Larry Hughes: "I am not happy with my minutes"

[DC4]

If nothing else, Larry Hughes is consistent.

Adamant in his stance that he's a high-minutes starter since the February day the Bulls traded for him, Hughes expressed frustration over his playing time for the second time in five weeks Saturday as Thabo Sefolosha started for the injured Luol Deng in the 129-117 loss to Atlanta.

"I don't accept it, but I deal with it," Hughes said.

When Hughes last spoke out Nov. 18 in Los Angeles, it prompted a meeting among himself, coach Vinny Del Negro and general manager John Paxson.

"I've said what I needed to say," Hughes said. "Hopefully, it gets better moving forward. If it's justified, it's justified. But you can look at whatever you need to look at as far as production. I think it's in my favor.

"I'm not a spot-minute guy. I don't play well in that situation. If you want me to produce, I have to be out there. I can make a difference at both ends if I play."

Hughes is averaging 26.7 minutes, the lowest mark of his 11-year career since averaging 19.8 and 20.4 in his first two seasons in the NBA (1998-2000 with 76ers).

Projected over 48 minutes, Hughes' 21.8 points-per-game average ranks third behind Ben Gordon and Derrick Rose and well ahead of Sefolosha's 13.6 points.

Also over 48 minutes, Hughes averages 5.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.4 steals. Sefolosha averages 6.7, 4.4 and 3.8.

"I've learned to dial it down offensively because of my experience, and I know what this team needs," Hughes said. "But I'm not happy with my minutes."

Del Negro cited matchups and Hughes' value off the bench for his decision.

"Larry has been great," Del Negro said. "He has practiced and played hard. He wants to play more, like everyone else. He has won some games for us. He has been productive. No problems there."

 

[DC4]

from: hoopsworld.com

Today's disgruntled veteran story comes out of Chicago, where Larry Hughes is reportedly upset about his lack of playing time - and even more upset at his limited role in the team's youth movement.

"I understand other guys need more shots. I've done that role," said Hughes recently, lobbying for a trade according to the Chicago Tribune. The result of Hughes' recent expression of discontent was a meeting with head coach Vinny Del Negro and GM John Paxson, but will he actually find his way out of Chicago between now and the trade deadline?

Hughes' name has come up time and time again amongst Bulls fans, who would like to see the veteran used as a trade piece that could yield the front court help the team needs. Yet while it's easy to say trade Hughes for a player who addresses other needs, it's not as easy to accomplish that.

Hughes is playing the final two seasons on one of "those" contracts. You know, the kind that pays him a little less at the beginning, but is loaded at the other end. As often as not, players who sign those contracts wind up being albatrosses around the necks of the teams that get stuck with the last couple of seasons.

Last season we saw the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks bail out teams holding this kind of contract when they took Shaquille O'Neal from the HEAT and Jason Kidd from the Nets, respectively. O'Neal and Kidd are far from the players they were when they inked their back-end-loaded contracts, but they get paid nonetheless. While Hughes' deal isn't quite as big as Kidd's or O'Neal's, he does make more than $15 per season over his last two, and not many teams are excited about the possibility of paying an older veteran with an injury history that much money.

It doesn't mean the Bulls won't be able to move him, it just means they're going to have to give up something valuable to do it. The more noise Hughes makes about wanting to be traded, the more motivated the Bulls will be to make it happen. Ironically, his complaints will also make him less appealing to prospective buyers.

Trading Larry Hughes will be easier said than done for the Bulls, even though the play of Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon also makes it impossible to increase his role.

 

[dez]

Merged.

Basicall the same exact thing lol

But I dont think the Bulls will get much for him, I thought Hughes would explode into an all-star after is 20PPG season with Golden State, but it never happened, his been somewhat of a dissapointment, not a bust but he underachieved.

 

[.GR]

Brad Miller for Hughes and Tyrus Thomas?

 

[MapleLeaf]

lol that's a rip off

 

[.snowy]

When I was playing B-ball a week ago, I saw some 10 year old kid with a Larry Hughes Bulls jersey. He paid cash money for a Larry Hughes Bulls jersey. Needless to say, he was a trash baller lol

 

[.GR]

lol that's a rip off

It's better than the Gooden/Thomas deal they were talking about isnt it?

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Why would we trade Drew Gooden AND Tyrus Thomas for Miller, when Gooden straight up for Miller would be a rip off. Gooden owns Miller.

 

[elcheato]

Meh, Hughes can barely hit a jump shot, he is slower now because of all his injuries so he can't slash/drive as well. His defense isn't as good as it use to be as well. And didn't Deng just recently get injured? So he should get some of his time I guess.