This was copied from another board and is a good read from the perspective of a coherent Bulls' fan.


We were 37-20 when Eddy played more than 20 minutes per game
We were 1-7 when he played less than 20 minutes per game
This means that counting the playoffs we were 11-12 when Eddy Curry didn't play at all.

So before we get into the heart condition it is clear that even if Eddy wasn't a complete player we were still winners with him. Even if he couldn't rebound, had only improved his defense to below average and was sometimes fat, seemingly always stupid in the media, the anti-christ, etc. we were winners with Eddy Curry. He gave us one thing we don't have now.

And as we saw in the playoff series against Washington maybe Eddy's cumulative effect on the defense (wearing opposing bigs down on the other end, perhaps not being as bad as people thought) wasn't so bad. We did have all-world defender Tyson Chandler out there with AD getting their lunch money taken on both ends of the court by innovators such as:

Jared Jeffries
Michael Ruffin
Brendan Haywood
Etan Thomas

Now I've rewatched the games where Eddy played v. Washington during the regular season and while Brendan seemed to have his number compared to some guys we weren't getting all out abused in the frontcourt.

Now keep in mind this is a simple outlook of where we stood and now stand. I'm not going to directly say "Kirk and Jay suck and Eddy and Jamal rule" or "Pax sucks" or "Pax can never make a mistake because look what he did when he drafted Chris Duhon."

I believe Pax did make a mistake BUT that that is qualified by the fact that he was about as backed into a corner as a GM ever has been in a situation. Still the winning move was to let Eddy play for the qualifying offer. Why?

1. Because if Eddy chose to go out and die it was his choice. The man was clearly in debt and would have been like Rocky in Rocky V had he retired. Most people would rather be dead than go from NBA starter to back to the hood and 2 mill in debt. His choice. If he dies it was his decision and he was on the qualifying offer. Pax needn't have felt any guilt.

2. Because as a poster pointed out in another thread we end up no better here cap wise than we would have had we let Curry play for the QO. We actually end up worse cap wise due to the draft pick. Add the fact that it is now "OK" to say "well we may not be great this year but we'll have draft picks and cap room." As people have already pointed out all the headliners that were supposed to be there next summer are disappearing. Amare and Yao = re-signed. And lets face it unless we get a center who are we really going to get? A power forward? Sorry Tyson is one. As much as anyone wants to wish he's a center, he's a 4. A small forward? Noce and Deng. A SG? And what continue to bring Ben off the bench into his third year? Plus even if there was a good one available that won't fix our problems up front. A PG? I think we have like 14 point guards (exaggeration).

We should have let the situation ride out under the QO which I understand Eddy would have had to agree to by time default. That way if we get anything close to what we got from Eddy last year great. If we don't then he would have been gone at the end of the season.

Now lets look at what we get:

Michael Sweetney: People can paint any picture they want. Sweetney is really basically 2003 Eddy Curry but as I'm understanding shorter, fatter and with about 10% of the upside. I've had a Knick fan tell me BEFORE the trade that Sweetney could be Brand if he'd lay off the fried chicken. Well at least some here got a guy they can conveniently target as first-in-line for scapegoat duty when the roof caves in and Eddy isn't around to blame for the skidmarks on their underwear anymore.

Tim Thomas: I can't believe we bit on the "let's exchange expiring contracts" idea that Isiah offered us so we could get a draft pick. You want to hate Eddy? Fine. But I'll bet my bottom dollar that AD didn't want to go to New York and the fact is is that everything people accuse Eddy of... Antonio Davis was the opposite. Trading him after last season was really ****ty IMO. He deserved to finish his career here and then probably become a coach here too. He was all class and he injected winning and professionalism into this damn team last year. He was as much of a coach on the floor as any player we've had since Jordan and we basically made him a trade counterpart to Tim Thomas? Where the F is Tim Thomas gonna play? We might as well just buy him out now. We have Noce and Deng and just like time will show that Tyson is not a full time center, Thomas isn't a power forward. In fact Tim Thomas isn't fit to be in the same room with a class act like Antonio Davis. Tim Thomas is so far beyond Eddy Curry in terms of being the opposite of a "Pax type player" it's maddening that we'd acquire him in any scenario.

Let me reiterate something. Antonio Davis was everything that Pax supporters ever wanted.

1. There may never have been a player who parlayed less into more than Antonio Davis. Originally he had to go to Europe for two years just to get into the NBA. He became an all star, a max salary player, a player that took over a playoff series (raptors) and a lynchpin of several winning Indy teams.
2. He came to play every night and played with a much more hungry and angry mentality than I ever saw Paxson exhibit as a player. And he wasn't fat like Krause either so big bonus there.
3. He was like a players coach to this team of youngsters.

Antonio Davis shouldn't have been included in this deal in any way shape or form period

Now lets move on to the offense. Where is it going to come from now?

Eddy got doubled period. Even when he didn't get the ball he still was drawing extra attention. This allowed players who will never be experts at creating their own shots like Hinrich and Deng to get open looks or more space to create for themselves and others. He wore other bigs down so that fresh legs like Tyson could come in and make hay late in games. He was off a lot, he made stupid decisions a lot. But when Eddy was on we were as good as anyone (see our demolishing of Detroit IN Detroit, yes Eddy played in the fourth).

Where is that gonna come from now? Hinrich? Nope. Hinrich is a very good all around player but he's never going to draw the double team and initiate from there. Deng? Ditto. Noce or Tyson? No way. Sweetney? LOL.

Gordon? Ben Gordon was downright special against the SINGLE team last year when he still shot in the low 40s I believe. But in 2002 Eddy Curry led the league in FG% before he got doubled. Besides I don't believe that you're going to contend for a championship with a small guard being the initiator for your offense unless that small guard is Isiah Thomas or Kevin Johnson. And even they had players like Barkley, Rodman, Dumars etc. Nobody on this team is that good.

So what are we gonna end up with? 35-40 wins from a team that tries hard and then gets bounced from the first round of the playoffs (where everyone has the whole "trying hard" thing down pat btw). And that will make a lot of people here happy. I mean after all people in Chicago love the Bears and Cubs too. And they happily accept mediocrity as long as it comes with max effort. I don't. I want rings. That's why I've enjoyed being a Bulls fan a tad more than being a Cubs or Bears fan. Titles.

This team with Eddy Curry was a team where if enough guys grew together and Eddy didn't die we could have grown into our own title contending team. In fact I believe we would have contended last year with a healthy Deng and Curry. Without Eddy we're a team that needs to rely on acquiring a "Superstar" via free agency to contend. That's happened how many times in recent history? There was Shaq, Shaq and oh yeah Shaq. So basically we're only a Shaquille O'neal away from legitimately being a title contender. Yippee. Excuse me while I think of Michael Sweetney and Tim Thomas before promptly throwing up.

Oh we're also about to become that team that "could really contend if they only had a post presence." Can't wait to hear that junk 1000 times every time the Bulls are on TNT.

So please I like Pax. Someone make me feel better and tell me how we're going to have championship caliber offense without Eddy?

innovators such as:

Jared Jeffries
Michael Ruffin
Brendan Haywood
Etan Thomas


love the author's use of the word "innovators"

Great read, he's very knowledgable. One thing though, he laughs at the idea of Sweetney being double teamed, and as we all know, it happens, and he gets to the line alot too. But whatever, I will not miss Sweets one bit, we traded up, not down. I wish Sweets the best, we are on our way.

I appreciate the opinion of any who's seen the effect a dominant bigman has on a team. this guy was right on!

Oh, he's one of those smart alecks who rely on things like "facts" and "logic." Argh!

keep in mind that in order for Curry to play over 20mins a game he absolutely needs to learn to stay out of foul trouble. That could determine whether we are a 6-8 seed team or a top 4-5

[Edited by - gunsnewing on 10-09-2005 12:57 PM]

I do think this guy will be happier with Sweetney then he realizes. The guy can score in the post and he's a better passer than Curry. Now he's not nearly at Curry's level because of the size but he's pretty good if he gets the touches.

hmm.... 22 and peeked after his sophmore season. Does that mean Curry has peeked also?