ak47 in toronto

[Shantz]

I'm dreaming of a situation where New Orleans, who now only has rookie Austin Rivers as a prospective PG (Jack traded to GSW, Vasquez to europe) sign AK-47 and trade him to Toronto immediately in exchange for Calderon's expiring deal. They get a PG to bridge the gap until they have the PG of their future, and we get a stud combo-forward who is a former DPOY who will excel under a defense-first coach, plus we have a solid Euro presence on the team. With pieces like Lowry, Ross, Fields, Kiralenko, Davis, and Valanciunas we can legitimately become a great defensive team. We won't win our division with BKN, BOS, and NYK but we could land a 7 or 8 spot. If AK-47 will accept a deal that's frontloaded or is only 2 or 3 years long then I'd make the deal if available. NO can absorb money so AK-47 doesn't necessarily need to be paid $10M. I'd think $5-6M is reasonable, and certainly no contending team could offer that, but no deal beyond 3 years. Management has orchestrated the teams contract to provide flexibility in 3 years.

My understanding is that a player cannot be signed-and-traded unless they were on the active roster the previous season. For example, we could not have used Weems as a sign-and-trade since he was in Europe last year.

This would mean that Kirilenko could not be used in a sign-and-trade like this.

[Matt52]

I'm dreaming of a situation where New Orleans, who now only has rookie Austin Rivers as a prospective PG (Jack traded to GSW, Vasquez to europe) sign AK-47 and trade him to Toronto immediately in exchange for Calderon's expiring deal. They get a PG to bridge the gap until they have the PG of their future, and we get a stud combo-forward who is a former DPOY who will excel under a defense-first coach, plus we have a solid Euro presence on the team. With pieces like Lowry, Ross, Fields, Kiralenko, Davis, and Valanciunas we can legitimately become a great defensive team. We won't win our division with BKN, BOS, and NYK but we could land a 7 or 8 spot. If AK-47 will accept a deal that's frontloaded or is only 2 or 3 years long then I'd make the deal if available. NO can absorb money so AK-47 doesn't necessarily need to be paid $10M. I'd think $5-6M is reasonable, and certainly no contending team could offer that, but no deal beyond 3 years. Management has orchestrated the teams contract to provide flexibility in 3 years.

That can't happen until December 15th.

If the Hornets want Calderon, I think they have the cap space to just take him on. Brad Miller, Dyson, and Thomas contracts are not guaranteed. That frees up nearly $6M.

The Raps could just sign AK47 themselves then.

[Matt52]

Not immediately clear, though, is the number of teams that are part of the race or whether Kirilenko is indeed willing to play for a minimum salary a la Antawn Jamison, who recently made that sacrifice to join the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sport Express in Russia on Tuesday quoted Kirilenko saying: "I want to decide my new team before the Olympics. There are several options in the NBA, but the final choice has not been made yet."

Kirilenko also told Ria Novosti, another media outlet: "I'll continue my career in the NBA. Which club in particular, we'll know in a day or two."

One source told ESPN.com the Golden State Warriors are among the bidders for Kirilenko.

Information from ESPNNewYork.com contributor Mike Mazzeo was used in this report.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/stor...drei-kirilenko

GSW only has the MLE. Then there is the question of him coming off the bench behind Barnes or starting in front.

Oh yeah, and Utah still holds his Bird Rights so they would be an option.

[jrdyck]

I'm dreaming of a situation where New Orleans, who now only has rookie Austin Rivers as a prospective PG (Jack traded to GSW, Vasquez to europe) sign AK-47 and trade him to Toronto immediately in exchange for Calderon's expiring deal. ...

As far as I know, Vasquez is still under contract with New Orleans. That being said, a Vasquez-for-Calderon swap might make sense for both teams. I guess it depends on how comfortable Monty Williams is with his PG situation... But if we were to pull that off, it would give us a perfect backup PG and room to potentially sign Kirilenko, or take on salary down the road.

[Raptorsss]

I'll wager a 100 bucks that he ends up in Minny..They can give him a lot of cash and a guaranteed starting spot at the three. Playing, for less money and backing up Wallace in Brooklyn I don't see it. Minny has yet to make a splash and this is it...

[thead]

teams I have eliminated for various reasons


Miami - Have more wings than a box of kotex
Knicks - Not going to accept backing up Carmelo
Nets - Has 100 billion committed to four players and Gerald Wallace at 10m
Thunder - No need with Durant Harden, and Sefelosha on the wings
Lakers - Nope
Indiana - George and Granger
Memphis - Rudy Gay
Indiana - see Miami
Detroit - Prince - Charlie V - one needs to go
Orlando - about to explode roster and enter full rebuilding mode

[thead]

also we could trade away Linas Kleiza and Amir Johnson for no salary back and create close to ten million that way

[Eric Akshinthala]

Unfortunately he is announcing his return after we've already acquired a SF. Always liked Kirilenko and wished that he would be a Raptor some day but while signing him is an exciting proposition, I think BC would be wise in not doing so. It could cripple us financially. Apparently the T Wolves are offering him a 2 yr., 18 mil. contract.

[Matt52]

All via HoopsHype.com:











Teams that are possible right now without any transaction to free up cap space assuming he signs for more than the MLE:

Minnesota
New Orleans
Cleveland

Adrian WojnarowskiVerified ‏@WojYahooNBA

Several league executives believe Minnesota is pursuing free agent Andrei Kirilenko. He's no longer considering Brooklyn, sources say.

[Vykis]

The twolves really love signing cska players, they signed Shved earlier and now they're going after Kirilenko who's next Krstic?

[Matt52]

The twolves really love signing cska players, they signed Shved earlier and now they're going after Kirilenko who's next Krstic?

Kristic is signed until the end of 2013-2014 with CKSA and they have an option for another year after.

[ezz_bee]

What I'm reading on Hoopshype via Yahoo! Sports

Kirilenko has a buyout in his CSKA of Moscow contract that allows him to return to the NBA. He 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. Yahoo! Sports

LINK

AK47 for 8 mill a year sounds pretty good. Liked him when he played for the Jazz in the early years of Deron/Boozer, was pretty impressed by what I saw in international competition when russia played lithunia (pretty sure he guarded JV for a bunch of possesions)

Not sure how many years I'd want him for though... I think someone mentioned a front loaded deal, which might work out well. maybe 10mil, 8 mil, 6mil? or offer him 3 years at 8 mill but only partially guaranteed for the last year?

Also we need to think about where that puts us in terms of minutes for wings... Can someone please tell me if Fields is more likely to get minutes at SG or SF?


DEPTH CHART for WINGS
Derozan/Ross/Fields?
Kirilenko/Klieza/Fields?

???

[Katman]

or MORE importantly...finding $8M in cap room.

[ezz_bee]

ak47 would be a decent fit at the starting three. on an unrelated sidenote, we'd have the whitest frontcourt in the whole NBA if this actually happened.

We could almost put out an all-white line up!

Calderon
Kleiza
Kirilenko
Bargs
JV/Gray

Or white's versus blacks in practice! I'm sure it'd be a good team building exercise!

[ezz_bee]

or MORE importantly...finding $8M in cap room.

Yes we'd have to get rid of Calderon or Kleiza+Amir or Davis

[ceez]

who scores on a lowry/fields/ak47/davis/val lineup? anyone?

[Prime]

AK-47 off the table

[Matt52]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA

Minnesota is finalizing a two-year, $20 million contract with free agent forward Andrei Kirilenko, league sources tell Y! Sports.

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA

Kirilenko's deal with the Wolves is expected to include a player option for the 2013-'14 season, sources said.

Minnesota for David West Contract.

This would all hinge on the 3-team, s&t with Lopez/Warrick going to NOH, Wes Johnson/Miller/minimum contracts/pick going to PHX, and 2nd round picks going to MIN...... or I believe that is what the rumoured trade was.

Rumours of Miller going back to MIN were bullshit because he can't be traded back there until July 1st, 2013 as per CBA.... he is retiring though so kind of a moot point as this is all about his $848k guaranteed of $5.1M contract that must be bought out by July 30.

[ceez]

i was wildly against the signing of AK47 before but after watching some of his work in the past year and seeing his shooting percentages (especially from 3) i'm no longer as opposed

[thead]

well gents...Minnesota is a playoff team.

A starting line of

PG: Rubio SG: Roy SF: Kirilenko PF: Love C: Pekovic

suddenly I do not want to play this team