Bull Market

Kiki Vandeweghe said the other day the Nets will "be active," and said they already were. He wasn't kidding.

In case you didn't see it here, the Nets are talking to the Bulls. (Doesn't it seem they always are?)

They're probably talking to every team, but one thing I heard about was the possibility of picking up disgruntled shooting guard Larry Hughes from Chicago.

The Nets offered Bobby Simmons and Sean Williams, but the Bulls didn't want Williams. So it's Simmons, the Chicago native, and Maurice Ager, whose contract is up after this season.

No one is saying this deal is imminent, but both sides are considering it.

For the Nets, they like Simmons a lot, his work ethic and professionalism and attitude. But they're deciding whether the potential deal makes them better, if so how much and whether it's enough to justify taking back additional salary.

It would just about be a wash for this season, but Hughes makes more than $3 million more than Simmons next year and Ager comes off the book, while the Nets still would have Williams. (They will continue to try and move him before the Feb. 19 deadline).

In case you're wondering, Hughes' deal is up after next season, so it doesn't hurt the overall plan for 2010.

On the Bulls' side, they're talking to numerous teams, so if they find something better they'll take it, no doubt. Huges is out of Vinny Del Negro's rotation.

But if the deal happens, the Nets suddenly have the roster spot they've needed. They then would have to decide what to do with it.

They wouldn't just fill it unless they found something they liked and made sense. The Nets are losing money so the prospects of adding payroll may not make sense.

Sense and dollars and cents are major issues concerning the state of the economy, the Eastern Conference, and the league in general. It's not just the Nets, it's throughout the NBA.

What kind of deal could the Nets or some of the teams in the 6-10 range in the East make that would enable them to really compete with the Celtics, Cavaliers or Magic?

We've seen what the Nets have done against the Celtics and Cavs: three losses by 76 points.

The Nets would like to make the playoffs, of course. It helps build a winning culture, but how much does losing by 30 to the Celtics, Cavaliers or Magic help? Also, there's a big difference between having the No. 8 pick and the No. 15 pick.

We're not saying the Nets are trying to lose. They're not. They want to win. You know these losses lately are eating at many in the organization. But they are weighing a lot of things in all potential deals: the immediate future, benefits short-term and long-term, and the financial aspects.

Consider this Kiki quote from last week: "You’re looking to improve the team. We realize we set out our path early this season and maybe the team is doing a little bit better at this point. We still have a lot of hard teams to play. You don’t Band Aid it because maybe you’re doing a little bit better than you thought and you have a chance to get an eighth spot versus a ninth or a seventh. That’s not what you do, you stay with the plan.

"You focus on getting your young players better, building their confidence and teaching them the game. If you do that and stay with it consistently eventually I think you’re rewarded."

***
Now, it's on to the trip, which won't be easy at all.

Yes, it's top heavy with losses at, I mean games at New Orleans and San Antonio. Clearly, those are tough games.

If Devin Harris doesn't lift his game defensively Chris Paul could have a great game. Paul could have a great game anyway, but Harris needs to be better.

My thinking is Harris will play much better than he has the last three games, when Rajon Rondo and Jerryd Bayless badly outplayed him. Harris, from what we've seen, gets up for games against elite Western Conference point guards and this benching probably will inspire him.

This is his first against Paul this season, so Harris needs to be better than he was last week, and put aside whatever issues he may have had with what coach Lawrence Frank did Saturday, which I must say again it was the right move.

It will be a hard game regardless against former coach Byron Scott.

And then it's on to San Antonio, where the Nets haven't won a regular-season game since Jan. 22, 2002. Overall, they have dropped 11 straight at San Antonio. Again, Harris against another elite point guard in Tony Parker - another player Harris gets up for. So we'll see what that means for him and the Nets.

Then comes the winnable game at Memphis, where the Nets were beaten last season, after the Grizz traded Pau Gasol. They have to get this game.

Then the Nets play the finale: at OKC for the first time against the Thunder, who are an improving team. They took the Nets to OT last week, then beat Utah and Detroit. That's not an easy getaway game, so don't think it is.

The picture we've painted here isn't pretty, obviously. But I don't see a miraculous 3-1 trip like the Nets had in November - the one I didn't attend. By the way, they're 5-6 on the road with me and 5-2 without.

I'm going 2-2, but it easily could be 1-3. We'll see if the Boston games woke up the Nets and the benching woke up Harris, Carter and everyone.

Thoughts? Predictions?

***

Harris went for precautionary X-rays on his sore right rib. They were negative.

Comments

[Greg]

YES! Get Simmons outta here. More playing time for Hayes who deserves it and the ability to give Anderson much needed time to improve his game. We get a PG/SG combo who can work with Dooling/Harris and basically solves are PG depth issue. I just hope Hughes is willing to come here, last thing we need around these young guys is a cancer-type guy in the locker room.

[StevieG]

If this was my money and I was part of management, I would not make the trade for Hughes. For all his talent, he does not make an impact for his team. If he did make an impact, the Cavs would not have traded him and the Bulls would want to keep him.

Stay the course and force feed the young players even if it means losses. I agree with you Al in wondering whether it is more important to make the playoffs and get blown out instead of getting a better draft pick position. I would vote for the playoffs if they were playing well getting into the playoffs. But, if they continue to be very mediocre, I would rather get the higher draft pick and hope for the best.

[jjkk234]

Larry Hughes is not a building block short-term or long-term. I would rather develop CDR and keep Simmons, who is a good citizen albeit lacking in the production dept.

[Adam.y]

You guys are forgeting 1 very important thing. this years draft is gonna be terrible.
Really now this year loosing would bear no fruits for us at all.
Last year's draft was one of the best well ever...(I think the fact that we got Lopez with the tenth pick speaks for itself).
This year's draft on the other hand looks downright AWFUL there's one possible franchise player and a couple of mediocre PG's I always thought Derozan would be the next Jordan-Lebron like player but he's been playing like garbage in other words Im very much against tanking this year.

I would love for us to get a good SF/PF and Huge's could start for us at SG (Move Vince to the SF) that would create a pretty killer lineup with Dooling and Hayes coming from the bench......
Either way in Rod we trust Im 100% confident he'll do the right thing.

[Allan]

I am hesitant for the Nets to take on a possible malcontent (Hughes) and more salary. I like the make-up of the team as it is now. Don't base the entire season on three losses to two of the top teams in the NBA. Most of us expected them to lose 3 (and possibly 5 games in row at this part of the schedule). Vince and Devon got the message that they need to come to play every night and that they send a bad message to the young players when they showed no effort. L-Frank did a good job making a statement in my opinion. As the prevous post-er said 'In ROD we trust'. Even if we don't get LeBron in 2010, there will be enough good players available (Amare, etc) to make this a very good team for years to come. I also don't believe anyone who predicts a 'bad' draft this early in the year. You can always find good talent each year if your scouting is good. Two more things - 1)I wish CDR would get a little more of a chance now that he's healthy and 2) I guess even after the Nets recalled Sean Williams from Dev league, where he played well, they still have no intention of playing him?

[Mr. Dollar Bills]

Al,

Garbage in, garbage out!!!

[Gerard Himself]

I wish the Nets would try and go for Nocioni, that would be nice. But the next couple of games will be interesting to watch, I think it could be the most interesting week of the season. Will they break or bounce back?

[Joe P.]

DO NOT GO ON THE TRIP, AL!!!! WE WANT TO WIN GAMES!!! LOL

[the DJ]

I like the sound of this trade
Larry Hughes can play
pg sg abd sf
He can get his own shot which would make the nets more dangerous offensively
lary does play defense
and who cares if its a few extra million to make the team better
this might be the difference between going to the playoffs or the lottery!

[Vic Nardozza]

Please take Larry Hughes from the Bulls. Pretty please with sugar on top.

[paulvard]

Wasn't Hughes the guy that Cavs complain as the guy that shoots too much. No. He may disrupt team chemistry. The Nets need a true point guard.

[Al Iannazzone]

Allan and others,

The salary and Hughes' rep are major hold ups. The Nets like Simmons, his attitude, professionalism and work ethic.

It's a tough call, but the Nets may not want to ruin what has been good chemistry, especially after the past few seasons.

I've been told something could happen this week and it's basically up to the Nets because the Bulls want Hughes out. But I've also been told the Bulls are sifting through other offers.

I believe if the Nets want the deal to get done, it will.

[mina]

Al,

if the nets dont make the playoffs, they probably dont make it by a couple of games. i think that you can lock in the first 6 teams, boston, orlando, cavs, detroit, atlanta, and either philly or miami takes the 6th.

i say the 7th and 8th spot will be battled by the nets, the bucks, the bulls, charlotte, and the knicks. if they dont make it instead of getting the possible 16th spot they probably get the 12th to the 15th spot. now in this weak draft there wont be much of a difference between those spots. this could be a draft where they pick up a antoine wright type opof player. the nets still have the 8th spot even though they lost the last 3. and i know for sure, as always the case, vc will play so much betetr for the playoff push like he's done last year and the years before for the ents. the nets do have a chance to make the playoffs, and they should go for it this year. and once yi comes back the nets look good. their only weak spot is at the 3.

i am all for the trade for hughes. they would be picking him uo for absolutely not\hing.simmons is absolute grabage. is knees are seriously shot. he has no lateral quickness or speed. he gets blown by everythime. all he's good for is the wideopen corner 3, other than that nothing. hughes, even though he is disgruntled, is a very good player when happy. and with the nets i assume he's starting. they slide vc to the 3, and plug in hughes at the 2. hughes can shoot, pass, defend, and playmake. the guy can play. it gives the nets another ballhandler they desperatl;ly need, when harris and vc are out. dooling has vbeen very good, but he isnt a very good playmaker or passer, and he doeasnt know how to invl;ove others right, he usually does somthing drastic, and turns it over or tghrows a heave, but when he's on the floor with vince thats when he's at ghis best.

this trade is a no brainer. they dont affect the cap space for 2010, and they get a serious upgrade in the rotation. plus he's also an exp\riing contracrt. no matter what tit will be impossible to unload simmons with his contract, i think the nets should pull the trigger. it makes the team much better right now.

and for all who say traduing vince is an option, it dfepends. the only time you trade vince is if you get a sure potential allstar for the future cap space and draft picks. vince is soo valuable to the nets. not oonly his scoring and playamking ability and his allround play, but he is vital to the nets youngsters development. vince kind of paved the way for harris to shine, and he's dioing the same for lopez, yi, and anderson. when harris was out the last time, vc really helped the confidence of yi and lopez and helped them take it to the next level. i really think if they trade him, the development of the kids will regress buig time. vc ios a perfect compliment to harris iun the backourt. harris isnt a pass first pg, even though he's getting better by his assist mark, but he always looks to score first, which doesnt help the youngsters like yi and lopez all the tme. but sicne vicne is prov\bably one of the best playmakers in the league, he takes off the burden off harris to playmake, and helps set up the youngsters.

this trade is a no brainer,. the nets should pull the trigger without hesitation. but im sure the only thing pull them back at this point of the trade is probably frank who has a fetish for unskilled players like simmons.

and al, i agree that frank did the right move last saturday by benching them. but why didnt he do the same last year with kidd when it was blatantly obvious th\at he dogged it.

[Tristram]

Adam.y said: "I guess even after the Nets recalled Sean Williams from Dev league, where he played well, they still have no intention of playing him?" Did he have any good games in D League yet? I know he had several bad ones, fouls and low scoring, some indications of bad attitude. That was early. Is he shaping up?

[Kelvin Tsang]

Larry Hughes used to play point for the Sixers when he was teamed with Iverson. I think he can provide short term respite at the 1 for Devin and Keyon.

Hughes is also an insurance policy at the 2-guard position in the event the Nets decide to move Carter.

I am more opposed to adding the extra $3 million in salary for next year, than to the on-court reasons for not aquiring Larry Hughes.

I would imagine, however, that the Bulls can do much better than Bobby Simmons and Mo Ager.

[dee]

The nets need L.H just like he needs them right now. Face it larry can still play.he will only be 30yrs young in a couple days and he's a 11yr veteran who's played in the nba finals. He has played with and gained knowledge from hall of famers allen iverson,mike jordan,gilbert arenes and lebron. I believe he still has all star potential if utilized effectively!plus this would allow vc to go back to his normal spot at the 3.larry is not the best outside shooter but he can score,create,and most importantly he can defend!pull the trigger on that nj before its to late....

[dee]

The nets need L.H just like he needs them right now. Face it larry can still play.he will only be 30yrs young in a couple days and he's a 11yr veteran who's played in the nba finals. He has played with and gained knowledge from hall of famers allen iverson,mike jordan,gilbert arenes and lebron. I believe he still has all star potential if utilized effectively!plus this would allow vc to go back to his normal spot at the 3.larry is not the best outside shooter but he can score,create,and most importantly he can defend!pull the trigger on that nj before its to late....

[dee]

The nets need L.H just like he needs them right now. Face it larry can still play.he will only be 30yrs young in a couple days and he's a 11yr veteran who's played in the nba finals. He has played with and gained knowledge from hall of famers allen iverson,mike jordan,gilbert arenes and lebron. I believe he still has all star potential if utilized effectively!plus this would allow vc to go back to his normal spot at the 3.larry is not the best outside shooter but he can score,create,and most importantly he can defend!pull the trigger on that nj before its to late....

[Photography Dissertation]

Blogs are so informative where we get lots of information on any topic. Nice job keep it up!!

[kem]

ｈｔｔｐ://ｗｗｗ.ｂａｎｋｎｅｔ.ｂｉｚ/

[kem]

ｈｔｔｐ://ｗｗｗ.ｂａｎｋｎｅｔ.ｂｉｚ/