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Stalled potential puts Bulls' Thomas at another crossroad
Potential, an NBA head coach once told me, can get you fired.
As wonderful and enticing as it appears, a bundle of skills, physical prowess and projected development often can lead nowhere. Untapped upside often ends up being simply a big tease. Or in this case, big Ts. As in Tyrus Thomas.
Thomas' dance card has been filled like no other's as the league trading deadline approaches. It's been almost a push, where listing the teams that aren't open to the idea of adding the Chicago Bulls' potent and problematic forward is simpler than listing those that are.
Why so many possible suitors? Potential.
That word packs a punch in Thomas' case. Nearly four years after the Bulls gambled on Thomas' potential, it holds more curse than promise.
"We have good character guys,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said the other day. "They understand the business part of it. Like I always said, if their name is in rumors, that means teams want them. And that's a good thing for a player.''
Good thing for a player? Maybe. As long as there is someone willing to take on his $4.7 million salary now and/or offer up another multimillion-dollar contract this summer, Thomas needn't worry. Some might argue that Thomas' value in the marketplace is a good thing for the Bulls, too. Even if some of the deals being offered are modest, they are a step up from frustration, distraction and headache, the pieces most in play since Thomas arrived in June 2006.
When the Bulls got Thomas, he and long-gone Viktor Khryapa were worth the Draft rights to LaMarcus Aldridge and a conditional second-round pick. Now, three-plus seasons later, do you think Portland would hit the reset button on that deal? Aldridge is a key part of the Trail Blazers' future, averaging 17.3 points on 49.7 percent shooting, with 8.4 rebounds and two assists (both career highs) in 37.3 minutes a game. He has led Portland in points 14 times, in rebounds 21 times, has scored at least 20 in 21 games and has 18 double-doubles. The 6-foot-11 forward-center has missed seven games since the start of 2007-08, anchoring the frontcourt through the Greg Oden setbacks and other assorted injuries.
Thomas, in his fourth season, is averaging 8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 23.4 minutes. The 6-foot-10 Thomas has led Chicago once in points and once in rebounds, with nine games scoring at least 10 points and one double-double. Thomas missed 11 games over the two previous seasons and 24 more so far in 2009-10 -- one to flu-like symptoms, 22 to a left arm fracture and one earlier this month to a team suspension.
Which brings up another stat: The Bulls have taken disciplinary action four times in three seasons with Thomas. That's a symptom of something more vexing than the flu, a frustration within both the player and the team.
Reports of a growing maturity in Thomas' game and demeanor have been, well, premature. Again. After his lackluster performance in Atlanta Feb. 5 -- one shoddy enough to earn him an early benching -- Thomas made a bad night worse with a profanity-laced tirade in Del Negro's office. That earned him the next game off and, most likely, his ticket out of Chicago by Thursday afternoon. No matter how annoyed Thomas was, or misguided the Bulls have been, with his backward progression in playing time (down from 27.5 minutes last season, with only three starts this year), that is the last thing either side needed.
Two young forwards have something of a stake in Thomas' tale. One is Chicago's Taj Gibson, the rookie forward who has taken advantage, through effort and consistency, of the void in the Bulls' rotation opened by Thomas. The other is Miami's Michael Beasley, whose own spotty play since the 2008 Draft has caused some to reevaluate him -- and made the Bulls happy they picked Derrick Rose No. 1 that night.
Both guys were at All-Star Weekend for the Rookie Challenge game and both guys, teammate and opponent, still see Thomas' vast upside. When healthy, Thomas still can run and soar almost effortlessly, and with more diligence close to the basket and less dalliance away from it, has all the tools to be an effective scorer, rebounder and defender.
It's just that his effort is parceled out inconsistently and managed by a temperament that too often gets in the way.
"I really don't know what's going to happen,'' Gibson said. "I know that Tyrus is a great guy. He's good in the locker room. He's still up-and-coming. He's so talented. It's all about Tyrus, how well Tyrus wants to progress. I know that he still has a lot more potential than he shows.''
Gibson wasn't about to lecture a more veteran teammate or compare himself in any way, even if his presence has helped the Bulls during Thomas' latest false starts. "The way things worked out for me, I just stepped up, worked hard,'' the rookie said. "Vinny put me in tough places early in the season, tough situations. I was able to overcome, and things just turned out for the best.''
Beasley noted how young Thomas still is -- after two years at LSU and four in the NBA, he will turn 24 in August -- and how different players develop at different paces. He thinks Thomas could become "another version of Josh Smith,'' mentioning the Atlanta forward who did so much growing up at NBA wages.
"I don't think there ever is a 'too late.' Unless you're 38 years old or on your last couple of years,'' Beasley said. "But guys have waited six, seven years to become All-Stars. Guys like Chauncey Billups or Gilbert Arenas can attest to that.''
Neither Billups nor Arenas were the players they eventually became with their original teams. Looks like Thomas won't be either.
http://www.nba.com/2010/news/feature...l?cid=nba.2013
