Kareem Rush

[IggyTheBEaST]

What are you guys thoughts about the comments made by Kareem Rush? If you didnt read he basically said he is unhappy with Cheeks not playing him. Thinks Cheeks favors players who have played with him before. This isnt what he expected when he signed here blah blah blah.

Should he be getting more playing time? Absolutely, but I dont think this is the way to do it. Mo publicly anounced that he would be experimenting with lots of differant rotations. This is only the 4th game! Be patient, and produce when your number is called.

[geiger]

I don't think those comments were done in a particularly negative light. Rush wants to play more - every player does. He wasn't really voicing complaints after a loss, or demanding anything. Was basically an honest statement. I don't view it as a big deal. He's not going to rock the boat here and if he does, they will release him without giving it as second thought.

[Sixerscan]

He will get to play once Willie Green stops playing so well. Right now there is nowhere for him to play.

[Skates]

Rush has a history of overvaluing his skills, but as noted above he said nothing inflammatory. One of the concerns teams have had in the past is that Rush fails to play within his limits, usually by overhandling and making ill-advised forays towards the basket when he not that great of a ball handler or driver. He is essentially a spot player making the minimum, who also happened to get dumped by his last team when they traded for his little brother on draft night, ouch. He will get some time as the season progresses.

[dbodner]

I generally agree with what Rush is saying, but disagree with him for whether he should be saying it. Keep your mouth shut after 4 games.

[bebopdeluxe]

If Willie Green keeps playing like this (and if Thad keeps shooting like this), he could be seeing a lot of DNP-CD's.

[geiger]

Not a great loss either way. It's true that Rush fancies himself a scorer and not a shooter, and that's why he scored his way out of a job in LA and in Charlotte, which outright released him in mid-season even though he was starting and putting up about 13 a game.

If he stuck to his strength, rolling off screens and spotting up for 3's from the corner, as well as playing half decent defense, he could be a $4 to $5 million dollar a year player like a Jason Kapono or a Kyle Korver. Instead, his ego leads him to dribble with no handles, shoot off balance or off the dribble even though he makes a terrible percentage of those, and play outside the offense. Thus, he struggles to find a home from year to year and makes the minimum. The guy is his own worst enemy. Must be a family thing since JaRon essentially screwed himself out of an NBA career, and even Brandon has underperformed.

[Don]

Shame, it's nice to have that extra guy that can shoot on the bench when needed.

[sixerswillrule]

Yeah, WIllie Green is playing too good right now for him to play. It also doesn't help that Cheeks wants either Iggy or Young in the game at all times.

[ankle420breaker]

He will get to play once Willie Green stops playing so well. Right now there is nowhere for him to play.

Exactly. It's not as if Mo is favoring guys he's always had.... it's that the guys he's had are playing solid basketball. I don't really find his comments unsettling, but maybe a little premature so early in the season.

[Tension]

He deserved more PT in the games we have played in so far, we lost vs Atlanta because our starters were way too worn out playing the whole game, especially up by 20+, and if I recall, we were up by the high 20s-3X vs Sactown, yet we didn't bring out the bench until the 4th.

[PhillyRocks1]

Willie Green is just a better baller. I'm sure Rush could be getting more playing time if he was, well playing for the Kings?

[IggyTheBEaST]

Yes. Very happy with Willies play thus far this season

[dond]

He will get to play once Willie Green stops playing so well. Right now there is nowhere for him to play.

Exactly !!! This is how it works. A coach decides to play a particular player and if he plays well, he continues to play him. If not, he tries someone else. Right now, he has no reason to try someone else. Kareem should not be in such a "rush".

[Sixerscan]

I'd like to actually hear what he said before I judge him

[kanga]

I'd like to actually hear what he said before I judge him

This from the ESPN game recap:

The 76ers were last in the NBA last season in 3-point percentage and 3s made. So they signed Rush as a free agent and hoped he would boost those numbers.

Instead, Rush earned a DNP-CD the last game and had attempted only one 3-pointer this season.

"It's very discouraging," Rush said. "I didn't plan on this when I signed here, but it's the way it is. A lot of these guys have been here for a number of years and played with [coach Maurice] Cheeks a number of years, so I think it's a familiarity thing that he has with these guys."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=281103020

[kanga]

Also this, from the preview of tonight's game versus Miami:

After earning just 13 minutes combined in his first three games, Kareem Rush came off the bench and went 4-for-4 for 10 points in 13 minutes on Monday.

"This is what I do," said Rush, who's with his fourth team since 2004-05. "That's what they brought me here for. That's what I can bring to this team. Hopefully I can find a way to get some regular time, crunch time, instead of blowout games."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=281105014

[Skates]

None of his comments seem like a big deal in either quote. I complained about Mo keeping his becnh too short against Atlanta, but against Sacto he added Speights to the rotation and gave more time to Green and Williams, plus played Reggie his usual minutes, prior to garbage time. That would be a 9-man rotation with the top 4 reserves getting meaningful minutes, a huge improvement over the Atlanta game and that was before Rush, Ivey or Marshall set foot on the court when the game was well in hand. Rush is probably the 10th guy on this team right now and not many teams play 10 guys in every game. Willie is playing well and can do something Rush can't do, bring the ball up and let Lou play off the ball where he is a more effective scorer.

[geiger]

That's just it - so long as Willie continues to play as well as he has, Rush will see limited minutes. Guys like Young and Williams deserve major minutes on most nights, Iggy plays several positions, Miller plays over 30 minutes a game. There is simply not enough minutes to go around at this point. So if everyone is healthy, when Green plays well, he'll play ahead of Rush.