How Good Was Kirk Hinrich?

[Mamba Mentality]

Good enough to be on the Lakers wish list for years. Felt like he was the topic of discussion every offseason for like half a decade.

[Pythagoras]

During his peak Lakers fans used to fantasize about having him because many felt like he was the perfect PG fit for the triangle.

[Pythagoras]

Good enough to be on the Lakers wish list for years. Felt like he was the topic of discussion every offseason for like half a decade.

Great minds. I vividly remember how much many Lakers fans wanted Kirk.

[bisme37]

I always wanted his nickname to be "The Maneuver."

[Myth]

Good enough I always wanted him in a Blazers uniform, and bad enough that I figured we had a chance to get him.

[Danny1616]

Just a solid role player.

Very good defender, average offensively, hometown favorite for his effort and loyalty.

[picc]

Good enough to be on the Lakers wish list for years. Felt like he was the topic of discussion every offseason for like half a decade.

Great minds. I vividly remember how much many Lakers fans wanted Kirk.

100%

We used to absolutely salivate every trade deadline.

[Capn'O]

GOAT hobbit player with Luke Ridnour a distant second.

Good enough to come from Middle-Earth and spend some time with us.

Note that these were independent comments. He was a hobbit.

Spoiler:

Many years ago, I crafted a fantasy draft parody of "Hey Ya" entitled "Hey Yao" which contained the following verse:

You need a point guard
So you draft a hobbit
Kirk Hinrich is a hobbit
But he really can ball

You need a point guard
So you draft a hobbit
Luke Ridnour's a hobbit
But he's not good at all

You need a point guard
No-one plays forever
So what makes (what makes what makes what makes)
The Glove the exception

So why oh why oh
Am I in denial
I drafted Eddy Curry
When I know he'll have a crappy year

Sadly, the only other lyric I can recall is the opening line "Mike Bibby don't mess around."

I think he's the second best player in NBA history whose first name ended with irk.

This is also true.

[jsleesl28]

1st on the bulls history on 3pt field goals made.

2nd is ben gordon, 3rd I believe is Scottie Pippen, 4th Lavine, and 5th MJ

lol

He was the best D wade defender in his peak.

solid all around player.

[SerialChiller]

1st on the bulls history on 3pt field goals made.

2nd is ben gordon, 3rd I believe is Scottie Pippen, 4th Lavine, and 5th MJ

lol

He was the best D wade defender in his peak.

solid all around player.

Was just gonna say this...never saw anyone give Wade fits the way he managed too. It was impressive considering Wade was so much more athletic.

[picc]

One other thing I loved about Hinrich is that he’s the only player i saw who never, ever, went for pump fakes.

Just keep on pump faking. I’ll be right here on the floor.

[cupcakesnake]

I think of him as a more skilled, less athletic, Alex Caruso. Just like Caruso, he was prized for his versatility and 2-way utility. Kinrich did it it more with the shot and the handles, where Caruso does it with physical gifts, but both were/are guys who could play with any kind of backcourt player and bring a ton of value in the margins. Really spicey competitors.

He started piling up the injuries before he really hit his prime, so he ended up peaking at age 26 (the 2007 season). He was never quite right the rest of his career but managed another 9 seasons.

[ellobo]

Combo guard who was a good wing defender who was a solid starter in the league for about a decade.

Fun fact he is the Bulls all time leader in 3 Point makes with 1049.

That about sums it up. Just solid. A high effort competitor. Good defender who could guard 1, 2, and credibly battle against bigger players. Good shooter. Good ballhandler. Good passer. Not great at anything offensively, but just all around solid.

"Rich man's TJ McConnell" is not far off, but a little unfair to Hinrich. Hinrich was bigger, a much better 3 point shooter, and just a much bigger role/higher impact player throughout his career.

[mcmokken]

I've always like Hinrich since his Kansas days and always hoped he would end up on the Warriors at some point.

He was a solid starter for the Bulls for his first 4-5 years. Double digit scoring, 6 dimes and 3point shooting. He would be much better in todays league imo as a point guard who can stretch the floor and make plays. He missed Steph Currys 3point boom which would have helped him later on.

Does anyone else always bunch Hinrich with Luke Ridnour & Steve Blake? Similar players who started around the same time.

As a Sonics fan I always lamented the fact that we ended up with Luke Ridnour instead. Would have been cool to pair Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich together.

[jazzfan1971]

Seemed like a high queality role player to me. Could help any team he was on. Never hurt you much.

Just a good basketball player. Not great. Good.

[pillwenney]

Solid player, but highly valued because every damn team could use a SG-sized guy who can guard the best guard (and sometimes SF) on the other team, shoot, and handle the point. Was maybe the most coveted role player skillset post-Shaq's prime, because there were a million Monta Ellis-types in the league whose teams didn't function because there weren't many guys with that combo of skills.

After that era, the prized role player became the rim-protecting, 3 point shooting big, and has since morphed into the Draymond-lite with better shooting. Before that it was, as I recall, whoever did the best job and standing between Shaq and the rim.

[jsleesl28]

Just wanted to add. He gave Paul Pierce a good fight too. Kirk was always up for a challenge vs opponents top wing.

[GreatWhiteStiff]

I think he's the second best player in NBA history whose first name ended with irk.

Grumbly Old Man: "These days they have stats for everything!"

[kingr]

Solid player. Solid at many things. Tough.

[510TWSS]

Solid for what he was. Too good to be a career back up early but if he was your primary starter you're probably second rate in the division. Good defender