Just noticed that the Bulls excercised their option on Thomas, Which caused me to wonder what Bulls fans thought of that 2006 draft day trade with the Blazers. Would you have rather had Aldridge, or are you content with Thomas?
Leading up to the draft I wanted Aldridge, because I thought he gave us what we needed at the time. However even though Aldridge atm looks more promising than Thomas, I don't want to write off Thomas just yet. From his numbers in the preseason it looks like he has improved this year and hopefully that will continue on. I still think he has a higher ceiling than Aldridge and it's not as if Aldridge is a real low post option anyway, so hopefully Thomas gets real good in the next few years.
Well, after two years, it looks like we got robbed in that trade. Aldrige was sensational last season, and I can't see him really having a dip in this season, especially considering the double teams Oden will be seeing in the low post. However, I still think Tyrus can be a very good player. He's got freakish athletic ability and still has the potential to be good. Plus, he's only what, 22? So he's still a super young kid, so there's no reason to give up on him yet, regardless of how inconsistent he's been in his first couple years.
At the time of the draft, I was split between the two, so I didn't have strong opinions when the trade was made. In hindsight, I'd take LMA every day of the week. There hasn't been a point in time since they've entered the league that LaMarcus hasn't been the better player, and he's always been a better fit. Even if Tyrus pans out, he's looking like an Andrei Kirilenko type, which is an awkward fit on our team.
I was calling Aldridge as the should-be #1 pick in that draft and so did a lot of others on here. So far hes proven us right but it seems like Thomas might be poised for a breakout season this season. Aldridge is still clearly better. Hard to argue that a tweener combo forward who's done jack in the league so far is better than a legit PF with very good skills. Oh and Aldridge has actually proven to be a good player in the league (and getting better).
Aldrigdge is better than Tyrus Thomas at the moment. But, if Tyrus Thomas is willing to try hard and develop his skills who knows just how good he can become. All we know about Thomas is that he is an explosive type of player.
Thomas was a gamble - that he'd develop into a studly player due to his athleticism. LMA was a perfect fit for the Bulls' actual needs, and I have no idea why the Bulls didn't keep him. I suppose that the Bulls don't have a marquee player (maybe Rose!) and that LMA isn't and that Thomas might be was the calculus.
Denny I don't think LMA was actually what we needed at the time. We needed (still do) a low post presence and LMA is not a low post player. Don't get me wrong he would have helped definately, but I wouldnt' say he was a perfect fit. One thing I'm optimistic about Thomas is that he seems to be getting to the line. We definately need (have needed) that for a long time.
I don't watch a ton of Blazers hoops, but when I watch LMA he seems like a jump shooter and a mild rebounder. The stats I look at tend to back this up. He's a more effective player than TT right now, but if TT can get his head on straight (if if if) he'll be right there if not better than LMA. And more of a rebounder / shot blocker.
You're fucking kidding, right? That move (and that draft in general) is where it all started going downhill for us.
LMA is the better player now. That being said... I was on the Tyrus bandwagon back then. Still am now.
He can only play C because of his height. But realistically he can't play the Center, hes powerless, doesn't grab boards and predominantly a jump shooter. Also at the time we had Ben Wallace who was our center.
We hadn't yet signed Wallace, that was later the same Summer. So if we'd basically sat tight, we would have had Chandler/Aldridge/Deng/Gordon/Hinrich, with Noc and Ronnie Brewer coming off the bench. That would have been a heck of a lot better IMO. Of course, I wanted to trade a guard and get Brandon Roy, which would have been even better, but on the downside, I wasn't too high on Aldridge. In retrospect, the best moves would probably have been to trade up for Roy, use the #2 pick on Aldridge and call it a day.