Utah Jazz: Andrei Kirilenko in waiting mode for next career move

As a spokesman for CSKA Moscow said regarding negotiations: "We haven't quite figured out how to make this a positive for both sides. Our arena capacity (CSKA Universal Sports Hall) is only 5,000 so we can't really rely on just ticket sales to fund a deal. We need other resources."

That's an area where Spartak may have the upper hand.

Gazprom — a national Russian natural resources company — finances Spartak and has deep pockets to perhaps offer Kirilinko a lucrative deal, despite Kirilenko saying his decision to play in Russia is less about money and more about being close to his family.

"Numbers in my contract do not matter for me. Furthermore I've made a decision — whatever I earn during the lockout I'll spend on charity purposes," Kirilenko confessed.

Kirilenko has said he wants to give the Jazz priority in free-agent negotiations, but his next career move depends if and when NBA owners and the players union can walk away from the negotiation table pleased with a new collective bargaining agreement.

Training camp is scheduled to start on Oct. 1, but time is wasting.

Until then, the 2011-12 NBA season remains in jeopardy as players like Kirilenko continue to ponder overseas moves. He just happens to be torn between remaining loyal to Utah, exploring his options on the open market, and heading back home to play in Russia.

Kirilenko has no choice but to wait and see where his basketball will land.