Kyle Korver Swapped for Gordan Giricek

by Marcel Mutoni

The Philly Sixers and Utah Jazz exchanged sharp-shooters over the weekend: Gordan Giricek is now a Sixer, while Kyle Korver joins the Jazz.

Giricek’s time in Utah was done anyway; you don’t get on Jerry Sloan’s bad side and expect to stay on the team. Gordan knew it, too:

Giricek said he wasn’t surprised by the trade because he had asked for the move.

“I loved the city, but somehow I couldn’t find a right spot with the team,” he said. “The only thing I asked always is to be respected as a man. Not as a basketball player, just as a man. And I didn’t feel that was so.”

The deal works out beautifully for both teams: Philly gets a good shooter (with an expiring contract; the deal will end up saving the ballclub about $15 million), and Utah rids itself of one headache and acquires a guy – despite his early season struggles – with the capacity to stretch the defense.