83%, AK is the weakest link

[bigmike]

I think AK's value as a player is highly variable. If you're playing him at the 4 spot, I think he's fantastic - I still believe he's the best 4-man on the team, even though we've now acquired Jefferson, who I view as a 5.

At this point, considering we have both Millsap and Jefferson under contract for the next 3 seasons, I think we should move AK at the trade deadline. If there were more minutes available for Andrei at the 4, I would prefer keeping him and re-signing him at a much lesser cost ($7-8M per, as mentioned earlier in this thread). But a $17M expiring contract is a HUGE trading chip. With the line-up as is, I see us right at 4-5 in the West at worst by the trade deadline. I really think we could move AK for a stud wing or a shot-blocking 5 from a struggling team with a big contract that they want to move.

The more I think about it, the more I think that we could become true WC. We might not get past LA, but I think if we make a smart AK trade at the deadline to get a real stud wing, we could be right there. WCF at the worst.

 

[The Ghost of Blue Edwards]

If the Jazz are going to win the championship in the next 3 years, AK will be a contributing factor. Without him, the Jazz take a good two steps back, sort of like the way it was with Mark Eaton.

 

[The Thriller]

If the Jazz are going to win the championship in the next 3 years, AK will be a contributing factor. Without him, the Jazz take a good two steps back, sort of like the way it was with Mark Eaton.

Over the past 3 seasons AK has averaged only 1.3 blocks per game.

He's far from being the defensive player that some of you remember him being.

We'll need to add another defensive player or two in the next 3 years to take his spot and solidify other positions if we ever hope to win a championship. AK47 of 7 years ago could have been a key player for a championship team. Not anymore. Too old, broken, and quite honestly, doesn't have the same energy/desire defensively as he once had.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Nobody is willing to trade a stud guard or a shot blocking center for AK. That is the problem. And even if a team did do that. It would most likely be a bad contract. Meaning we would be in the luxury tax next year also. So its not a viable option. We either keep him or we trade him for nothing.

Might be viable at the deadline. Good players are traded all the time. The two teams with the biggest chips are Utah (AK) and LA (Dalembert). Maybe we get a good SG if we're willing to also assume one bad contract.

 

[Stickler]

LOL.

I want to know which stretch of last season AK47 was our best player? Was it when he was 150 pounds heavier with full and total muscles with a .000009 % body fat percentage and a bench press max double that of Malone? I love it how some fans just cannot get off the AK47 drug. Where did those fantastic muscles go? I never saw them last year. Obviously, they didn't make a difference as I saw the same weak arms failing AK47 trying to get bailed out by the refs from one of his patented out of control drives. We all saw the same old injured AK. We saw him average career lows in blocks. So where did the wittle muscles help him?

With Boozer and Deron on this team, AK47 never was our best player. There were times he wasn't even as good as Korver or Wesley.

Perhaps some of you were watching a different season or something. But AK47 NEVER was our best player last year.

For the money, AK47 is one of the worst players in the league.

Which makes him 100 % ours, since we cannot unload him. As long as he's with the team, I hope plays and at least contributes something defensively (which he hasn't done in years). I could care less about offense, since he's never been a very good offensive player. But defensively, I really hope he stops crying about his lack of touches and gets back to averaging 2-3 blocks per game.

Of course, he'll probably get injured or cry before he does that ever again. And the same 2-3 people on this board will make excuses for him.

First of all, I haven't heard anyone making excuses for him. Secondly, you're not talking about 2-3 people. You're talking about something I said. Me. 1 person. Just come straight, if you're talking to me, talk to me. You can dispense with the strawmen. I didn't see anybody in this thread talking about half the stuff you mentioned. Muscles? Who are you even talking to, in this thread? I mentioned a specific stretch of games in which AK played very well. Am I wrong? Did he not play well during that period of time?

I don't really understand the irrational hatred for AK. He hasn't been perfect, but he's played well for us at times, and last year he had a pretty good season. It's odd -- during the season, when it was actually occurring, we had many conversations on JazzFanz about how well AK was playing. To say he was having a good season last year and a positive impact on the team when the season was ongoing would have been a very uncontroversial statement.

I have no idea why this simple acknowledgment results in so much bellyaching now.

 

[vj_74]

It is about time AK's durability or lack thereof is brought to the fore. Boozer got bashed every time he went down but atleast Booz didnt miss a single playoffs for the Jazz. He was there in all of them.
Not that when AK was healthy he was an automatic contributor either. We won in 2007 playoffs against Houston despite his antics.

 

[vj_74]

Does he miss the most games of all our players? .

Now that Booz is not here, the answer is yes. Amongst the top 5 or 6 options the Jazz have, AK is the least durable.
Deron, Millsap, Okur,Miles have all been more durable than him. And even with Boozer, he has'nt missed a single playoffs yet for the Jazz, unlike AK

 

[SaltyDawg]

Now that Booz is not here, the answer is yes. Amongst the top 5 or 6 options the Jazz have, AK is the least durable.
Deron, Millsap, Okur,Miles have all been more durable than him. And even with Boozer, he has'nt missed a single playoffs yet for the Jazz, unlike AK

It should also be noted that last year Boozer and AK had the same injury. Boozer missed like 2 games, AK missed like 2 months.

 

[vj_74]

I didn't realize we were talking about AK's value relative to his contract. That's a whole different story. But let me ask you guys this: Can we trade him for someone who is better? Is that feasible or possible? To me, it seems like it would not be. .

Not possible only because of his ridiculous contract. Not because there are'nt better small forwards around who can play well for the Jazz.

 

[billyshelby]

Not possible only because of his ridiculous contract. Not because there are'nt better small forwards around who can play well for the Jazz.

There's lots of small forwards around who can put up numbers like AK? Tell me how many small forwards you can find who put up these numbers.

Last season, amongst small forwards, per minute, AK was:

13th in scoring
18th in rebounding
5th in assists
1st in steals
1st in blocks (doubling the number two guy.)
7th in PER (just under Gerald Wallace, just ahead of Paul Pierce)

For sake of comparison, here are the PER numbers of Jazz wings:

AK: 18.25
Korver: 13.99
Mathews: 12.35
Brewer: 12.55
Miles: 10.84

 

[The Ghost of Blue Edwards]

Over the past 3 seasons AK has averaged only 1.3 blocks per game.

He's far from being the defensive player that some of you remember him being.

We'll need to add another defensive player or two in the next 3 years to take his spot and solidify other positions if we ever hope to win a championship. AK47 of 7 years ago could have been a key player for a championship team. Not anymore. Too old, broken, and quite honestly, doesn't have the same energy/desire defensively as he once had.

Yea, but he's a difference maker when he's playing with confidence- a big time difference maker. Maybe Ostertag is the better comparison because it's largely a confidence and assertiveness issue.

 

[The Ghost of Blue Edwards]

Might be viable at the deadline. Good players are traded all the time. The two teams with the biggest chips are Utah (AK) and LA (Dalembert). Maybe we get a good SG if we're willing to also assume one bad contract.

Not sure I like the idea of taking on any bad contracts. Especially with the flexibility gained with AK expiring and Okur the year after. Only if it's a piece that can truly put us with or over the Lakers would I do it.

 

[Jazz4ever]

If the Jazz plan on contending they cannot dump AK, its that simple. We have no MLE next year, and won't be that far from the cap which equals no flexibility to make any improvements by free agency. However, we do own AK's bird rights so can go over and still hold onto him for (hopefully) 6-8 million a year. Now Im all for getting talent in return for him in a trade, but dumping him makes no sense at all.

 

[bigmike]

Not sure I like the idea of taking on any bad contracts. Especially with the flexibility gained with AK expiring and Okur the year after. Only if it's a piece that can truly put us with or over the Lakers would I do it.

They're not always "bad contracts." A lot of the time, they're just relatively large contracts on teams who are going nowhere and want serious cap flexiblity to just blow it up and rebuild. Or, they're disgruntled stars who feel like they're wasting their careers away playing for bad teams.

There are definitely some players around the league who fit this description.

 

[Harcher]

The 20 game span when Jazz go 18-2 was becuase of AK. But not becuase he's the best player, just becuase when he stepped up the Jazz had 3 exccelent players instead of 2. And becuase of his inconsistency (due to injuries and whatever) he appeared to be the end-all. AK was playing very well all around. slashing, tip-outs, hitting his shots, playing D, all things. That's why Deron said his so vital - becuase he was/is to bring ANOTHER excellent player.

Thats the reason he's got such huge fans and huge detractors at same time becuase he is inconsistent. A year or two back he had a marvelous game against the Lakers. It was incredible to see his all around talents impact the game so much. But that is not an everygame (or 80% everygame) behavior. If it was, he'd be a max player...

 

[vj_74]

There's lots of small forwards around who can put up numbers like AK?

where did I say "lots"? I just said there are better small forwards around who can play well for the Jazz and most of them earn less than AK . A guy like Gerald Wallace plays better while getting paid HALF as much as AK. Heck, even Carmelo makes slightly less than AK.
And I could care less about per min stats or just about "numbers'. I like to look at the overall contribution per YEAR, rather. And the overall impact. What was AK's contribution in the playoffs these past few years? A guy can even play just 20 games in a season for about 25-30 mins a game and can have the most impressive per min stats but it would'nt matter if he cannot be durable nor help in the playoffs. I cant remember the last time AK was the series MVP or atleast crucial in a playoff series victory.

 

[freakazoid]

I mentioned a specific stretch of games in which AK played very well. Am I wrong? Did he not play well during that period of time?

The way I remember it, Utah went on a run right after Sloan put AK back into the starting line-up.

Sloan even made a comment to the effect that if he had been smarter, he would have had him there the whole time. AK definitely had an impact for us in the 2nd half of the season.

Some people have selective memories.

 

[NotDeadYet]

One comment; AK in fact did log significant minutes at PF last year. I'm betting most of those blocks and steals occured with him in the paint. A huge part of AK's game is his versatility. He's known as a shot blocker and offensive rebounder; all-round hustle player. The only thing he does particulariy well outside the paint is pass the ball. I'd much rather see him backing up Millsap at PF this year. With Big Al starting at C and Memo coming off the bench, I think we'd have a very good 1-2 punch!
With the changes that have already occured to our roster, I don't expect us to move AK unless a really good deal taps on KoC's door...

 

[candrew]

If the Jazz plan on contending they cannot dump AK, its that simple. We have no MLE next year, and won't be that far from the cap which equals no flexibility to make any improvements by free agency. However, we do own AK's bird rights so can go over and still hold onto him for (hopefully) 6-8 million a year. Now Im all for getting talent in return for him in a trade, but dumping him makes no sense at all.

Hey, someone making sense.

They signed AK to a max deal during the season when they could have waited.

They didn't trade him for Shawn Marion when offered.

They talked him into coming back to Utah when he essentially told the franchise screw you I'm going back to Russia.

Now, after all that, people around here think Utah is just going to dump his contract simply because it's expiring and may present some sort value to other teams.

People need to stop dreaming. Like it or not, this franchise has bent over backwards to keep AK, warts and all, in Utah. Unless The Jazz collapse next season you can bet he'll play out his contract just like they did with Boozer last year.

 

[carolinajazz]

It's apparant that AK's best days are behind him. I see no reason why we don't move him this year for either a stud 2 guard or a shot blocking 5.

...yeah, I'm sure there are a bunch of teams out there that would love to give us a stud 2 guard or a shot blocking 5 guy....for a player who's best days are behind him....with a ridiculous cap eating contract!!!