Nets could save $13M with Kirilenko trade, unlikely to happen before Dec. 15

Andrei Kirilenko isn't long for the Brooklyn Nets roster.

While it's become clear that the Russian will eventually be removed from the Nets, the timing and details of such a move remain murky. Kirilenko has fallen out of the rotation and left the team for undisclosed personal reasons, but the team has more incentive to try and trade him than just release him.

They've discussed a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to a report from Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York. In that scenario, the 76ers would take on the salaries of Kirilenko and fellow Russian Sergey Karasev, and the Nets would compensate them with a draft pick. The 76ers would then waive Kirilenko and his $3.3-million salary, leaving him free to sign with a team of his choosing.

The move would make sense for both sides - Philadelphia gets a pick to absorb Kirilenko's salary into their ample cap space, and Brooklyn saves an estimated $13 million in salary and luxury tax payments - but a deal may not happen until Dec. 15. After that date, players who were acquired in the offseason can be traded, making deals far easier to construct.

In the meantime, it's unclear if Kirilenko's weekend leave will continue or if he'll rejoin the team. While it sounds as if there's a chance he could work his way back into minutes, it could be a long climb back to steady playing time.

"It's just life," head coach Lionel Hollins said on Friday. "I go with what's out there and who is getting the job done. There's times where certain other guys have fallen back and earned their trust back, but it's basketball."

Originally signed to a two-year, $6.5-million deal last offseason, Kirilenko was expected to be a useful and versatile veteran presence for the Nets. The deal was actually thought to be so team-friendly that the NBA briefly investigated whether there was a side deal between Kirilenko and Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

Obviously, things haven't worked out as planned, with the former All-Star playing just 36 minutes so far on the season.