All Entries Tagged With: "Larry Hughes"
Bulls official: Hughes didn’t give a damn
New York Post says the Bulls were desperate to unload Larry Hughes.
Larry Hughes’contract ($12.8 million, $13.6M next season) almost certainly would have been bought out by managing partner Jerry Reinsdorf had GM John Paxson been unable to deport him. Hughes’ mantra is straight from the Supreme Court justice handbook . . . he ain’t ever comin’ off the bench. Not starting was the issue in Chicago. When the 6-foot-5 guard returned from the injured list roughly six weeks ago, coach Vinny Del Negro offered him 30 minutes a game (sound familiar?) at the point, off guard and small forward. He impudently declined.
“Larry doesn’t give a damn about winning or losing unless his team win and he’s the focal point,” a Bulls official harpooned. “All he cares about his starting, playing 36-to-38 minutes and getting his.” Talk to some Cavaliers, professionals who don’t bother anybody and, generally, slam nobody, and they croon the same cheerless tune. “It’s about Larry and that’s all it’s about,” one Cav confirms. Another says, “All I’ll say is he’s a different guy. It was hard to figure out what is important to him. He actually has a decent understanding of the game. . . . but not as much as he thinks.” The same Bulls official advanced disapproval an additional step. “You don’t need distractions. If Larry is not playing you don’t know what he’s saying to the young kids or how he might be conspiring with the veterans behind the coach’s back. One way or the other, he had to go.”
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Bulls trades graded
ESPN.com’s John Hollinger grades the Bulls deadline deals.
Hughes to Knicks deal:
Once I recovered from the shock of the Bulls reacquiring Thomas, I realized it was a pretty good move by Chicago to create some wiggle room beneath the luxury tax for next season and unload an unhappy camper.
Thomas replaces much of what the Bulls lost by trading Andres Nocioni — as a 4 who can space the floor, he should get plenty of opportunity in the Bulls’ system.
They’ll also hope that James’ troublesome Achilles’ heel can be picked up by insurance and save them several million in 2009-10. Clearly, he’s not going to help them on the court. Grade: B-minus
Sefolosha to Oklahoma City:
I don’t like the idea of the Bulls dumping Sefolosha, but in the big picture, it made a lot of sense. Chicago’s deals left it with a five-man smalls rotation of Derrick Rose, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, John Salmons and Luol Deng; Sefolosha was totally superfluous in that arrangement.
So the Bulls converted him into a first-round pick they can use to supplement the frontcourt. Chicago would have preferred to have offloaded Hinrich for expiring deals but couldn’t get that to work. Grade: B
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Report: Hughes to NY for Thomas, James
ESPN’s Steven A. Smith is reporting a deal is close that would send Larry Hughes to New York for Tim Thomas and Jerome James. David Schuster of WSCR reports the same.
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Hinrich on table for Lee, other deal falls through
Apparently Kirk Hinrich is available. K.C.Johnson says a potential deal fell through that would have sent Hinrich to Minnesotta. John Jackson and Brian Hanley report Hinrich could be involved with Larry Hughes for Knicks forward David Lee. Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has been rumored to be a fan of Hinrich.
On the other, a source close to Kirk Hinrich said the Bulls rejected a salary-dump proposal from Minnesota that would have netted them the expiring contract of Jason Collins and one more season of Brian Cardinal.
And two league sources said a nearly completed deal sending Hughes to the Knicks for Malik Rose and Jerome James fell apart Wednesday.
The Bulls might not be done dealing before today’s 2 p.m. deadline. Guard Larry Hughes — whom the Bulls have been trying to trade for a month — didn’t make the trip to Milwaukee, and rumors circulating Wednesday night had them talking to the New York Knicks about a deal, with the principles being Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich and Knicks power forward David Lee
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Pax out!
Peter Vecsey of the NY Post says his sources say the move is forthcoming. Sun-Times confirms.
Do I know this to be fact? No. But two people in the know maintain John Paxson will resign as Bulls GM soon after Thursday’s trade deadline expires. Assistant GM Gar Foreman is expected to take over for the remainder of the season.
Chicago is contemplating numerous trades – Amare Stoudemire, Jermaine O’Neal, Zach Randolph, Chris Kamen – in an effort to acquire an inside threat offensively and defensively, and, at the same time, deport Larry Hughes.
One of the above sources said he wouldn’t be surprised if Doug Collins were approached again at the season regarding the coaching job (currently held by Vinny Del Negro) and as GM, or both. Collins and managing partner Jerry Reinsdorf couldn’t agree on money last May.
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Heat or Bulls for Amare, Bulls/Wizards deal dead?
Cbssports.com has the Heat as the Bulls main competition for Amare Stoudemire. Washington Post says Larry Hughes is not likely to go back to Washington.
Talks between the Suns and Portland Trail Blazers about Stoudemire have unraveled, CBSSports.com has learned. Phoenix is now focused on Eastern Conference teams — and not just Chicago.
The Bulls remain a serious contender due to Drew Gooden’s expiring contract and Larry Hughes‘ expiring deal next season, plus the largest expiring trade exception in the league ($5.2 million). But Miami is the latest team to emerge as a serious landing spot for Stoudemire, a person with direct knowledge of the talks said Wednesday night.
The Heat’s involvement is sure to set off speculation about the possibility of Phoenix taking back Shawn Marion, who was traded to Miami for Shaquille O’Neallast February — ground zero in the demolition of the Suns’ 58-win-a-year success story over the past four seasons. But it is not believed that Suns managing partner Robert Sarver wants to go there. And Sarver’s heavy hand in the process has become one of the key obstacles to Phoenix securing the best deal, according to two league executives — one of whom described the situation as “dissension.” Teams are getting mixed signals from Phoenix as far as what the Suns are looking to take back for Stoudemire, another executive said — one version from Sarver and another from president Steve Kerr.
Washington Post:
Though rumors continue to swirl about a possible trade that would send Mike James and Etan Thomas as part of a package for former Wizard Larry Hughes prior to the Feb. 19 trade deadline, a league source familiar with the situation said it likely will not happen. In October, the Wizards and Bulls were close to agreeing to a deal that would have swapped Hughes for Thomas and Antonio Daniels, who was later traded to New Orleans, but that deal fell apart when Hughes was injured.
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Miller still on Bulls’ list, Orlando after Hinrich?
Sacremento Bee says the Bulls could be interested in Brad Miller if they can’t land someone more high-profile.
League sources said Miller remains in the mix for a possible deal with Miami involving Shawn Marion (expiring contract worth $17.1 million) and Kings forward Kenny Thomas, as the Kings are believed to be among three teams considered as trade partners by the Heat. Miller also could be sent to Chicago if the Bulls are unable to land a higher-profile big man.
Steve Rosenbloom wonders if the Orlando Magic would be desperate enough for Kirk Hinrich to take Larry Hughes with him? The Bulls have been said to not want to deal Hinrich, but Orlando is in need of a point guard.
Ideally, the Magic believe that Hinrich is the best rumor available. Better than Stephon Marbury, Jason Williams, Jamaal Tinsley and Steve Blake. So much better, in fact, that the Magic are willing to take Hughes. I don’t know how all the money would break down in the voodoo economics of the NBA salary cap, but that’s the deal to make – Hinrich and Hughes.
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New Jersey to take Hughes off Bulls hands?
Brain Hanley reports the Bulls are close to dealing disgruntled Larry Hughes to New Jersey for Forward Bobby Simmons.
A league source confirmed a report in the Bergen (N.J.) Record that the teams have had serious trade talks. It’s up to the Nets to sign off, and the deal will get done.
The 6-6, 230-pound Simmons has started 37 of the 38 games he has played this season, averaging 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 26.5 minutes. His contract runs through next season and pays him $9.9 million this season and $10.56 million in 2009-10.
The Bulls might need to close the deal quickly because forward Drew Gooden, who has been dealing with an ankle sprain that kept him out of 10 games, was not available Tuesday for the second straight game because of a groin injury.
The Bulls also might get former Michigan State guard Maurice Ager in the trade to help come close to the money owed Hughes, per NBA rules. Ager’s $1 million contract expires at the end of this season.
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Bulls could deal Nocioni?
Sam Smith speculates on the Bulls potential trade chips. Larry Hughes, Kirk Hinrich, and Andres Nocioni are the names mentioned.
The big talk is whether the Bulls will make a major trade. I’d doubt it, and I believe it will be difficult to deal Larry Hughes until after the season or during next season when his contract finally is expiring. I expect the Bulls would send him home once the trade deadline is past if they cannot trade him. His contract remains too much of a potential asset to release him. If there is a trade, I think it will be looking toward the future and the first one out, I’d guess, would be Andres Nocioni.
Not because the Bulls don’t like him.
Nocioni has considerable value around the NBA because of his versatility and unusual effort. His contract is manageable, though somewhat of a luxury for the Bulls at $8 million this season and descending to $7.5 million, $6.85 million, $6.65 million and a team option for 2012-13 of $7.5 million not guaranteed. Nocioni has seemed unusually frustrated this season and you get the feeling he’s also ready for a new destination. The Bulls, I assume, would go for salary cap relief and a young player.
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Take a seat, Larry
K.C. Johnson says Larry Hughes has been bumped from the Bulls rotation.
It’s clear Larry Hughes is out of the rotation as the Bulls continue to shop him in advance of the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
Hughes played only seven minutes Monday night against Portland and didn’t play by coach’s decision Wednesday night for the first time this season and possibly in his 10-year career.
“We’ll figure it out as we go,” Del Negro said. “Kirk will be out there. He takes pressure off Derrick [Rose] and puts defensive pressure on the ball.
“And we always get leadership.”
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Hughes wants out?
K.C. Johnson says the Bulls and Larry Hughes want the same thing… Hughes to be an ex-Bull. The lack of playing time Hughes is complaining about, can only get worse when Kirk Hinrich returns.
Hughes has made it abundantly clear he would like to play more, venting frustration over his non-starting and limited role twice.
And the Bulls absolutely are willing to accommodate him by the Feb. 19 trade deadline to alleviate their crowded backcourt situation.
But the Bulls are equally as clear they won’t take extra years or salary to do so, and they conveyed that to Jeff Wechsler, Hughes’ longtime representative, in a cordial face-to-face meeting this week.
Hughes’ contract expires after the 2009-10 season. It has the prorated portion of $12.8 million on it for the remainder of this season and the full $13.65 million for next.
“We know that the trade deadline is coming around, so obviously everybody has to keep an eye on that,” said Hughes, adding that as long as he wears a Bull uniform he will “play hard and hopefully try to get wins.”
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Bulls/Kings talking?
The Sacremento Bee reports the Bulls and Kings have had discussions that would help out the Bulls front court. The Kings are pushing Brad Miller, while the Bulls are pushing Larry Hughes.
Future trading partners? – There was no swapping of uniforms before tipoff, but it wouldn’t have been entirely absurd if various Kings and Bulls had done just that.
The two teams, according to league sources, had trade talks earlier this season that have been tabled for now. The Bulls need frontcourt help, but they appear to have more interest in second-year center Spencer Hawes than in veteran Brad Miller or even forward Kenny Thomas.
That could change, but the question on the Bulls’ side is whether they will part ways with forward Drew Gooden (who has an expiring contract) and/or a young player such as Joakim Noah or Tyrus Thomas. According to the sources, Chicago offered guard Larry Hughes in the previous discussions. The 11-year veteran has a contract nearly identical to Miller’s, with approximately $25 million owed to him before it ends after next season.
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