<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The quotes are as jarring as anything Karl Malone ever uttered, considering the source. Andrei Kirilenko ? the happy Russian ? is saying he's impatient, anxious, frustrated. He wants a contract extension before the end of the month. Malone made a hobby out of this sort of complaining. But Kirilenko? Nyet! The Jazz have 11 days to agree to terms with their star player or risk losing him as a restricted free agent next summer. Utah could match any outside offer he receives, but there's a catch ? another team may frontload a deal to make it difficult for the Jazz to do so. Could the Jazz lose Kirilenko? Considering the fact Carlos Boozer was once a restricted free agent . . . Which means the Jazz and Kirilenko should stop trying to stare one another down and come to an agreement. Now. Before it turns ugly. Is there something in the collective bargaining agreement that says contract negotiations have to be unseemly? At the moment, the sides are stalled. The Jazz are offering Kirilenko a six-year, approximately $76 million contract extension. Kirilenko and his agent are seeking the maximum $86 million deal.</div> Link
Who needs to compromise? After the extension Memphis gave Pau Gasol, Utah should be forking out whetever it takes to keep Kiri in a Utah Jazz uniform longterm.
I agree. The happy Russian is in control here. The Jazz need him not the other way around. There are alot of teams willing to pay him what he wants. Utah just better suck it up and give him his money.
Although it's bad business to always give into a stars' demands, here, the gap is relatively small, if it's just the money. Over the 6 year deal, $2 million dollars a year is two minimum salaries a year, or two rookie contracts a year. Team sales with AK will be better than team sales without AK and thus offset some of that cost. The only worry comes in with luxury taxes (which I think will not be carried over into the new CBA) and salary cap issues. These worries are insignificant compared to keeping such a promising, selfless (in game) player.
There is actually some benefit in not signing Kirilenko now, because Utah can match any offer given next season. The CBA may be altered, and waiting could save the Jazz a lot of money. But I don't like running that risk, Kirilenko wants to be re-signed, and he is our franchise player. I don't think what he is asking is unreasonable either, he is an All-Star after all.
