NBA Glue Guys Ryan Arcidiacono And P.J. Tucker Were Wildly Disrespected At The NBA Trade Deadline
A travesty of disrespect has taken place in the NBA at the trade deadline towards glue guy GOATs Ryan Arcidiacono and P.J. Tucker. Someone in the media needs to call this out. So here I am.
In the age of performative offense there is simply no respect anymore for the guys who hold their teams together without anyone really even noticing they are there. The glue guys. Guys like Ryan "Arch of Dimes" Arcidiacono who has owned this role better than anyone else in NBA history. As you can see from my list above, Arcidiacono has secured the longest streak of games played without scoring any points. 20 consecutive games. Oh and by the way, this streak is ONGOING. And this is how he's treated.
What a shame. I haven't been this entertained by someone from New York doing so little in their job since the 90s.
All 20 games the "Arch of Dimes" stepped on the court this season he's respected the chastity of the net. A net, who in recent years, treats chastity like Woodstock. But he's only attempted six shots this entire season so it's not like he's killing the flow of the offense by thinking he's Kobe. No. Arch did his job being the glue guy that held everyone up around him in place so they can be the focal point. It's a lost art. But I think there needs to be an analytics metric for this. You need guys on your team to not get in the way of your good players. THAT's the mark of a good player. At least the argument I use for myself at LA Fitness.
The thing about ole Arch is that he specializes in doing this when the game is wildly already decided. He isn't afraid of playing the dirty minutes. I looked back at all 20 of his game entrances this season and the lowest game score margin one way or the other was 15 points in which there was 1:08 left in the game. And the earliest he entered a game this season was with 6:28 left vs the Blazers in which he successfully got the proverbial save when called in from the pen to close a meager 28-point lead.
But Arch wasn't the only glue guy who got disrespected at the trade deadline.
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For the historical record - with 14 total points as a Clipper, Tucker currently requires just 17.8 pairs of shoes per point scored
Despite his plea, there was no trade to be had. Not for him or his shoes. The only active guy I can think might break Arch's 20-game record is P.J. Tucker. That's why I can understand P.J.s frustration in not getting a chance to play since November 27th which has left his active and career high 6-game scoreless streak spanning from November 17th to the 27th collecting dust. 34-games since he's been left forming gooch grooves in his chair. Imagine how many more games than 20 he could achieve if given the chance.
If you take the above list and sort it by total minutes played in consecutive scoreless games, Tucker comes in #5 all time in which he accomplished 131 scoreless minutes during a four-game span. This was also in November, but in the 2023 season.
One thing is clear. This man takes No Net November seriously.
While Arch prefers to come in the game when even the paid commentators have stopped paying attention, Tucker is more accostomed to the spotlight to show off his offensive philanthropy. But the Clippers have made it clear that they don't respect this gift just like the Knicks didn't respect theirs (0-1 since trading "Arch Dimes").
So while Arch was disrespected by being traded away during the midst of an active NBA scoring record, Tucker was disrespected by NOT being traded thus preventing him from competing for this record as well. It's just not right. But all I can do now is think more about what analytic to concoct that correlates doing little with winning games. Maybe then front offices will give this style of play more respect. If not them, at least the guys at LA Fitness.
BTW - Kidd's NBA all-time scoreless minutes record is technically still an active record he could extend if he ever laces up his shoes again. Ended his career setting the record in his final ten games with the Knicks who - proving a trend in their dirty past of disrespecting glue guys - sent his playing career to the glue factory immediately afterwards.