It was almost a quiet off-season for the Jazz. Sure there were moments of extreme interest such as the draft or the departure of Derek Fisher. But for the most part, the news coming off the NBA wire involved other teams, other players, or NBA officials. It was almost a quiet off-season, but somewhere on those slow news days, underneath the dissipating tension, a slow fuse was burning toward a very loud explosion. About two weeks ago it went off. Andre Kirilenko let the world know he does not want to play for the Jazz. He demanded a trade, he even suggested shelving the 63 million still owed him, suggesting he would take his ball and stay overseas. He was willing to do anything not to come back and play for Coach Sloan.Where did it all go wrong? It’s worth looking at both sides.

Utah Jazz Corner:

Andre is the highest paid player on the Jazz. Where much is given much is expected. Despite hiring a shooting coach to work with him, his jump shot was still falling short of consistent. He was steadily slipping out of the system. His work ethic and focus was slipping. To top it all off he cried in front of the national media during the playoffs and is the odds on favorite to have been the player teammates claimed had already made his summer plans before the season was over.

Andre Kirilenko Corner:

He is the highest paid player on the team, and yet his identity on the team was constantly diminishing. He spent the summer working on his jump shot as the team had suggested, sacrificing time with his beloved national team, only to be rewarded with even less of a role offensively then he had the years before. His minutes were being cut. He didn’t understand what was going on, and no one was offering to help him.

The focal point, in my opinion came during the playoffs. After Andre gave his teary confession admitting to the media that he was lost and confused, he appeared on a local TV station with his wife Masha. Masha then offered the suggestion that Andre and Sloan just need to sit down and talk it out – perhaps, with the help of a translator.

Sitting down and “talking it out” is not something Sloan is known for. Case in point would be when a bewildered Carlos Arroyo turned to the media when he fell out of grace and couldn’t understand why no one on the coaching staff was there to guide him. Or when Deron Williams during a frustrating rookie season had to turn to his college coach for guidance and patience.

I want to preface these next statements by saying I am a fan of Jerry Sloan. I always have been. I remember where I was two decades ago when I heard Sloan was taking over as coach (I was under the stage of a local church house pulling out chairs for a Scout “Pack Meeting” when another boy entered the gym with the news Frank Layden was stepping away from the bench). Sloan is one of the greatest coaches the game has known. He is tough and his teams are always ready to take the floor. The core of his team always knows exactly what is expected of them.

I think he deserves more success then he has been rewarded, and will argue that he has been cheated out of the “Coach of the Year” award several times. Although “Coach of the Year” is a title he would gladly forsake for an NBA title – it’s a third title I am afraid he is going to be stuck with. One of the greatest coaches “to never win a championship.”

I am reminded of a story former Chicago Center Bill Wennington, tells about his championship runs with the Bulls. Every time he was frustrated and ready to give up. Every time he felt he was under appreciated and wanted out. He would feel an arm around his shoulder and would turn to find Coach Phil Jackson there to tell him how much the team needs him. Telling him he was appreciated and his hard work in practice was a key to the Bulls success. Wennington and the other players on the team would respond and work harder.

Two years ago when the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship, Dwayne Wade had played phenomenally. His Finals performance was legendary. Yet the focus was not on Wade after the title was won. Instead stories emerged from Wade and his teammates giving credit to the win to their coach, Pat Riley. He had inspired them to dig deep, trust each other and believe. Despite being down two games to none to the favored Dallas Mavericks, the Heat believed as Riley had told them, that they would win in 6 games, and they did.

I am not trying to lay all the blame for this, and past situations on Coach Sloan. We have all heard reporters ask the coach what messages he had for the team or what he said to get them ready. The usual response is something to the tune of “I don’t have to motivate them, they get paid to play basketball” or “I don’t have to tell them anything, they are professionals.” That statement however can go two ways. A coach does more then X’s and O’s. More then game plans and play calling. He holds the team together and molds 12 guys into one team with one goal. The coach is the leader. A coach may even have to go out of his way to do this. Jerry Sloan too is a professional.

I am not saying I expect Jerry Sloan to become a philosopher or a guidance counselor. I don’t suppose that years from now people will be paying money to bring in Jerry Sloan the motivational speaker to keynote a conference on inspiration. I am just saying, if there is one area for him to improve – this is the area. If there is ever a time for him to open his door and have more communication with his players, especially the confused and under appreciated – this is that time. If ever there was a player to reach out toward – this is that player.Experts have said the Jazz did not keep up with the West in the off-season. That they stayed flat while other teams got better. The biggest opportunity for the Jazz to improve is a happy productive Andre Kirilenko.

Jerry Sloan is a great coach. He always adapts and improves. I don’t see why he can’t continue to do so. It’s going to be an interesting next few weeks. It’s going to be an entertaining season.

That’s my interpretation, what’s yours?