The best Russian basketball player is traded to Philadelphia

NBA

The most famous Russian basketball player Andrei Kirilenko will continue his career in an outsider club
Photo: Jeffrey Phelps, AP

The best Russian basketball player of this century, Andrei Kirilenko, is changing from one NBA club to another. From the Brooklyn Nets, owned by Mikhail Prokhorov, he moves to Philadelphia, for which his former Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Alexey Shved plays.

The news about the exchange of Andrei Kirilenko yesterday became one of the most discussed on American basketball Internet resources. It was not officially announced, but sources from ESPN and even the NBA website informed that such a message would appear in the near future. According to them, “Brooklyn” is giving Kirilenko to “Philadelphia” for basketball player Brandon Davis, as well as for the choice of the partner club in the deal in the second round of the 2020 draft.

On the one hand, Andrei Kirilenko's departure from the Nets is a surprise. Since 2010, this club has been owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, and his acquisition of Kirilenko in 2013 seemed like a logical step. In the end, he is, by far, the best player - in fact, the symbol of domestic basketball of the current century. Since 2001, Andrei Kirilenko (with a short break during the recent lockout, which he spent in CSKA Moscow) has been playing in the NBA. And in the strongest league in the world he became a real superstar. In the Utah Jazz, where Kirilenko spent the first ten years of his career, he was one of the leaders, earned an invitation to the league's All-Star Game, and was included in its symbolic teams of the strongest basketball players in playing defense. The Russian was also useful in Minnesota, where he played after returning to America from CSKA before leaving for Brooklyn.

On the other hand, it’s also not difficult to guess why the Brooklynites decided to make such a trade. At the start of the season, the return from the veteran Kirilenko, who is 33 years old, was minimal. He appeared in just seven of the Nets' 20 regular-season games, usually only for a few minutes. The last time he appeared on the floor was in mid-November, that is, a month ago. American sources claim that in addition to his physical form, Kirilenko was hampered by “problems in his personal life.”

The Brooklyn Nets are improving their financial situation by giving him away. Andrei Kirilenko had a relatively small salary (just over $3 million per year). But in reality, Brooklyn is saving much more by saying goodbye to him. The fact is that, with a payroll exceeding $100 million, this club is forced to pay a record luxury tax to the league for significantly exceeding the salary cap, calculated on a progressive scale (it became known in the summer that it would be about $90 million). For every “extra” dollar spent on the salary of its basketball player, “Brooklyn” actually gives away three more. Thus, by trading Andrei Kirilenko, he can free up approximately $12 million.

“Philadelphia” in his person is acquiring a veteran who, perhaps its leaders think, will help with his experience to unite the club, which started the season extremely unsuccessfully (it now has only two victories). In addition, Alexey Shved, a young and gifted compatriot of Andrei Kirilenko, plays for the Philadelphians. Moreover, he is one of the key figures in the team.

The season before last, these two basketball players already played together for Minnesota. The presence of Kirilenko allowed the debutant Shved to quickly adapt to the NBA, and the Russian tandem generally looked very bright in many matches.

Alexey Dospehov

NBA regular season

"Charlotte" - "Boston" 96:87. "Indiana" - "Clippers" 96:103. "Orlando" - "Washington" 89:91. "Atlanta" - "Philadelphia" 95:79 ( Swedish ("Philadelphia") 13 points). "Chicago" - "Brooklyn" 105:80 ( Karasev ("Brooklyn") 6 points). "Minnesota" - "Portland" 90:82. "San Antonio" - "New York" 109:95. "Dallas" - "New Orleans" 112:107. “Denver” – “Miami” 102:82 ( Mozgov (“Denver”) 9 points, 10 rebounds). “Golden State” – “Houston” 105:93.

Tournament table

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
	AND	IN	P	% wins
1. Toronto	22	16	6	72.7
2. Brooklyn	20	8	12	40.0
3. Boston	20	7	13	35.0
4. New York	24	4	20	16.7
5. Philadelphia	21	2	19	0.95
Central Division
1. Cleveland	20	13	7	65.0
2. Chicago	21	13	8	61.9
3. Milwaukee	23	eleven	12	47.8
4. Indiana	22	7	15	31.8
5. Detroit	22	3	19	13.6
Southeast Division
1. Washington	21	15	6	71.4
2. Atlanta	21	15	6	71.4
3. Miami	22	10	12	45.5
4. Orlando	24	9	15	37.5
5. Charlotte	21	6	15	28.9
Western Conference
Northwestern Division
	AND	IN	P	% wins
1. Portland	22	17	5	77.3
2. Denver	22	10	12	45.5
3. Oklahoma	21	8	13	38.1
4. Utah	22	6	16	27.3
5. Minnesota	21	5	16	23.8
Pacific Division
1. Golden State	21	19	2	90.5
2. Los Angeles Clippers	21	16	5	76.2
3. Phoenix	23	12	eleven	52
4. Sacramento	22	eleven	eleven	50.0
5. Los Angeles Lakers	22	6	16	27.3
Southwest Division
1. Memphis	21	17	4	81.0
2. Houston	21	16	5	76.2
3. San Antonio	22	16	6	72.7
4. Dallas	24	17	7	70.8
5. New Orleans	21	10	eleven	47.6

Andrei Kirilenko was released from Brooklyn