Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Kirilenko also has another option that people are not taking into account and that is to remain in Europe. There would be team (including his current team CSKA) lining up to sign up the best player in Europe this last season.
In Europe contracts are calculated differently and there are other perks that come with it. All contracts in Europe are after tax which means if Kirilenko sign on for 3.5million euros per season that is equivalent of a $9million per season contract in USA. Not to mention on top of that, a player of Kirilenko's ilk would get a company funded car and a luxury apartment to live plus all the other perks that he would get from sponsors.
He is a lot more unique position than many other players. He has been in the NBA, proven himself here, was an all-star and outside of winning a ring, there is not a hell of a lot more left for him in the NBA. In Europe he can earn just as much money, be a perennial contender in Euroleague and literally live like a King.
Euro to dollar exchange rate is only 1.25 to 1. California's effective tax rate for people earning $1mil+ is 45% (before a tax attorney comes along and explains how to cut it to 25%

hence 3.5mil eruro contract = $4.375mil dollars after tax $9mil x.55 = $4.9mil after tax. Break even point there is somewhere around $8+mil a year in NBA money, + the added protections, insurance, and retirement you get out of that. In particular given Euro teams tendency to just drop guys like hot potatoes and cancel their deals when they get hurt or have an off season, a 4 year guaranteed money deal would have to have attractions to a 32yr old wiht an injury history, but yeah, anything under about $9 to $10 would be unrealistic
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