1/22/09
Bulls Trying to Trade Larry Hughes Chicago Tribune Article
BULLS BITS BY K.C. JOHNSON
Bulls trying to trade Larry Hughes
January 22, 2009
Calling his time with the Bulls "almost a non-experience," Larry Hughes continued Wednesday to answer questions calmly about his desire to play more — which won't happen with the Bulls — or be traded.
As he has maintained, Hughes said his biggest frustration is his lack of opportunity while pulling down a $12 million-plus paycheck.
Hughes was acquired from Cleveland in the Ben Wallace deal last Feb. 21.
"The opportunity wasn't there from the start of training camp, for whatever reason," he said. "I was brought here to contribute, and I haven't been able to like I want to. But it's a situation I have no control over, and I'm ready to move on from it."
General manager John Paxson has been trying to move the 6-foot-5-inch, 185-pound Hughes aggressively since a cordial face-to-face meeting Jan. 6 with agent Jeff Wechsler. Talks with the Nets for Bobby Simmons remain open-ended, but one source maintained the Bulls were pessimistic about a deal.
"We're trying to move him because we have to play our younger guys," Paxson said. "He has been very professional."
Hughes, who'll be 30 Friday, hasn't played by coach's decision for five games.
Perhaps not coincidentally, that string began Jan. 14 in Toronto after witnesses said Hughes wasn't paying much attention during the team's morning shootaround.
"The tough part for me is not playing," Hughes said. "But I know at the end of the day it's not my fault. I continue to work with my trainers and stay fit and ready."
Hughes has started 479 of 648 career games.
"Not playing by coach's decision at this point of my career is beyond my imagination," Hughes said. "I can't imagine it going past the deadline. I know that from my agent we have good things lined up. It's a matter of finalizing things."
Layups: Paxson called his decision to guarantee guard Lindsey Hunter's minimum contract for the rest of the season "very simple." Paxson also called him future coaching material. "We have such a lack of veteran leadership," Paxson said. "And he's really good with Derrick [Rose] and Tyrus [Thomas]." …
Two months after his oldest son, Ryan, finished basic training with the Marines, Paxson and the Bulls hosted a swearing-in ceremony for 30 Navy recruits at the Berto Center. The Bulls will sponsor the recruits' division, and players will make occasional appearances during its training.
Bulls trying to trade Larry Hughes
January 22, 2009
Calling his time with the Bulls "almost a non-experience," Larry Hughes continued Wednesday to answer questions calmly about his desire to play more — which won't happen with the Bulls — or be traded.
As he has maintained, Hughes said his biggest frustration is his lack of opportunity while pulling down a $12 million-plus paycheck.
Hughes was acquired from Cleveland in the Ben Wallace deal last Feb. 21.
"The opportunity wasn't there from the start of training camp, for whatever reason," he said. "I was brought here to contribute, and I haven't been able to like I want to. But it's a situation I have no control over, and I'm ready to move on from it."
General manager John Paxson has been trying to move the 6-foot-5-inch, 185-pound Hughes aggressively since a cordial face-to-face meeting Jan. 6 with agent Jeff Wechsler. Talks with the Nets for Bobby Simmons remain open-ended, but one source maintained the Bulls were pessimistic about a deal.
"We're trying to move him because we have to play our younger guys," Paxson said. "He has been very professional."
Hughes, who'll be 30 Friday, hasn't played by coach's decision for five games.
Perhaps not coincidentally, that string began Jan. 14 in Toronto after witnesses said Hughes wasn't paying much attention during the team's morning shootaround.
"The tough part for me is not playing," Hughes said. "But I know at the end of the day it's not my fault. I continue to work with my trainers and stay fit and ready."
Hughes has started 479 of 648 career games.
"Not playing by coach's decision at this point of my career is beyond my imagination," Hughes said. "I can't imagine it going past the deadline. I know that from my agent we have good things lined up. It's a matter of finalizing things."
Layups: Paxson called his decision to guarantee guard Lindsey Hunter's minimum contract for the rest of the season "very simple." Paxson also called him future coaching material. "We have such a lack of veteran leadership," Paxson said. "And he's really good with Derrick [Rose] and Tyrus [Thomas]." …
Two months after his oldest son, Ryan, finished basic training with the Marines, Paxson and the Bulls hosted a swearing-in ceremony for 30 Navy recruits at the Berto Center. The Bulls will sponsor the recruits' division, and players will make occasional appearances during its training.
1/21/09
Hughes First Comments Since DNP appeared on the stat sheets
Trade winds rustling
Bulls are reportedly close to dealing Hughes to Nets for ex-DePaul star Simmons
January 21, 2009
BY BRIAN HANLEY bhanley@suntimes.com
The Bulls might be close to trading veteran guard Larry Hughes to the New Jersey Nets for former DePaul forward Bobby Simmons.
A league source confirmed a report in the Bergen (N.J.) Record that the teams have had serious trade talks. It's up to the Nets to sign off, and the deal will get done.
The 6-6, 230-pound Simmons has started 37 of the 38 games he has played this season, averaging 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 26.5 minutes. His contract runs through next season and pays him $9.9 million this season and $10.56 million in 2009-10.
The Bulls might need to close the deal quickly because forward Drew Gooden, who has been dealing with an ankle sprain that kept him out of 10 games, was not available Tuesday for the second straight game because of a groin injury.
The Bulls also might get former Michigan State guard Maurice Ager in the trade to help come close to the money owed Hughes, per NBA rules. Ager's $1 million contract expires at the end of this season.
The Nets wanted to include forward Sean Williams, but the Bulls reportedly had no interest in the 6-10, 235-pounder who has played in only 16 games this season, averaging 1.6 points and 2.1 rebounds.
Hughes -- who was averaging 12 points, 3.1 rebounds and 26.4 minutes in 30 games entering Tuesday -- said he would welcome a trade.
''That's fine,'' Hughes said before the Bulls hosted the Atlanta Hawks at the United Center. ''I'm ready to play, whether it's here or somewhere else.''
A healthy Hughes had been benched for the previous four games and said having the DNP-CD (did not play-coach's decision) by his name in the box score was a first for him.
''I've played for some good coaches and on some good teams, and I've always been out there, so this is new for me,'' Hughes said. ''I'm just trying to stay positive. I'm still helping the guys out as far as telling them what I see and what I can help them with.
''I don't know how to react to it. At the same time, I'm not selfish. ... So I just kind of go along and try to support the guys who are playing, knowing my time is probably coming.''
Hughes, who is owed the balance of a contract that pays him $12.83 million this season and $13.656 million next season, had expressed to media his unhappiness with a lack of playing time before being taken out of the rotation last week when Kirk Hinrich returned from thumb surgery. His comments led to a meeting with general manager John Paxson and coach Vinny Del Negro.
''It was unfair [because] I only wanted to play to help the team,'' he said. ''And I wanted to produce because they're paying me a lot of money. I feel like I've let my team down because I'm not able to produce. That's what it all boils down to. I don't want to be looked at as a guy who's just earning a check and not producing. I just expressed that and, I thought, not in a negative way. But people can take it how they want to take it.''
Hughes said his agent, Jeff Wechsler, has been trying to facilitate a move. ''He's working for me, having talks back and forth,'' Hughes said.
''I'm just waiting for something to pan out. This is kind of a waiting game. I'd like to be playing while I'm waiting, but it just isn't the way it is.''
Bulls are reportedly close to dealing Hughes to Nets for ex-DePaul star Simmons
January 21, 2009
BY BRIAN HANLEY bhanley@suntimes.com
The Bulls might be close to trading veteran guard Larry Hughes to the New Jersey Nets for former DePaul forward Bobby Simmons.
A league source confirmed a report in the Bergen (N.J.) Record that the teams have had serious trade talks. It's up to the Nets to sign off, and the deal will get done.
The 6-6, 230-pound Simmons has started 37 of the 38 games he has played this season, averaging 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 26.5 minutes. His contract runs through next season and pays him $9.9 million this season and $10.56 million in 2009-10.
The Bulls might need to close the deal quickly because forward Drew Gooden, who has been dealing with an ankle sprain that kept him out of 10 games, was not available Tuesday for the second straight game because of a groin injury.
The Bulls also might get former Michigan State guard Maurice Ager in the trade to help come close to the money owed Hughes, per NBA rules. Ager's $1 million contract expires at the end of this season.
The Nets wanted to include forward Sean Williams, but the Bulls reportedly had no interest in the 6-10, 235-pounder who has played in only 16 games this season, averaging 1.6 points and 2.1 rebounds.
Hughes -- who was averaging 12 points, 3.1 rebounds and 26.4 minutes in 30 games entering Tuesday -- said he would welcome a trade.
''That's fine,'' Hughes said before the Bulls hosted the Atlanta Hawks at the United Center. ''I'm ready to play, whether it's here or somewhere else.''
A healthy Hughes had been benched for the previous four games and said having the DNP-CD (did not play-coach's decision) by his name in the box score was a first for him.
''I've played for some good coaches and on some good teams, and I've always been out there, so this is new for me,'' Hughes said. ''I'm just trying to stay positive. I'm still helping the guys out as far as telling them what I see and what I can help them with.
''I don't know how to react to it. At the same time, I'm not selfish. ... So I just kind of go along and try to support the guys who are playing, knowing my time is probably coming.''
Hughes, who is owed the balance of a contract that pays him $12.83 million this season and $13.656 million next season, had expressed to media his unhappiness with a lack of playing time before being taken out of the rotation last week when Kirk Hinrich returned from thumb surgery. His comments led to a meeting with general manager John Paxson and coach Vinny Del Negro.
''It was unfair [because] I only wanted to play to help the team,'' he said. ''And I wanted to produce because they're paying me a lot of money. I feel like I've let my team down because I'm not able to produce. That's what it all boils down to. I don't want to be looked at as a guy who's just earning a check and not producing. I just expressed that and, I thought, not in a negative way. But people can take it how they want to take it.''
Hughes said his agent, Jeff Wechsler, has been trying to facilitate a move. ''He's working for me, having talks back and forth,'' Hughes said.
''I'm just waiting for something to pan out. This is kind of a waiting game. I'd like to be playing while I'm waiting, but it just isn't the way it is.''
1/16/09
No Love in the Heart of the City
After failing to get off the bench in his second consecutive DNP( did not play/the first two of his career) Larry Hughes is no longer in the Chicago Bulls rotation. Bulls General Manager John Paxon and Coach Vinny Del Negro both former players have publicly expressed understanding of his frustrations but have emphasized the need for professionalism and the need for a realistic attitude in instances as such. It had been reported that Hughes has been shopped to The Washington Wizards(former home), Toronto Raptors, and most notably the Sacramento Kings. A trade involving the Kings( Brad Miller) for Hughes has been floating around the rumor mill. It is quite odd that after contributing to many of the few Bulls wins including a game winner against Utah that Hughes hasn't been able to get off the bench. It appears that there is no love in the heart of the Windy City.
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