Fake Trades / Rumored Signings

From Simmons‘ latest:

Fake Trade 12: Martin/Thomas to Utah for Andrei Kirilenko (expires in 2011), Kyle Korver’s EC, $3 million (not a problem because Utah still saves $3.2 million with the difference in salaries, plus another $3.2 million in luxury-tax money) and the rights to New York’s unprotected first-round pick in 2010.

(Hold on, we have to wait a few seconds for every Knicks fan to stop shaking his or her head. Just a few more seconds. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. And … we’re good.)

I love this trade. For one thing, a Martin-Deron Williams backcourt would be loads of fun (shades of Utah teaming Hornacek and Stockton back in the day). Utah gets damned close to being under the luxury tax. Sacramento gets a gigantic expiring contract for next season (Kirilenko’s $17.8 million), another scrappy, balls-to-the-wall guy (Kirilenko again), an official “this is your team” announcement to Evans AND a lottery ticket for the John Wall Sweepstakes.

So do you do it? The Jazz do have a history of picking up guys who always seem to give them fits. I have to admit I wouldn’t mind watching that backcourt.

In other news, the Jazz are shopping for another point guard to fill out the roster. Naturally, the Jazz are taking a look at Dontell Jefferson of the Utah Flash. Jefferson played college ball at Arkansas with Ronnie Brewer, the Flash run the Jazz playbook, etc. So it was really no surprise to see Jazz GM Kevin O’Connor in Boise last night attending the Flash-Stampede game.

But what about all the other names out there? I wouldn’t mind another round of the Dee Brown Era. You may recall that the Jazz went to the Western Conference Finals with Brown backing up the point. His detractors point out the low PER, etc. but I don’t think Brown’s value is necessarily on the court. He brings the kind of team leadership and vision that this Jazz team doesn’t seem to have.