A possible way to get Kirilenko more post-up opportunities is to have center Okur, a long-distance shooting big man, play more out of the 3 (small forward) spot when the two are on the floor together, and perhaps have Boozer occasionally pop out to the perimeter as well.

"We may end up playing (Kirilenko) more at 4 — and maybe Memo (Okur) a little bit at 3," said Johnson, adding one of the Jazz's goals is to have each of its players proficient at a position other than their primary one.

Williams, in fact, said he thinks Kirilenko is at his best when he's playing out of the power forward position.

Yet it won't be easy to get him as much time there as he might like.

One reason: the current makeup of the Jazz roster.

"We've got a pretty good power forward," Williams said with reference to 2006-07 NBA All-Star Boozer, "so it's tough."

Another is that playing power forward in the NBA comes with matchup problems not necessarily experienced in the European game.

"The talent level is down from what we do," Johnson said, "and the players aren't as big and strong."

Even the less-than-burly Kirilenko concedes as much.

"It's different size-wise in NBA (compared to) Europe," he said Tuesday, one day after dodging questions regarding his unhappiness playing for Sloan and his offseason trade request. "In Europe, you can play 4 and it's not really a big issue. In NBA, guys playing 4 are like (European) 5s — big guys, centers, strong guys."

As for precisely where, and how, he prefers to be used, Kirilenko wasn't biting again Tuesday.

"I don't know," he said. "I'm not the coach. I think it's more coach job to put in the right position."

Sloan isn't shedding much light on the subject this week either, but others were willing to discuss the possibilities.

"I've seen him be very effective in his position as a small forward — but he's so versatile he can play any position Coach puts him in," Collins said.

"It all depends on the game," Harpring added. "Matchups are huge. So, you can't say, 'He's better at the 4,' 'He's better at the 3,' 'He's better at the 2.' Different teams (present) different matchups."

The Jazz's ever-evolving offense also could prove advantageous.

"We're more up-and-down now," reserve guard C.J. Miles said. "We still run sets, but we're more athletic, and I think that's better for (Kirilenko). So I think this year will be a lot easier, because (last season) we were in the middle of that transition, and now we kind of found the way we want to play."