RealGM

The Nets and Bulls have discussed a deal that would bring veteran shooting guard Larry Hughes to New Jersey for Bobby Simmons and Maurice Ager, league sources said. Sean Williams was offered instead of Ager, but Chicago wasn't interested. Both sides are considering it, although the Bulls are talking to many teams about Hughes, who is signed through next season. The Nets are weighing whether the deal makes them that much better and if it's financially smart. The additional salary next season would be more than $3 million. Bergen Record

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. Bergen Record

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. Bergen Record

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. Bergen Record

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."

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/nets/ ... arris.html

Wow! Listeners of "The Crossover" will remember that I spoke about a trade rumor involving Larry Hughes a few episodes ago. Never did I think it actually had some weight to it.

You know what though, as a Nets fan, I don't hate this trade (if it happens). I don't love it, but I don't hate it.

We wouldn't be giving up anything at all in the scheme of things - no star players, no potential stars; absolutely nothing that matters. Mo Ager is nothing more than an expiring contract (Quality wise - probably nothing more than a D-League bench player), and Jarvis Hayes has easily outplayed Bobby this season in the minutes he has been given off the bench. Larry has this year and next left on his contract, which would be reasonably attractive to the Nets in itself, but what if he actually gives us something on court? He'd start, basically because we don't have anyone to start over him. Therefore, he'd have no reason to bitch about his role within the team. Playing with Devin and Vince....who knows, maybe he could produce something. If he doesn't? So what. The Nets went into this season with no expectations whatsoever. They've already performed so much better than anyone thought they would. Hell, they've already won more games at this point than what some thought they'd win all season.

Maybe it's because I'm typing this at 2:40 in the morning, but like I said, I don't hate this trade. Bobby Simmons and Mo Ager? ****, we'd trade them to the Bulls for Mike Ruffin and a packet of Skittles.

Most Bulls responses are the same - it's an OK trade. Bulls have no need for Hughes with their guard glut & Hughes is demanding starter minutes. So it is best that he gets shipped somewhere where he can start.

Simmons would not be demanding starter minutes & he's from Chicago - in fact the same high school that Derrick Rose attended.

Like I said before,

I dont mind this trade. It opens up a spot for a third PG and for the Rookies.

Harris
Hughes
VC
Yi
Lopez

Isnt bad.

I like this trade.I think it makes us better cuz Bobby is horrible.Larry plays defense and can score. Hopefully he can stay healthy thats my main concern.Like i've said before i wanna win now and this move will put us in the playoffs this year and next i believe.So we pay a little extra money for a good player that helps keep this team competitive until the big 2010 season.Make it happen RT.

S.I.C. GM wrote:Like I said before,

I dont mind this trade. It opens up a spot for a third PG and for the Rookies.

Harris
Hughes
VC
Yi
Lopez

Isnt bad.

Yep, you did bring this up a while ago now. Kudos to you sir. I never thought this could be on the cards.

Yeah I've been thinking about this deal. About a month ago someone brought it up on the board. I said I would probably do it, I know there were a handful against it though. I personally always liked Larry. He's just had a terrible rap since he didn't earn his paycheck in Cleveland. He would be our starting 3 which would move Vince to the 3 and I think that's a decent starting 5. I'd still try to get Williams over to Chicago for possibly a 1st rounder (lottery protected this year, top 3 next year, unprotected 2011) but I doubt Chicago would be interested in that. We'd probably be the 8 seed in the playoffs if this went down at best. We'd also have like 30 draft picks which we could still trade up to get the guy we had our eye on if we were completely sold on someone in the lottery. If not, I actually like some of the middle of the pack guys in this years draft.

Regardless, I'm not "in love" with this deal, but I think it'd make our team better. It is basically trying to put a quasi-competitive team on the court for the next 2 seasons, hopefully resulting in increased attendance, while keeping our cap space free for 2010. The only thing we're giving up is that we're not going after an almost sure bet on a stud in the lottery and hoping our scouts did their homework for someone in the middle.

I don't like Hughes, but he comes off the books before 2010 and it frees up a roster spot. He may cost us some games, but it's not like Simmons hasn't done that already. I don't see us getting any better or any worse off this trade. At the very least, again this does free up a roster spot should we pick up another G.

I don't think that Hughes can thrive at SF, so I see this rumor as a bellwether to a Vince Carter trade. As long as the return is good, I don't mind it.

rusty_b wrote:

S.I.C. GM wrote:Like I said before,

I dont mind this trade. It opens up a spot for a third PG and for the Rookies.

Harris
Hughes
VC
Yi
Lopez

Isnt bad.

Yep, you did bring this up a while ago now. Kudos to you sir. I never thought this could be on the cards.

Actually I only said it today on another thread.

Dont want to take someone else's moment.

One more thing people arent mentioning.

His contract becomes an asset next year. When people are really trying to get under the cap for 2010. If we realize we are not going to be able to pull the big names, we dish his contract for smaller expiring, young potential and draft picks.

Anything to get rid of Bobby Simmons.™

This was my response to this trade in the other thread:

sigh......

I hsve been thinking about this trade since November and it still hasn't grown on me.

It makes so much sense for Chicago it isn't funny.

They save over 3 mill in total salary and trade a cancer with delusions of granduer for a Chicago native who will sit there and get paid and make no rumblings if he gets a paltry 15-18 mpg.

The Bulls are also a team that will not think twice financially to just cut Ager if they wind up needing the roster spot.

Thorn and Kiki better know something I don't, because Hughes is normally gonna be an a-hole if he doesn't start and get at least high 20's in mpg.
He will also immediately expect to be the 3rd option behind VC and Devin.

I don't see how this benefits Lopez, CDR, Yi, Mr. Anderson or even Devin and seriously hope this is not the prequel to a VC trade for 1 of 2 reasons. 1 is, if we are trying to upgrade talent and cut a year of salary to dump VC, Hughes only accomplishes one of those, you decide which one. 2 is, if we trade VC and get a very nice young piece back, such as Rudy Fernandez, Hughes just doesn't help a guy like thats developement in my opinion.

BAH!

BTW, the biggest urban legend since the Lockness Monster and Sasquatch is this crazy idea that Larry Hughes plays good defense. He does not. He gambles on the passing lanes for steals and hasn't even put up anything worth writing home about in that category since his contract year when he lead the league in steals. Look it up, stop relying on others mis-information.

I hate Larry Hughes with a passion. Dude is a big time chucker who demands more touches than he deserves.

dabig3 approves this trade, it would gives us more scoring, the only 2 dangerous option is Harris and VC(maybe Brook) but we are not givin up any future pieces, Chi, just wants to rid themselves of huges because of their guard depth, this is one i like tho...

I wouldn't mind it because i believe Hughes is smart enough to realize he'd have to play good here or he's not getting another good contract after next season . And unlike Simmons , who lost alot due to injuries , he's still physically able to play good if he puts his head into it . ( which he rarely did since getting that big contract from Cleveland )

Any sentence that contains the words "I believe Hughes is smart enough" is automatically incorrect. If Hughes was smart enough, he would have concentrated on playing decent defense while Kirk was out, recognized that Rose will get him the ball when he's open, and taken shots within the offense or concentrated on a slashing game (which he's not horrible at) instead of ill-advised jump shots early in the shot clock (which he is horrible at). Alas, Hughes is not smart enough. For anything. At all.

BTW, the biggest urban legend since the Lockness Monster and Sasquatch is this crazy idea that Larry Hughes plays good defense. He does not. He gambles on the passing lanes for steals and hasn't even put up anything worth writing home about in that category since his contract year when he lead the league in steals. Look it up, stop relying on others mis-information.

This is correct, 90% of the time. For whatever reason, before he was stapled to the bench, he would occasionally play solid fundamental defense. He even had about a 2 week stretch where he took shots within the offense and hit them at a high rate.

Then he went back to being Larry Hughes.

S.I.C. GM wrote:Like I said before,

I dont mind this trade. It opens up a spot for a third PG and for the Rookies.

Harris
Hughes
VC
Yi
Lopez

Isnt bad.

Larry hughes can be REVIVED and hes solid defensively

maybe he can get back to his old washington wizards form?

The thing about Hughes is he's bitching about minutes and touches but he'd be getting both by default this is why this could work. I mean he can't be any worse then Simmons already is . Simmons is decent from the corners with his 3point shot but thats about it .