http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls/cst-spt-bull03.html

Fans might not recognize the new-look Bulls when they open training camp Monday -- including one of the returning players.

Ten of the 17 players expected to report are new to the team, and one of the incumbents, 6-11 center Eddy Curry, has slimmed down from a chubby 320 pounds to 281.

"For the first time in my [four-year] career, I'm reporting to camp in shape,'' Curry said. "People counted me out and doubted my determination to work hard this summer to get to where I am. But I used that criticism as incentive to work that much harder to show people the real Eddy Curry.

"I plan to keep improving in my conditioning, and I'm looking forward to having a real good year.''

Operations chief John Paxson said he couldn't be happier with Curry's progress. Both Paxson and the coaching staff believe that as Curry goes, so go the Bulls in their efforts to post their first winning season in seven years.

Paxson said the only two players on the current 19-man roster not expected to report are veteran shooting guard Kendall Gill and reserve forward Chris Jefferies. Gill, 36, is an unrestricted free agent who hopes to sign with a contender. Paxson plans to trade or waive Jefferies.
Everybody else -- including 38-year-old Scottie Pippen -- is expected to be on hand for the first day of camp. Pippen's status, however, is uncertain. For the last couple of seasons, he has talked of retirement as advancing age and mounting injuries have diminished his playing time.

Pippen played a career-low 23 games last season, but he is not going to walk away from the guaranteed $5.1 million on his contract this season. He has told friends he would rather try to gut out another season than leave money on the table. The Bulls might end up waiving him and eating his contract.

"We've been talking, and Scottie's going to make some kind of decision shortly about what he wants to do,'' Paxson said.
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A "slim" Curry will dominate in the East.

Isiah has to figure out a way to get him (Dream on, Rich).

being slim & trim doesn't necessarily mean it will translate into bigger production in games...it just means he got on a good diet & worked hard to lose the weight...let's see how his approach to working hard for 48 minutes every night pans out against NBA competition...then we can talk about him starting to dominate the way he is capable of next year.

He is a fat dump of ****, he is only losing weight in order to get paid, this is the first time in four years i have come into camp in shape...Its not high school, what a worthless pieve of ****, seriously all these players don't know what a priveledge it is to play in the league and take it for granted....He is sorry, and his won good season we warrant a near max exception from either the Bulls or the Hawks

Just curious.

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by BasketballJones:

Just curious.

He was using Ephedra at the time supposedly.

So I was correct he came here and over the 3yrs he's put back on the weight with exception of coming into this season and losing 20lbs to get back to where he was then. We'll see if he keeps the weight off.

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 10-04-2007 9:11 PM]

I thought he lost 20lbs to get back to where he was at the beginning of last season.

I just got a report that said that Eddie Curry weighs 19 lbs.

I'd rather he stay at 285 and stay away from the dangerous supplements.

If 285 or 290 is the best he can do, so be it.

By MARC BERMAN

CHARLESTON – At first look at Eddy Curry on Monday’s Media Day, he looked thinner. You could see it first in his chiseled face.

But I did not realize how much weight he had actually lost. Curry told us after the morning practice here that he’s 20 pounds thinner from last camp – and estimates to be in the 275-pound range.

I can’t tell you how many fan emails asking me in the offseason about Eddy’s conditioning. There was a fear that because of the late July robbery, he would lose focus and not train as hard. In fact, he left Chicago for New York and did not work with the legendary Michael Jordan trainer, Tim Grover, for the first time.

“I’ll be able to play a lot longer at a higher level,’’ Curry said.

Expect the biggest difference to come on defense. Because he was heavy, Curry probably felt he couldn’t put out with the same energy on both ends and stay on the court, so he saved his intensity for the offensive side. If he ever becomes a stouter defender and 9-to-10-rebound-a-game guy, he will be the best center in the East, with Shaq on the way down and Dwight Howard more limited offensively.

Isiah said Curry has finally “matured’’ and knows his body better. Or maybe he’s just eating less. Good for Eddy.