This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As everyone knows, Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko owns an expiring, $17.8 million contract.When I talked to him recently, however, Kirilenko vowed that he is focused on winning games this season, not whether he will be traded before the NBA's deadline in February or re-signed with the Jazz next summer."I have never been an individual player who is trying to establish himself as an individual player," Kirilenko said. "Since the beginning of my career, I go with the team and help my team win the game. "I think for the 10 years I've been here, we didn't make the playoffs, maybe, two years. And one time we were one win away, even without John [Stockton] and Karl [Malone]. "I will always try to stay that way on the floor. I don't want to be individual player who grabs the ball and says, 'Hey, get out of my way.' I'm going to be a guy who worries about the team."Unless the bottom falls out of their season or another team makes an offer that is too advantageous to turn down, I don't think the Jazz will trade Kirilenko. Like Carlos Boozer last year, I believe they want him to play well and help them win this season. Then, both sides can deal with his contract situation next summer (assuming there is not a lock-out).— Steve Luhm