Insider Special: Jazz Camp

[Weez]

Kirilenko a max guy?

By Chad Ford

NBA Insider

Five observations from Jazz training camp, based on an Oct 15-16 visit:

The talks between the Jazz and Andrei Kirilenko's representative Marc Fleisher on a new contract have gotten tough over the past week. Kirilenko has become increasingly frustrated that the two sides have been unable to reach a deal on a six-year extension.

Both sides agree it has begun to affect the 23-year-old All-Star in camp.

"I'm angry," Kirilenko said. "I just want to earn what I believe I'm worth. It bothers me, because I want to be very important player on this team. If not, it's OK. It won't affect me."

The Jazz feel they have made an offer that should make Kirilenko feel important. While they won't comment publicly on the contract negotiations, league sources claim the team offered Kirilenko a six-year deal for a little more than $70 million. Not only is that more money than any other player on the Jazz makes, it's also the biggest contract the franchise has ever given out.

THE HOT SPOTS

ESPN.com takes you to 10 "Hot Spots" during NBA training camp:

Oct. 11: Los Angeles Lakers

Stein: Loss of pressure

Inside Lakers camp

Oct. 12: Charlotte Bobcats

Ford: Who are these 'Cats?

Inside Bobcats camp

Oct. 13: Cleveland Cavaliers

Stein: Playoffs or bust

Inside Cavaliers camp

Oct. 14: Detroit Pistons

Ford: Firing on all cylinders

Inside Pistons camp

Oct. 15: Dallas Mavericks

Stein: Nellie's best defense

Inside Mavericks camp

Oct. 18: Utah Jazz

Ford: A different tune in Utah

Inside Jazz camp

Kirilenko's agent believes the Jazz aren't offering enough. He thinks Kirilenko should be earning the same contract Memphis gave Pau Gasol, a max six-year, $86 million deal.

"Andrei believes he's a max player," Fleisher said. "He believes that if you look at the other players out there like Gasol who have gotten those contracts, he's in that league. When you look at everything Andrei brings to the table, his age and his unselfishness, I think he's exactly what a max player should be."

The Jazz and Fleisher continue to negotiate and have until Oct. 31 to work out a deal.

Financially, if they aren't going to get a discount for resigning Kirilenko now, the Jazz are better off waiting until next summer. That's when the current collective bargaining agreement ends, and both teams and agents agree the new rules likely will be less favorable for players. Factor in the Jazz will own Kirilenko's restricted free agent rights, and the Jazz have very little to lose. Or do they?

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan is worried the whole process is increasingly distracting for Kirilenko.

"Andrei has, quite frankly, struggled a bit the last few days," Sloan said. "He's got a lot on his mind. He's struggled in practice. We were hoping to get those things squared away, so we could go about our business, or forget about it so that we can just play."

Sloan, however, has not been pressuring the Jazz to offer more money. He loves his young forward but believes he still has a long way to go before he reaches the superstar status he's asking to be paid at.

"Who is Andrei?" Sloan asked. "An All-Star? They have to pick somebody. He's still got a lot of work to do."

Both the team and Kirilenko also are worried about a backlash from the fans. Kirilenko has taken some heat in the local media once word leaked out that the contract he was turning down was for more money than either John Stockton or Karl Malone ever made in one contract. While the realty is Malone actually made more money per year on a shorter contract than what the Jazz are offering, the perception among loyal Jazz fans sticks, and Kirilenko's popularity has taken a hit.

Don't be surprised if both sides give a little as we get closer to the deadline. The Jazz are willing to offer more money, and Kirilenko sounds like he really would like the long-term security now. A compromise in the six-year, $80 million range or an agreement by Kirilenko to take some deferred money – if he does get the max – might do the trick.

Possible scenarios: Kirilenko walks away with max or near max dollars, or the Jazz get him locked up at a small discount, an important concession for a small-market team that doesn't have the same cash flow of Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley.

Will Harpring come off the bench?

Harpring

One of the dilemmas Sloan faces with his newfound depth is working Matt Harpring back into the starting lineup. Last year, Harpring was seen as the go-to-guy before going down with a season-ending injury.

Now he's back, healthy and, by all accounts, playing great basketball again.

"I feel really good," Harpring said after going through drills and an extra 30 minutes after practice. "I'm excited to be back on the court. It's been a long time."

But is there a place for him in the starting five? His ideal position is small forward, where he started the last two seasons in Utah. But with the addition of Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, the Jazz's lone All-Star, Kirilenko, is likely to start at small forward, meaning Harpring likely will have to come off the bench.

Harpring also can play some two but struggles a little bit defensively at that position. Moreover, Gordan Giricek has had a strong camp, and Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor believes he has nailed down the starting two-guard position.

Maybe.

When I talked to Jerry Sloan about it, he seemed justifiably torn about the whole thing and even suggested it might be Harpring who earns the starting nod over Kirilenko.

"Matt has looked as good as anyone I have in here," Sloan said. "So am I supposed to not let him play? Matt came in here to compete for a job regardless of who is in that position. That's what we have to deal with. We have to do what's best for our team."

For the record, Harpring claims he's fine coming off the bench or starting. He knows that at the end of games however, Sloan will be looking for veteran leadership, and Harpring has that.

"The good thing is we have a young core that we're going to be able to keep together for a long time," Harpring said. "The bad thing is that sometimes you want experience, especially late in the game. You look at all good teams and they have some experience. Most of our games are going to come down to the last five minutes of the game. Can we protect our leads, control the tempo of the game and execute? I think those are things I can help with."

Arroyo poised for a breakout year?

Coach Sloan's evaluations of players are usually brutally truthful, with the emphasis on brutal. So it shocked us when he deviated a little from the fire-and-brimstone routine to offer this little nugget on his point guard Carlos Arroyo: "Carlos looks very good," Sloan said. "He's much better than he was a year ago. He's in better shape. He's more confident. It's always fun to watch that with players.

"Some guys try to take the short route and they get out of shape so they can't play very well. That's my biggest concern with some of the guys in this camp. He came ready to compete, and I think he's capable of having a big year."

Arroyo sure looked the part in practices Friday and Saturday. He's in great shape and seems to have improved his lateral quickness. He's also playing with a newfound confidence after a solid first-year performance for the Jazz and a terrific run in the Olympics.

"Every time you play at such a high level it helps your game and confidence," Arroyo said. "I kind of understand now how Jerry approaches training camp, so I played all summer getting ready. I didn't want to get yelled at for not being in shape."

With Mo Williams now off the team and backup Raul Lopez, who split minutes with Arroyo last season, hobbling around on a sore leg, this team, for the first time, is all Arroyo's.

His teammates believe he can handle the pressure.

"He's looked great," Harpring said. "You can see the confidence level, and that's so important on a young team. If your point guard knows what he's doing and believes in it, it makes things easier for everyone."

New Kids on the Block

Carlos Boozer averaged a double-double (15.5/11.4) for the Cavs last season.

A lot has been made about the Jazz's two newest additions, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. How are they fitting into the system?

"We're just a little big bigger than we were last year, but I'm not sure how we'll compete being bigger," Sloan said. "It's going to change the way we use Andrei and how Carlos [Arroyo] runs the team. We're still trying to figure that out."

Sloan's evaluation of both players, early on, has been tempered.

"Boozer's done OK," Sloan said. "He's trying to find his way. You're talking about a guy who is still trying to figure out what we're doing, and when that happens you don't look too good."

He was less enthusiastic with Okur, who showed up in just so-so shape (his body fat was at 14 percent) and has struggled with injuries.

"We haven't seen a lot of him. He's missed some days of practice, and his conditioning isn't good, so I don't really know what we'll get."

Boozer and Okur are both happy to be getting the tough love.

"Jerry's got a proven track record of getting the most out of his players," Boozer said. "He's a tough guy, and you have to be a tough guy to play for him. He's a competitor, and he expects you to compete. I think it's a great fit for me."

Okur agrees. "Coach pushes you to do your best. I needed that. I'm just happy to have a chance to play and help my team. Whatever he wants I'm going to do."

As for the rookies, don't expect much this season. Kris Humphries is a little ahead of Kirk Snyder right now because of the depth in the Jazz backcourt, but neither is expected to get significant time on this team.

"They're young, like everyone else, but they're a little further behind," Sloan said. "I don't know what to expect, really, until I see them in a real game. We're willing to be patient."

International Men of Mystery

With the new makeup of the Jazz this season, they look a lot like an international dream team.

Four of their projected starters (Giricek, Okur, Kirilenko and Arroyo) were born outside the continental U.S. Add in backup point guard Lopez, and the Jazz have as much international flavor as any team in the league.

Was that a deliberate move on GM Kevin O'Connor's part?

"I don't think so," O'Connor said. "We just look for basketball players who are good fits in Jerry's system. We also aren't drafting real high, and we're also watching what we spend. So we're looking for guys who, for whatever reason, slip through the cracks a little bit. But I don't think we're trying to build an international team."

Regardless of the intention, his international players are happy with the atmosphere it's created.

"I like it," Kirilenko said. "It makes me comfortable. People bring things to this team that I value and am familiar with."

"Definitely, they appreciate the skills some international players have," Giricek said. "That didn't happen with the two other clubs that I was at. So it is a situation I think the right player can flourish in if you are willing to work hard. I think we all are, and that's why it works."

With the success of international teams against NBA players, maybe the Jazz are on to something.

"We have a lot of international players, but basketball is an international sport," said Boozer, who learned that firsthand this summer playing for Team USA. "The great thing about our international players is that they work hard, and everybody knows how to play. It's the best of both worlds. We have a great mix. These guys will help us out. We learned that from the Olympics."

"Maybe that's the way to build a team," Kirilenko said. "I think it will help us, especially in this system. We are used to a coach who demands perfection, and that is coach Sloan."

Still, don't get ahead of yourselves, Euroleague fans. While the team maybe stocked with international players, it doesn't mean the Jazz are going to be playing the international game.

"Maybe we add some European flavor, but we are playing coach Sloan's system," Giricek said. "It isn't a European system. We play his way."

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

[Packfill]

In the age of pampered prima donna athletes, you have to love Jerry Sloan. I think Woodson has a little of that old school attitude as well, which I think will benefit the Hawks.