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Season Review: Tyrus Thomas
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AP/Nam Y. Huh
No player on this Bulls roster has more expectations placed on him than Tyrus Thomas.
How can I make that statement with Derrick Rose being the number one pick on top of playing the most difficult position in the game, there's Luol Deng and his contract, Ben Gordon his lack thereof and there was a very green Vinny Del Negro being called out by everyone from me to the local media.
How could Thomas be the one guy within the organization that has the most pressure on him?
The answer comes in the form of numbers and comparisons.
In the 2006 NBA Draft, the Bulls had the second pick overall and selected LaMarcus Aldridge out of Texas, but than traded Aldridge for Thomas, future considerations and Victor Khryapa.
The numbers; 15.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.11 bpg in 32 mpg in 220 compared games compared to 7.7 ppg, 5 rpg, 1.33 bpg in 19.9 mpg, throughout 225 total games.
No matter how good Thomas becomes, he will always be graded by what Aldridge is doing.
Keep in mind, Thomas has only been playing organized ball for like 6 years, but with his athleticism, energy, length and ability to be one of the greatest weak side help defenders in the league, we as fans tend to want more and want it on a consistent basis.
He was called out publicly by Del Negro earlier this season, for "lack of effort."His minutes were limited and it looked like he would be on his way out of Chicago.
Not only was it a wakeup call for Thomas, but he improved enough after the new year, piling up double-doubles and blocked shots, that during mid-season, he was the headlining name in a purposed trade that would have brought Amare Stoudemire to the Bulls.
He continued that play during the postseason, as he was one of the leaders in blocked shots and was huge in the Bulls Game One victory over the Celtics, as he had six points in overtime, including two huge clutch mid-range buckets.
For some reason, he was benched throughout the rest of the series in crucial moments.
His postseason numbers were almost similar to his regular season ones; 9.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.86 bpg in 27.9 minutes to 10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.9 bpg in 27.5 mpg.
He could be the perfect fit in pick and roll/pop options with Rose and he will need to have a breakout year next season, as the organization will be looking to see should he be kept around long term.
If he can put all his tools together and become what former general manager John Paxson envisioned him becoming, then we will look back at that draft day trade in 2006 and realize we got a gem.
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