AK Watch - he's NBA bound

Yesterday AK announced he will play in the NBA this season. He'd be a great pick up for plenty of teams. Much as I would love to see him back with the Jazz, with the addition of Marvin, assuming GH is going to be starting at the 3, plus the Favors/Sap combo at the 4, it would be tough to find a lot of playing time. Pretty sure AK wants to start.

Now being reported AK has said "Nyet" to the Nets and wants to sign with a team before the Olympics. Could it be that KOC is working the phones and sharpening the pencil right now????

Yeah, playing time is the problem now. After being the Euroleague MVP last year, he won't be looking to quietly go to sleep on somebody's bench.

Crunchtime1 wrote:

Yeah, playing time is the problem now. After being the Euroleague MVP last year, he won't be looking to quietly go to sleep on somebody's bench.

You are absolutely right about AK not wanting to come off of the bench with him being the Euro League MVP he has shown that he still have the skills to be a pretty good player and with the Jazz having players at the SF position that also wants to start finding playing time for AK is going to be hard to do unless there is a trade of some sorts. I myself would love to see AK retire as a Jazz man playing all of his NBA days on this team but as it looks right now that is not going to happen, I hope O'Conner has something up his sleeve trade wise that will let AK return to the Jazz.

Maybe O'Conner can find a team in need of a SF/PG and can trade M Williams and Watson for a PF/C to help round out the team, the only real need I see with the Jazz now is another big in case of injure.

dongibby wrote:

Crunchtime1 wrote:

Yeah, playing time is the problem now. After being the Euroleague MVP last year, he won't be looking to quietly go to sleep on somebody's bench.

You are absolutely right about AK not wanting to come off of the bench with him being the Euro League MVP he has shown that he still have the skills to be a pretty good player and with the Jazz having players at the SF position that also wants to start finding playing time for AK is going to be hard to do unless there is a trade of some sorts. I myself would love to see AK retire as a Jazz man playing all of his NBA days on this team but as it looks right now that is not going to happen, I hope O'Conner has something up his sleeve trade wise that will let AK return to the Jazz.

Maybe O'Conner can find a team in need of a SF/PG and can trade M Williams and Watson for a PF/C to help round out the team, the only real need I see with the Jazz now is another big in case of injure.

You have to be more spacific when you say M Williams! I though for a split second you were suggesting trading away our starting PG for another SG

Anyway I'm pretty sure you can't trade Marvin after having just signed him.

I just don't think there is any room on this team for AK anymore. The Jazz have moved on and I think AK probably has too.

Holy hell man, if AK goes to the Nyets, he starts at PF, and that is one of the best starting 5's in the league. D-Will, Johnson, Wallace, AK, and Lopez...holy hell. I mean, good luck keeping them all on the court, but still, that's is a fearsome starting lineup that can really do it all.

The Nets would be stupid not to get him and start him at PF, he's really theirs to lose, and he'd be perfect for their team. I mean their other PF's are Kris Humphries and Nicola Teletovic...neither of which will ever be former or future All-Stars or Euro MVP's

TheMagnus wrote:

Holy hell man, if AK goes to the Nyets, he starts at PF, and that is one of the best starting 5's in the league. D-Will, Johnson, Wallace, AK, and Lopez...holy hell. I mean, good luck keeping them all on the court, but still, that's is a fearsome starting lineup that can really do it all.

The Nets would be stupid not to get him and start him at PF, he's really theirs to lose, and he'd be perfect for their team. I mean their other PF's are Kris Humphries and Nicola Teletovic...neither of which will ever be former or future All-Stars or Euro MVP's

I dont think it makes a whole lot of sense for AK to sign in BKN actually, unless he's going to come off the bench. I mean, with Lopez, they have to have Humphries start along side him to rebound. Lopez is the worst rebounding center in the game.

Looks like AK could be headed to the Timberwolves.

BARCELONA – The Minnesota Timberwolves are clearing salary-cap space to target free-agent forward Andrei Kirilenko by helping facilitate a three-team trade that would send Phoenix’s Robin Lopez and Hakim Warrick to the New Orleans Hornets, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The trade gathered momentum Tuesday night and centered on Lopez agreeing to a three-year, $15 million-plus contract and moving to the Hornets in a sign-and-trade agreement, league sources told Y! Sports.

The rest of the deal included the Timberwolves sending small forward Wesley Johnson and a lottery-protected first-round draft pick to the Suns, sources said. Brad Miller, who is retiring and has a contract that can be waived before month’s end, and Warrick are also expected to be on the move. Miller’s contract would go to the Suns, and Warrick would possibly move to the Hornets, sources said. New Orleans would also send two future second-round draft picks to Minnesota.

The teams were still finalizing details, but sources said that Lopez, a restricted free agent, was returning soon from a vacation to take a physical for the Hornets. New Orleans had been working diligently for weeks on acquiring a center to play alongside No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis, and give Davis some inside support.

TheMagnus wrote:

Holy hell man, if AK goes to the Nyets, he starts at PF, and that is one of the best starting 5's in the league. D-Will, Johnson, Wallace, AK, and Lopez...holy hell. I mean, good luck keeping them all on the court, but still, that's is a fearsome starting lineup that can really do it all.

The Nets would be stupid not to get him and start him at PF, he's really theirs to lose, and he'd be perfect for their team. I mean their other PF's are Kris Humphries and Nicola Teletovic...neither of which will ever be former or future All-Stars or Euro MVP's

As reported in the Mercury article in the AK/Kaman thread a few days ago, the Nets only have 1.2 million to offer AK. I posted that such a low offer would very likely be unacceptable to the Euroleague MVP, and today Yahoo Sports is confirming that is the case:

"He (Andrei) ruled out the Brooklyn Nets and Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov on Tuesday because the Nets simply couldn’t pay him beyond the veteran’s minimum of $1.2 million, sources said. Kirilenko has been searching for a deal that would pay him in the vicinity of $8 million annually, and Minnesota could have the cap space to do so."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--three-team-trade-could-lead-to-t-wolves-signing-andrei-kirilenko.html

Crunchtime1 wrote:

TheMagnus wrote:

Holy hell man, if AK goes to the Nyets, he starts at PF, and that is one of the best starting 5's in the league. D-Will, Johnson, Wallace, AK, and Lopez...holy hell. I mean, good luck keeping them all on the court, but still, that's is a fearsome starting lineup that can really do it all.

The Nets would be stupid not to get him and start him at PF, he's really theirs to lose, and he'd be perfect for their team. I mean their other PF's are Kris Humphries and Nicola Teletovic...neither of which will ever be former or future All-Stars or Euro MVP's

As reported in the Mercury article in the AK/Kaman thread a few days ago, the Nets only have 1.2 million to offer AK. I posted that such a low offer would very likely be unacceptable to the Euroleague MVP, and today Yahoo Sports is confirming that is the case:

"He (Andrei) ruled out the Brooklyn Nets and Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov on Tuesday because the Nets simply couldn’t pay him beyond the veteran’s minimum of $1.2 million, sources said. Kirilenko has been searching for a deal that would pay him in the vicinity of $8 million annually, and Minnesota could have the cap space to do so."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--three-team-trade-could-lead-to-t-wolves-signing-andrei-kirilenko.html

Yeah, thought it was laughable that Dwill, with his ginormous new contract, was going to be lobbying AK to play with NJ. "Hey AK, like come play for me so I have a shot at a ring, er us, for like walking around money. You said you were all good with money by now. I'll pick up the restaurant tabs on the road for you and what the hell, lets get back to being best bros like we were back in Slick City".

Crunchtime1 wrote:

TheMagnus wrote:

Holy hell man, if AK goes to the Nyets, he starts at PF, and that is one of the best starting 5's in the league. D-Will, Johnson, Wallace, AK, and Lopez...holy hell. I mean, good luck keeping them all on the court, but still, that's is a fearsome starting lineup that can really do it all.

The Nets would be stupid not to get him and start him at PF, he's really theirs to lose, and he'd be perfect for their team. I mean their other PF's are Kris Humphries and Nicola Teletovic...neither of which will ever be former or future All-Stars or Euro MVP's

As reported in the Mercury article in the AK/Kaman thread a few days ago, the Nets only have 1.2 million to offer AK. I posted that such a low offer would very likely be unacceptable to the Euroleague MVP, and today Yahoo Sports is confirming that is the case:

"He (Andrei) ruled out the Brooklyn Nets and Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov on Tuesday because the Nets simply couldn’t pay him beyond the veteran’s minimum of $1.2 million, sources said. Kirilenko has been searching for a deal that would pay him in the vicinity of $8 million annually, and Minnesota could have the cap space to do so."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--three-team-trade-could-lead-to-t-wolves-signing-andrei-kirilenko.html

ahhhhh crap. Not the Timberwolves. That would not be good, and I do not like it one bit.

TheMagnus wrote:

ahhhhh crap. Not the Timberwolves. That would not be good, and I do not like it one bit.

Yeah, if he goes to the Wolves, Rubio will likely give AK plenty of respect right out the gate (being a Euroleague guy himself) and potentially get more out of AK than Deron did. JMO.

Crunchtime1 wrote:

TheMagnus wrote:

ahhhhh crap. Not the Timberwolves. That would not be good, and I do not like it one bit.

Yeah, if he goes to the Wolves, Rubio will likely give AK plenty of respect right out the gate (being a Euroleague guy himself) and potentially get more out of AK than Deron did. JMO.

Totally agree. I might have been dreaming but I had Minny penciled in for the 8th seed anyway provided Rubio came back near his pre-injury self. They were very close to turning the corner before he went down and they shut down. AK is actually a great fit with that outfit. Wish him well -- because at the end of the day I think the Jazz will own Minny regardless. Jazz are simply deeper all around.

Holy AK Batman, 2 year $20 million being discussed with Minny. Guess money still means a lot to AK and Sasha. Good for him and I now have way more reasons to watch Minny this season. The more I think about it the more I like the fit - that team totally needed an Inspector Gadget and it shows they are serious about putting some good talent around Love.

Just asking, but would anyone here be psyched with AK at $10MM a pop? I wouldn't be but that's only because I think KOC is pretty capable at getting more bang for that amount of coin and also because I like how the Jazz have the 3/4 manned right now. Given where AK is in road miles and his previous injury history I'm thinking that DC is an awesome deal, much less Marvin - that there is a two for one!

Lets see what Wolves fan say when they realize the real AK. Some people never learns a darn thing I guess; fans will be asking for heads when AK opts in for the second 10 millions...

outerspacefan wrote:

Lets see what Wolves fan say when they realize the real AK. Some people never learns a darn thing I guess; fans will be asking for heads when AK opts in for the second 10 millions...

Wow, just saw that second year player option? Seriously? They must really really like the concept of AK. Look at the other side of the coin as well - he plays well, a huge add to the team and then gets a better offer from a contender, and all of the sudden they rented him for a year. Or he decides he really does like being the best player in Europe and goes back to finish his career. Can't believe it wasn't a Minny team option. Like I said before, good for him, obviously owners are back to making really stupid financial decisions again...not like he was the only one in FA who got a "huh?" contract, (can you say Omer Asik)?

outerspacefan wrote:

Lets see what Wolves fan say when they realize the real AK. Some people never learns a darn thing I guess; fans will be asking for heads when AK opts in for the second 10 millions...

Wolves fans wont even notice it; they'll be finally getting to the playoffs, or just barely missing out. They'll be ecstatic.

MTJazz wrote:

Holy AK Batman, 2 year $20 million being discussed with Minny. Guess money still means a lot to AK and Sasha. Good for him and I now have way more reasons to watch Minny this season. The more I think about it the more I like the fit - that team totally needed an Inspector Gadget and it shows they are serious about putting some good talent around Love.

Just asking, but would anyone here be psyched with AK at $10MM a pop? I wouldn't be but that's only because I think KOC is pretty capable at getting more bang for that amount of coin and also because I like how the Jazz have the 3/4 manned right now. Given where AK is in road miles and his previous injury history I'm thinking that DC is an awesome deal, much less Marvin - that there is a two for one!

I'm guessing that AK probably declined to play in Minny, then the Wolves said, "well how about for $10 mil a year?", which would wake up about any current Euro player.

Seeing AK play for another team will be harder on me than seeing Deron go elsewhere. Good for AK if he has a couple high quality years left in him. I hope he comes back and plays at All Star level .... as long as he has off-nights against the Jazz.

Mutangclan wrote:

outerspacefan wrote:

Lets see what Wolves fan say when they realize the real AK. Some people never learns a darn thing I guess; fans will be asking for heads when AK opts in for the second 10 millions...

Wolves fans wont even notice it; they'll be finally getting to the playoffs, or just barely missing out. They'll be ecstatic.

Barea, Budinger, Kirilenko, Love, Pekovic; even with Rubio at 100% that's probably not a western playoff starting lineup IMHO.

MTJazz wrote:

Just asking, but would anyone here be psyched with AK at $10MM a pop? I wouldn't be but that's only because I think KOC is pretty capable at getting more bang for that amount of coin and also because I like how the Jazz have the 3/4 manned right now. Given where AK is in road miles and his previous injury history I'm thinking that DC is an awesome deal, much less Marvin - that there is a two for one!

The two for one is a nice way to look at it and I am fine going forward with Marvin and Carroll (and Hayward) this season. Having said that, I think there is a good chance that AK has a real nice season playing with Rubio and the Wolves --- better chance than he would have playing with Mo and the Jazz, both because Rubio will utilize him better than Mo (better passer) and because the Wolves are bringing him in as one of their top, key players. He will have more opportunities and "touches". Lol. I am resurrecting a sore old Jazz subject --- "AK Touches".

T wolves mite be moving into the playoffs this year? Ak signs they make playoffs. Jazz better get off to a good start this year or we could be cheering for i lotto pick? I think GSW jail blazer T wolves are taking big steps this off season in getting better. Hate to see AK sign there!!!

Richardale wrote:

T wolves mite be moving into the playoffs this year? Ak signs they make playoffs. Jazz better get off to a good start this year or we could be cheering for i lotto pick? I think GSW jail blazer T wolves are taking big steps this off season in getting better. Hate to see AK sign there!!!

I think you are overestimating Minny and definitely the Blazers.

The Jazz are a lot better than both of them and there is no way the Jazz are going to be in the lottery after this season.

outerspacefan wrote:

Mutangclan wrote:

outerspacefan wrote:

Lets see what Wolves fan say when they realize the real AK. Some people never learns a darn thing I guess; fans will be asking for heads when AK opts in for the second 10 millions...

Wolves fans wont even notice it; they'll be finally getting to the playoffs, or just barely missing out. They'll be ecstatic.

Barea, Budinger, Kirilenko, Love, Pekovic; even with Rubio at 100% that's probably not a western playoff starting lineup IMHO.

How do you even figure?? When Rubio went down they were ahead of Utah last year and headed to the playoffs. Now they improved their team and Rubio supposedly could be ready to play a full season. Last year they got absolutely nothing from Wes Johnson at the 2 and nothing consistent from the 3. They've added AK, Budinger and Roy at those spots now.

Mutangclan wrote:

outerspacefan wrote:

Mutangclan wrote:

outerspacefan wrote:

Lets see what Wolves fan say when they realize the real AK. Some people never learns a darn thing I guess; fans will be asking for heads when AK opts in for the second 10 millions...

Wolves fans wont even notice it; they'll be finally getting to the playoffs, or just barely missing out. They'll be ecstatic.

Barea, Budinger, Kirilenko, Love, Pekovic; even with Rubio at 100% that's probably not a western playoff starting lineup IMHO.

How do you even figure?? When Rubio went down they were ahead of Utah last year and headed to the playoffs. Now they improved their team and Rubio supposedly could be ready to play a full season. Last year they got absolutely nothing from Wes Johnson at the 2 and nothing consistent from the 3. They've added AK, Budinger and Roy at those spots now.

Exactly what I was thinking, and I don't even think Roy will give them much.

No question in my mind that Minny is better this year than they were last year even before they add AK, with AK they are without question better than Portland, and at the very least a borderline playoff contender.

And don't forget about the Wolves' Dwill. That guy is crazy athletic and could take a significant step forward in his sophomore year.