SWEETNEY 'HURT' BY TRADE

By MARC BERMAN
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November 30, 2005 -- Michael Sweetney said he was "hurt" when the Knicks traded him to the Bulls, but understood Isiah Thomas' thinking.
Chicago's new starting power forward is a grinder, a ferocious offensive rebounder. But he'll never be able to make up for his lack of size for a big man.

"Eddy Curry is a 7-footer and the Knicks have been wanting a center for a long time," Sweetney told The Post in a phone interview from Chicago. "It's obvious I'm not a center. He's a heckuva player. His size will help the team a lot. I'm only 6-7, 6-8. You can't pass on that."

To date, Sweetney is having the better season than the main player he was traded for, averaging 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in 23 minutes. Just as Curry (12.6, 6.5) injured his strained calf last week, Sweetney was promoted. He's been starting the past four games heading into tonight's Garden return.

"Eighty percent of the games, he's been phenomenal," Larry Brown said. "He's a post presence, rebounds the ball."

Sweetney's doggedness under the boards made him popular at the Garden.

"It's crossed my mind when they call my name in the starting lineup if I'll be booed or cheered," Sweetney said.



The former Georgetown star, selected ninth in the 2003 NBA Draft by former GM Scott Layden, is not out to prove tonight that Thomas blew it.

"If you go in and do that, playing for personal reasons, then you're not trying to win the game," Sweetney said. "I'm just going to play basketball."

Weight was an issue when Sweetney arrived to Bulls training camp. Coach Scott Skiles said Sweetney had "ways to go" to get in shape, and the player took a subtle shot at the Knicks' conditioning program.

"It wasn't a serious weight issue," Sweetney said. "They wanted me to be in shape to play 30 minutes. I was in shape to play 15, 20."

After the charter plane landed at the Knicks' training camp home in Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 3, the eve of camp, Sweetney got a call from his agent that Thomas was finalizing the Curry trade. It became official that night.

"I was hurt," Sweetney said. "Nobody likes change. I was comfortable in New York. It was a big adjustment."

Before leaving Charleston, Thomas visited Sweetney's hotel room.

"He sat down and we had a talk, told me to go out and play hard," Sweetney said. "It was a nice conversation. It made me feel a lot better. He could've just sent me on my way."
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I'm glad about that last part. Sweets was my favorite player for many of the same reasons Frye and Crawford are. They just go out and play and have a humble approach. Good to see Isiah showing he cares. We wont get Sweets back but if we ever could I would jump at the chance.

I think david lee can be sweetney's replacement.

Posted by fishmike:

not even close. I saw Sweet was a true back to the basket player who could really push guys around. Sweets is a much more skilled player around the basket. Lee's a better athlete but he hasnt been able to finish and I dont think I have even seen him attempt a jumper.

he has attempted and MADE two jumpers thank you very much, (at the LA game) your're right lee isnt currently more polished but I think he will be as polished as sweetney was after just 1 season, I honestly thing david lee has more potential than sweetney and you can quote me on that .



[Edited by - slimpack on 11-30-2005 10:40 AM]

I think measuring this trade is pretty simple....We needed a Center....Chicago had a enter and needed a PF because they just signed Chandler as a C...Sweets can't play C, and we drafted Frye as a PF...it was a trade where both teams got what the needed... We got a 6-11, Sweetney and Chicag0 got a 6-8 Curry ( I hope you guys get the names and heights mixed up was done on purpose.)

I remember someone justified the JJ signing because we NEEDED a center.

Posted by fishmike:

I remember someone justified the JJ signing because we NEEDED a center.

At the time we had no centers so it was a logical move (I would've like Hunter better, but oh well)....

Bulls-2 centers no PF-----Knicks-2 PF's, 0 Centers.....logical move

Posted by joec32033:

Posted by fishmike:

I remember someone justified the JJ signing because we NEEDED a center.

At the time we had no centers so it was a logical move (I would've like Hunter better, but oh well)....

Bulls-2 centers no PF-----Knicks-2 PF's, 0 Centers.....logical move

overpaying for bad players is never logical. Your right... Hunter would have been great. I think I was with you on that one 100% Good athletic and cheap solution. If it doesnt work out your not stuck with a 30 year old guy that cant get on the floor thats got a 5 year deal.

We need to get something out of him either for our own benefit or to be able to move him. I would like to see big snacks have some kind of impact here. Clearly Thanksgiving was a setback. We have to get him some floor burn before the Christmas hams come into season :)

steven hunter only signed for 2.8 mill even if jerome james turns around averages something like 8 points 9 rebounds and 2 blocks a game, signing him was still a stupid idea becuase of his age. zeke fell for the ole michael olowokandi play well in the last year of the contract and then slack off after you get the new one trick, the best thing the knicks can do is cut their losses and move on.

Posted by joec32033:

Steven Hunter flat out rejected us because he didn't want to be here. We tried for him we couldn't make him sign with us.

which is fine. If Curry proves anything the moral of the story is no deal is better than bad deal. So you try for Diop, or Magloire or nothing. Just throw out Butler and Frye. Whats the worst that could happen? You go 4-9?

On one hand a group of posters says JJ was good because we NEEDED a center at the time. But they are the same ones that preach patience despite the losing. Why couldnt we have been patient with getting a center? If we were would have had Curry and Butler and been fine.

I like sweets, class act, good player, I wish him well...