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Kirk Hinrich News & Rumors

Hinrich hopes to stay with Hawks
March 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"At last season's trade deadline Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich was looking forward to the chance to leave the struggling Wizards for a playoff team. It's different this time around for Hinrich. His name is circulating in trade rumors because of Atlanta's glut of guards and his expiring contract but Hinrich hopes he's still with the Hawks after Thursday's deadline. "I like our team," Hinrich said before the Hawks played the Kings late Sunday. "I feel like we can be a dangerous team come playoff time. I want to be a part of that.""
Drew says Teague still the starter once Hinrich returns
January 24
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Kirk Hinrich says he will practice tomorrow in San Antonio. If all goes well, he plans to play Wednesday at the Spurs. "I'm excited," he said. "It's just a matter of how sore it will be the next day [after practice]." Once Hinrich is activated, the Hawks will have to make a roster move. The candidates to be released are Ivan Johnson, Donald Sloan, Jannero Pargo and Jerry Stackhouse. Chances are it won't be Ivan so probably one of the guards will go."
Hawks' Kirk Hinrich to miss at least first month of season after shoulder surgery
December 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Hawks general manager Rick Sund said guard Kirk Hinrich had surgery to to remove a cyst and repair the labrum in his left shoulder and is expected to miss at least the first month of the regular season. Hinrich experienced discomfort in his shoulder as a result of offseason workouts and had the procedure in early November. "The injury typically requires three to four months of recovery," Sund said Based on that timeline, Hinrich could be out through the end of February. The 66-game NBA regular season schedule is to begin Dec. 25 if there are no snags in the ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement."
Hinrich helps Hawks' Teague from the bench
May 12
Chicago Tribune
 
"Former Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich, now with the Atlanta Hawks, hasn't been able to play in this Eastern Conference semifinal series because of a hamstring injury. But his replacement, 22-year-old Jeff Teague, is receiving helpful tips from the veteran Hinrich during this series. "He tells me to go out and play my game and little tips here and there when I am on the bench," Teague said Tuesday night. "He's just a good teammate, a good guy to be around. He's always positive.""
Crawford or Teague to fill Hinrich starting role
May 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Hawks coach Larry Drew still hadn't decided on a starting lineup when the team left for Chicago on Sunday. "I'm just going on feel right now," Drew said. There's a lot for Drew to think about as he decides on his starters for the Eastern Conference semifinals. The first issue is point guard, where starter Kirk Hinrich isn't expected to play during the best-of-seven series. Jeff Teague could take Hinrich's place since he's best suited to defend Chicago's Derrick Rose. Drew said he's also considering starting veteran Jamal Crawford, who hasn't started a game in his two seasons for Atlanta. Drew and predecessor Mike Woodson have favored Crawford's scoring off the bench. "The decision that I"
Without Hinrich, Hawks need Teague
May 1
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Dust off the sneakers, Jeff Teague, and get ready to play point guard for the Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Organize an offense that can get disjointed when games get tight. Push the pace and get into the paint. Overcome the quiet personality and lead some headstrong veterans whose playoff experience dwarfs your own. And, by the way, defend the likely league MVP, Bulls point guard Derrick Rose. He's among the best at getting to the basket, but try to keep him out of the paint. Rose is fast, but keep up. That's a lot to think about for a 22-year-old who has yet to even establish himself as an NBA regular, so Teague is trying to put it all out of his mind. "When I start"
Rose won't let up with Hinrich out
May 1
Chicago Tribune
 
"Kirk Hinrich is out with a significant strain of his right hamstring. Carlos Boozer skipped practice again Saturday with turf toe but still might play. But for all the speculation about who's in and who's out for Monday's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Bulls and Hawks, Derrick Rose said the challenge remains regardless. That's how tough playoff basketball is. "It doesn't change anything at all," Rose claimed of Hinrich's absence. "We still have to go out and play. (Jeff) Teague or whoever starts in (Hinrich's) spot are good players. They're a real athletic team and play hard together. And they have everything going for them now. "I think it's going to get tougher."
Without Kirk Hinrich, the Hawks' Round 2 chances take a hit
April 30
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 columnist Mark Bradley
"Here's where cold reality tends to descend. Two years running, the Hawks fought through Round 1, pronounced themselves full of confidence and vowed to make an even bigger statement in Round 2. Then they got swept. Now they're here again, and an even bigger chill has fallen: Kirk Hinrich, the man designated to defuse Chicago's Derrick Rose, is listed as "doubtful" for the series with a bad hamstring. The only way for the Hawks ever to reach the Eastern Conference finals, a place they've never been, might be if the league grants them a bye. Last spring the Hawks were swept so egregiously from Round 2 they fired Mike Woodson and promoted his assistant. That bit of personnel shuffling paid no"
Atlanta Hawks: Would they be hopeless without Hinrich?
April 30
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Hawks say Kirk Hinrich is doubtful to play in series vs. Bulls because of "significant strain" to hamstring. Kirk Hinrich had an MRI this afternoon. The Hawks haven't released the results yet but say they expect to announce something today. I'm told it didn't look good for Hinrich last night but there was more optimism today because he was moving better. If Hinrich can't play or is very limited, the Hawks are in serious trouble against the Bulls. I'm assuming they can't suddenly change their offensive habits to the point where they can score efficiently against the league's best D. They need Hinrich for scoring, too, because if you are going to be a jump-shooting team it's best to send out"
Hobbled Hinrich doubtful for Game 1
April 30
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It likely will be a bittersweet homecoming for Kirk Hinrich. The former Bulls guard — a big part of the foundation of John Paxson's rebuilding plan after the post-Jordan malaise — returns this week with the Atlanta Hawks, who acquired him in a February trade with the Washington Wizards. But Hinrich already is doubtful for Game 1 with a strained hamstring he suffered late in the Hawks' Game 6 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday. Hinrich, who averaged 10.2 points in the series, scored 11 points in the Hawks' 84-81 victory, including a huge floater over Dwight Howard that gave the Hawks a 78-74 lead with 3:06 left. ''I hope he's healthy,'' friend and former teammate Joakim Noah said."
Hinrich's injury is major blow for Hawks
April 30
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"The Hawks were minutes from making it to the second round of the NBA playoffs with relatively few injury issues when Kirk Hinrich crumpled to the floor and clutched his right leg. The Hawks said their starting point guard is doubtful to play in the Eastern Conference semifinals against Chicago after suffering a "significant strain" to his right hamstring Thursday. Hinrich sustained the injury late in the Hawks' series-clinching victory against Orlando at Philips Arena. Hinrich's injury is a major blow to the Hawks' prospects against the top-seeded Bulls. He's best suited to defend All-Star Derrick Rose, and the Hawks also could use Hinrich's shooting against the league's best defensive"
Hinrich still trying to find fit in offense
April 5
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"My eyes tell me the Hawks are better defensively with Kirk Hinrich playing point guard instead of Mike Bibby. Your eyes probably believe the same. The numbers disagree with us. They say the Hawks have been slightly better on D with Hinrich on the bench than on the court (that includes all games this season). Of course, the numbers also could be used to make a case that Bibby was a solid defender for the Hawks, a proposition that does not come close to passing the eye test. Aside: This reminds me of a post by Jeff Fogle at Hoopdata back in February, in which he argued there's too much "noise" in regular-season defensive stats and concluded: "Don't think about the correlation between regular"
Hinrich relieved to join Hawks
March 3
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Kirk Hinrich has so much going on these days, he wasn't dwelling on lining up against his former teammates Wednesday night. And yet, Hinrich admitted there was an emotional side, however fleeting, to playing the Bulls. "It's a little different, I guess, because I had really good relationships with all those guys,'' said Hinrich, who spent the last seven years in Chicago before departing. "Other than that, it's just another game. I'm trying to get acclimated here. I'm trying to focus on that.'' Hinrich, who has been slowed by a calf injury, made his first start in his three games with the Hawks. He made one three-pointer for his only points of the game. He was 1-for-5 from the floor in"
Hinrich to start, Smith out for Hawks
March 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"After coming off the bench for his first two games, new Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich will make his first start Wednesday night at Philips Arena. He'll do it against his old team, the Chicago Bulls. Hinrich won't have the benefit of having forward Josh Smith in the lineup, however. Smith, who sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee against Denver Monday, tried to practice at the Wednesday morning shootaround but was in too much pain. Since acquiring Hinrich in a trade that sent Mike Bibby to Washington last Wednesday, coach Larry Drew had been starting Jeff Teague to give Hinrich time to acclimate. Drew said he felt Hinrich had learned enough of the team's plays and defensive"
Hawks more defensive-minded with Hinrich
March 1
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"It seems too simple to say the Hawks have forged a defensive identity simply by sending away Mike Bibby in a trade and replacing him at point guard with Kirk Hinrich. Or is it? "I think the trade has something to do with it," Hawks center Al Horford said after Atlanta's grinding 90-83 victory at Portland late Sunday night. "I like what I've seen from our guys. We are starting to become more consistent on the defensive end." The Hawks have been a jump-shooting team that's shaky on defense and weak at rebounding. In a victory at Golden State on Friday night and again at Portland they defended and rebounded with vigor, went hard to the basket and turned the hard work into easy scoring"
Hawks find point guard in Hinrich
February 24
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"After a days-long search for a trading partner in a desperate effort to improve at point guard, the Hawks finally managed to swing a deal. The Hawks agreed to a trade with the Wizards for veteran Kirk Hinrich and athletic big man Hilton Armstrong, the team announced Wednesday night. As part of the deal, the Hawks sent Mike Bibby, rookie Jordan Crawford, swingman Mo Evans and their 2011 first-round draft pick to the Wizards. Bibby, Crawford and Evans were informed of the trade before the team's game against Phoenix on Wednesday night. Jeff Teague replaced Bibby in the starting lineup. Hawks coach Larry Drew declined to comment on the trade before the game because it hadn't yet been approved"
Wizards trade Kirk Hinrich to Atlanta Hawks
February 23
Washington Post
 
"Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong arrived at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday with their teammates, but both players were held out of the Washington Wizards' game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The two players were seated on the sideline in street clothes and by halftime, they were being shipped to the Atlanta Hawks in a five-player deal. The Wizards dealt the veteran point guard Hinrich and seldom-used backup center Armstrong to the Hawks in exchange for Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans, Jordan Crawford and a 2011 No. 1 pick, according to multiple league sources. The move keeps the franchise moving along with its plans to rebuild around rookie John Wall. With Thursday's 3 p.m. deadline"
Hawks interested in Hinrich
February 23
NBA.com
 
"The Atlanta Hawks are interested in Washington Wizards veteran point guard Kirk Hinrich, according to league sources, but the Hawks are not willing to give Washington both a young player and a first-round pick for Hinrich, the Wizards' current asking price. Atlanta is trying to convince Washington take back veteran Mike Bibby for Hinrich, pointing out the potential cap savings for the Wizards. Hinrich is scheduled to make $8 million next season, while Bibby only will make $6.2 million. Both would be entering the final year of their respective contracts next season. The Wizards, though, want to continue their youth movement–though Washington isn't interested in taking on the two years and"
When it comes to trades, the options are few for Lakers
February 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers want to make trades but are a little short on available, desirable players. They have an aging roster tied down by cumbersome salaries and have already traded their only expiring contract of value — Sasha Vujacic's $5.5 million — in a December salary dump that cost them this year's first-round draft pick. They're fading quickly in the race for the best record in the Western Conference, and there's increased concern in the upper reaches of the organization that they might not get back to the NBA Finals, but there isn't much room to maneuver because 10 of their 14 players are 30 or older and the franchise is already burdened by the league's highest payroll ($90 million). Lakers"
Kirk Hinrich suffering from hyperextended right elbow, will undergo more tests
January 24
Washington Post
 (scroll down)
"The win also came on the heels of the Wizards dealing with a new cluster of injuries, most notably veteran guard Kirk Hinrich's hyperextended right elbow, which is scheduled for further testing perhaps on Monday. Hinrich incurred the injury during the fourth quarter of Friday night's 109-91 loss to Phoenix and was inactive against the Celtics. With Hinrich serving as Wall's only backup, the Wizards had to scramble to find another player to fill that roll for Saturday night."
For Washington Wizards' Kirk Hinrich, protective glasses are only latest adjustment
January 17
Washington Post
 
"Kirk Hinrich needed to get his Illinois driver's license renewed before his 30th birthday earlier this month, so he went in for a routine eye exam with Washington Wizards team optometrist Keith Smithson. The plan was for Hinrich to just read a few rows of descending letters and fax the results to the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles. But the process became more complicated as Hinrich came away with the startling news that if he continued to play basketball without protective eyewear, he stood a high risk of getting hit and losing sight in his left eye. Hinrich remembers taking a hard shot in the face at the start of his sophomore season at Kansas and later discovered that he had a"
Wizards practice report: Howards sits, Hinrich unveils protective eyewear
January 4
Washington Examiner
 
"You never know exactly what you'll find after you return from a break. In the sports news business, games have to be played and the season always rolls on, so there is always a little something different when you return. With the Wizards, a lot has stayed the same since I've been gone. Here are the highlights from watching 30 minutes of scrimmaging at the end of practice today: (1) JaVale McGee received plenty of instruction from Wizards head coach Flip Saunders on setting screens after improper execution on consecutive plays; (2) Nick Young was also on the receiving end of a number of teaching points, yet still grinned his normal grin through couple of three-pointers and reverse-dunked"
Hinrich, Yi return to practice
January 4
Washington Post
 
"Both guard Kirk Hinrich (thigh) and forward Yi Jianlian (knee) returned to practice on Monday at Verizon Center, and the two said they felt encouraged by their continued progress returning from injury. Hinrich sported a pair of athletic glasses that he said were for protective purposes, not corrective. Hinrich said he had an eye exam and was told he should wear the glasses and that they had nothing to do with the black eye he picked up against the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 22. "Today was the first day with them," Hinrich said. "Definitely not used to them yet, just trying to get adjusted to wearing them." The only player not on the practice floor was Josh Howard. Andray Blatche rolled his"
Arenas, Hinrich start to settle in
November 21
Washington Examiner
 
"Even if John Wall doesn't return from a left foot sprain to join the Wizards' lineup for the first time in a week on Sunday at Detroit, he now has been gone long enough that his backcourt teammates have started to learn how to do without him. With Wall out, both Kirk Hinrich and Gilbert Arenas played their best games of the season last week in a pair of victories over Toronto and Memphis, wins that helped take the sting out of the 31-point defeat at Boston sandwiched in between them. "John's strengths are different from ours," Arenas said. "He's more of a fast-break machine. So when he's in the game, you have to lay back to let him do his thing, and we have to find our rhythm. With Kirk,"
Arenas returns, Thornton watches, Wizards fall
November 7
Washington Examiner
 
"As soon as Gilbert Arenas checked into his first game of the year on Friday, notices might as well have been placed in the lockers of Kirk Hinrich and Al Thornton. It will only be a matter of time until he replaces one of them in the Wizards starting lineup. Thornton, a small forward, and Hinrich, a guard, both made compelling arguments in their own respective defenses of why they should retain their place in the starting rotation on Saturday against the LeBron James-less Cleveland Cavaliers. For Thornton, making his case wasn't enough. Despite his team-high 23 points, including 12 in the third quarter, he found himself on the bench for the final nine minutes of the fourth, watching the"
Kirk Hinrich returns to Chicago
October 9
Washington Post
 
"Kirk Hinrich received a huge ovation from Chicago Bulls fans when he was announced Friday at United Center. Hinrich spent the first seven years of his career in Chicago before he was dealt to Washington, along with Kevin Seraphin, a few hours before the NBA draft. He admitted that it was "a little weird" being back in familiar surroundings as a visitor. "Being in the other locker room, not ever seeing it before. This is the first time," Hinrich told reporters before the game. "It was weird the first time I put on this uniform. But I got over that. The organization has been great to me. We're young. But we have a lot of enthusiasm and guys are trying to do the right thing." With the Wizards"
Hinrich has adjusted to 'fresh start'
October 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Despite being mentioned in trade rumors for more than a year, Kirk Hinrich still was stunned when he learned of the draft-day deal that sent him from the Bulls to Washington. ''I was a little bit shocked,'' he said Friday night before the Bulls and Wizards met in a preseason game at the United Center. ''For whatever reason, it caught me a little bit off guard. ''Obviously, initially you have mixed emotions and things like that, but I was able to get over them fairly easily and realize I had an opportunity in front of me to have a fresh start in Washington. It's been really good so far.'' Hinrich, who spent seven seasons with the Bulls, received a loud ovation from the UC crowd."
A happy return for former Bull Hinrich
October 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"If Kirk Hinrich admitted his return to face the Bulls felt "a little weird," just think how the United Center faithful felt. The player affectionately called Captain Kirk, who toiled and defended over seven seasons, 514 regular-season games and 34 playoff games, said he didn't even know what the visiting locker room looked like. And so the modest exhibition crowd responded in familiar fashion, showering Hinrich with loud cheers during the Wizards' lineup introductions. The love didn't stop there. Hinrich hugged or shook hands more than a politician with member after member of the Bulls' organization. "He meant a lot to this franchise," Luol Deng said. With Josh Howard injured, Hinrich"
Wizards conclude training camp; Gilbert Arenas, Kirk Hinrich injured
October 4
Washington Post
 
"The Wizards concluded their first training camp at George Mason -- where they practiced at midnight and later in the dark -- with a 40-minute scrimmage that ended in exciting fashion. The white team, which featured John Wall, Kirk Hinrich, JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche and Al Thornton, defeated the black team, 80-78, as Thornton drove inside and nailed a fallaway jumper with 2.5 seconds remaining before falling on his backside. The black team, led by training camp invitee Lester Hudson, led most of the game, and had a chance to win, but Nick Young missed a three-pointer from the left corner as time expired. Young had tied the game a few seconds earlier when he buried a three-pointer, then"
For Hinrich, a new place and a familiar role
July 27
Washington Examiner
 
"As one of the few veterans on the Wizards roster, Kirk Hinrich will have the task of being a mentor to rookie point guard John Wall -- just like he did with Derrick Rose in Chicago. If Wall proves to be anything like Rose, who earned his first All-Star nod last year, the task will be pretty easy. "When Derrick first came to the Bulls, I feel like I got too much credit for that," Hinrich said at his official Wizards introduction Monday. "He was just very good, and with my versatility, I was able to play along side him and complement him pretty well, I feel. The main thing is, Derrick learned stuff from me. I was talking to him and everything like that, but most of it was by example." The"
New addition Kirk Hinrich will give Wizards consistent output
July 27
Washington Post
 columnist Tracee Hamilton
"It was Kirk Hinrich Day in Washington Monday, in case you missed it. No mayoral proclamation, a la John Wall. Just my own proclamation, which isn't the same, but still. (And before we go on, to be clear, it's Kirk, not Kurt, as at least one media mate referred to him. It's KIRK, as in Douglas, Captain, or the Church of Scotland. Kirk.) The happiest people in stuffy Verizon Center Monday were probably the campers who got to meet Hinrich. He was asked to shoot a "pressure" free throw -- if he made it, the youngsters didn't have to run a lap. They eagerly surrounded him and he made it, and his fan club had its newest recruits. Some of us have had our membership cards a little longer. I've"
Washington Wizards Welcome Newly Acquired Guard Kirk Hinrich
July 27
Washington Post
 
"Kirk Hinrich and his wife, Jill, had just finished house hunting on Sunday when the two decided to explore their new surroundings. But the afternoon stroll along the monuments and later through Georgetown was cut short when the two looked at one another and the new Washington Wizards guard realized it was "unbelievably hot." The couple wisely retreated to their air-conditioned hotel room only to discover that the timing couldn't have been better as the District was hit with a sweeping, violent storm. From their window, they spotted Boy Scouts fighting off wind and rain, tree branches blowing wildly, and probably had to wonder if they had really left behind the Windy City. "We got inside"
It's official: Bulls finalize Hinrich trade to Wizards
July 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Bulls finalized and announced the draft-night trade of guard Kirk Hinrich to the Wizards Thursday evening. The Bulls also traded the draft rights to Kevin Seraphin, the 17th overall pick they made for the Wizards, and sent $3 million to complete the transaction. The Bulls acquired the draft rights to forward Vladimir Veremeenko, who isn't on their summer-league roster. Hinrich has kept a very low profile since the trade went down. In an phone interview on Wednesday, he took the high road. "I hope it works out for the Bulls. I really enjoyed my seven seasons there. To get drafted by the Bulls and have the opportunity to grow as player, I had a blast. I tried to play hard for the fans."
Wizards to complete deal for Hinrich, Seraphin; Yi presser on Friday
July 8
Washington Post
 
"The Wizards are expected to finally complete in the next few hours their trade with Chicago for Kirk Hinrich and the rights to 17th overall pick Kevin Seraphin. The deal, which cost the Wizards only a second-round pick, was agreed upon hours before the NBA draft three weeks ago. The Bulls are still working out details of their deal to sign free agent Carlos Boozer, which has placed the trade with Washington on the backburner. The two sides are expected to have a quick conference call, with an announcement to follow soon after that. In order to complete the deal, the Wizards will have to renounce the rights to some or most of their free agents, which was likely to occur, according to two"
Bulls' Captain Kirk will be missed
June 26
Chicago Tribune
 columnist K.C. Johnson
"Even six years later, I can't believe Kirk Hinrich agreed to my silly story idea. In April 2004, late in his rookie season, I asked Hinrich if he would walk down Michigan Avenue with me to see how many people would recognize him. The story centered on how anonymous he still was despite an overachieving season. We left the Berto Center in his Hummer and spent 90 minutes crawling through stop-and-go traffic on the Edens. I still remember the sight of Hinrich trying to parallel park his large vehicle in a downtown parking garage. Over the ensuing seasons, we'd laugh occasionally about his almost naive cooperation for the story. Trades happen all the time in professional sports, and Hinrich's"
Cap 'n' Kirk: Bulls clear more room
June 25
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Kirk Hinrich is the Bulls' longest-tenured player and a team captain, but on Thursday, the 6-3 shooting guard simply became an expendable number in the team's pursuit of a major free-agent splash next month. Hours before the start of the NBA draft Thursday night, multiple sources said the Bulls agreed to trade Hinrich, 29, and the 17th pick to the Washington Wizards for a future second-round pick. While that might seem like a pittance for a former lottery pick with career averages of 13.4 points and 5.8 assists and a draft choice in the middle of the first round, the key element for the Bulls is getting Hinrich's $9 million salary for next season off the books to improve their chances of"
Bulls to trade Hinrich, 17th pick to Wizards
June 25
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Bulls moved "all in" for free agency in February when they traded John Salmons to the Bucks. They continued to try to move deeper "all in" Thursday. Sources confirmed the Bulls have agreed in principle to trade veteran guard Kirk Hinrich to the Washington Wizards along with the 17th pick in Thursday night's NBA draft. Forward Kevin Seraphin of France was drafted with the pick. Bulls GM Gar Forman said tonight: "This evening we selected Kevin Seraphin with the 17th overall pick of the NBA Draft. At this time, we are currently in discussions to trade our draft rights to Kevin Seraphin; however, we will not be able to complete a trade until after the moratorium period concludes on July"
Hinrich merits praise from new Bulls coach
June 25
Chicago Tribune
 
"On Wednesday, noted defensive coach Tom Thibodeau praised noted defensive presence Kirk Hinrich. One day later, Hinrich was headed to the Wizards in a deal made to increase the Bulls' salary-cap space this summer. "Kirk Hinrich, I've always admired his game because of his versatility and great competitive spirit," Thibodeau said at his introductory news conference before the impending trade. "He has the ability to play both guard positions and defend three positions. In our (2009) playoff series, he guarded Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. He has great versatility. You can play him with Derrick (Rose) or even at small forward. That adds a lot to your team." Even without Hinrich,"
Bulls create free agent bonanza
June 25
Chicago Tribune
 
"LeBron James, c'mon down! Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh, the United Center and its six NBA championship banners will be available for inspection in six days. Typically, the NBA draft is a night of promise and potential. And in a way, Thursday still was for the Bulls. In a bold move that dramatically altered the free agent sweepstakes, that promise and potential will focus on NBA All-Stars and most valuable players rather than teenage college players. Sources said the Bulls have agreed in principle to send veteran guard Kirk Hinrich, $3 million and French prospect Kevin Seraphin, whom they took with the 17th pick in the draft, to the Wizards in exchange for, well, nothing. But that nothing"
Sources: Bulls to send Hinrich, No. 17 to Wizards
June 24
ESPN.com
 columnist Ric Bucher
"The Chicago Bulls have a deal in place that would move Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick to the Washington Wizards, freeing up enough cap space to pursue two maximum-salary players on this summer's free-agent market, sources with knowledge of the Bulls' plans said Thursday. It wasn't immediately clear what Washington would send to Chicago in the trade. The deal can't be officially consummated until July 8, when the Wizards will have room under the salary cap to absorb Hinrich's $9 million contract without having to send back anything of similar value. Since it's a good-faith deal for the time being, there remains a chance it could fall apart. But according to one source, the Sacramento Kings"
Bulls' aim: Clear more salary-cap space
June 22
Chicago Tribune
 
"For months, the Bulls have talked internally and whispered to organizational confidantes about the desire either to possess enough salary-cap space to sign two big-name free agents outright or engineer a sign-and-trade for one and acquire another with cap space. The NBA draft may be Thursday, but July 1 — the start of free agency — still dominates management's plans. League sources continue to indicate the Bulls are shopping the 17th pick and trying to package it with long-term contracts to clear even more cap space than the projected $20 million to $22 million they currently possess. A maximum free-agent salary will start at roughly $16.5 million. In the current NBA financial climate, it"
Deng, Hinrich know they could be trade bait
April 30
Chicago Tribune
 
"Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich are veteran enough to know if the Bulls do engineer a sign-and-trade this summer, one or both of them could be a part of the transaction. "I would love to be here my whole career, but you have to understand the business side of it," Deng said. "There are always going to be changes." The Bulls' dream scenario is to engineer a sign-and-trade for one premier free agent, preserving at least the $16.57 million needed to start a maximum contract for a second premier free agent. The team will have $20 million to $22 million of salary cap space when free agency begins July 1. Outside shooting and interior scoring are the team's biggest needs."
Hinrich snaps out of slump with 27
April 23
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Bulls played a strong Game 2 in Cleveland, but there was one missing element: Kirk Hinrich's scoring. Before the 108-106 victory Thursday over the Cavaliers in Game 3 at the United Center, the Bulls knew that had to change for them to change the result. ''Kirk's gotta make some shots, but defensively he's always in the right spot, and he does a lot of intangibles out there that are not on the stat sheet,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''He's one of our leaders out there. If the shots are out there, he has to step up and knock them down, which he's done all year for us.'' Hinrich bounced back in a big way, scoring 27 points on 9-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-4 shooting from"
Hinrich finds his shooting touch
April 23
Chicago Tribune
 
"After shooting a season-high 47.5 percent during eight critical April games — his best monthly percentage this season — Kirk Hinrich struggled in the first two games of the playoffs at 33 percent. But Hinrich sank his first four 3-pointers Thursday night and finished 9-for-12 for 27 points in the Bulls' 108-106 Game 3 victory. A third-quarter 3-pointer stopped the bleeding on a 13-0 Cavaliers run. "Kirk has to make some shots," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Defensively, he's always in the right spot. He offers a lot of intangibles that aren't on the stat sheet. But he has to step in and make shots.""
Rose, Hinrich lead charge in Bulls victory over Cavs
April 23
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"This time, LeBron James wasn't able to save the day with a superhuman effort -- though he certainly gave it his best effort and came closer than nearly all of the 22,991 jammed into the United Center would have liked. But in the end, the Bulls broke through for the first time in the first-round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sprinting out to a 21-point lead early in the second half and then holding on for a 108-106 victory Thursday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference series. With the series still on serve, the Cavaliers have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with Game 4 set for Sunday at the UC. ''We had to gut it out, and our guys made plays,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro"
Injured Bulls Hinrich, Deng hope to play Saturday
April 1
Chicago Tribune
 
"Kirk Hinrich said he plans to return from his sprained left ankle for Friday's game in Washington. Luol Deng said he hopes to return from missing 11 games with a strained right calf to play limited minutes Saturday night at home against the Bobcats. And coach Vinny Del Negro confirmed the coaching staff has discussed starting Joakim Noah for the final eight games of the season. Of course, all this news from a busy Wednesday at the Berto Center might be too late now that the Bulls trail the Raptors by two full games with just eight to play in the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. "Yeah, it's tough," Del Negro said. "No one is happy about that. We feel (Tuesday's loss to"
Kirk Hinrich leaves game in first half with sprained left ankle
March 31
Chicago Tribune
 
"In the franchise history of undesirable Bulls scenarios — along the lines of, say, Dennis Rodman insulting the Mormons or Dalibor Bagaric playing at all — having Jannero Pargo guard Steve Nash would have to rank up there. That's not to deride completely Pargo's effort on the two-time most valuable player during the Suns' 111-105 victory over the Bulls on Tuesday night at the United Center because Pargo actually fared fairly admirably. It is to say losing Kirk Hinrich to a sprained left ankle late in the first half further stretched thin a Bulls team already without Luol Deng and running out of playoff lives. Speaking of undesirable scenarios: The Bulls now trail the Raptors for the final"
Loss by Kansas bad news for Bull
March 21
Philly.com
 
"One of the Bulls got bad news last night during Chicago's 98-84 victory over the 76ers at the Wachovia Center. About four minutes remained in the second quarter when an NCAA tournament game result was announced. Northern Iowa had upset Kansas, the No. 1 overall seed, 69-67. Chicago guard Flip Murray walked over to teammate Kirk Hinrich and pointed to the scoreboard, where the result was displayed. Hinrich graduated from Kansas, playing from 1999 to 2003. He went to two Final Fours with the Jayhawks."
Hinrich suspension puts Bulls in bind
March 15
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"After being ejected in the fourth quarter of the Bulls' road game Friday against the Miami Heat, guard Kirk Hinrich was defiant and followed referee Bennie Adams for an explanation. But Sunday, a day after the NBA suspended him for one game for making contact with Adams, Hinrich was more apologetic for leaving the short-handed Bulls even thinner for their road game Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies. ''I'm just disappointed,'' he said after practice at the Berto Center. ''Anytime you have to miss time when you're healthy is frustrating. I was hoping that wasn't going to be the case, but there's nothing I can do about it now.'' Hinrich admitted his anger got the best of him."