Tyrus Thomas not traveling with Bulls to Boston

Why did we draft Noah? Hasn't he shown improvement as well? If not on the floor playing consistently, and when entering the game you are more worried about making mistakes then playing, isn't there bound to be inconsistent play?

I admit, I thought we shouldn't have taken Rose in the draft, but he has proven me wrong. Now give him time to direct - become the floor general to Noah and Thomas and I believe these two players will be okay. But you can't benched them and expect them to get better when never playing them.

Somebody elaborate please.

I would rather see the Bulls free up cap space by finding a way to move Hinrich, Nocioni, or Hughes then seeing Thomas go.

If they do end up moving Tyrus, it would have to be a blockbuster deal because athletically gifted players like Thomas don't come along that often. He could end up being a beast for a team that could develop him.

Pax has to do something, I understand that 2010 is the "Year of the super NBA Free Agents", but they risk losing their best scorer in Gordon if they don't have the cap room to resign him next year.

I see where you're getting at, Roman, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to trade Thomas right now. I said before that the key to the Bulls rebuilding efforts is the development and maturation of Thomas and Noah. Over the last few games that TT has played, he has been a force. He's learning and he's playing better, same with the entire team. There's a reason why we assembled this coaching staff full of teachers. Use them wisely and don't abandon the plans after only just 20 games into the season so far! I know I'm in the minority here, but the Bulls are better off keeping him. I don't think he's a bust, but I do think he is a late bloomer. In other words, it will take time for him. He has to play more. He’s not going to get better playing only 10-15 minutes a game. Besides, if Pax does end up trading TT, depending on who we get in return (I've heard anywhere from Kaman or Brad Miller so far), then this will ultimately damage his credibility as a capable GM who can assess talent properly. I already made a list of recent Paxson blunders in a prior blog topic. My suggestion since many feel that more Lottery draft picks will not improve this team, then offer up future 1st round picks along with either Hughes or Gooden (who both essentially don’t have futures with this team) and get Kaman. When healthy (key word “healthy” of course), Kaman is a beast inside and he will make a difference on this team no doubt, but I wouldn’t want to get him at the expense of TT if at all possible. If we can trade Luol Deng and his overpaid contract, I’d do it. Besides, that Clippers team is already logjammed at the forward position so I don’t see how TT would fit in there Zach Randolph and Al Thornton anyway. As for Noah, you’re pretty much dead on… who would want him right now? Based on Paxson’s quotes, it appears that he is finally conceding that this will be a long road ahead with this current roster. I’m just not ready to give up TT just yet, but if we get rid of him, it better not be for just Brad Miller. That’ll be a slap in the face to get an older Center who was once a Bull before Paxson came on board.

Oh hey Roman... great picture posted up there of TT and Okafor, by the way.

Can we do Live Chat for Bullsgames ever?

One thing is for certain, Hinrich is expendable. That has become very obvious. I have mixed feelings about Noah but would not be sorry to see him traded even as a throw in to seal a deal for an impact player.Tyrus on the other hand I'd hate to lose. I think his problem in the begining was a personality conflict with Skiles and it would appear that lately Vinny is turning that around and Tyrus has been playing with more energy and has even driven to the rim on many occasions when in the past he'd take the 15 to 18 foot jumper. Granted he still takes the jumper at times when he could go to the rim but some of those have been with the clock winding down.
Gordon I still have mixed feelings about even though lately he seems to have steped up his defense just a little bit. Larry Hughes inspite of having hit some big shots still has a propensity not to let anyone elses finger prints get on the ball. Even though Gray has been starting of late I think he needs to play more minutes. Gray, Gooden and Tyrus can be a formidable front line. Thabo I guess has all but disappeared. Edgar I agree Kaman would be a nice addition but not at the expense of TT.

Is Hinrich really expendable now though, Tim? Last I heard Paxson talk about him was that Hinrich was supposed to be the next Steve Nash. I’ll never forget that statement. As you can tell, I’m really digging it hard into Paxson now and holding him responsible for the Bulls’ decline in the last couple of seasons. It all started last Summer for me when Pax made a fool of himself in the coach searching process. I even remember the predraft workouts and draft day of Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefalosha and Pax all but raved about both of them while missing out on the likes of Aldridge/Roy with TT (as most already know) and missed out on Ronnie Brewer and Rajon Rondo while TRADING UP 3 draft slots to draft Thabo Sefalosha, an unproven foreign prospect from, of all places, Switzerland. Ugh, I’ll never forget that either. Only the Portland Trail Blazer fans have the utmost respect for John Paxson right now in helping that team field a stacked roster like that. And don’t think Thabo hasn’t had his opportunities on the basketball court. He’s had plenty of opportunities, but he still commits too many turnovers, he’s not a bulls-eye shooter, and although he has quick hands and a long wingspan for defense, he’s not a lockdown defender. Trenton Hassell looks like he’ll have a more productive career than Thabo at this point. Every year I always read about how Thabo conducts basketball camps in his country during the offseason. I wonder how the enrollment count is these days?

Go get Kaman and give the Clippers Hinrich. I’m sure Mike Dunleavy sees a lot of his son’s game in Kirk Hinrich and would be a big fan. Hinrich and Baron Davis, the backcourt of the future! That’s my role playing NBA GM statement of the week!

Edgar I'll second a Hinrich for Kaman trade in a heart beat. Now figure out who to trade Thabo and Noah for and you could be looking at a trophy possibly.

I agree. There is no point in trading Tyrus now, what are we going to get for him not much. I think he is starting to get the fact that he needs to play within himself, stop shooting long jumpers and just stay around the basket. Every player doesn't come to the NBA ready to go, some people need 4-5 years. I think he can be a very effective player once he stays focused on keeping it simple on the court and playing smart.

How long did it take Chauncey Billups(a # 3 pick) to become a good player....over 5 years and numerous teams

Noah, who I like, will fetch nothing either. We're better off trading Noc, Hinrich Gooden for Kaman or Miller and cap space.

Culzie - I never gave Skiles a pass. Moving him was Paxsons saving grace. Just like moving Savy was the right move for the Hawks. Bulls are still a very average team, but we are competitive and entertaining - thanks to Rose. Paxson has a few major decisions to make, and the biggest one is NOW or the FUTURE. I say look to the future and build your program. That would mean dispatching the likes of Hughes, Gooden, Noch, and stockpile some picks and youth. Vinny is a good scout and can help Paxson make some decisions. If Pax is going for it now, he needs a trade for a veteran Center, and he needs another impact player on the court with Rose. Kamen would be a good fit in the East. I would even try and get...Eddy Curry if he could be had. I'd bet Eddy has learned some things and is a much humbler person now. Its worth a try if you want to compete NOW. Hughes is not the answer. He has Erob syndrome. A big tease giving you just enough to draw you in. Its not rocket science, the game is won at the rim. The team with players who are good around the rim - win. Even the best shooters have an inside game and know how to get to the line.

And that brings me to ROSE. While I am impressed with his scoring ability, I want to see ROSE the facilitator more. The other night in Charlotte was a loss that can be attributed to the Bulls asking Rose to score vs. make the play. He had Drew Gooden on a pass for the win, but opted to shoot because of either bad decision making or pressure from the bench. That loss reflected badly on Vinny. Its one of those games that is going to come back and bite us come playoff time. Ask the Bears about that.

Rose is a great talent, no doubt. But his greatness as a point guard is the use of the weapons he has on the court. He should be developing a feel for the players - especially the aforementioned Tyrus Thomas. This is the truest mark of any point guard worth his salt. I want to see Rose the passer FIRST, then Rose the scorer. The passer will make him the weapon he needs to be. I am more impressed with assists than points. And I am more impressed with a player who makes others better. We do that, and it wont make a difference who we put on the team, as long as they have talent. See Chris Paul for reference. An assassin running with all bums. But with him, they become a formidable unit. Same with Steve Nash.

Right now we need Rose the scorer. A more passive, facilitating Rose has led to losses. Rose does need to improve his passing skills but he needs finishers. Gooden isn't a good option for a pass, I sure wouldn't pass to him. Right now, we still need Derrick to score at least 16. He needs to learn to get people the ball in the right spots for them to score effectively and his D needs a LOT of work.

Also Chris Paul has good players, Chandler, West and Stokajovic are not bums. I'd take David West in an instant

And Eddy Curry is terrible. He is overweight and can't even crack the lineup in New York. He can score but can't rebound or defend. No thanks.

i love tyrus thomas...i would love for him to come to phx.....but thats unlikely......

tyrus has too much raw potential....as a matter of fact he reminds me of a slightly more coordinated ben wallace, give him time.

noah i hate.....he should be traded

the 1-2 spots are clogged with gordon,rose,hughes,sefolosha,hunter????trade a guard get a taller guard, at that,iguodala for example.....some one who can drive/dunk.

but if you dont play tyrus how will he ever prosper.

Keith my man I was really impressed with your post until you mentioned Eddy Curry. Then You lost me there for a few seconds. He has never lived up to his potential because he is lazy. He should be a 20/10 player but he's only a 13/5 guy and will never be more than that. he found out quickly that wasn't going to dominate the NBA like he did high school kids and hasn't put out the effort it takes to become a dominate big man and I'm guessing that unless he "finds a re-newed born again commitment through a vision of Dr. Naismith" he is and always will be what he is today, an over-hyped first round pick.
Getting back to Rose and the loss in Charlotte, I agree with you about pressure from the bench and the play you mentioned when he had Gooden open was just one instance down the stretch of that game. There were a couple other times he turned the ball over ala Ben Gordon dribbling a bit too much on the perimeter then getting trapped by a double team along the sideline. I clearly recall saying out loud (yea ok so I talk to the tv sometimes when I watch games, happens when you live alone lol) you're trying to hard to make something happen let the game come to you don't force it.

Again Tim kinda nailed it, Eddie Curry is just slightly less an underachiever than Rashard Griffith.

I know folks are sour on Eddy Curry, but he is a legitimate 6/10 300lb scorer on the block that can be had for a draft pick and two packs of nowlaters. And those who think that he is done need only to look at Kwame Brown. With Rose on the team and Skiles gone, Eddy would have a whole lot less pressure and be able to produce. I would love to have Kamen and all of the post guys we are dreaming about, but you have to make the deals that can be made. Bulls should have Pao Gasol right now, but Chicago is not LA.

C-Smoove - I know we like winning, but that comes at the expense of developing key players. And the league is going to figure him out sooner or later and he is going to have to pass and trust his teammates. The pass makes him even more deadly. It makes people who won't normally run and hustle - do just that. Nobody is a bigger Rose fan than I am, but no one player is more important than the team, even MJ learned that lesson (albeit the hard way) and the rest is Bulls lore.

Keith, as long as Paxson remains as Bulls GM, there is no way that Eddy Curry will ever become a Bull again. Not only were bridges burned in that relationship, but Paxson will ask Curry to take a heart examination again and you know where that will lead to again. The deal with Kaman makes sense because the Clippers are too crowded in the frontcourt with Camby and Zach Randolph. They will look to make moves most likely at the small forward position where they already have an up ‘n coming player in Al Thornton, but I can see some interest in Nocioni and Hinrich to shore up their bench or spot start while they develop their younger players in Thornton and Eric Gordon. Add in a future draft pick and I can’t see how Clippers wouldn’t go for that unless Hinrich’s backloaded contract is too much for them to handle managing their salary cap restrictions. However, that’s my suggestion as I play role player GM.

And the reason why Pau Gasol is not a Bull is because 1. Fans and media folks alike were saying that he’s soft, injury prone and couldn’t play defense. Well, Kobe Bryant sure didn’t think so, did he? 2. Gasol welcomed a trade to the Bulls at the time, but Paxson didn’t want to give up Deng in a package. That was the sticking point. This trade talk was months way before Gasol was traded to the Lakers. How long must we wait for Deng to max out his potential and become an All-Star player that many predicted? For me, I already knew that he’d never become a great NBA player by year 3. A nice player? Yes, but not a great one, yet Pax decides to give him a fat contract over Ben Gordon. Another blunder decision there. Remember what happened in our last home game against Utah? Deng didn’t play in the final 17 mins of the ballgame. Seems to me that Vinny already knows what he doesn’t have with Deng to win games and matchups. Fortunately we won the game, but without our prized $80 million player who can’t figure out how to gel with a real point guard on the team for once.

As for Derrick Rose, he already is a pass-first point guard over scoring. The reason why his assist numbers don’t show it is because guys like Deng, Thomas, Noah and Gooden are missing their wide open jumpers! If you don’t watch the games and only read the papers or internet clippings, then you can’t see it game in and game out, but Rose’s first choice at the beginning of most games is to get his teammates involved, believe me.

Edgar, Rose WAS....a pass first guard until they found out he could score. Now they are pressing him to score. His best offensive option has become himself and that is not good. He is a great offensive weapon, but I want to see him pass in situations when he is drawing triple teams in the paint. There is a time to shoot, but he is becoming his only option and that concerns me. I watch nearly all of the games. I Love the kid. I'm his biggest fan, but to watch that game go down the drain like that with Gooden cutting to the rim was really unfortunate. Okafor blasted his shot and Gooden was right there on the cut. That was a very bad loss that will come back to bite the Bulls at the end of the season. You are right, the players have to be accountable for the passes they do get, but he has to continue to pass it. THE TEAM will not change and progress until then. Players like Tyrus will not become the weapon he need to be until they develop chemistry through repetition. Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler can probably run that pick and roll alley oop with blind folds on. Tyson probably missed a whole lot of them in the beginning, but look at him now. Oh we beat Utah the other day, but that team beats the Bulls 4 out of 5 times because they run sets and plays as a functioning precise unit. The Bulls won because of talent, they were home and a good shooting night. Good solid foundational basketball trumps the run and gun ball most nights and definitely in a playoff series.

Bulls are all over the place - like a lie detector on Blagojevich! They have very few sets and a whole lot of one on one plays. Vinny is going to have to get more creative with half court offense. Made me start missing Scott Skiles (ugahugck)!

Pax better get someone experienced on the block or Eddy is going to be the least of his problems. I agree wholeheartedly about Deng. Bulls should have pulled the trigger and paid Gordon. Eddy has his contract now, and should have no problems with a heart test. He probably has a nowlater blocking his ventricle.

If Curry was so good, then why is he on the bench? He's fat, slow and can only score. We are lacking in interior offense but we need even more help with defense and rebounding. Curry can not and will not do either. A 7 footer who averages 5 rebounds is unacceptable. Who in the right mind wants him back?

Rose has been looking to pass but no one's finishing. He's only been taking like 10 shots a game so he's not becoming some type of ballhog or anything.

And Deng doesn't fit in on this team anymore, he needs to be traded for a viable big man