Ya'lls Opinion

[nanoclarkology]

This is on the front page. Which I am sure some of you have read. However if you were the Jazz or the Bulls would you do this trade?

Bulls working to trade Ben Wallace
Jazz may be willing trade partner, want out of Kirilenko's contract

Sam Smith | On Pro Basketball
12:35 AM CST, February 10, 2008

SALT LAKE CITY
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The Bulls, starting Tuesday against the New Orleans Hornets, have two home games left before the NBA trading deadline. Will they be the last two for Ben Wallace in a Bulls uniform?

It has been no secret around the NBA the Bulls have engaged in exploratory trade talks regarding Wallace in recent weeks, most notably with the Lakers before they acquired Pau Gasol. There also have been rumors of talks with the Knicks, though perhaps the most intriguing match is with the Utah Jazz.

Would the Jazz take the 34-year-old Wallace, and his hefty contract, for Andrei Kirilenko?


On the surface, it would seem unlikely. Kirilenko is far more productive and younger (27 this month). But, as we saw with the Gasol and Shaquille O'Neal deals, there are many other factors in NBA trades than just talent.

A big one for the Jazz is the length and amount of Kirilenko's contract, which goes one more season (three) than Wallace's and is at $17.8 million for that final year. Trading Kirilenko for Wallace would save the Jazz $21 million as Kirilenko is paid more annually than Wallace.

The small-market Jazz has to be a budget-conscious franchise, but it also has bigger issues on the horizon.

The Jazz has star point guard Deron Williams eligible for an extension this summer, and then Carlos Boozer before the end of Kirilenko's deal. It already has talked openly of paying Williams the maximum.

Kirilenko asked for a trade before the season, and though he hasn't been a problem, he hasn't rescinded his request. Plus, Kirilenko plays out of position with the Jazz at small forward.

Though just off a 10-game winning streak before beating the Bulls here Saturday night, the Jazz remains one of the poorest rebounding teams in the league, 21st overall, 27th in defensive rebounding and 24th in blocks.

Asked by reporters about a trade, Kirilenko hardly said he would like to stay.

"It's not that I want to be traded, but I'm ready to be," he said. "Anybody in this league, they understand that position. Nobody wants to be traded. We're playing good. And I want to be part of it. But, again, it's a business

[Arles]

I'd do it in a heartbeat if I were the Bulls. I think Wallace is washed up and setting up a frontline of Deng, Kirilenko and Noah could make Chicago the Suns of the east. I think the Jazz get worse in this deal as Wallace offers little over Boozer at this stage in his career (on both sides).

[rsavaj]

Terrible trade for Utah. They're doing well now, why mess up a good thing?