There is a lot about that them that is similar. Hart hits the 3 which Knight doesn’t even have, but they both are pretty bad mid-range. Both have outstanding A/T ratios, though Knight’s is better. Functionally they have the same contract.

MDSr must have just liked Hart’s game a little better. Or maybe injury concerns? Hart is a little younger.

Knight vs Hart last season.

http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/jhart_080723.html

July 23, 2008
Clippers Acquire Jason Hart From Utah Jazz
Los Angeles Native Returns To Clippers In Exchange For Brevin Knight

The Los Angeles Clippers acquired guard Jason Hart from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Brevin Knight, Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor announced today.
With the addition of Hart, the Clippers boast a revamped roster which currently features six new players, including two-time All-Star Baron Davis, two-time All-Defensive First Team member Marcus Camby and the seventh overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft, Indiana product Eric Gordon.

"We are glad to have Jason back with us," Baylor said. "He played an important role for us when he was here previously, and we think he will be a valuable component this time as well."

A seven-year NBA veteran, Hart is a native Los Angeleno and attended Inglewood High School. He rejoins the Clippers after appearing in 57 games for the Utah Jazz last season. The 30-year old point guard split the 2006-07 season with Sacramento and the Clippers, playing in 23 games and averaging 9.0 points and 4.0 assists for Los Angeles.

Hart brings back to Los Angeles career averages of 5.2 points, 2.4 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 297 games. He has appeared in a combined 12 playoff games with the Spurs (2003-04) and Kings (2005-06), averaging 2.7 points. The former Inglewood High School star signed with the Jazz as a free agent prior to the 2007-08 season and averaged 2.9 points, 1.5 assists and 1.0 rebounds last year with Utah.

The 6-3, 180 pound point guard enjoyed his best professional season in 2004-05 with Charlotte, appearing in 74 games and averaging 9.5 points, 5.0 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game. The onetime Syracuse University standout began his NBA career with Milwaukee after the Bucks drafted him with the 49th selection of the second round in the 2000 NBA Draft. Hart played in one game with the Bucks during his rookie season. After signing with the San Antonio Spurs as a free agent on Dec. 19, 2001, Hart played in 63 games for San Antonio over two seasons from 2001-2004.

Hart also spent 12 games with the Asheville Altitude of the NBA Development League during the 2001-02 season, averaging 12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game and spent the 2002-03 season with Makedonikos of the Greek League.

At Syracuse, Hart finished his four-year collegiate career averaging 11.4 points per game and was an All-Big East First Team selection as a senior in 1999-2000. Hart is also Syracuse’s all-time leader in steals (329).

Knight joined the Clippers as a free agent on Aug. 13, 2007 and averaged 4.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 22.6 minutes in 74 games with Los Angeles last season. A ten-year NBA veteran, Knight finished second in the NBA with a 4.62 assists per turnover ratio in 2007-08.

Maybe Knight was complaining about his contract? Our backup PG should only play 10-15 mpg so its not too important. It could also mean they have faith in EG playing some PG next year too.

I can only think it’s about defense and the ability to defend against bigger guards. They’re both very challenged offensively, aren’t they? Knight had good hands and got lots of deflections, but it was pretty painful to watch him out there as a starter. He really couldn’t hit the open shot at all and never got to the basket—not that Hart can do much of either of those things.

Dunleavy must have some sort of breakdown between the two in his head, and he liked Hart and wanted to sign him last year, but Utah grabbed him. Or something like that. I think the Clips were sniffing after Stevie Francis at the time. So if the salaries are about the same, it seems like Dunleavy spent enough time watching Knight play last year and he likes Hart better coming off the bench.

Also worth considering possible minutes for Gordon at PG, as has been discussed elsewhere.

Maybe Dunleavy just wanted to make sure there were no players on the team shorter than he is.

First on the salaries- Hart makes almost 500,000 more per year. Hart 2.484 mill and knight 2.0 mill. They both are in their last year of their contract.

I don’t like the trade. Knight is a much better PG. He makes better decisions. Maybe Hart is younger and less likely to be injured, but that is not a good enough reason. Definately a down grade. Look at the Utah fans rejoicing that we took him off their hands. That says it all!!

My only hope is maybe there is some kind of trade the Clips are trying to put together and needed a little higer salary to make it work. Yes, I know very unlikely, but I have to hold out some hope.

Lots of the regulars over at the ESPN board are pretty geeked up about getting Hart back. They remember him fondly from the late run at the last playoff spot. Everybody also just seems to like all of the Clippers activity. Dunleavy seems to know what he wants and is getting after it.

One thing about both Knight and Hart, from a Clipper perspective, is that we haven’t seen too much of them as backups. Hart stepped in as a 10-day player and did a nice job keeping things going. Knight backed up Cassell for awhile, but our much larger sense of him from last year is as a fill-in starter. The same thing happened with the great Rick Brunson. It would be nice if the backup could just be the backup, for a change.

Utah folks are questioning why we think we like Hart. He wasn’t great there, couldn’t maintain leads (replacing DWilliams, Utah’s best player—but Baron will be our best player). There’s also the possibility of Knight being a better fit for Sloane’s system, and Hart better for the Clips and Dunleavy.

Another view is that Hart is better at pushing the ball and creating things, where Knight is basically conservative, makes the easy pass, and keeps his mistakes minimal. Again, Utah vs. the Clips with Thornton, Buikie and Gordon. Throw in Hart’s greater height and length on defense, better ability to get to the hoop and maybe hit a few more shots, and it all works well enough for me.

Have to think that Dunleavy knows what he wants and what he’s doing right now.

is our way of showing Livingston he’s needed. If he could get healthy, he could really give us a lift off the bench.

Knight and Hart were the PGs here in Charlotte for the Bobcats inaugural season. That was an ugly team, but at least they played hard. Hart fit in as a backup on an expansion team, but the Cats still cut him loose the next year. Can’t see how he’s really an upgrade over Brevin. I’m taller than Brevin, too. Sign me up.