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Andrei Kirilenko News & Rumors

Former Utah Jazz's Andrei Kirilenko era ends with thud
December 20
The Deseret News
 
"Andrei Kirilenko never got into a great rhythm after that one All-Star season with the Jazz. But a lack of rhythm wasn't his problem. Actually, it was his strength. He was all about disrupting the ebb and flow, short circuiting the system. But he was also a nice guy in a hard business, which may have kept him from being great. Reports on Tuesday said Kirilenko was nearing terms with the New Jersey Nets. If true, it is as surprising as a snow day in Omsk. Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has openly coveted his countryman's skills. It has been a foregone conclusion since last spring that his days in Utah were over. Becoming a free agent cleared the Jazz of a $17.8 million salary. So off he goes"
Andrei Kirilenko hasn't signed with New Jersey, agent says
December 19
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Agent Marc Fleisher denied a report Monday former Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko has signed with New Jersey. "Not true," Fleisher told The Salt Lake Tribune."
Kirilenko's Jazz legacy is unfulfilled promise
December 19
Salt Lake Tribune
 columnist Kurt Kragthorpe
"Andrei Kirilenko's Jazz era ended strangely, like something out of those Russian spy novels he liked to read in the locker room prior to games. The team signed free-agent forward Josh Howard this past weekend, implicitly canceling any plans to bring back Kirilenko for an 11th season in his only NBA home. There would be no announcement, no transaction, just a mysterious exit that resembles the way he unobtrusively dressed and hustled out of arenas after games. Kirilenko is playing professionally at home in Moscow, to be pried away only by the kind of contract that was not sensible for the Jazz to offer him. He'll be remembered as a player who ranks high on several of the franchise's"
Jazz appreciate time Andrei Kirilenko had with team
December 17
The Deseret News
 
"Kevin O'Connor won't admit it. He won't even directly talk about the subject other than a "No comment." Even so, Andrei Kirilenko's playing days in Utah are done. Fans have mixed opinions on the incredibly versatile but oft-injured forward, who spent the past 10 years with the Jazz. But his friends from this franchise will miss the Russian. AK-47 is currently playing for CSKA Moscow and is reportedly being courted by Sacramento and New Jersey for much more than the Jazz are willing to pay (this time around). Jazz center Mehmet Okur cherishes his seven-year relationship with Kirilenko, who was his best friend on the Jazz and an unselfish teammate. "He was a good player," Okur said, "and"
Kirilenko intrigued by the Kings
December 13
Sacramento Bee
 
"Two different sources told me earlier tonight that former Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, who is currently under contract with CSKA Moscow (but has an out clause effective for 30 days), would seriously consider signing with the Kings if he returns to the NBA. The catch is that the wiry, athletic Kirilenko, a native of St. Petersburg who would be a wonderful complement to a frontline featuring DeMarcus Cousins and John Salmons, is thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to play in his native Russia. Unlike the other NBA players who returned to the United States shortly after the lockout ended, Kirilenko stayed with CSKA. One scenario is that he remains overseas for the shortened season and"
Andrei Kirilenko signs with Russian team
November 4
The Deseret News
 
"Forget Miami, Andrei Kirilenko is taking his talents — and his tattoo — to Moscow. The Utah Jazz forward will play for his old Russian team, CSKA Moscow, until the NBA lockout comes to a resolution. Kirilenko signed a three-year deal with the team he played for prior to joining the Jazz in 2001. "I am glad to be back to the team where I spent the years of adolescence," Kirilenko said Tuesday from Moscow. "It's a pleasure to have a chance to play for Russian fans, my friends, and relatives. CSKA has a very strong team, great coach, and excellent players. "It's great," he added, "when the highest goals are ahead of you." Kirilenko's contract includes an option that will allow him to play in"
Longtime Utah Jazz player Andrei Kirilenko signs with Russian team
October 5
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Longtime Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko has officially returned home. Agent Marc Fleisher informed The Salt Lake Tribune on Tuesday that Kirilenko signed a three-year contract with professional Russian basketball team CSKA. Kirilenko's contract with CSKA features an out clause that will allow him to return to the NBA as soon as the three-month work stoppage ends. In addition, the deal features an out at the end of every CSKA season."
Andrei Kirilenko signs three-year contract with Russia's CSKA, agent says
October 4
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Agent Marc Fleisher informed The Salt Lake Tribune early Tuesday morning that NBA veteran forward Andrei Kirilenko has signed a three-year contract with professional Russian basketball team CSKA. The Tribune reported Sept. 29 that Kirilenko was still talking with a few international basketball teams if the NBA lockout continued. Kirilenko's deal with CSKA contains an out clause that will allow him to return to the NBA as soon as the three-month work stoppage ends. In addition, the CSKA contract features an out at the end of every season."
Andrei Kirilenko in waiting mode for next career move
September 21
The Deseret News
 
"As the final buzzer sounded at the packed arena in Kaunas, Lithuania, Andrei Kirilenko looked up to the heavens around mid-court and threw the ball with all his might straight up in the air. Thanks to Kirilenko, the Russia National Team beat F.Y.R. of Macedonia, 72-68, and won the bronze medal at the 2011 European Championship — or EuroBasket as it is more commonly known — in front of 11,000 fans last Sunday afternoon. Next stop for Russia: the 2012 London Olympics. "I've been in two Olympic (2000, 2008) games and I'm looking forward to a third. I think it's the highest achievement for any athlete," said Kirilenko, who watched as Spain beat France for the gold medal on Sunday as well."
Kanter, Kirilenko cool off at EuroBasket 2011
September 6
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"After playing so well at EuroBasket 2011 on Sunday, neither Enes Kanter nor Andrei Kirilenko made major contributions on Monday, although both their national teams prevailed. Kanter finished with two points and one rebound during Turkey's 65-57 victory over previously-undefeated Spain. Turkey improved to 3-2 in Group A while Spain, which played without NBA star Pau Gasol because of a sprained ankle, dropped to 4-1."
Agent: NBA stars unlikely to head overseas during lockout
July 5
SportingNews.com
 
"With the NBA imposing a lockout last week, numerous reports of players heading overseas, or at least considering it, have followed. News that Raptors wing Sonny Weems is close to a one-year deal to play in Europe broke over the weekend. Real Madrid is reportedly offering to make Mavericks guard Rudy Fernandez the highest-paid player in Spanish league history. And Rockets rookie Donatas Montiejunas is on his way to Italy. Also, Thunder forward Serge Ibaka said he's thinking about going to Spain to play, and players like Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko and Bulls forward Brian Scalabrine have made similar comments. But, even as marquee names like Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki hinted during the"
In face of uncertain future, Kirilenko at peace
May 11
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Andrei Kirilenko was at ease. As widely discussed photos of his newly tattooed back made waves Monday on the Internet, the longtime Jazz forward focused on more serene images. Primarily, his wide-open future and a summer he hopes will be filled with freedom, international competition and national pride. Just 51 days remain on Kirilenko's contract with Utah. June 30 will mark the official end of his 10-year run in Salt Lake City, leaving AK as a free agent at the same time the NBA plunges into a period of uncertainty. But Kirilenko was diplomatic and even-keeled all season about the possibility that he will eventually reunite with the Jazz, and he was breathing even easier nearly a month"
Kirilenko should make gesture to repay Jazz
April 17
Salt Lake Tribune
 columnist Kurt Kragthorpe
"Trying to describe the extremes of the Jazz's season, Andrei Kirilenko searched for a creative illustration. "How you call the animal with stripes?" he asked. Kirilenko explained his zebra comparison by citing the contrasting halves of the schedule. In assessing Kirilenko's career, nothing is ever completely black-and-white with this guy. He's some mixture of the dynamic, exciting player who was awarded the Jazz's first maximum contract and the inconsistent, often-injured forward whose salary crippled the franchise. So as Kirilenko and the Jazz determine whether to extend their 10-year relationship, here's my solution: A.K. should play for free. Seriously, how refreshing would that be?"
If Kirilenko's time winding down, he's content
April 9
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"No regrets. No what-ifs. No wondering about what could have been. If this is the end for Andrei Kirilenko, there will not be any pain. Instead, the Jazz forward will look back proudly. Kirilenko gave his all, and he can live with the consequences. From 2001 until the present, AK has worn only a Utah uniform. The Russian native became a man under ex-Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, evolving from a talented but naïve 20-year-old into a seen-it-all veteran. But after 10 seasons with Utah - years filled with 50-win campaigns, a trip to the Western Conference Finals and a mind-numbing run of endless injuries - Kirilenko could play his final game for the Jazz next week. Even that appearance is a question"
Kirilenko on crutches, in pain
March 28
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Where in the world is Andrei Kirilenko? Around. Just not visible. After bruising the peroneal nerve in his left knee Wednesday during a road loss to Oklahoma City, the Jazz forward has been out of sight throughout Utah's past two home games. When Kirilenko has been forced to miss previous contests this season due to injuries, he normally sits behind the Jazz bench, decked out in a sharp suit with his trademark haircut making him almost impossible to miss. But the 10-year veteran was noticeably absent during recent defeats to New Orleans and Dallas. Not to worry, Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said Sunday. Kirilenko is receiving medical treatment, and the nature of his injury - as well as the"
Already without Harris and Favors, Jazz lose Kirilenko to bruised peroneal nerve
March 24
The Deseret News
 
"Maybe the Utah Jazz's medical staff should simply put the hobbled and hampered team's entire 2010-11 season on the injury report. It's limping and wounded enough to merit the designation. Playing their umpteenth game at less than full strength because of health issues, the Jazz's season and playoff hopes became even more strained Wednesday night with a 106-94 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. "They're full speed and they've got most of their guys," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said of the Northwest Division-leading Thunder. "We're fighting an uphill battle with injuries, but the effort, again, was there." But for the third straight time on this winless road trip, a debilitating defeat was"
Jazz's Millsap, Price will practice: Kirilenko out
March 17
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Jazz forward Paul Millsap and guard Ronnie Price are scheduled return to action today during a morning workout at the team practice facility. Price plans to play Sunday at Houston. He has almost fully healed from a sprained right big toe that has forced him to miss nine consecutive games and 14 of 15. He recently had small metal plates inserted into his right shoe to aid his return and lessen pain due to the injury."
Andrei Kirilenko comes through
March 15
The Deseret News
 
"Jazz center Al Jefferson said there is a tangible difference between Andrei Kirilenko and AK47 after Utah's 112-107 overtime victory over Philadelphia on Monday night. All that was missing in overtime was the Mohawk. Kirilenko got Utah's offense going with a 3-pointer to open the overtime period. He later followed a Jefferson miss with a dunk, and then iced the victory with two free throws with 18.5 seconds left in the game. Kirilenko finished with 16 points. "When AK47 is out there playing, it's hard for us to lose," Jefferson said. "AK47 is better than Andrei Kirilenko. AK47 is the All-Star we all know and love. Tonight he was AK47." Kirilenko was actually Kirilenko, at least"
Andrei Kirilenko misses last-second opportunity
March 4
The Deseret News
 
"The Utah Jazz came oh-so-close to pulling off one of their crazier comeback victories of the season. But an unfathomable last-second rally and a chance at overtime slipped away from the Jazz at the buzzer when the basketball squirted out of Andrei Kirilenko's hands after he made a crafty steal with 1.2 seconds remaining with Utah down two. Even so, Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin believes his struggling but improving squad — a team that has lost seven straight at home and 17 of 22 overall — can take a big lesson out of their disappointing 103-101 defeat to the Denver Nuggets."
Andrei Kirilenko feels snakebitten
February 16
The Deseret News
 
"Andrei Kirilenko is starting to feel a little snakebitten. Kirilenko was seemingly on his way to having one of his best games of the season against the Phoenix Suns last Friday. In 14 minutes, he had eight points on 3-for-3 shooting, five rebounds and two assists. Then he badly sprained his right ankle, and hasn't played since. "I don't know, it's like a jinx to me," Kirilenko said. "Every time I start playing well something happens." After sitting out against the Suns on Tuesday, Kirilenko has missed six games this season because of injuries. He had a lower back strain in late December, and sprained his left ankle earlier this month. He played in three games before hurting his other ankle"
Kirilenko won't play against Phoenix
February 14
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"The Jazz will be shorthanded Tuesday night, when they try to get new coach Tyrone Corbin his first win in a game at Phoenx. Forward Andrei Kirilenko did not participate in practice on Monday morning. He will travel with the team but won't play against the Suns, according to Jazz spokesman Jonathan Rinehart. Kirilenko left Friday's 91-86 loss to Phoenix at EnergySolutions Arena with an ankle injury. He had eight points, five rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes."
More hurt players adding to Jazz woes
February 13
The Deseret News
 
"Taking over for a legendary coach after an unexpected midseason resignation seems difficult enough on its own. Injuries are adding an extra degree of difficulty for Ty Corbin. Already shorthanded, the Utah Jazz finished Friday night's loss even more undermanned after Andrei Kirilenko sprained his right ankle and left the game in the first half. X-rays came back negative, but Kirilenko was unable to participate in the first Corbin-led practice Saturday. Listed as day-to-day, it's uncertain whether or not the starting small forward — who recently missed a week due to a sprained left ankle — will be available come Tuesday when the Jazz next play in Phoenix. The status of Raja Bell (strained"
Andrei Kirilenko could be back on the court real soon
February 6
The Deseret News
 
"Andrei Kirilenko couldn't keep from smiling while he talked about his injury situation before Saturday night's game. Obviously, there's nothing particularly funny about an ankle sprain that's now kept him out of the past three games. But Kirilenko can't wait to get back onto the court, and his giddiness reflected his belief that that is about to happen soon. As in Monday at Sacramento. Not that anybody was counting, but Kirilenko used the word "excited" three times in 49 seconds while talking about his hopes of returning against the Kings. The Jazz's usual starting small forward is no longer wearing a walking boot, and he took his ankle for a test run Saturday. He wasn't quite healed"
Aching Jazz suffer pain of loss to the Rockets
February 3
The Deseret News
 
"It won't show up on the Utah Jazz's official — and very full — injury report. But there was no doubt that the Jazz's broken hearts ached more Wednesday night than all of the sore and injured body parts — Deron Williams' wrist, Andrei Kirilenko's ankle and Mehmet Okur's back — that forced them to play shorthanded Wednesday night. Their 97-96 defeat to the Houston Rockets stung more than any setback the Jazz have suffered this season. The dejection was thick in the locker room moments after C.J. Miles' last-second would-be winner bounced off the rim, handing Utah its eighth loss in 10 games. "It's definitely tough on your home floor," Miles said in an unusually somber postgame atmosphere."
Jazz's Williams, Millsap and Kirilenko nursing injuries, don't practice Tuesday
February 2
The Deseret News
 
"The holiday season has been over for a month now, and crunch time for tax season is a couple of months away. In the NBA, it's currently toll season for players' bodies. With 49 games behind them and the All-Star break still two weeks away, Utah Jazz guys are feeling it after being on the go and taking blows without much time off since early October. That was a common explanation of why four Jazz players were unavailable for Tuesday's practice due to various injuries. Deron Williams (wrist), Paul Millsap (pinkie) and Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) each received treatment at the team's training facility but did not practice. And Mehmet Okur (back) was not in attendance. With those four players all"
Jerry Sloan gives Andrei Kirilenko another crack in starting 5
January 27
The Deseret News
 
"His team doesn't play baseball, but Jerry Sloan is borrowing a common practice from America's pastime. The Jazz manager has adopted an unofficial starting rotation. Sloan, continuing to search for answers during the team's season-worst slump, returned to his ace small forward, Andrei Kirilenko, to start Wednesday's game against San Antonio. AK-47's return to the first five comes a night after C.J. Miles started against the Lakers, and that came a game after rookie Gordon Hayward got the tipoff call at the 3 spot on Saturday. The Jazz lost both games. "I put Andrei in because we still haven't been rebounding any more," Sloan said. "And I feel like we were still winning some games before we"
Despite speculation, Andrei Kirilenko wants to stay in Utah
January 20
The Deseret News
 
"Even though he passed the test, took the oath and did everything else required to become a U.S. citizen, Andrei Kirilenko did not undo one important fact about his life. He remains a Russian. It so happens, the New Jersey Nets' new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, hails from the old USSR, too. With the two important Russian figures converging in the same spot at the same time Wednesday, it's no wonder a new rumor emerged linking the NBA futures of Kirilenko and Prokhorov's Brooklyn-bound Nets. At different junctures in the day, both guys declined to comment about any and all gossip about that. Kirilenko also reiterated his hopes of re-signing with Utah, too. "First of all, you know we can't"
AK shoots down Nets rumor
January 20
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov stole the show Wednesday, declaring that New Jersey was immediately backing away from and discarding a proposed trade for Denver's Carmelo Anthony. But while Prokhorov made the most noise, Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko was forced to make his own contributions to a day at the Prudential Center dominated by national trade news and speculation. Kirilenko dismissed a report that the Nets would be interested in him once he becomes a free agent this summer as a simple rumor. He said that he has not had any recent contact with Prokhorov, adding that Utah is still his first choice after his contract expires. Kirilenko is set to make $17.8 million this season, which is"
Backup plan for Nets is AK 47
January 19
New York Daily News
 (scroll down)
"If the Nets fail in their bid to get Anthony, the kind of superstar Prokhorov wants playing in Brooklyn, Net fans might get to see their future small forward, anyway. The Jazz's Andrei Kirilenko is a free agent this summer and knows Prokhorov well enough that the two have dinner in Russia when Kirilenko goes home every summer. According to Nets sources, Kirilenko is on the team's radar as a potential player and front-office official."
Kirilenko enjoying newfound freedoms
January 17
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Andrei Kirilenko waited a decade to arrive at this point in his life. Now, he is indulging in the freedoms that his new world presents. The Russian-born Jazz forward recently became a United States citizen. And after enduring preseason trade rumors that linked his name with Denver's Carmelo Anthony, the 10th-year player who has spent his entire NBA career wearing a Utah uniform is at the midway point of his final year under contract with the Jazz. "I've never been in this position. I've never been a free agent," Kirilenko, 29, said. "I've never been free, had free time to decide. It's going to be a new experience for me. I'll see how it goes, what I have." He added: "A lot of things depend"
Lockout could send AK packing
January 13
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko plans to return to his native country if the NBA locks out its players when the collective bargaining agreement expires June 30. Kirilenko initially said during the early part of the 2010-11 season that he would consider playing in Russia if a lockout occurred. But he acknowledged at the time that he would have to weigh his health and long-term future with a desire to return to his homeland. However, the 10-year Jazzman said Wednesday prior to tipoff against the New York Knicks that there is no question he will cross the globe to play basketball if the NBA has a widely predicted work stoppage. "If lockout happens, I will definitely go back to Russia and play"
Andrei Kirilenko becomes U.S. citizen
January 12
The Deseret News
 
"Not even his head coach knew that Andrei Kirilenko became a United States citizen Monday afternoon. The 10-year Utah Jazz veteran had kept it quiet from Jerry Sloan and all except a few teammates and didn't want to make a big deal about it, although he was proud to talk about it with the media before Jazz practice Tuesday morning. Kirilenko and his wife, Masha, both took the citizenship tests and were sworn in as American citizens at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office, just off the freeway at 5300 South. Their two sons are already citizens, having been born in the United States, and they have a young daughter, adopted from Russia, who will be a citizen someday, according"
Kirilenko rediscovers his touch following back injury
January 5
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"In the minutes before Tuesday morning's practice, Andrei Kirilenko isolated himself to a corner basket, shooting jumpers with Jeff Hornacek. His stroke looked smooth. Confident. Like every shot was meant to go in. Kind of like his performance in Monday night's win over the Detroit Pistons. It was Kirilenko's second game back for the Utah Jazz after missing time with a balky back. And it went much better than his return on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. "I felt much better," Kirilenko said. "I was much stronger and I was able to get a flow. It was a good game for me." And good for the Jazz as well. Against the Pistons, Kirilenko scored 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He made all four"
Blazers, Jazz both missing players
December 31
The Deseret News
 
"Injuries and player absences were the major themes of the night Thursday at the Rose Garden. And that was the case for both the shorthanded Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers, who found out that star Brandon Roy will be out indefinitely with a left knee injury. Various elements sidelined three Jazz players, with Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur both missing this one due to strained lower backs and C.J. Miles sitting it out because of the flu. It was the second game in a row Utah was forced to play without Kirilenko and Miles, who'd each played in every game of the season before Wednesday. Okur didn't play after getting injured during the 103-95 win at the Los Angeles Clippers the"
AK misses first game of year
December 30
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko made it through 31 games. After showing up for training camp in improved shape and playing a key role in Utah's early season success, the often-injured 10-year veteran was forced to miss his first contest of the season Wednesday night against the Clippers due to a lower back strain. Kirilenko suffered the injury Monday during the second quarter of a loss to Portland. While he is able to walk freely, Kirilenko is unable to bend or jump without pain. He estimated that he will be out 1-2 days, acknowledging that playing Saturday versus Memphis is more likely than taking the court tonight versus the Blazers."
Sloan pleased with Kirilenko in starter's role
November 18
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Twelve games into a new season, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan is pleased with veteran forward Andrei Kirilenko's production in a starter's role. Kirilenko has started all 12 of Utah's contests, and is averaging 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists. In addition, he is shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 50 percent behind the 3-point line and 80.4 percent at the free-throw line. "He gives us another guy that can make a play," said Sloan, prior to the Jazz's 98-88 home win over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night. "That's the bottom line." Statistics aside, Sloan has been impressed by Kirilenko's focus, energy and execution. The 10th-year player has taken a lead role in Utah's offense,"
Andrei Kirilenko finds his groove in win
November 7
The Deseret News
 
"It perhaps isn't coincidence that when Andrei Kirilenko has scored in double digits this season, the Jazz are 3-1. Or that when he doesn't, they're 0-2. Saturday night was one when Utah's starting small forward hit his mark, scoring 18 in a 109-107 double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers at EnergySolutions Arena. "It really helps the team," Kirilenko said, "to get those extra almost-20 points." However they may come, which in Saturday's case was more so on the perimeter than inside. "All of my shots have been midrange and 3s," he said. "You know, I'm not trying to be concentrated on those shots. But it just goes from what the game gives you. I've been open a couple times, just"
Jazz home opener: ESA a welcome sight for AK
October 29
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Home sweet home? It didn't do the Jazz much good on Thursday night, but it certainly helped Andrei Kirilenko. After struggling in Utah's season opener at Denver, Kirilenko got things together in the Jazz's 110-94 loss to Phoenix at EnergySolutions Arena. Kirilenko finished with 19 points, including 15 in the second half, and four assists. The Jazz's veteran forward had a much bigger impact against the Suns than he did in Denver, where in 19 minutes he finished with two points, three rebounds and three assists. Beyond those numbers, Kirilenko was 0-for-4 from the field and committed four turnovers, or one every 4.8 minutes. In the locker room before the loss to Phoenix, Kirilenko shook his"
Andrei Kirilenko could start, C.J. Miles may be sixth man
October 19
The Deseret News
 
"Now that the most unsettled situation evidently has an answer, it seems — barring injury, or change of mind — Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has settled on a starting lineup. Sloan on Monday indicated he likes Andrei Kirilenko opening at small forward and swingman C.J. Miles coming off the bench. Both, Sloan said, have "played pretty well" so far this preseason. "I'll probably stay that way for a while, see how it goes," he said. That means Kirilenko would join point guard Deron Williams, shooting guard Raja Bell, power forward Paul Millsap and center Al Jefferson at the start of Utah's Oct. 27 NBA regular season opener at Denver. Kirilenko opened 35 of his 58 games last season, mostly came off"
AK trade rumors dead for now
September 30
The Deseret News
 
"A proposed trade that seemed quite robust just last Friday was dying on the vine by Tuesday night, leaving Andrei Kirilenko — who would be in Denver by now had the rumored deal come to fruition — to wonder Wednesday what all the fuss has been about. Moreover, it allowed him to savor the reality of being the rarity he is — an NBA player headed into his 10th season who has never played for any team besides the one that drafted him. "I like that," Kirilenko said. "You know, I'm a pretty loyal guy. I like to play on the same team a long time." And he has. If Kirilenko still is with the club when its 2010-11 regular season opens Oct. 27 at Denver, he will join John Stockton (19 seasons), Karl"
New-look Andrei Kirilenko fields questions
September 28
The Deseret News
 
"Sporting a hairdo that makes him look like Scooby Doo's best buddy, Shaggy, is something new for Andrei Kirilenko. Dealing with rumors that he'll be sent packing, however, is something the coiffure-changing small forward has previously experienced during his nine-year NBA career with the Utah Jazz. So while acknowledging that he's aware of the reported blockbuster trade that would send him to Denver, Kirilenko didn't act fazed about the hot topic at Jazz media day. Been there, heard a version of that. "Look, for the last the 10 years there's so many rumors around me (saying) I can end up on any team in NBA," Kirilenko said. "But I'm still a Jazz man." And, for the record, he's as happy as"
Andrei Kirilenko, once the future, may soon be past
September 26
The Deseret News
 columnist Randy Hollis
"Once upon a time, it appeared that Andrei Kirilenko was the future of the Utah Jazz franchise. Of course, those days have been gone for a long time, as Kirilenko's leading-man status steadily diminished to that of a solid but unspectacular role player with the addition of Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and others to the Jazz lineup. Long gone are the days when Kirilenko was the go-to guy, often the first or second option in Utah's offense. And now, it looks like AK may be gone, too, if a rumored four-team trade goes through as planned. Kirilenko and his bloated $17.8 million, final-year contract, which has been hanging around the neck of the Jazz payroll in a salary cap"
Nuggets' dealing Carmelo Anthony hits a snag
September 26
Denver Post
 
"When the weekend began, it seemed a matter of when — not if — the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony would be traded to the New Jersey Nets in a four-way deal. But Saturday, the discussions slowed considerably, according to a league source, as Denver mulled its potential acquisitions of Derrick Favors, Andrei Kirilenko and a draft pick. Asked if the deal was dead, the league source said, "You never can call it dead, but nothing is imminent." The Nuggets had previously considered dealing Anthony to Chicago, but a source had previously said Denver wouldn't do the deal unless it involved Joakim Noah (which it didn't) and that Denver wasn't too enthusiastic about Luol Deng and his hefty contract. Unless"
Nuggets continue to weigh Anthony options
September 26
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The final significant hurdle for a blockbuster four-team trade that would send Carmelo Anthony to the New Jersey Nets hinges on the NBA All-Star forward's willingness to agree to a contract extension with the Nets – and Anthony was progressing toward acceptance of that scenario, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. League sources told Yahoo! Sports on Saturday there's some disagreement in the Nuggets organization about whether to take the present package for Anthony, or wait and try to get something better. Sources say the Nuggets were hoping the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls would re-emerge with offers over the weekend that included Blake Griffin and Joakim Noah, respectively, but"
Teams involved in 'serious discussions' regarding possible Kirilenko trade
September 25
The Deseret News
 
"Whether Andrei Kirilenko stays in Utah or plays in Denver this season apparently teeters on "The Decision: Part II." A league source confirmed to the Deseret News on Friday that "serious discussions" were ongoing to pull off a widely reported four-team trade, which would include the Jazz shipping AK-47 to the Nuggets and Utah receiving Charlotte forward Boris Diaw and New Jersey swingman Quinton Ross. Per the source and multiple reports, the blockbuster hinges on Carmelo Anthony's decision to be traded from the Nuggets to the Nets. As of late Friday night, nothing had been finalized, and CBSSports.com reported that two NBA executives "dismissed" a New York Daily News report claiming"
Timing of A.K. trade is not OK
September 25
Salt Lake Tribune
 columnist Kurt Kragthorpe
"During his nine seasons with the Jazz, Andrei Kirilenko has become known as a dynamic, refreshing and versatile player. And now the former cornerstone is the franchise albatross. Well, not A.K. the person, just his contract, which explains why his time here may end soon. Kirilenko apparently will be traded to Denver in a four-team deal that I can understand, but can't endorse. Not now, not there, not with Boris Diaw and Quinton Ross as the only things in return, other than partial relief from the $17.8 million Kirilenko is owed this season. While it is true that the Jazz won a playoff series with Kirilenko sidelined last spring, they did not beat a Denver team that included Kirilenko."
Jazz's Kirilenko involved in potential four-team trade, sources say
September 25
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"The Utah Jazz are involved in a potential four-team trade that would send forward Andrei Kirilenko to Denver in return for Charlotte forward Boris Diaw, multiple sources told The Salt Lake Tribune on Friday. Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor would not comment when asked about the deal. Denver forward Carmelo Anthony is at the center of the trade, which ESPN first reported. But Anthony - who has declined a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nuggets - must first agree to sign an extension with New Jersey for the deal to go through, a league source said. However, the proposal has moved past the preliminary stage and has "serious legs." "This is real and it could very well happen,""
Nets moving closer to deal for Anthony
September 24
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The New Jersey Nets are working feverishly to acquire All-Star Carmelo Anthony and are in the construction stage of a complicated, multi-team trade, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Nothing is imminent in the next 24 hours, but Denver and New Jersey are having ongoing discussions centered on No. 3 overall pick Derrick Favors and future first-round picks going back to the Nuggets. The proposed trade also would involve the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Bobcats. Under the proposal, league sources said the Nets would also send point guard Devin Harris to the Bobcats, who would move forward Boris Diaw to the Jazz, who send forward Andrei Kirilenko to the Nuggets to complete what one front-office"
Sources: Anthony part of four-team trade talks
September 24
ESPN.com
 
"The Denver Nuggets are having serious discussions about a four-way trade that would land Carmelo Anthony with the New Jersey Nets, according to sources with knowledge of the negotiations. The proposed deal, sources said, also would involve the Utah Jazz and the Charlotte Bobcats. It would deliver Nets rookie forward Derrick Favors, Jazz veteran Andrei Kirilenko and multiple first-round picks to Denver in exchange for their franchise player, potentially bringing a resolution to Anthony's uncertain future before the Nuggets hold their first practice of the new season. Sources told ESPN.com that the deal, which has yet to be finalized, also would send former All-Star point guard Devin Harris"