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[true 3 blue]

[h1]Bulls weigh trade options for Thomas[/h1]

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports

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 are determined to shed more salary-cap space for the summer of 2010, and 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 season.

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

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Knock Jerome James out of the deal or include a Bulls 2nd rounder and I'll do it in a heartbeat. I think Tyrus would be good in this system.

 

[duba169]

what would be the point?

and i'm tired of _______ would be good in this system. THERE IS NO SYSTEM

 

[harlemtothebronx]

What's the point of that trade? We lose our best offensive player, and take back someone who Knicks fans despise and Tyrus Thomas, who's contract runsover to 2011. Is Tyrus Thomas even worth it?

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by HarlemToTheBronx

What's the point of that trade? We lose our best offensive player, and take back someone who Knicks fans despise and Tyrus Thomas, who's contract runs over to 2011. Is Tyrus Thomas even worth it?

I want to win the lottery....oh wait

 

[pr0phecy718]

Jerome James??

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Do Donnie and D'Antoni know we don't have our pick this year? Of all the years to tank, we choose the year we don't have a pick.

It's obvious we're tanking, too. Passing on AI, considering moving Harrington for Tyrus Thomas.

 

[duba169]

i'm sure it's a BS story. the media hasn't gotten one story about the knicks right dating back to the summer. these writers are just making crap upat this point, i'm convinced

 

[Mister Meaner]

Telfair would be great here. He seems to have his head on straight, and is a baller, but also a good PG.

Random, but felt like putting it out there tonight.

 

[hueyp in louiev]

^ I agree.

If they make that Thomas trade with the Bulls (as usual) instead of "staying the course"...

 

[damnitzvin]

jerome james

PASS

 

[bangdak]

didnt we give james to them?

and i dont see that being true at all either.
ill give them duhon+nate+jefferies for tyrus+whatever bum that doesnt have a contract past 2010. i dont see it happening though, since chitown is hoping toside wade at the end of the season.
btw, i think tyrus has an expiring. correct me if im wrong.

 

[shuges]

Assuming this is true, why do the Knicks like to trade with the Bulls so much? Or sign their ex-players so much?

Originally Posted by airmaxpenny1

Originally Posted by Gabe Gotti

he'd be avg. 24 and 12 easy IMO.

Do you realize how many players ever have averaged 24 and 12...Knicks fans are the worst some times. Y'all loyalty is part of the problem, this team is TRASH...There is a reason no one wanted D Lee this summer, he is a glorified role player. I like David but he doesn't have a single offensive move in his repetorie. He finished well with both hands but his game is so limited. He rebounds and finishes well, but that is about all.

While I agree that 24 points is a big stretch, I DO think Dave can give you 10+ boards. His scoring on a good team - despite his lack of a TRUEoffensive repertoire - would still be where it is right now: 15-18 ppg. Realistically, I could see him giving you 15-12 in say, Cleveland.

You guys honestly don't think Lee is better than Anderson Floppy Head Varejao?! Or Kendrick Perkins? Or Kenyon Martin?

Or if you don't think he's better than any of those guys, you don't think he could contribute more than them on their respective teams?

 

[airalphabet]

Co sign on the Telfair idea, that be a good fit for us imo.

Can't believe the dude is only 24

.

It seems like he's been in the league for forever.

 

[big j 33]

I just want a pick this year, give us some trade to get a pick in the lotto

 

[bangdak]

perkins is a better s hot blocker, and more of a center which is what we need.
martin is just more solid all around, although too inconsistent.
we can say the same about lee though


and i would literally give anything for a loto pick on this team. except gallo.

 

[airalphabet]

It be nice if we can pick up a lotto pick but I don't think that we have the assets/players to get it done. Lee maybe.

Walsh will probably end up buying one of those late 1st round picks again for next year.

 

[shuges]

Originally Posted by BangDak

perkins is a better s hot blocker, and more of a center which is what we need.
martin is just more solid all around, although too inconsistent.
we can say the same about lee though

But Perkins in this offense would be a miserable fail. He's not that agile, not that athletic, and not that quick. And besides shot-blocking, what does hedo better than Lee?

Kenyon would be great in this offense as far as running up and down the court. But he doesn't rebound as good as Dave. Plus Kenyon's offense is just aslimited as Dave's. Plus his free throws suck and he's a much less willing passer than Lee. You sure Kenyon is "more solid all around"?

 

[airmaxpenny1]

Kendrick Perkins is a dominant defensive center. Dude is better than David Lee. He isn't that much worse a re bounder either, he just as more guys aroundhim that have the ability to snatch boards. Lee is def. more fluid but if I have to take one, I'm taking Perkins. You guys hype David's offensive gameway too mcuh, dude only scores on dunks, layups and putbacks.

 

[ballinsam23]

lee is a guy any team would love to have. he scores on "dunks, layups, and putbacks" better than anyone else i know

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Heads up, Tyrus Thomas contract doesn't have to extend to 2011. It only does if his team gives him the qualifying offer.

 

[DYNAMICS]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEZ

 

[the gr8]

Dude is better than David Lee.
cmon mannn, werent people calling him the worst player in the NBA if i remember correctly before the big 3 got there to help. I swear him andRondo have got so cot damnnn overated because of the Celtics success. It isnt that hard to do what they do when they have Allen, Pierce, and KG to getopponents off of their backs. Perkins would be a bum with us, just like he was in Boston before the "help" arrived. At least Rondo is quick and avery good defender. Perkins is a decent shot blocker, thats about all. Other than being a true center (which most teams wouldnt try and make Lee be) he hasNOTHING on Lee, cmon now. Lee is FAR more talented than that dude

 

[duba169]

watch david is gonna end up on a real good team and thrive. he's not gonna have to guard the center and he will have a real coach that preaches defense.He's going kill it. the knicks are a bad orginization from top down, it's not a curse or coincidence that players become great once they leave the team

 

[gangsta207therevolution]

Exactly I dont know why the Bulls are acting like they cant renounce his rights..