first of all, the quicker guys like derrick favors and enes kanter get to playoffs the better. almost nobody is successful at first in the playoffs, you have to lose to figure out how to win, and if some veteran players help the young guys get that experience, they'll be better in the long run.
second... people who think that AK's value is mininimum-to-3M are as crazy as the people who think his value in this market if 8-10M. in the supply and demand world of the NBA, AK's value will be set by what the majority of teams have available to offer -- the new MLE. wherever he signs, it will be for a contract starting around 5M.
finally, and here's my most important point: the AK of old is back. he's been terrorizing european basketball teams all summer, starting at eurobasket and then on into the CSKA season. look at his euroleague stats (13.8 ppg, 9 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.2 spg, 3.2 bpg, all in just 30 mpg) and tell me the two-time eurobasket player of the week isn't completely reinvigorated right now. we would kill to have THAT andrei putting up those types of numbers this year, it would take the jazz to a whole different level. and that's after a 14.9/6.1/2.3/2.6/0.7 in 29 mpg performance at eurobasket that netted him an all-tournament selection.
