Sign Larry Hughes

[Ruzious]

Right, it's one thing to analyze that there's a problem.

It's a whole nother other thing to find a reasonable solution. Lar ain't it.

[MJG]

I do think there is a point to the argument that the team is so lacking in firepower as to diminish our developmental potential for the rest of the string.

That point can be made. But, I'm not sure why anybody would think that Hughes is the solution. I haven't really followed him this season, but I just checked his numbers, and they're even worse than I pictured: 9.6 PPG on 36.6% FG and 28.9% 3P in 26.5 MPG. To put that in perspective, our own crappy N1 is putting up 7.1 PPG on 39.1% FG and 41.1% 3P in 16.7 MPG. Granted, Hughes does still have a bit of the all-around game going, but that doesn't really help our "firepower". I'm not at all a strong D-League proponent, but if our goal is to find someone to put the ball in the hoop, I'd be shocked if there aren't a dozen guys in there who could easily beat out Hughes if you gave them 25 MPG and free reign to shoot as much as they'd like.

Also, has anybody mentioned that Hughes will be out for several weeks with some kind of injury? Even if we wanted him, he probably wouldn't be playing until the last fifteen games or so.

[likwitdesi]

Good grief people! When did Larry Hughes become Magic Johnson?

I still don't understand what happened. Two games ago, everybody was ecstatic about the performance of the team. Blatche was a soon-to-be superstar. McGee was showing some promise. Thornton was solid. The team was unselfish, moved the ball, and played defense.

Now, after two games, the team is possibly the worst in league history. They're projected to go 0-23 down the stretch and the guards and wings are so unbelievably incompetent that it's going to be impossible for the big man to develop one iota.

People on this board need to get a grip. The truth is somewhere between. There is no need to panic. The Bucks were a bad matchup. Skiles is a good coach. Two bad losses against the same team is not the end of the world.

We only have 1 win without Howard and that was against a team that is competing to be the worst team in NBA history. The last thing I want is for Blatche and McGee to get so frustrated that they return to their old ways.

Hughes is hurt but he should be good to go later this month. His shooting numbers suck this year because he's been forced to take 3's as a higher % of his overall shots ever due to being in D'Antoni's offense.

[Ruzious]

Good grief people! When did Larry Hughes become Magic Johnson?

I still don't understand what happened. Two games ago, everybody was ecstatic about the performance of the team. Blatche was a soon-to-be superstar. McGee was showing some promise. Thornton was solid. The team was unselfish, moved the ball, and played defense.

Now, after two games, the team is possibly the worst in league history. They're projected to go 0-23 down the stretch and the guards and wings are so unbelievably incompetent that it's going to be impossible for the big man to develop one iota.

People on this board need to get a grip. The truth is somewhere between. There is no need to panic. The Bucks were a bad matchup. Skiles is a good coach. Two bad losses against the same team is not the end of the world.

We only have 1 win without Howard and that was against a team that is competing to be the worst team in NBA history. The last thing I want is for Blatche and McGee to get so frustrated that they return to their old ways.

Hughes is hurt but he should be good to go later this month. His shooting numbers suck this year because he's been forced to take 3's as a higher % of his overall shots ever due to being in D'Antoni's offense.

False. Hughes has shot half as many 3's this season as last - in more than half the minutes. He hasn't been a good player since he left the Wizards. You haven't identified a solution to the problem you've identified - if it really is a problem.

[likwitdesi]

Good grief people! When did Larry Hughes become Magic Johnson?

I still don't understand what happened. Two games ago, everybody was ecstatic about the performance of the team. Blatche was a soon-to-be superstar. McGee was showing some promise. Thornton was solid. The team was unselfish, moved the ball, and played defense.

Now, after two games, the team is possibly the worst in league history. They're projected to go 0-23 down the stretch and the guards and wings are so unbelievably incompetent that it's going to be impossible for the big man to develop one iota.

People on this board need to get a grip. The truth is somewhere between. There is no need to panic. The Bucks were a bad matchup. Skiles is a good coach. Two bad losses against the same team is not the end of the world.

We only have 1 win without Howard and that was against a team that is competing to be the worst team in NBA history. The last thing I want is for Blatche and McGee to get so frustrated that they return to their old ways.

Hughes is hurt but he should be good to go later this month. His shooting numbers suck this year because he's been forced to take 3's as a higher % of his overall shots ever due to being in D'Antoni's offense.

False. Hughes has shot half as many 3's this season as last - in more than half the minutes. He hasn't been a good player since he left the Wizards. You haven't identified a solution to the problem you've identified - if it really is a problem.

What are you talking about? This season, 34.8% of Hughes's field goal attempts have been 3's vs. a career average of 18.2% being 3s. That is nearly double. We all know perimeter shooting is not his strength and he would not be forced to do that here as he has been forced to do so in D'Antoni's system.

I'm not going to claim that he is a world beater but I think it is obvious that he is a better player than Ross and Nick Young.

[hands11]

Well if that's the bar your setting, it would be hard to disagree with that.

Absolutely he is better then those two..

But what about the relative cost ?

I'm pretty much done with Nick just because he has is The Scarecrow. Dude has no brains. That isn't likely to change. Not sure if the franchise is totally done with him though. They may try to raise his value enough that they can get something for him. So that's a different evaluation than is Hughes better then him or not.

Hey, any PS experts around who can whip us up a N1on5 as The Scarecrow?

[likwitdesi]

Well if that's the bar your setting, it would be hard to disagree with that.

Absolutely he is better then those two..

But what about the relative cost ?

I'm pretty much done with Nick just because he has is The Scarecrow. Dude has no brains. That isn't likely to change. Not sure if the franchise is totally done with him though. They may try to raise his value enough that they can get something for him. So that's a different evaluation than is Hughes better then him or not.

Hey, any PS experts around who can whip us up a N1on5 as The Scarecrow?

We could probably get Hughes for the prorated amount of the vet minimum for the rest of the year. If it is acquiring assets for the future we want, I guess it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to sign Almond, let him chuck shots and inflate his averages, and then ship him in the offseason for a 1st like we did with Courtney Alexander.

[montestewart]

We only have 1 win without Howard and that was against a team that is competing to be the worst team in NBA history. The last thing I want is for Blatche and McGee to get so frustrated that they return to their old ways.

Hughes is hurt but he should be good to go later this month. His shooting numbers suck this year because he's been forced to take 3's as a higher % of his overall shots ever due to being in D'Antoni's offense.

False. Hughes has shot half as many 3's this season as last - in more than half the minutes. He hasn't been a good player since he left the Wizards. You haven't identified a solution to the problem you've identified - if it really is a problem.

What are you talking about? This season, 34.8% of Hughes's field goal attempts have been 3's vs. a career average of 18.2% being 3s. That is nearly double. We all know perimeter shooting is not his strength and he would not be forced to do that here as he has been forced to do so in D'Antoni's system.

I'm not going to claim that he is a world beater but I think it is obvious that he is a better player than Ross and Nick Young.

You offered a reason why Hughes' number were off this year. Ruzious offered an alternative theory. You countered. I just checked basketball reference. Ruzious' claim is quite correct. You switched arguments in mid-stream. This is Hughes' worst year ever, he's shooting 3s poorly, he's shooting 2s poorly, he's shooting more 3s (compared to his entire career, but at a lower rate than last year) because he no longer has the speed to penetrate.

Again, I don't see exactly what Hughes would bring to this team. He's not Howard, and he's not going to win us any games. I don't know enough about him to know whether he'd actually be a veteran more concerned with setting a good example and imparting the knowledge derived from years of experience, or one more concerned with getting as many stats as he can so he can get another contract. As an emergency backup vet at a minimum price, sure, why not, as long as he's not taking minutes away from Foye, Thornton, Miller, or maybe even Young.

[likwitdesi]

Last year, 34.6% of Hughes's field goal attempts were 3s so he is shooting 3s at the highest rate he ever has, although the difference is minimal.

If you watched the game today, then you can see why having Hughes would be useful. For starters, we currently implode against teams which pressure the ball due to Foye's and Miller's subpar ballhandling abilities.

[Snipuz571]

Don't sign Larry Hughes. He will take all the shots away from your young talent, will then take more shots. Does not pass the ball well. If he sees time he will not contribute to your team very well. Your team is young and should be allowed to grow together with the young players taking more prominent roles. Don't be stupid. Don't do what we did.
-Knicks Fan

[TheSecretWeapon]

I'd rather bring back Laron Profit.

[yungal07]

Alonzo Gee > Larry Hughes.

Well maybe not, but I'd rather have Gee than watch Larry shoot a 18 footer on a 3-on-1 fast break.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Good grief people! When did Larry Hughes become Magic Johnson?

I still don't understand what happened. Two games ago, everybody was ecstatic about the performance of the team. Blatche was a soon-to-be superstar. McGee was showing some promise. Thornton was solid. The team was unselfish, moved the ball, and played defense.

Now, after two games, the team is possibly the worst in league history. They're projected to go 0-23 down the stretch and the guards and wings are so unbelievably incompetent that it's going to be impossible for the big man to develop one iota.

People on this board need to get a grip. The truth is somewhere between. There is no need to panic. The Bucks were a bad matchup. Skiles is a good coach. Two bad losses against the same team is not the end of the world.

nate -- I actually looked at this issue, and there's an easy reason why fans react like this to wins and losses. It's because when teams win they look a lot better than they really are, and when they lose, the look a lot worse. I haven't run the numbers for this year, but last season (using the Pythagorean system), the Wizards statistically resembled a 64-win team looking only at their wins. In losses, they looked like a 12-win team.

So, when the team wins, they look like one of the best teams in league history. When they lose, they look like one of the worst in history.