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Posted: 10:45 AM- Question:
I heard Richard Jefferson is available. Would the Jazz consider trading [Andrei] Kirilenko and a No. 1 pick for Jefferson? -- Steven
Answer:
According to realgm.com's trade checker, a Jefferson-for-Kirilenko trade is possible under NBA salary-cap guidelines. But I can't see the Jazz pulling the trigger on this trade. They certainly would not trade Kirilenko and a pick for Jefferson and I do not think the Jazz would make a straight-up Kirilenko for Jefferson trade.
Jefferson is a good player who is primarily a scorer.
Kirilenko is a unique player who does a variety of things for a team that already has quality scorers.
To me, that's the bottom line in discussing a one-for-one trade involving these players, who I consider fringe All-Stars.
Jefferson is a small forward who can also play shooting guard, and the Jazz have plenty of swing-types right now: Ronnie Brewer, C.J, Miles, Matt Harpring, Kyle Korver and even Morris Almond down in the D-League.
I'm not saying any of those players is better than Jefferson, but to give up Kirilenko for a player punched from the same mold as those guys would not necessarily help the Jazz.
The only way Utah would make a straight-up Kirilenko for Jefferson -- in my opinion -- is if A.K.'s unhappiness with coach Jerry Sloan again became an issue and it started to fracture the team. In that scenario, the Jazz would be more likely to trade Kirilenko and getting a player who duplicates the skills of several guys already on the Jazz's roster would not be a deal-breaker.