Knicks/Bulls In Discussions For Tyrus Thomas

Ewing said:

Not this James please, not again!

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tiger0330 said:

That's an intriguing trade, I would do it if we could get Chicago's #1 pick this year.

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Bulls weigh trade options for Thomas

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
12 hours, 7 minutes ago

So far, NBA general managers are still passing judgment on their own teams, evaluating needs and slowly, surely feeling out the market. The February trade deadline is more than two months away, but conversations are beginning to gather momentum.

For starters, multiple league executives believe the Chicago Bulls’ shopping of forward Tyrus Thomas(notes) could result with him moving sooner than later. As Thomas has rehabbed a broken forearm, the Bulls have had discussions with several teams, but perhaps none as serious as the ongoing dialogue general manager Gar Forman has had with New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh.

Several sources believe the Bulls are agreeable to a package of Thomas and Jerome James(notes) for Knicks forward Al Harrington(notes). Thus far, Walsh has resisted parting with Harrington, but discussions are still active and the teams have explored different combinations in recent days that would ultimately deliver Thomas to the Knicks.

“Nothing is imminent, but both sides would like to figure out a way to do this,” one league executive briefed on the talks told Yahoo! Sports.

The Bulls believe Harrington’s ability to score coupled with a $10.2 million expiring contract make this a worthy exchange. Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has long been fond of Thomas, a 6-foot-9 forward whose nimbleness and athleticism makes him an intriguing fit for New York.

Thomas, 23, was the fourth pick in the 2006 NBA draft, and started to fulfill his promise with 10.9 points and 6.4 rebounds last season. Nevertheless, Chicago believes it has a worthy power forward successor on the cheap in rookie Taj Gibson(notes), and jettisoning Thomas would also eliminate his approximate $13 million cap hold for the Bulls next summer.

Thomas’ agent, Brian Elfus, tried to negotiate a contract extension with Chicago, but talks never pushed past perfunctory.

Here are other teams that front-office officials, coaches and agent say are active in talks.

Portland: Since Travis Outlaw(notes) has been lost for four to five months with foot surgery, GM Kevin Pritchard has been working the phones for an athletic forward as a replacement.

That isn’t much of a surprise, but this is: In conversations with Portland’s front office and coaching staffs, several league officials believe Andre Miller(notes) could soon be available. As a free-agent signee over the summer, Miller can’t be traded until Dec. 15.

After missing out on several preferred free agents, Pritchard settled for Miller and signed him to a three-year, $21 million contract, the first two years of which are guaranteed. Yet, Blazers coaches have privately insisted to confidants throughout the league that Miller isn’t working out, and the belief is that Pritchard is testing the market on Miller’s worth. Portland could stay with Steve Blake(notes) or use Miller to bring back another playmaker.

Sources say that Brandon Roy(notes) clearly prefers playing with Blake over Miller, and that’s an issue that Pritchard must contend with.

Houston: The Rockets continue to offer Tracy McGrady(notes) in a trade, but that will be a difficult proposition considering he’s the highest-paid player in the league ($23.2 million) and no one has seen him play in nine months. Houston seems willing to take back a longer-term contract for McGrady, but most executives believe his high salary makes it hard to put together a package.

Rockets GM Daryl Morey and coach Rick Adelman don’t want McGrady back with the team, and have insisted that he isn’t physically ready to return to the lineup. McGrady would love a trade, but knows he must start playing again for it to be possible.

Philadelphia: Sixers GM Ed Stefanski is desperate to unload forward Elton Brand(notes) and the $66 million owed over the remaining four years of his crippling contract, sources say, but that will be incredibly difficult. Even with several teams, including Golden State and Charlotte, desperate for low-post scorers and rebounders, no one believes Brand, who makes $14.8 million this season, has enough left to merit taking on that contract.


Before Monta Ellis(notes) started on his scoring tear, Philly had hope that his issues with Golden State might inspire the Warriors to take a chance on Brand, but that isn’t happening. Sacramento had some interest in center Samuel Dalembert(notes), another contract Philly wants to shed, but couldn’t work out a three-way deal with Boston.

Los Angeles Lakers: With a league high payroll of $91 million, the Lakers are looking again to shed salary off their bench, and GM Mitch Kupchak has told teams to take its pick of reserve players – except for Lamar Odom(notes), of course – to relieve the team of some salary.

That idea worked out last season, when losing the salary of Vladimir Radmanovic(notes) to Charlotte unearthed the valuable Shannon Brown(notes) for the Lakers.

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LJ4ptplay said:

Full article:



I think we should look more into Portland needing an athletic forward...Chandler + Nate for Travis Outlaw + Rudy Fernandez??

Also, Houston seems willing to take back a longer contract for McGrady and are having difficulties finding a team willing to take him...McGrady for Curry??

Maybe this Tyrus Thomas talk signals the possibility of a future David Lee trade? He can't be traded until Dec 25th and maybe Donnie has a deal in the works for then.

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LJ4ptplay said:

This trade makes no sense.

1.) We give Chicago more cap space to compete with us in 2010. In fact I think this gives them more cap space than us...and have a much better team than us...they could sign Wade and Bosh while already having Rose...not fair and stupid for Walsh to do.

2.) Thomas is an expiring contract. We can't afford to retain his Bird Rights.

3.) We already have Lee

4.) Thomas doesn't really fit into D'Antoni's system as a PF. He can run the floor well but his outside shot is worse than Harringtons.

*edit* 5.) We have HillQUOTE]

I don't really get how you figure this is a bad trade for us at this point. Al Harrington is our leading scorer but big deal. He's a volume shooter that brings no defense to the table.

The contracts match up evenly so we wouldn't be giving Chicago anymore cap room they then already have. All three players contracts expire after the season so it's a wash after the season. In the future wouldn't you rather have the opportunity of signing a much younger and athlethic Ty Thomas then an older Al Harrington? Harrington may not be old in age but in NBA years he's has alot of miles on those knees.

Ty Thomas does fit this offense in my opinion. That with or without David Lee. But if you ask me if we were to make this trade it would definately feel like Lee's tenure in NY is coming to an end.

Thomas isn't a great shooter but either is David Lee. But David Lee puts up big numbers in this system is there any reason to believe that a more athletic player like Thomas can't match Lee's numbers. Also Everybody on this site complains about lack of defense. Ty Thomas averages close to 2 blocks per game and average almost 3 blocks a game during last years playoffs.

LJ is right we do have Hill but Hill isn't playing so whats wrong with rolling the dice on this trade? What do we honestly have to lose at this point?

At worst case the second half of the season has a lineup like this.

Duhon
Hughes
Gallo
Thomas
Lee

At at best case if Donnie uses this Harrington trade as a stepping stone we could have a lineup that looks something like this.

Duhon
Fernandez
Gallo
Webster
Thomas

Or

Duhon
McGrady
Gallo
Thomas
Hill

Just an idea folks. I wouldn't dismiss the idea that quickly.

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Crazy8s said:

And does anyone know the deal with Mobley's contract? It has to be dealt before Xmas or some shit right?

Thanks

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