The buoyancy Kirk Hinrich displayed after Thursday’s practice in talking about his promotion to the starting lineup contrasted sharply with John Salmons’ understandably downbeat nature about his demotion.
Then again, their disparate personalities and playing styles — Hinrich’s hyper hustle vs. Salmons’ composed calm — are a big reason coach Vinny Del Negro made the change, confirming a Tribune report. Taj Gibson also will replace Brad Miller for Saturday’s home game against the Hornets.
“I just think it’s another ballhandler out there, another pick-and-roll guy,” Del Negro said of Hinrich. “Kirk’s one of our best defenders, if not our best defender. We can play with a little more thrust or pace with Kirk.
“John and Brad are still going to get minutes, but where we’re at right now warrants some kind of change. It’s not engraved in stone or a permanent thing. But right now, I just feel that’s the direction we need to go.”
It’s instructive to remember that Hinrich has started 82.4 percent of his 461 career games, although all of those 380 career starts came before this season.
“That doesn’t matter because I have a comfort level starting, absolutely,” Hinrich told the Tribune. “I feel I play well with that unit. I’ve played a lot with them (off the bench) anyway. I guess the only difference is bringing energy and aggressiveness at the start.
“Mentally, I feel I can get my offense going a little bit and help us in that department. Coming off the bench is an adjustment trying to get your offense going.”
And now that task falls to Salmons, who is shooting a career-low 38.2 percent.
“I’m human,” Salmons said. “It’s not fun. You never want to be demoted. But I’ve been down before. I have to deal with it. I haven’t been playing well, but I’ve been doing my best. All I can continue to do is work.”
Salmons always does that, staying after Thursday’s practice to take his customary 20 to 30 minutes of extra shooting. But it’s clear the demotion has rocked the laid-back Salmons, who dismissed a question about whether the change merely could be Del Negro trying to find chemistry.
“Nah, I think it’s at me and Brad,” Salmons said.
Del Negro denied the lineup change is personal and chalked up Salmons’ reaction to his competitiveness.
“It’s nothing against John,” Del Negro said. “He just has to keep battling. I’ll bring him off the bench and keep giving him an opportunity. We need him to play well. With Kirk in there, we play with a little more energy and thrust. I want to see how that works for us.”
Hinrich has struggled offensively as well. His 36.2 percent shooting is lower than Salmons’ and his 3-point percentage of 32.2 is only slightly ahead of Salmons’ 31.6. But it’s been clear recently that the ball has moved better and more transition opportunities have occurred when Hinrich has played.
“I think it will help,” Luol Deng said. “You never want to see a lineup change because most of the time it shows that the team or an individual is struggling. But what it does is pick up energy.
“The new starters want to play well. Guys who are being put on the bench are going to come in and try to prove something.”
Del Negro first unveiled the changes to start the second half of Tuesday’s loss in New York. The Bulls outscored the Knicks 50-35 in the second half.
Now it’s time for the Bulls to put together four quarters.
“We all feel we could play better,” Deng said. “I feel I’ve been a bad leader. I’m sure Kirk does too. I’m sure Derrick (Rose) feels he could run the team better. When you lose, this is what happens. Everybody has to look at themselves and try to do something better.”
kcjohnson@tribune.com
