Andrei Kirilenko in today's NBA

[DelAbbot]

AK47 in his peak years of 22-24 had averaged close to 16 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assits, 1.7 steals and 3.0 blocks, on 46% fg 32% three (despite numerous injuries).



Put up some monstrous stat lines



A dominant defender who can guard 1-5

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Had Andrei Kirilenko not suffered those injuries and developed as the main guy (Boozer forced AK47 to play SF instead of his natural PF position), he could have reached All-NBA level back in the mid 2000's.

So the question is how good (top 10 player of NBA?) and valuable (contract?) would Andrei Kirilenko be in today's NBA where coaches value 1-5 switchable on defense and multi-faceted offense like he provides?

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[Yoshun]

AK-47 One of my favorite players to watch. He would be even more fun in today's NBA.

I remember scrambling to get him on my fantasy team every year.

[nate33]

I think AK-47 was a bit overrated in his day, but he was still a pretty good player. He wasn't really that great of an on-ball defender, but he was a menace off ball. And he was a better passer than most guys his size.

The current rules definitely favor a guy with his skillset with the emphasis on team defense and ball movement on offense. He'd be even better today than he was in his era. The only issue is that he was a bad shooter who never figured out the 3-ball. He might hurt spacing on offense, unless he could play a lot of smallball 5.

[chilluminati]

I could definitely see him being a very impactful 2nd option as a stretch 4 whose main job is a defender. I think the closest comp to him today is something like Jonathan Isaac with a more complete offensive game. In today's NBA Maybe mix of Kristaps with a whole lot of Bridges/Tucker in terms of defensive hustle and switchability.

A bad team or a team that's trying to build would most likely max him (at the high end, a Rudy Gobert contract).
A good team that would use him correctly as a 2nd option and defensive anchor, I imagine he'd at the very VERY least make a Duncan Robinson contract.

[Texas Chuck]

I think AK-47 was a bit overrated in his day, but he was still a pretty good player. He wasn't really that great of an on-ball defender, but he was a menace off ball. And he was a better passer than most guys his size.

The current rules definitely favor a guy with his skillset with the emphasis on team defense and ball movement on offense. He'd be even better today than he was in his era. The only issue is that he was a bad shooter who never figured out the 3-ball. He might hurt spacing on offense, unless he could play a lot of smallball 5.

I think he probably would settle in as a guy who started at PF but played as many minutes as a smallball 5 as anything. And with the rise of stretch 5's and his ability to be a rim runner and secondary playmaker I don't think he'd be an offensive liability. And in a PNR league his defense would be extremely valuable.

[Lockdown504090]

He would be doing what giannis does on defense. but he has better hands and they would keep him healthy. He antoine walker and Shawn marion are the guys who would love to watch in todays nba that did a lot to shape the 4 position today

[mcmurphy]

I always thought that if Kirilenko had been 5 years older (and therefore had been drafted 5 years earlier by Utah), Stockton and Malone would have 2 more rings and MJ 2 fewer rings.

[Capn'O]

I could definitely see him being a very impactful 2nd option as a stretch 4 whose main job is a defender. I think the closest comp to him today is something like Jonathan Isaac with a more complete offensive game. In today's NBA Maybe mix of Kristaps with a whole lot of Bridges/Tucker in terms of defensive hustle and switchability.

A bad team or a team that's trying to build would most likely max him (at the high end, a Rudy Gobert contract).
A good team that would use him correctly as a 2nd option and defensive anchor, I imagine he'd at the very VERY least make a Duncan Robinson contract.

Isaac is a direct comp for sure. Very unfortunate he hasn't been able to play much.

[devilsadvocate9]

He was fun in nba2k back in the day, my friends hated when I used him, I'd get so many steals blocks and dunks. If you simmed in franchise mode back then he would win some DPOY awards
He was drafted in 1999, but stayed in Russia for a few years. If he was 5 years younger, the 1998 Jazz would've won 70+ games
That 2004 season is so underrated, he took a team that was predicted to be the worst of all time to a 42-40 record, and missed the playoffs by 1 game. That roster was so bad
And you asked about his contract, he already signed to a max contract back then before his injury, and that ended up hurting the jazz to have a max contract as a 4th option in his later years

[Domejandro]

An underrated aspect of his game is that he was a brilliant passer and good ball handler, for someone his size.

[EliteSmarts]

The fact he was Russian and became good player in the NBA is wild. Basketball is not popular at all at Russia so I wonder how he got into the sport and then how he even develop his talent as I'm sure Russia didn't have many Basketball facilities, camps, games back in the 90s etc lmao

[Sgt Major]

The fact he was Russian and became good player in the NBA is wild. Basketball is not popular at all at Russia so I wonder how he got into the sport and then how he even develop his talent as I'm sure Russia didn't have many Basketball facilities, camps, games back in the 90s etc lmao

Huh? You should google Russian basketball. In '98 they played in the World Cup finals in Athens (lost to Yugoslavia), beat Spain in EC in 2007, CSKA is a multiple Euroleague winner and regular F4 participant and Soviet basketball history is huuuuge. Basketball is not unpopular there.

[Flash Falcon X]

If AK47 was on the 2007 We Believe Warriors we would have gotten a glimpse of how he'd be in today's NBA. Nellie would have had him play as a stretch 4/5 and make full use of his defense versatility.

[UcanUwill]

One of those players who would really be better today (I hate when Bill Simmons and others clueless people think of past guy who could shoot from 3, and with no intelligence proclaim they would be better today by default). play PF/C role as poor mans Giannis, not waste as perimeter forward watching Boozer clog the paint.

[og15]

I could definitely see him being a very impactful 2nd option as a stretch 4 whose main job is a defender. I think the closest comp to him today is something like Jonathan Isaac with a more complete offensive game. In today's NBA Maybe mix of Kristaps with a whole lot of Bridges/Tucker in terms of defensive hustle and switchability.

A bad team or a team that's trying to build would most likely max him (at the high end, a Rudy Gobert contract).
A good team that would use him correctly as a 2nd option and defensive anchor, I imagine he'd at the very VERY least make a Duncan Robinson contract.

AK is not the type of guy to be a second option, he's a guy that is best suited as a 3rd option or lower.

He definitely would be a bit more sought after now and used as a 4/5. He was always better at the 4, but the Jazz paired Boozer next to him.

His problem will remain the same, outside of outside shooting which can be hid at the 4/5, health will be the problem. With his body and also how he played, health will probably still be an issue for him.

[jazz1232dc]

This thread warms my heart. Massive AK fan.

[Vae Victus]

It's been so long since i saw AK-47 play.

How does his prime comp with Prime Draymond?

[tarantism]

AK-47 as a switchy small ball big who could move the ball on the short roll and at least keep the defense honest from deep is super intriguing. He'd definitely have a role in the modern NBA but probably as a bench guy or spot starter.

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[Duke4life831]

A great example of a player that played 15 years too soon. Here is a quick breakdown on how I view how is game would be in today's game.

Defense:
AK's biggest strength. I think his defense would be even better in today's NBA. Prime AK47 was basically right in the middle of the slow grind it out power game of the early 2000s. Versatility and off ball impact was less important back then. That was much more of slow it down and grind it out era. Even then he was still a stud defender.

But AK's biggest asset as a defender was his versatility and his off ball impact. He was a really good on ball defender, but he was a freak off ball defender. Also he was an athletic 6'9 wing with a 7'4 wingspan. His defensive versatility was off the charts and would be a perfect fit in today's NBA. A healthy AK47 would be a perennial lock on the All Defense 1st team.

Offense:
Not the greatest shooter, but a versatile player. He was a capable scorer inside the arc and he had a pretty underrated passing game. I think in today's ball movement and perimeter oriented era, teams would be much better at using his versatility on the offensive end.

I honestly think if he was playing in today's NBA, he would be viewed like Draymond Green (probably a better version in my opinion). I think AK47 would have a very similar role as what we see Draymond currently have. I think his game of ultra versatility and elite defense would be viewed even better in today's game than back in the early 2000s.

[Duke4life831]

An underrated aspect of his game is that he was a brilliant passer and good ball handler, for someone his size.

Yup. And that would've been utilized much more in today's NBA compared to back when he played.