The Korver situation
If you're going to listen to the interview Kyle Korver did with a sports radio station in Des Moines, Iowa, last week, my advice would be not to focus on what was said in the middle, but what was said at the end.
I'm not sure what he was trying to say in talking about his free-agent future - - "There's a few teams that would probably be a pretty good fit for me that my agent will talk to and see how interested they are and if they would like to do something this summer," he said.
Further adding to the perception of wanting to leave Utah, Korver went on to talk about his interest in being a "complement" to one of the big names on the move in the summer of 2010, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh could be free agents.
But I think Korver's real intentions are better revealed when he talks about the projects he and his brother Klayton are working on in Utah. Klayton moved to Salt Lake City and lived with Korver last season after finishing his college career at Drake.
The two have started a T-shirt line - - Korver was wearing one of the first samples as the Jazz cleaned out their lockers last month - - that they intend to sell to raise money and broaden the work that Korver's foundation already has started.
They've also hired a general contractor and started a non-profit construction company to do repair work on houses for low-income families and single mothers.
It's not the typical interests of an NBA player, but then again Korver is not your typical NBA player.
He volunteered for a week at Mother Teresa's orphanage last summer in India and donated $1 million to his father's church in his hometown of Pella, Iowa. The work Korver does won't ever be featured in one of those NBA Cares promos.
He worked with a group of inner-city kids in Philadelphia before the trade to Utah and bought a fleet of vans for a Boys and Girls Club in a tough neighborhood in Omaha, Neb., where Korver played in college at Creighton.
He also was a supporter of the "Invisible Children" movement, which had a march in Salt Lake City last month during the playoffs. Korver wore an "Invisible Children" sweatshirt to Game 4 against the Lakers in the hopes of raising awareness.
It's only my opinion, but I am highly skeptical for all these reasons of Korver opting out to sign the biggest free-agent contract out there.
That's never struck me as what he's about. He regards the five-year, $22 million deal he signed in Philadelphia as blessing him with more money than he could ever need in life. His parents described his decision to buy a BMW as almost being a moral dilemma.
What he's looking for is a place where he is valued as a person in addition to a player, as well as a place where he can continue his mission in life.
It's why I think he'll be back with the Jazz next season, why his odds of opting out are much smaller than Carlos Boozer's or Mehmet Okur's.
As the Jazz headed into the off-season, Korver shared that he was planning to sell his house in Philadelphia and spend much of the summer in Utah. In that same radio interview, he talks about his two youngest brothers, Kaleb and Kirk, coming out to train with him. From a purely business standpoint, it seems like Korver is looking at signing the same contract as free agent this summer as next summer. As long as he's healthy, Korver's been a remarkable consistent player, a career 40 percent three-point shooter through six years.
In that case, why not play out the payoff year on his contract, in which Korver will make $5.2 million? And there might not be a place where Korver is more appreciated as a player - - not only by the front office or coaching staff, but by the community - - than in Utah.
He would only be 29 as a free agent next summer. No matter what decision he makes or what payday awaits, I would be shocked if Korver regards his next contract as any kind of measure of his value as a person and the work he has dedicated his life to doing.
--Ross Siler
I'm not sure what he was trying to say in talking about his free-agent future - - "There's a few teams that would probably be a pretty good fit for me that my agent will talk to and see how interested they are and if they would like to do something this summer," he said.
Further adding to the perception of wanting to leave Utah, Korver went on to talk about his interest in being a "complement" to one of the big names on the move in the summer of 2010, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh could be free agents.
But I think Korver's real intentions are better revealed when he talks about the projects he and his brother Klayton are working on in Utah. Klayton moved to Salt Lake City and lived with Korver last season after finishing his college career at Drake.
The two have started a T-shirt line - - Korver was wearing one of the first samples as the Jazz cleaned out their lockers last month - - that they intend to sell to raise money and broaden the work that Korver's foundation already has started.
They've also hired a general contractor and started a non-profit construction company to do repair work on houses for low-income families and single mothers.
It's not the typical interests of an NBA player, but then again Korver is not your typical NBA player.
He volunteered for a week at Mother Teresa's orphanage last summer in India and donated $1 million to his father's church in his hometown of Pella, Iowa. The work Korver does won't ever be featured in one of those NBA Cares promos.
He worked with a group of inner-city kids in Philadelphia before the trade to Utah and bought a fleet of vans for a Boys and Girls Club in a tough neighborhood in Omaha, Neb., where Korver played in college at Creighton.
He also was a supporter of the "Invisible Children" movement, which had a march in Salt Lake City last month during the playoffs. Korver wore an "Invisible Children" sweatshirt to Game 4 against the Lakers in the hopes of raising awareness.
It's only my opinion, but I am highly skeptical for all these reasons of Korver opting out to sign the biggest free-agent contract out there.
That's never struck me as what he's about. He regards the five-year, $22 million deal he signed in Philadelphia as blessing him with more money than he could ever need in life. His parents described his decision to buy a BMW as almost being a moral dilemma.
What he's looking for is a place where he is valued as a person in addition to a player, as well as a place where he can continue his mission in life.
It's why I think he'll be back with the Jazz next season, why his odds of opting out are much smaller than Carlos Boozer's or Mehmet Okur's.
As the Jazz headed into the off-season, Korver shared that he was planning to sell his house in Philadelphia and spend much of the summer in Utah. In that same radio interview, he talks about his two youngest brothers, Kaleb and Kirk, coming out to train with him. From a purely business standpoint, it seems like Korver is looking at signing the same contract as free agent this summer as next summer. As long as he's healthy, Korver's been a remarkable consistent player, a career 40 percent three-point shooter through six years.
In that case, why not play out the payoff year on his contract, in which Korver will make $5.2 million? And there might not be a place where Korver is more appreciated as a player - - not only by the front office or coaching staff, but by the community - - than in Utah.
He would only be 29 as a free agent next summer. No matter what decision he makes or what payday awaits, I would be shocked if Korver regards his next contract as any kind of measure of his value as a person and the work he has dedicated his life to doing.
--Ross Siler
12:30 PM
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2 Comments:
Well put Ross-
Let's hope Kyle actually feels the same way. After all the NBA is a business and it is his livelyhood.
I think he'd still be a good compliment to the Jazz's post up game and it seems that he has improved his defense since coming to Utah.
John Horsley
Hey, could the Jazz save some salary cap space by renegotiating his contract to make donations directly to his charities?
-Al
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