Okur expresses his support for Kirilenko

Andrei Kirilenko has at least one Utah Jazz teammate who isn't upset by his recent trade demands. Jazz center Mehmet Okur, who calls himself "a very good friend" of Kirilenko's, has shown his support for both his disgruntled fellow European star and the Jazz organization.

"I believe that people have to respect (Kirilenko's) opinion that the Utah system no longer is a good fit for him," Okur said on his official Web site, www.memo13.com.

"I think the fact that he has said that he would agree to rework his contract shows his determination. Andrei is a very important player that has been an All-Star. However, sometimes the system might not fit the player and vice versa."

Kirilenko, in both a personal blog post and in an interview with a Russian newspaper, said last week that he no longer wants to play for the Jazz and, more specifically, veteran coach Jerry Sloan. He said he would like a trade to another NBA team or would even consider giving up the final four years of his contract, worth $63 million, in order to stay and play in his native Russia or elsewhere in Europe.

Jazz point guard Deron Williams wasn't nearly as understanding as Okur. Williams, in fact, had some harsh words concerning Kirilenko's work ethic in a radio interview on Friday.

"If he's coming off a screen on one side and Matt (Harpring) is coming off a screen on one side, who do you think you're going to pass to?" Williams said in an interview on 1280 The Zone. "You think you are going to pass to the guy you see working every day in the gym or are you going to pass to the guy who never works on his shot but yet wants to shoot 'em every time?"

Okur, meanwhile, hopes that things will work out "in the interests of all parties involved." He made sure to point out that he is not unhappy with the Jazz's system.

"After I came to Utah, in coach Jerry Sloan's system, I grew and developed as a player," Okur said. "I became an All-Star in this system. When I go back and look over the last three seasons, each season has been different from the previous one and I had to make some adjustments."

Okur, however, understands that Kirilenko sees things differently.