The man known as AK-47 was one of many NBA players to ball abroad during the NBA lockout. However, unlike many players, Kirilenko remained abroad.
Playing for CSKA Moscow, Kirilenko earned the 2012 Euroleague MVP award averaging 14.1 points, 7.5 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game. The Russian has made it clear that he enjoys playing at home, but has expressed interest in returning to the Association in 2012. Kirilenko is under contract with CSKA Moscow through 2014, but his agent has said Kirilenko has a “small” buyout.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly interested in clearing salary cap space to sign Kirilenko. According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, the Wolves are considering a three-team trade to do just that. The deal would send small forward Wesley Johnson and a Minnesota first-round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix would send center Robin Lopez and power forward Hakim Warrick to the New Orleans Hornets. New Orleans would send center Brad Miller to Phoenix.
The trade would leave Minnesota with enough cap space to sign Kirilenko to $9 million a year. That signing would be significant.
Kirilenko would match well with power forward Kevin Love and young point guard Ricky Rubio. With center Nikola Pekovic and possibly Chase Budinger at shooting guard, the Timberwolves would roll out a respectable (and possibly all white) starting lineup.
Kirilenko averages 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.4 steals per game in his career. AK-47 does a little bit of everything well. According to Fangraphs, his closest comparison is four-time All-Star Tom Chambers. In his best season, 2003-2004, he sported an impressive 11.6 WS (win share- an estimate of the number of wins contributed by a player).
The addition of Kirilenko would not help the Timberwolves depth but would give them three small forwards capable of filling a stat sheet with Budinger and second-year man Derrick Williams.
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