He has somehow gotten worse. A former member of team USA, Kirk Hinrich is a key member of the Chicago Bulls. He is the 6th man on an average team that desperately needs him to play well. So fan this season though, Kirk has been awful. He is shooting 36% from the field, 68% from the free throw stripe, and an Eddie Robinson like 31% from the 3 point line. Is this some sort of sick joke? When Kirk was given a 5 year $47.5 million dollar extension in 2006, he was paid to be the point guard of the future for the Bulls. That all changed when though when the NBA rigged the 2008 NBA draft lottery and awarded the Bulls the 1st pick and Derrick Rose. People have said that Hinrich is a good 3rd guard. The problem with that thinking besides being wrong, is that wasn’t what he was paid for. The only thing more annoying than his play so far this season is when Vinny Del No mind calls him “Kurt”. Who knows maybe Kurt Hinrich can actually make an open jumper.

Can you believe this guy makes $9.5 million this season?

Kirk was paid to be a starting caliber guard, and since his best season in 2006-2007,  when he had 16.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, and 3.4 rpg the craptin as he is called has regressed in every aspect of his game. I have started to twitch and cring every time I see Derrick Rose drive and create a WIDE open shot for Kirk, only to see it clang off the iron. He isn’t a bad player by any means. He isn’t the Bulls new version of Khalid El-Amin. He isn’t Ron Mercer or Ben Wallace stealing money from the organization. He is a solid player and the Bulls need him to start playing towards that 2007 level or they will be in serious trouble.

I do not believe the Bulls to be a serious contender this year, but I do hope they get to the playoffs and make some noise. Why? Because the better the team does this season, the better they look to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade come July. That’s what this season is all about, being good enough to attract one of the difference making free agents to make the leap to Chicago. With two more years on his deal after this season, Kirk Hinrich is likely to be here for the duration. In today’s NBA not many teams are looking to add long term contracts to their payroll. Especially with a possible lockout looming in 2011. There are plenty of dumb NBA general managers out there so maybe somebody bites and takes on Kirk’s deal if their point guard goes down, but my guess is it’s wishful thinking. I would deal Kirk to Portland and former Kansas alum Kevin Pritchard in a heartbeat. The Blazers have long liked Hinrich and a deal for Steve Blake’s expiring deal would benefit both teams. Andre Miller isn’t fitting in Portland, and Kirk would be a better complement to stud Brandon Roy.

The Bulls need this guy to start playing to his 2007 form.

With that being said, the most likely option for Bulls fans as we wait patiently for July 1, 2010 is that craptain gets back to playing to his full capability. I actually thought of a drinking game where every time Kirk bricks a jumper you drink your beer. When he misses a wide open 3? You do a shot. It wouldn’t be a bad time as you watch the Bulls play. In all seriousness though, the Bulls need Kirk to step up his game. John Salmons has started to play well at the 2 guard spot, and D Rose is finding his groove as well as he recovers from the ankle injury that was more serious than the Bulls had led you to believe. The key to this team making the playoffs and being an attractive destination to the stars next summer will be Hinrich playing at the level the Bulls paid him to play at. July 1, 2010 cannot come soon enough.