RSS
Home
Season Review: Kirk Hinrich
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
AP/Charles Rex Arbogast
There may be no one tougher on the Bulls roster than six-year guard Kirk Hinrich.
In a way, he embodies everything that Bulls basketball has been based on.
When the Bulls selected Derrick Rose with the number one pick, last June, the consensus was that Hinrich would become his backup and while I didn't think it would happen right away, it was obvious that the time was coming.
You would think with Rose coming in his position, Hinrich, who had been the starter for the previous five years would be a little hostile towards Rose, but Hinrich provided the most leadership towards the rookie and was a huge help throughout the season for Rose.
On November 7, 2008 he tore a ligament in his right thumb, getting his hand tangled in Phoenix Suns forward, Amare Stoudemire's jersey. It was ruled that Hinrich would miss 12 weeks.
He returned to play 3 weeks ahead of schedule on January 12, 2009 and totaled 21 minutes, 4 points, a steal and 3 assists in a loss to the Portland Trailblazers.
What most saw as a lost season for the Bulls, Hinrich wanted to get back on the court and continue to try and turn the season around. Returning early from that kind of injury speaks volumes about the character and tenacity he carries within him.
When the trade deadline was approaching, there were several rumors involving his name and the Minnesota Timberwolves and I was asked plenty of times should they make this move.
I was very critical of his play last season, where he seemed a step slow and undecided on offense, and was consistently in foul trouble on the defensive end.
Now that he was coming off the bench, it seemed like a lot of pressure had been removed off of him and he could just be inserted into the game and just play, defend with the intensity he's use to and create opportunities for teammates.
Hinrich averaged 9.9 ppg, 3.9 apg, 2.4 rpg during 51 regular season games. All, were career lows, but don't forget he missed 31 games with a torn UCL and still came back early and in the playoffs had his biggest impact of the season.
During the epic seven game series against the Boston Celtics, he upped his point average to 12.6 ppg, but it was his defense on Celtics forward Paul Pierce throughout stretches of the series that lets you know how valuable a guy like Hinrich is and let's not forgot he was the only one who showed some fight when it looked like the Celtics were just trying to out-physical the Bulls.
With the NBA draft coming up this month and already trade rumors swirling around as teams try and trade their way up, or just add missing pieces, Hinrich name is also in the mix of player's slated to be dealt.
Trying to resign teammate Ben Gordon, might mean relieving some of the financial responsibility on the roster and after signing Luol Deng to a nice new long-term deal last summer, it might mean Hinrich might have to be dealt this summer if the team wants to keep Gordon at a price that would make both the parties happy.
For a player who, when he was a freshmen in high school in 1995, wrote a letter to himself, put it in a time capsule only to open it a decade later and find out his dream was to be a guard for the Bulls, it would be a huge disappointment to be traded, but as he has exhibited in his six years in the league, his toughness, professionalism, defense and heart make him a valuable asset on any team.
Related Articles:
Comments
