Kenny Anderson

[Alexander Wang <awang@MIT.EDU>]

Kenny does not execute the offense exactly the way Pitino wants and we
want. As we've all noticed, he doesn't push the ball, he doesn't take
chances, he generally doesn't penetrate with the idea of passing. I think
we'd all agree that if we replaced him with Jason Kidd, our offense would
be much, much improved. But on the other hand, Kenny does take care of the
ball, he's been shooting well, he can get into the paint, and he does make
good plays in the halfcourt -- just not enough of them. The infuriating
thing about Kenny is that he has the talent to play better but not really
the desire. There was a time when he averaged 10 assists a game so there's
no questioning that he has the ability to be a good offensive point guard.

But we've seen that you can't just replace Kenny with some random player
who doesn't have the ability or instincts of a true point guard and expect
improvement. In fact when you see the offense completely fall apart under
another "point guard" like Barros last year, or any number of
third-stringers we've had, you appreciate Kenny a bit more. As much as I
like the addition of Randy Brown because he's a leader, a hustler, and a
defensive player, he's not the answer on offense. Nothing he's done in his
career suggests that. When he was running the Bulls, they were the worst
offensive team in the league. When he's on the floor, the offense probably
should be going through Walker.

The main question, which we'll find out soon, is whether Chris Herren has
the ability and instincts right now to be the point guard we all hope for.
I'm a bit cautious because we've only seen him have one good game. Kenny's
injury is certainly a great opportunity for him, similar to how Brevin
Knight's injury opened the door for Andre Miller. But I'm not a believer in
the idea that removing Kenny improves the team offensively by default. He's
still a decent point guard, though not as good as he should be. And the
defense is still a problem. But until someone else shows they can handle
the position well, he's still an asset for this team, albeit an overpaid one.

Alex