ducks
11-11-2004, 10:30 PM
Curry's agent asks for trade, adding to Bulls' woes
By NANCY ARMOUR, AP Sports Writer
November 11, 2004
DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- The cornerstone of the Chicago Bulls' next dynasty appears to have some structural problems.
Eddy Curry's agents said Thursday they are seeking a trade for the 7-footer, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer. That came as a surprise to general manager John Paxson, who learned of the request not from Darren White and Lamont Carter, Curry's agents, but in a story in the Chicago Sun-Times.
``Eddy hasn't said anything to me yet,'' Paxson said. ``And I'm not going to be intimidated or persuaded by any agent that goes public and tries to do what he thinks is right for his client. I think it only hurts him and it doesn't do us any good, either.''
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Curry went to a doctor after banging his right knee and wasn't available for comment.
But White told The Associated Press he will continue to explore possible trade scenarios for the Chicago-native Curry and ``will operate on the assumption of getting Eddy a trade.''
``Eddy's in a no-win situation,'' White said. ``The media in Chicago have really beaten this young man up, but statistics show he's gotten better. The city is tired of losing, and Eddy has become the pin cushion.
``I'm asking for a trade now so we can get the most out of this season for this young man,'' White added. ``I'm looking at his future.''
The Bulls gambled big three summers ago, entrusting the future of the franchise to Curry and fellow prep-to-pro project Tyson Chandler. The 7-footers have tantalizing physical gifts: Curry is wide-bodied with a daunting wing span while Chandler is long and lean.
But neither has lived up to his hype yet. Chandler has been injury-prone, missing 43 games with a back injury last year. Curry has flashes of brilliance -- he led the league in field goal percentage two years ago -- and then disappears. Neither was offered a long-term extension before the Oct. 31 deadline, so they must prove this year that they're deserving of big bucks.
Curry looked as if he was ready for a big season, losing more than 30 pounds over the summer. But he struggled Tuesday against Phoenix, his first game after serving a two-game suspension for a fight during the exhibition season. He didn't take a shot until the second quarter, didn't play in the fourth quarter and finished with six rebounds and three points on 1-of-5 shooting in a 94-74 loss that dropped the Bulls to 0-3.
Making Curry's problems even more glaring was that Suns center Amare Stoudemire, drafted out of high school a year after Curry and Chandler, was dazzling. He finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds, and scored Phoenix's first points on a dunk over Curry.
``We've got to find a way to get him going, get him playing and get him believing,'' Paxson said. ``That part falls on us, but it's a two-way responsibility. He has to buy into it.
``I just don't want Eddy or any other young player on our team looking for the easy way out, thinking that it's going to be different somewhere else,'' Paxson added. ``There's only one way to be successful and that is to buy into what the organization is trying to do and work hard and become a better player. If he does that, good things will happen for him.''
No matter what White wants, Paxson won't rush to trade Curry. Despite his struggles, Curry is still 7 feet tall and three weeks shy of his 22nd birthday. Big centers are hard to find in the NBA, and the Bulls don't want to let him go only to see him blossom into an All-Star somewhere else. Plus, the Bulls haven't exactly been a model of stability since Curry and Chandler were drafted. The two have played for three different coaches already, and the roster has changed with dizzying frequency.
Deals aren't that easy to make, either. It's not just a matter of finding someone the Bulls would want for Curry, but also matching up salaries and contracts.
``I'm not going to be pushed into doing something,'' Paxson said. ``He's our player. He's under contract and we have the rights to him going forward. We're in the better position.''
In the meantime, the Bulls have to find a way not to let this latest saga become a distraction. The season is barely a week old, and the Bulls are already 0-3. After Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, they leave on their annual November road trip to the West Coast, where they are 0-for-32 since the dynasty days.
``Whatever needs to be done, my thing is let's do it so we can get back to the task at hand,'' Antonio Davis said. ``We've got too many other things that we have to be worried about and deal with. Hopefully we'll continue to work hard.''
By NANCY ARMOUR, AP Sports Writer
November 11, 2004
DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- The cornerstone of the Chicago Bulls' next dynasty appears to have some structural problems.
Eddy Curry's agents said Thursday they are seeking a trade for the 7-footer, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer. That came as a surprise to general manager John Paxson, who learned of the request not from Darren White and Lamont Carter, Curry's agents, but in a story in the Chicago Sun-Times.
``Eddy hasn't said anything to me yet,'' Paxson said. ``And I'm not going to be intimidated or persuaded by any agent that goes public and tries to do what he thinks is right for his client. I think it only hurts him and it doesn't do us any good, either.''
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Curry went to a doctor after banging his right knee and wasn't available for comment.
But White told The Associated Press he will continue to explore possible trade scenarios for the Chicago-native Curry and ``will operate on the assumption of getting Eddy a trade.''
``Eddy's in a no-win situation,'' White said. ``The media in Chicago have really beaten this young man up, but statistics show he's gotten better. The city is tired of losing, and Eddy has become the pin cushion.
``I'm asking for a trade now so we can get the most out of this season for this young man,'' White added. ``I'm looking at his future.''
The Bulls gambled big three summers ago, entrusting the future of the franchise to Curry and fellow prep-to-pro project Tyson Chandler. The 7-footers have tantalizing physical gifts: Curry is wide-bodied with a daunting wing span while Chandler is long and lean.
But neither has lived up to his hype yet. Chandler has been injury-prone, missing 43 games with a back injury last year. Curry has flashes of brilliance -- he led the league in field goal percentage two years ago -- and then disappears. Neither was offered a long-term extension before the Oct. 31 deadline, so they must prove this year that they're deserving of big bucks.
Curry looked as if he was ready for a big season, losing more than 30 pounds over the summer. But he struggled Tuesday against Phoenix, his first game after serving a two-game suspension for a fight during the exhibition season. He didn't take a shot until the second quarter, didn't play in the fourth quarter and finished with six rebounds and three points on 1-of-5 shooting in a 94-74 loss that dropped the Bulls to 0-3.
Making Curry's problems even more glaring was that Suns center Amare Stoudemire, drafted out of high school a year after Curry and Chandler, was dazzling. He finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds, and scored Phoenix's first points on a dunk over Curry.
``We've got to find a way to get him going, get him playing and get him believing,'' Paxson said. ``That part falls on us, but it's a two-way responsibility. He has to buy into it.
``I just don't want Eddy or any other young player on our team looking for the easy way out, thinking that it's going to be different somewhere else,'' Paxson added. ``There's only one way to be successful and that is to buy into what the organization is trying to do and work hard and become a better player. If he does that, good things will happen for him.''
No matter what White wants, Paxson won't rush to trade Curry. Despite his struggles, Curry is still 7 feet tall and three weeks shy of his 22nd birthday. Big centers are hard to find in the NBA, and the Bulls don't want to let him go only to see him blossom into an All-Star somewhere else. Plus, the Bulls haven't exactly been a model of stability since Curry and Chandler were drafted. The two have played for three different coaches already, and the roster has changed with dizzying frequency.
Deals aren't that easy to make, either. It's not just a matter of finding someone the Bulls would want for Curry, but also matching up salaries and contracts.
``I'm not going to be pushed into doing something,'' Paxson said. ``He's our player. He's under contract and we have the rights to him going forward. We're in the better position.''
In the meantime, the Bulls have to find a way not to let this latest saga become a distraction. The season is barely a week old, and the Bulls are already 0-3. After Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, they leave on their annual November road trip to the West Coast, where they are 0-for-32 since the dynasty days.
``Whatever needs to be done, my thing is let's do it so we can get back to the task at hand,'' Antonio Davis said. ``We've got too many other things that we have to be worried about and deal with. Hopefully we'll continue to work hard.''