NBA writer Peter Vecsey broke the news first today on Twitter, and it was soon confirmed that the Brooklyn Nets have bagged another excellent player by landing Andrei Kirilenko for substantially less than what he would have made if he opted-in for another year in Minnesota. Flip Saunders has to be pissed.
This just in: Nets have signed. Kirilenko for mini mid-level, 3.1M per
— Peter Vecsey (@PeterVecsey1) July 11, 2013
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Stefan Body of the New York Daily News, confirmed the report:
A league source confirms the Nets have agreed to terms with Andrei Kirilenko. Wow!
— Stefan Bondy (@NYDNInterNets) July 11, 2013
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Since it’s the Nets who signed Kirilenko, and they’re already over $100 million in payroll for next season, they were only able to offer AK47 the taxpayers mini mid-level exception, which is only worth around $3.1 million this season.
Kirilenko has signed a two-year deal for MLE. Second year is player option, according to source.
— Stefan Bondy (@NYDNInterNets) July 11, 2013
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The second year of the deal is a player option as Bondy mentions, just like his deal was in Minnesota, which he opted out of earlier this offseason. Kirilenko would have made over $10 million this year with the ‘Wolves if he’d elected to stay.
The spurning of all that cash in Minnesota only to sign for substantially less in Brooklyn has already raised some eyebrows among the league’s executives. Brooklyn’s Russian oligrach owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, is considered the nefarious catalyst for the deal since they’re both from Russia. We’re not sure if this is a Cold War conspiracy, but it’s certainly got the feeling of one.
Regardless, the Nets have just netted another excellent role player to go along with their revamped lineup featuring their other big new additions, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, as well as mainstays from last season, Brook Lopez, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson.
It’s now your move, New York Knicks.
How good are the Nets going to be next year?
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