

Out of conference
NY-area teams are always in GFIN mode and generally not concerned about spending $$$
NY/NJ, like the Bay Area is full of Slavs (and every other ethnicity) and generally tolerant of all kinds of quirks, neuroses, and foibles.

Which brings up a question: does AK have veto power, like KG did? If so, I'd feel a lot better about our chances. You gotta figure Nellie, Nellieball and the Bay Area would trump all the other possible destinations.

by Sleepy Freud on Sep 21, 2007 5:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

veto power?

If you're referring to a "no trade clause" that requires his express waiver, then absolutely not. From everything I've read (and heard from pree) the only guy that has that is Kobe.

Garnett did not have a "no trade clause" either, IIRC- but he was gonna need an extension due to his player option next year. The extension would make his subsequent year guaranteed and tack on more years so the team trading for him would be certain to control him (and have the privilege of paying him muchos money) for the next few years.

Kirilenko's contract is fully guaranteed, no options or anything as far as I know. I would think some article somewhere would have pointed out if he had any ability in his contract to walk away, but as it stands he would have to go through the Jazz if he wants to leave.

It is solely up to the Jazz. Their options as I see them:

play chicken and do nothing, daring Ak47 to sit and forfeit his pay. Like in the Kobe situation (And for all players), if you don't report when ur under contract, the team and league can fine you, not pay you, and still keep your rights (for a year, IIRC).
play it hardball and offer AK47 a $249,999.99 buyout. That would be pretty funny, as it sends the implication he's less valuable than even Sarunas Jasevicious. I would do that just for kicks.
play it relatively conservatively, cash in AK47 for whatever they can get immediately in the combination of salary relief, picks, or useful players
variation on #2, buyout AK47 for like half his contract or more, AND include a clause that says he cannot sign for any NBA team for a year or two or three or whatever. This would force AK47 to put his money where his mouth is about going back home. I bet he'd get a decent contract and make up most or all of the difference overseas.

Jersey, Phoenix, and Portland make alot of sense (in that order). NJ for reasons stated; Portland because they can.

Phoenix has been rumored recently, and makes alot of sense as well. Kirilenko is actually cheaper than Shawn Marion, something not everyone may realize. There's grumbling about Kirilenko's contract...Marion makes $17M! next year, AND would require an extension (what do you think he'd ask for? a pay cut?). Plus Marion doesn't pass the ball as well (when nash goes down, you don't see Marion playing point forward). From Utah's perspective, Marions superior 3P shooting would probably be attractive, and they wouldn't be losing much, if any, defensively. They'd pay more for a slightly, slightly different skillset and more health.

Let's look at it from Utah's perspective. Since Deron/Okur/Boozer ensures you are a contender, your needs are are SF and backup PG, plus maybe an extra big in case Boozer gets hurt (then Millsap would start and you'd have no bench). In the alternative you want massive cap relief and picks. Which hypothetical deal do you take?

Jack, Webster/Jones, Frye, Rudy Fernandez and LaFrentz (depth + cap relief)
Richard Jefferson and say, protected first rounder (instant replacement)
Shawn Marion (costs you financial flexibility but makes you possibly better).

Actually, Marion's contract would end when Deron's extension kicks in in a couple years. Hrm. Now that I think about it, I think I call Phoenix and take my chances that I'll see them in the Western Conference Finals.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 21, 2007 5:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

buyout clauses

I would be surprised if it's permissible for a team to buy out a guy's contract and get him to agree that he won't play in the league for some time. To buy a contract out, you have to place a player on waivers, which essentially gives up all rights to the player and their future employment.

by jae on Sep 21, 2007 7:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In the buyout

You couldn't write a provision enjoining him from signing with another team? What if they negotiated for it and AK47 agreed?

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 21, 2007 7:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the CBA

It's my suspicion that this wouldn't be permissible. There is a 'no collusion' clause in the CBA that says rather explicitly that a team cannot interfere with a free agent's ability to seek employment with another team. I doubt that a "you can't play in the NBA" contract is permissible accoringly because it violates this. It's a deal that effectly says that a free agent cannot negotiate with another team and that's not allowed.

Make no mistake, a buyout agreement is purely a financial arrangement that gets a team negotiating the buyout off the hook for payment in exchange for allowing a player to seek employment elsewhere and not being bound to the contract. It makes a player a free agent and the CBA says that you can't have a contractual arrangement (or verbal agreement or even a wink-wink deal) that prevents a free agent from seeking employment.

I'm not positive in my interpretation, but suspect from the wording of the actual CBA that it's correct. Further, based on why the CBA exists and what the league wants out of it, I strongly suspect that such an agreement would be voided by the league. It's not in the rest of the league's interest to permit such deals and it's certainly not in the player's association to allow such deals. From the league's standpoint, deals about who a player will play for after a contract is terminated--and a buyout terminates a contract--are not permitted because they leave far too much room for abuse as a means to get around the cap with a guy being bought out with a wink-wink deal that he'll sign with another particular team.

I suspect strongly that if AK agreed to such a deal, the league and the player's union would squash it and void it immediately.

by jae on Sep 22, 2007 8:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Euro teams

If such is the case, and assuming AK47 means business about going to Europe, Utah can just wait for him to negotiate a deal overseas, then do the buyout, then he immediately signs in Russia or with whatever team.

That would effectively keep him out of the NBA, out of any competitor's hands, and still get his contracts off the books.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 22, 2007 8:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Option Zero

You are the man. Bottom line. All the research you do that you post saves the rest of us time. I know I'm way to lazy to go to all the effort you do to find the facts from the source. Keep up the good work my friend. You're doing a great job overseeing things.

A true Warriors fan holdin' it down in Long Beach.

by Nick D on Sep 22, 2007 9:35 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Deron's comments

OZ, the bit you quoted up top is kind of misleading. Basically Deron threw AK headlong under the bus:

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."

"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."

"I'm trying to win," Williams said. "I could be mad at Coach Sloan. I could hate Coach Sloan more than anything. But I'm still going to play for him, still going to play hard."

There's still no reason to think AK hasn't played his last game in a Jazz uni.

by Sleepy Freud on Sep 22, 2007 5:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

oh

I agree there is little to no chance AK47 returns, and certainly Deron was harsh on him, but DW did qualify his statements by sending some blame on the scheme and accepting some responibility to help Ak47 in the future.

Overall, Deron was probably better off saying nothing. Actually, atheletes in general are better off shutting up.

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero on Sep 22, 2007 5:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs