When Kris Humphries embarked upon his NBA career with the Jazz in 2004, he looked up and saw Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko ahead of him in the rotation. He was traded to the Raptors in 2006, just in time to sit behind Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh. In 2009, he was traded to the Mavericks, where Dirk Nowitzki reigned at power forward.
“I’ve been in tough situations in the past,” Humphries said. “If you remember when I came to the Nets [in 2009-10], I wasn’t really in their plans. They drafted [Derrick] Favors, traded for [Troy] Murphy, signed Joe Smith. I was playing with the fourth or fifth team in training camp.”
The key word there was “playing.” Over the past four games, Humphries has been glued to the bench as the Nets employed Mirza Teletovic as the backup power forward to Reggie Evans. But interim coach P.J. Carlesimo apparently has seen enough of Teletovic’s defense and his .362 shooting — not really swell when your rep is that of a shooter — and has indicated he wants Humphries back in the rotation before the playoffs.
For the previous two seasons, Humphries averaged a double-double for Nets teams that were — what’s the word? Oh yeah, bad. He struggled early this season and found increasingly sporadic time and injuries. Now, his most impressive number for the Nets future might be $12 million — as in the $12 million on his expiring contract year next season. Humphries has no idea where he will be playing.
“You’ve got to look at the situation,” Humphries said about the chance of a return to Brooklyn. “It’s hard to say right now. Who knows who’s going to be here? A lot of things can change here.”
He just promises to try to make the most of every minute before season’s end.
“For me, it’s play hard in the limited minutes,” Humphries said. “Some nights I might play in the first half, not in the second half. Me a little bit in the first, Mirza a little in the second which is tough on both of us, but it’s coach’s decision. We’ve got to come in with energy and be energy guys.”
Carlesimo said he would like the Humphries move “sooner rather than later” and feels Humphries can contribute based on his past.
“I can tell him we need him and that I’m confident in what he’s able to do,” Carlesimo said. “Confidence to me is based on prior success. He’s just got to go out there and play the way he’s capable of playing.”
* The Nets employed the Springfield connection again Friday, assigning rookies Toko Shengelia (for a fourth time) and Tyshawn Taylor (his third trip) to their D-League affiliate. … Joe Johnson was glad to have four days off to rest his aching left heel. He figures he’ll practice Saturday and “definitely” face the Hawks Sunday. “I’m sure I’ll practice [today] to just get my timing back,” Johnson said.