I want to make one thing clear – I am not at all sure that the Jazz should trade Andrei Kirilenko. I think he is an incredible talent and the Jazz and Jazz fans have been lucky to have him around for the last six seasons. Watching him swat shots for another team would be a real pity. But sometimes the truth hurts and it looks like the Jazz and AK are each best served with a trade.
So, in that light, I wonder what the best possible trade scenario would be. I believe there are several great possibilities out there for the Jazz to make a real splash, but the trading partners are limited. I do not believe that the Jazz can get Garnett, or Kobe for that matter, with a combination of AK and Memo. They just don’t have the star appeal necessary to make the new teams forget their stars. I believe that at least two if not all of the following are required to generate interest in the Russian Rifle:
1. Be an up-tempo team.
2. Have viable scoring options.
3. Have a need at the PF position.
4. Be in need a defensive presence.
Just as important, they must have something that the Jazz sorely lack – either a defensively dominant center or a three point shooting SG or SF.
With that here are several trades that I think could really work out well for the both teams.
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1. Seattle signs and trades Rashard Lewis for Andrei Kirilenko
This trade makes sense on about 100 levels. Imagine AK playing PF next to Ray Allen (SG) and Kevin Durant (SF), along with Luke Ridnour (PG) and Chris Wilcox (C). That team would be devastatingly athletic and difficult for anyone to play with.
AK would be given the opportunity to create mismatches every night on both ends of the floor. I think he would score 15+ points a game and turn back into the AK we all know.
As for the Jazz, they get an incredible scorer that loves to shoot from outside, but is big, athletic and long enough at 6’10â€, to still be a factor on the defensive side. Because they would be so deadly from outside, with Memo, D. Will and Lewis, Boozer would rarely get double teamed down low. It would really be fun to watch.
I think this is one of the rare trades where both teams get much, much better. Just as importantly, the salaries will match and this can be done with very struggle. The only question: can Lewis see the opportunity to fit in and come compete for a championship?
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2. Three-way trade between the Utah Jazz, Portland Trailblazers and Chicago Bulls. AK to Portland, Zach Randolf to Chicago and Andres Nocioni and the #9 pick to the Jazz.
This trade would be great for Portland. They would have a starting line-up of Jarret Jack (PG), Brandon Roy (SG), AK-47 (SF), LaMarcus Aldridge (PF), and someone named Greg Oden (C). That is an incredible starting five and their front court would be an absolute nightmare to play against; there would be no lay-ups.
Chicago in turn gets to add the low-post scoring that they are desperate for without giving up any of their big-guns.
Nocioni on the other hand is the perfect Sloan type of a guy. He is fundamental, gritty, ultra-competitive and can really shoot the ball from behind the arc. He makes very few mistakes and would fit in very well with the Jazz.
More importantly, he would probably sign for $6 - 8 million per year. That would leave the Jazz with a lot of money under the luxury tax and a very attractive asset with the 9th pick. They could possibly package that pick and Jarron Collins for Darko Milicic and still have some money to sign a veteran free agent like Grant Hill, Michael Finley or Micheal Pietrus.
Or they could keep the pick and possibly bring in Joakim Noah.
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3. Andrei Kirilenko to Golden State for Jason Richardson
No one knows how great AK can be more than the Warriors. AK would be great on this team, on both ends of the floor. There is no coach in the league better suited to coaching a talent like AK than Don Nelson. Andrei would probably average a 5×5 with this team.
Meanwhile, Jason Richardson would be incredible with the Jazz. This trade makes a lot of sense.
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4. Andrei Kirilenko to Philadelphia for Samuel Dalembert and Kyle Korver.
This trade is not quite as enticing for me for the “wow†factor, but I think it makes a lot of sense for both teams for several reasons.
First of all, this trade fills the two needs that the Jazz have in a shot blocking center and a three point threat. Dalembert has a salary that Philadelphia would like to get away from, with more than $42 million remaining over the next four years.
The Sixers would look great with a core of three Andre’s: Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala and Andrei Kirilenko. What NBA team would not want three guys named Andre(i) on their team? Moreover, they have three draft picks coming up in this years draft that can be packaged for another piece.
The difficulty with this trade is that it leaves the Sixers a little bit bare and the Jazz don’t get a starter back in return. Nevertheless, I would be more than happy to see the Jazz cover those bases.
June 5th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Rashard Lewis is reported to be involved in a trade between Seattle and the Knicks. The clock could be running on that one.
The Warriors would not give up Ricahrdson for Kirilenko. AK would be great in a Warrior scheme, but they (Warriors) would be crazy to deal Richardson.
Nocini doesn’t seem like the guy the Jazz would want for AK.
The Jazz, IMHO, have three guys that are prime trade bait (AK, Memo, Gira) and should try to use them to deal for a BIG-TIME shooting guard.
My questions are what it would take to get, in order of preference, Joe Johnson from Atlanta, Jamal Crawford from NY.
June 5th, 2007 at 11:09 am
With all due respect Crawford is not a BIG-TIME shooting guard. Are you kidding me? I would much rather have Nocioni than that no pass, no defense loser. Just my opinion.
Joe Johnson on the other hand would be phenomenal with the Jazz. I just am not sure that we have anything that Atlanta would want. They are already stacked at the 3 and 4 and Giri would be an aweful replacement on their end.
How about those three for Kobe? I would love to see that.
June 5th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Why is it that we want to trade Memo? The only reason would be if he’s one of the early vacationers, but I think he’s an extremely valuable asset on the floor.
June 5th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
I would love to trade AK for the players mentioned in any of your first three proposed trades, but I doubt any of those teams would do those deals. I think AK’s trade value is lower than we’d like to believe. Having said that, I don’t like deal #4 because it saddles the Jazz with Dalembert’s atrocious salary and doesn’t add a starting shooting guard.
June 7th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Again agree with Memot Forever, Nocioni would be perfect for the Jazz, young talanted, and a very hard worker. Yes please. BUt keep the draft pick and add another athletic player. The reason to get rid of Memo, is because his stalk is high, and we have don’t need his offensive skills as much as we used to. Plus him with AK looks pretty enticing to a lot of teams, Offense and defense all stars.
Crawford is a bum!
June 9th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
The Jazz need to cut salary so that they can resign Deron after the upcoming season. For that reason, Rashard Lewis would not be a good pick-up.
I’m not a big fan of trading AK within the West, and keeping him in the Northwest would be stupid, only because he’s so good. I’d like having the #9 pick though (I prefer it be a bit higher… so that Corey Brewer can be drafted), but the pick is always good. As for Nocioni… I’m not sure. Don’t know much about him.
No for J-Rich.
Not too high on the Dalembert/Korver trade either.
Jamal Crawford would be a horrible pick-up. If you want “big-time” SG, you have to look at someone like Ray Allen (sure), Vince Carter (no), Joe Johnson (they won’t deal him), etc. Not many available options out there.
I think, with Deron’s upcoming extension, the Jazz would be best of trading AK for expiring contracts and picks/youngsters (Boston with Theo Ratliff???).
I’m not anti-AK or the such (he’s an amazing player), I just believe that it’d be better for him to get out of this structured system that he doesn’t fit (he’s not a 3… no matter how hard the Jazz try).
June 9th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
UtesFan,
I have to disagree with your argument that Rashard Lewis is a bad fit because the Jazz need to cut salary. Deron Williams still has two years (2 years!!) left on his rookie contract. It is good to have a game plan for when that time comes, but not at the expense of trying to win right now. When the time comes for Williams’ max contract to start, the Jazz can make some salary cutting moves. Just a thought, would Deron even want to come back if the Jazz don’t do everything in their power right now to win?
They have the money under the cap to sign a player like that now and they should use it. Besides, who knows what the salary cap or luxury cap number will be three years from now. It is possible that it increases enough to keep everyone.
Play it to win right now. Worry about the future when it gets here.
As for your other points, you are spot on.
June 11th, 2007 at 7:55 am
The way it is going right now, AK’s value will not be getting much higher. He’s not an offensive power (his jump shot sucks), and that’s obvious. And if the Jazz keep him at the 3-spot, the weaknesses in his defense will also start showing more.
If you keep him for 2 years (or even just this next one), his contract will get higher while his value falls more.
And then it’ll be even harder to trade him.
The sooner you trade him, the more you’ll get for him.
As for Lewis, he’ll get a 3 or 4 year deal, meaning that the contract will run alongside Booze’s and Okur’s. While that’s good, it cause problems when you try to resign Deron (he’s eligible for extension after this year, or he’ll be a restricted FA or something in 2 years).
Just what I’m thinking… am I missing something? (I’m not sure about the whole Deron situation in terms of the contract.)
June 15th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
A couple more scenarios to chew on: 1. AK for Corey Maggette. 2. AK for Gerald Wallace.