John Paxson and Chris Mullin have problems. Paxson needs to free up enough cap room to sign Derrick Rose, Ben Gordon, and Luol Deng. Mullin has plenty of cap room, but he has no point guard to run his team. Paxson needs a power forward who can score down low. Mullin has a power forward. Paxson has a point guard.
Monta Ellis puts Mullin in a bit of a bind. He’s a unique talent and is the future of the franchise. Davis was the perfect point guard to pair with him because he was big enough to man up shooting guards, and let Ellis take the smaller points.
With Davis gone Mullin is faced with two choices. He has to let Ellis play out of position and let Nelson run some kind of point by committee, or he needs to find a replacement point that’s big enough to D up shooting guards.
Enter Kirk Hinrich, who’s been playing the same role for Ben Gordon in Chicago.
The Bulls made a mistake signing Hinrich and Nocioni to long-term contracts. Both players aren’t living up to them, and now, by winning the draft they can’t sign Rose and afford to keep Gordon and Deng. Someone has to move.
So bring in Al Harrington. He can score down low and he can run the pick and roll with Rose, slashing to the basket or dropping back for threes. If he doesn’t work out he’s a free agent next year. Pay the luxury tax for a year and let him sign somewhere else.
For the Warriors Hinrich is a risk salary wise, but he allows Monta to stay in his natural position. Monta would become the alpha dog in Davis' place. It would give the Warriors a starting line up that would include a budding all-star (Ellis), a borderline all-star (Jackson), and two top ten players at their respective positions (Hinrich and Biedrins, look it up).
This would leave a mix of Wright, Belinelli, Randolph, and Hendrix to fill out the lineup along with Azubuike (who should be re-signed), and possibly Barnes. If the Warriors are lucky they could convince Pietrus to re-up (He won’t, there’s too much bad blood there.), and if they’re very lucky they just might be able to stumble into Corey Maggette.
Pick up the phone, gentlemen.
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3 months ago
Great idea. The problem is that NBA gm's are too stupid for their own good. This scenario makes too much sense to actually happen.
3 months ago
Good idea, but do you really think that Gordon and Deng are worth anywhere near the money they are asking for? Last year they really fell off in production. They ran a coach who worked hard and was playing both of them extensively out of town (Skiles). They gave lackluster support to his replacement (Boylan). They rarely played good defense, rarely looked like they cared, rarely played up to their potential.
In short, they looked like spoiled, selfish, mediocre athletes who worried more about their contracts than their profession. So, the question is - If they get resigned, will they play like super stars, or just be fat, lazy contracts that are impossible to move?
Right now, I'm not sure...
But I wonder, how many teams would give up a lottery pick to trade for either one? Remember, Isiah isn't there to fleece anymore.
3 months ago
It's an "okay" idea actually. I wouldn't want to have a below average point guard running the Warriors just because he doesn't fit well in the system. In addition, when you have a lot of dough, like the Warriors do, pay it well to bring a great superstar to replace B-Diddy. Monta will probably learn how to play the point this summer. That being said, Warriors need a star inside the Paint. I don't know who it is, but they're a lot on the free agency market right now.
3 months ago
I'm not a fan of Al Harrington
The Bulls need a low post guy (a center), not a perimeter PF.
They need help rebounding, which Harrington only offers a career 5.8 per game.
Plus, Harrington already has 10+ years of burn on him. Even though he's only 28, his body must feel like its 33.
Picking up Harrington will only cause the logjam in the PF to get bigger, with Gooden, Thomas, Noah and hinder the development of their younger more promising youths.
Not a fan
3 months ago
Heinrich would be a great fit for the Warriors. Many people are forgetting the year before last, when chicago put a whipping on the championship Miami Heat. They were playing a faster tempo than they did last year and Heinrich played fluidly in this situation. plus, he is more of a passer than a shooter, and he's big enough to defend 2 guards for Monte, as you've pointed out.
I would not be a fan of trading Harrington for him though. Even though he's not the interior presence the Warriors need, he's an NBA 4/3, something which the warriors don't really have. They have some rookies and a few sophomores with a little PT under their belts. Not the makings of a Western-Conference power. I would trade next year's first-rounder (by all accounts not a deep draft) and a cheaply resigned POB. POB didn't stand a chance under Nelson, but he's a decently skilled big man who could fit well in Chicago. Who knows, the change of scenery might put some fire in him.
Nice article thanks.
3 months ago
This is a trade that Tim Kawakami of the SJ Mercury News also pitched. It could certainly help both teams, though Harrington would most likely be a sixth man off the bench, backing up Luol Deng or Drew Gooden. The good thing about Hinrich's contract is that it gets less and less over the next few years (starting at $10 mil this year, and goes downward), according to HoopsHype.com. If anyone could get Hinrich out of his funk and utilize him well, Nellie would be able to.
Whether or not this happens, I do think Harrington is their only real trade chip at this point. I could see the Warriors trying to wait and grab Marbury after he gets bought out (what a nightmare that'd be). Let's hope they do something fun soon.
POB is unrestricted now, so if he wanted to re-sign with the Bulls directly, he could. Latest was he tried out for a few other teams, and was "exhausted" after 15 min practice (fan-tastic).
3 months ago
Jack,
I was working off the idea that Chicago wants to retain Gordon and Deng, as I don't see the point of paying Hinrich to play the two. I'm not a Bull's fan however, and don't know the team well enough to know if Deng and Gordon were looked like they could care less if because the team fell apart, or if they're dogs. If Paxson thinks the latter, this won't work.
Khalid,
Hinrich is not a below average point, and he would thrive in Nellie's system. He could go 16-8 easy. Monta is not a point, and should not play it except for spot duty. He was the best player on the dubs last year (yes, you heard me), and he's first and foremost a two, not a one.
Vincent,
Not that Nellie let him use it, but Harrington has a nice post game offensively. He didn't get allot of play early in his career, so he doesn't have the mileage someone like KG had at his age...as for his rebounding I completely agree. he's historically bad for his size.
Safa,
Trade him. PG is the most important position on the floor, and the hardest to fill.
Play D,
Gooden is a dog. Al wouldn't back him up, and allot of people came up with this idea when they heard about Baron opting out. Without even hinting at it a buddy came up with the idea of getting Hinrich, and I read (after I wrote the first draft of this article) John Hollinger mention it...as for Starbury, I disagree. Sometimes all a guy need's is a fifth chance...
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