VS.
I think the general reaction to a trade by most fans from what I have seen is usually looked at from both a homer and perception level. What I mean by this is that when there is a deal involving your team, especially a good player on your team, almost no trades are good enough due to someone being a homer and also the stigma that surrounds that player. This stigma is what gets people into the All-Star game every year despite the fact that someone else played better. For Suns fans, Shawn is a consecutive All-Star while AK47 is a crier that had a down season last year. To truly analyze a trade though, you need to break the players down from their salary to their personality to fully understand if the trade is either good or bad. Let's look at Shawn and Andrei.
Offense:
Both players are fast and explosive and excel on the break and slashing to the basket. Neither of them really has a J to speak of but Shawn hits from the line at a pretty good clip. Andrei is the better ball handler and passer while Shawn struggles to create his own shot for himself and others. This is close to a wash but I give the slight edge to..
Winner
AK47
Defense:
Both of these players can be a nightmare on D due to their length and athleticism. Andrei isn't far behind Shawn in steals but the Matrix is consistently in the top five in this category. As far as blocks, AK47 may be the best weak-side shot blocker in the game. The game is the living embodiment of Mr. Fantastic and he does a fantastic job off the ball anticipating. I've always felt Shawn is overrated in man-to-man defense but he is quicker laterally and does a little better job with perimeter coverage. This is really tough but when healthy, AK47 is a defensive player of the year candidate.
Winner
AK47
Rebounding:
This is a contest that Andrei can't win. Shawn is one of the best rebounding small forwards in the history of the NBA and his quick leaping ability makes him a terror on the glass.
Winner
The Matrix
Health:
This is another no contest as of right now. While Shawn has more years and minutes on his 29 year old body, Andrei has been more injury prone thus far in his career. Shawn is truly an iron man but at 26, Andrei could greatly improve this perception of him.
Winner
The Matrix
Salary:
Shawn is the more expensive player right now and he is coming up on an extension in his contract. While he may feel that he is still worth maximum dollars, his playoff performances and lack of growth in his game offer a different visual. AK47 is a little bit cheaper and if he can put up comparable numbers to two years ago, is worth the money due to the difference he makes on the defensive side of the ball.
Winner
AK47
Chemistry:
Before this past season, I had not heard a peep about Kirilenko. He seemed like a tough player that just played hard every night. With his lack of minutes and move from the four to the three, the frustration grew and there was an obvious rift between he and Sloan. Shawn has supposedly had issues with being third fiddle on the Suns for years and has openly questioned whether or not he would be appreciated elsewhere. In both cases, there is obvious tension between these players and their teams.
Winner:
Tie
Looking at all these scenarios, it's apparent that when healthy, Andrei Kirilenko provides better defense and offense while Shawn is a better rebounder and is more durable. The Suns have a reliable player but they have glaring holes on their interior with a lack of shot blocking and there are also those whispers about chemistry problems. In the end, I would take the risk on Kirilenko and play him at the four again and watch the numbers pile up while he runs beside Steve Nash. People are too easily forgotten and at 26, there is still a lot of potential for AK47 to find.
