Chris Richard

Chris Richard - 18 games, 30.5 mpg, 12.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.1 bpg, 1.5 TOpg, 62% FG, 25% 3PT, 64% FT

Liaoning began the season with the ex-NBA players, Richard and Smith. Smith has toured the Asian and South American leagues for a few years now, and had previously been playing in Venezuela, appearing in the Liga Sudeamericana with Espartanos de Margarita. For Richard, however, this was his first trip outside of America. Everything before now has been either the NBA or D-League for him. And he found it tough going in China, as evidenced by his averages. They're not bad by any stretch, yet they pale to most of the above.

The 25% three point shooting is a result of Richard's season total of 1-4, all four of which came in the same game. Liaoning lost in a blowout. Guess Richard decided to have some fun with it. He played only one more game before being replaced by [Anthony] Myles.

Chris Richard is similarly unproductive. He is an average-to-decent rebounder, yet offensively, he contributes incredibly little. He has no jumpshot, no free throw stroke, can't catch, can't move without the ball, dribble, post-up, or make anything consistently around the basket. This would be fine in an NBA centre if Chris Richard were really an NBA centre. But that's debatable as well. Undersized at 6'9, and not quick, Richard plays defense via the foul. He has a limited use, coming into the game and pushing guys around a bit, which is a role that can be occasionally useful to have even if it doesn't sound like it. However, the Bulls already have Kirk Thomas. No team ever needs Chris Richard, but the team already with Kirk Thomas definitely doesn't need Chris Richard, who is like the 38-year-old Kirk Thomas without the jumpshot. (And if you don't know why Kurt Thomas is being called Kirk Thomas this season, then don't worry about it.) The Bulls have Omer Asik as the project third string centre, so whatever upside the 25 year old oft-injured Richard may be considered to have is upside he'll have to realise elsewhere.

Chris Richard - Richard is an oft-injured undersized 6'9 centre who can't score, defends via the foul and who doesn't rebound particularly well. He was a mere sixth man in 4 years of college, underwhelmed in the D-League, and has done nothing in his time in the NBA. But aided by some love from the Bulls, he keeps coming back. And he really can play man to man post defense.