The (Under)Valued Game of Andrei Kirilenko

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.

The Big Guy

Kyle Korver to Portland?

Et tu, Kyle? The grapevine whispers that Chicago Bulls shooting guard Kyle “Hot Sauce” Korver will be shipped to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a three team deal also including the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The heat of the deal lies in Nicolas Batum’s talents. The 23-year-old Frenchman is highly valued by the Timberwolves and Batum has expressed interest in becoming Kevin Love’s teammate. The restricted free agent is also valued by Portland, his team of four years.

The proposed trade would send two future Minnesota first-round draft picks to Portland as well as Kyle Korver. Minnesota would land Batum, who averaged career highs in points, rebounds, blocks and steals last season. The 6’8″ swingman is a legitimate talent who appears to be on the cusp of very goodness.

Chicago would pick up a Minnesota second-round pick. The move, if made, would follow the offseason approach of salary cap cutting by the Bulls.

While it will hurt to see Korver go, Chicago fans could do themselves a favor by realizing now that next year will not be a year to remember. Hot Sauce made $5 million last year and will likely land offers over his free agency this offseason that Chicago can not match due to needs at center and shooting guard and the Vampire Squid that is Carlos Boozer’s contract.

Next season will be largely Roseless. Chicago appears to be taking a long-term approach to their building process around Derrick Rose. Even if the Bulls were to return the Bench Mob and maintain last year’s roster, they would not have been able to contend with the Miami Heat as we know them. The Bulls will likely return to contention around the same time the Chicago Cubs will. For all you non-baseball fans out there, that means 2014 at the earliest.

The Big Guy