So ESPN ran this story a couple days ago about players that are hated by their own teams.  Number 82?  Greg Ostertag.  Soon to be Utah’s #1?  Andrei Kirilenko.

According to this russian sports website, AK wants out.  In this story by the Trib (with translation), AK outlines some of his reasons as follows:

• “The past season was bad for me and I was really disappointed.”
• “I told him that I don’t see myself in the team and want to leave.”
• “I don’t want myself and my contract to be a burden for the club. I want the club to continue in its own direction.”
• “Right now, I feel that I’m not growing as a player,”
• “I’m trying but it doesn’t work. I am not allowed. I do not get support from the coach and from the club. I’m convinced that Sloan’s methods have a negative impact on me.”

Sorry Andrei, but as talented as you are and as much as you’ve been one of my favorite players, I’ve got to side with Sloan on this one.  He’s not here to make sure you don’t get your feelings hurt.  His job is to make sure the Jazz win.  And based on his record, he’s got to be doing something right.  This isn’t the Jr. Jazz.

No one is going to confuse Jerry with Stuart Smalley, but you’re not twelve.  You grew up in Russia.  You’re not weak.  I used to work summers on my uncle’s farm growing up.  He and Sloan could swap places and no one would notice.  Well, maybe that my uncle doesn’t know jack about basketball and he would have a Miller Lite in his hand at all times while roaming the sideline.  But my point is, I had the same kind of “coaching” from my uncle and I was probably better for it.  Have you ever thought that Sloan’s methods have made you what you are today?

Hmm, that wasn’t suppose to turn into a monologue.

Anyway, I think Jazz fans will be divided into two groups on his departure.  One will say good riddance and will boo lustily when he returns to the ESA.  The other will be as described by Pichi Campana Aguanta from an email I received from him:

The weird thing about it is that it seems like a lot of Jazz fans would be fine trading AK, if only to be able to watch him shine in a different environment. It would almost be a waste to have him languish under Jerry Sloan for the rest of his prime.

I have to say I’m firmly on the fence despite my rant above.  I don’t think AK will be like Shanden Anderson, Howard Eisley, and others that have left the Jazz system to find that the grass isn’t greener.  We found out that they became the players that they did because of Sloan’s system.  Kirilenko is much too talented for that.  Would he thrive in a system like PHX?  Absolutely.  And I’d be glad to see him succeed (as long as it wasn’t against the Jazz).  But on the other hand, I see a Kirilenko seems to have been emasculated when the Jazz brought on Boozer, Okur, and Williams.  He went from an AK-47 to a Red Rider.  His skills didn’t diminish, but mentally, he seemed to shrink into a corner.  He still could have been one of the go-to guys instead of playing fourth-string.  He could have used it as an opportunity to better himself.  Instead, he used it as an excuse.

So now with AK’s poor play last year and now his known desire to leave Utah, we might get a couple of expiring contracts for him.  He’s still a very valuable player as evidenced by his showing this summer in the FIBAs.  Which makes me even madder because we could have had that all last year.

I hope everything gets smoothed over and that he’s back with the Jazz playing well.  And not just because I need a couple more years out of him to justify my boy’s $40 AK jersey.  I shudder to think what our defense would be like without him.

And a parting thought, I wonder just how much Masha has to do with all of this.

To Keep or not to Keep
Kirilenko demands trade from Jazz
Andrei Kirilenko Asks the Jazz to Trade Him
Kirilenko- ‘Trade Me’
Speak Russian- Neither Does Jerry Sloan
AK-47 - I Want Out Of SLC (Punk)
Rockin’ the Boat
Kirilenko Demands Trade

It should be an interesting couple weeks leading up to training camp.