While it may seem like leaving a ton of money on the table, Andrei Kirklenko is doing the same thing as many other free agents, opting out of their contracts in hope of securing a more long term deal. Read more after the jump.
32-year-old Kirilenko has opted out of the last year of his deal (worth $10.2 million) and will become an unrestricted free agent, reports Jerry Zgoda at the Star-Tribune. Kirilenko can re-sign with the Timberwolves or any other team.
Kirilenko is seeking a three- or four-year extension because he believes this might be the last chance to negotiate the last big contract of his career.
You can bet Flip Saunders won’t offer anything more than two years, and at a salary considerably less than $10 million.
Kirilenko averaged 12.4 points on 50.7 percent shooting plus had 5.7 rebounds a game for the Timberwolves last season playing primarily at the three. After spending the post-lockout season playing for CSKA Moscow, he returned to the NBA and continued to be a good performer with moments of impressive play.
If as expected he leaves Minnesota, just drafted Shabazz Muhammad could get some of Kirilenko’s minutes.
How much will teams pay for that in the new CBA with all the new taxes? Kirilenko is an interesting test of what teams will pay in the new CBA world, and for how long.
He will not be in the first wave of free agents picked up but there will be teams interested.
