So, everyone is bagging on Hinrich this season. He's done. He's trash. He can't play. And yah, he looks pretty much done. Problem is, get ready for more of the same next season. That's right, GarPax gave him a player option. And its not for minimum wage. The Captain will be pulling down 2.9 million. What reason, other than sheer incompetence, would you give Kirk Hinrich a player option for next season?
Obviously, best case scenario is that Kirk retires and his contract comes off the books. If Kirk still wants the money, GarPax need to offer him a Front Office job that pays him $2,854,940 next season. But it is certainly no big deal if he stays on the roster next season as the 15th man. His $2,854,940 salary takes up less than 5% of the salary cap, and with or without him the Bulls will only have the Bi Annual and Mid-level Exceptions to use. Other than the presumption that Thibs will give Kirk waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many minutes when he has other options, Kirk's presence on next year's salary cap doesn't mean a damn thing. Zero. Nada. Zilch.
But, isn't Thibs supposed to be playing the 10th, 11th and 12th man more in your "Camp Thidiot" world? (management will not make Mr Bull Kirk Hinrich a 15th man) Assuming Hinrich is a 10th, 11th or 12th man, you have stated that Thibs doesn't play those guys enough. Don't you want competent players logging those increased 10th, 11th and 12th man minutes? Also, its just plain stupid to offer the player option to begin with to a player that's done. Poor player evaluation there. Everyone seems to want Kirk gone. Even if he's a 11th man, the dispatches from "camp thidiot" are scrawls stating to play the 11th man more. Just a dumb decision on management's part.
The Bulls used the BAE on Kirk. How do they get it two years in a row? Doesn't BIANNUAL mean every other year? And I'm the cap layperson here.
The Bulls did not use the BAE on Kirk. I've read that piece of misinformation here several times, but it's exactly that, misinformation. Wrong. Inaccurate. A falacy. A myth. I also read here recently that Thibs has the best record through Just like Thibs doesn't have the best record of any coach in NBA history in his first five years. I read that here recently, and it's 100% false. Wrong. Inaccurate. A falacy. A myth. Just last night, I read a claim on this board that Phil Jackson and Dick Motta were the only two coaches in Bulls history to lead the team to the Conference Finals before Thibs came along. That was also completely, 100% non-factual. Wrong. Inaccurate. A falacy. A myth.
And I made you go and prove Thibs is an elite coach through your own research. I got the last laugh on that one.
Yah, its pretty amazing that we would consider letting go a coach of that caliber. He really is up there with the greats, based on the report that you asked to have put together.
I'm genuinely curious why the FO loves Kirk so much though. I mean I know his tenure as a Bull was pretty long so I get that but to give him this "I'm coming home" kinda deal is odd.
Well, the owner and the exec VP love him. The Bulls org considers him to be Mr Bull. Uncle Jerry has few regrets, but trading Hinrich to pursue Lebron is one of them. http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=394087
I only agree with the aid of hindsight. With hindsight, signing Rose to his extension was far and away the most stupid decision of the GarPax era. Of course, at the time, it was about as clear cut as they come.
Many of us thought the signing for $4M the previous contract was stupid and re-signing him this time was, too. Without hindsight. http://www.blogabull.com/2014/7/13/5896193/kirk-hinrich-free-agency-rumors-bulls I was worried the Bulls would look to use the room exception on Hinrich. I honestly wouldn't mind him back at the minimum, and there's still a chance it could be the minimum. That would then allow the Bulls to use the room exception on another player. But if it is the room (or cap space even), that would be pretty Bulls. ... But for now, your backup point guard is Kirk Hinrich. Thibs absolutely loves him (as does the org.), and I'm already envisioning Hinrich and Derrick Rose closing games together. This is my nightmare.
Yeah, the Bulls didn't specifically write in a no-trade clause when they did the contract, but he still has to approve any trade because of the CBA: When the player is playing under a one-year contract (excluding any option year) and will have Larry Bird or Early Bird rights at the end of the season. This includes first round draft picks following their fourth (option) season, who accept their team's qualifying offer for their fifth season. When the player consents to such a trade, his Larry Bird/Early Bird rights are not traded with him, and instead becomes a Non-Bird free agent.
