I actually feel for VDN. It's not just Gooden, Hinrich and Deng are integral parts of our core. And our win/loss record, despite the recent streak, is still better than I'd expect. But there's just so much to be desired in every thing the coach can have an impact on. They look like streetballing crap, and I've seen enough to believe that VDN doesn't have the ability to turn this around.
The thing that got me about that quote is I would say those three guys who are out are three of the of top five guys on the team. Who is VDN putting above those guys? The only two I have with those three are BG and Rose. It can't be Hughes can it? Maybe Noc as a "he's in the mix" kind of thing, but who else?
To be fair, nobody is going to turn Hughes around, and until they bench him for good it's going to look like that.
You're over-parsing what he said. Three of our top 6 players are out, this is true. They could be ranked 1,3,5 in his mind for all we know, but he didn't say. More likely, he's thinking "starters and 6th man, of those 3 are out"