He’s shooting 3% higher (Still taking too many jump shots, yes), but he’s also hitting nearly 83% of his FT’s, compared to 42% and him getting a less consistent (big minutes one night, no minutes the next) gives in to streakier behavior, so Hughes numbers are less helped by that that Wallace who had a consistent role of crap on this team.

Take the goggles off.

Look, I’m not a Larry lover, would I rather see him off this team? Yes I would because we have better guards and sig needs…..but do I want a fire sale of him to rid him for complete crap this seasons? hell No. I think we can get something in a real sale next year, with teams eying the Lebron/Wade/James cap cutting prizes….

Do It hink the Hughes hate is a bit much and not consistent with his play? Yes…..it is. He’s not a great player, but he’s not nearly the worst player on this club or the biggest offender (Nocioni I’d argue is better because he has been better in the past, but right now Noc is far inferior to Hughes…hell even Luol’s been less consistent than Hughes when he plays and Luol when he plays always gets a consisnte role—-but I’m not about to say Luol’s worse).

the complete hate with lack of real support for it. Larry Hughes has talked twice about wanting time on the court, a tough pill for a team with talented young guards, but when given the time on the court Larry definately has proven a worthy player this season….

He too is an expiring deal who’s value will increase next year if he’s given the time and consistently plays the way he’s shown he can play this season with Rose and VDN’s system…

THe all out hate for Hughes isn’t quite warranted.

I get he’s not in our long term plans, but personally I’d rather play Larry, watch him do well, not great, and increase his value for next year’s trade. He’s not a bad 5th starter to 6th man in this league….he’s no Ben Gordon or Manu Ginobili or Andrei Kirilenko 6th man, but he’s not a bad player at all.

He hasn’t been the Cleveland version of Larry this year (sans preseason)……he was still in Cleveland mode last year trying to prove he can be more than he was and trying too hard. I haven’t seen that consistently this year.

Guys are on him for his want of more PT, but given the prodcution and the losses the team has faced when he hasn’t played in lieu of Thabo (and Thabo having some very inconsistent nights) I don’t get it.

Personally I’d rather see Thabo in the shadows and us playing Hughes first, as given the climate next year and Hughes’ more consistent play, he’ll be a more valuable trade bait than Thabo….and if anything the Bulls can keep Thabo and sign him to a $2-3M deal….as I do think someday after again seeing a game like yesterday that Thabo has a future in this league, but unfortunately we only get that Thabo 1 of every 5-6 games he gets sig burn.

Hughes is playing more consistent ball than Thabo and is frankly a better player at this juncture and one who has a penchant for complaining publicly when minutes are cut, and one who’s unfairly maligned here because he’s not our best player, not in our long term plans, and is paid the most….I get that.

But Hughes has been playing better than Thabo and might help us win a game or two here and there, and Hughes has a contract that if his play proves more warranted might end up helping him be a vital cog in a trade, whereas Thabo’s at best a very inconsistent, but versatile SG/SF who won’t ever be more than throw in…..and will never make near big time money and doesn’t have the rap in the league to complain at all publicly…..Bulls can keep working on Thabo and resign him for $2-3M a year likely in a 2-3 yr deal…..and who knows during his next stint Thabo might become consistent and be a bargain…..he’s not helping us much these days, as he’s definately more off than on, and when he’s off, he’s really off…..and when he’s on, he’s really only a cheaper Larry Hughes right now (though he might do more)….

And all this conjecture about other non reported off court crap, is crap….until it’s been shown. I think Stacey and even if I recall Sam Smith mentioned that Larry’s never had a public outcry for being bad off the court, in fact he has a quiet demeanor to him….he just shoots too much for his career, but is now playing more in our offense, and when he plays a consistent role is doing much better than when he plays many minutes then 2 minutes than many minutes than 2 minutes.

He might not only help us win more now, but might help us win more later if he plays, gets his value up only because of the fa class coming, and nabs us more in a trade (alongside a Gooden, Gordon, Deng, Hinrich, for an essential big we need).