McGraw Can't Help Comparing TT and LA

[TB#1]

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=106789&src=150

Can't help but compare Aldridge, Thomas
By Mike McGraw | Daily Herald Staff 1/4/2008 12:25

As of this morning, it appears Portland had the better idea on draft night in 2006 when it traded Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa to the Bulls for LaMarcus Aldridge.

The Bulls had the second pick in that draft, while the Blazers chose fourth.

Aldridge is Portland's second-leading scorer at 18.1 points and leading rebounder with 7.3 per game. Thomas' numbers have improved only slightly since last season, with his points rising from 5.2 to 6.1 and his rebounds from 3.7 to 4.7.

"Sometimes when you make those comparisons of 'should have taken this guy, should you have taken that guy,' in the short term, those are unfair to make," Bulls coach Jim Boylan said. "You've got to give guys a good stretch of time, several years, and then you can make those judgments. Both guys are only in their second year.

"I would say probably Tyrus had a better first year than LaMarcus did. Now LaMarcus is coming on, and I'm sure Ty's going to do whatever he can to get himself back and get in the rotation and prove that he was the pick we should have taken."

Aldridge had a slow start against the Bulls on Thursday, missing his first 7 shots. The 6-foot-11 power forward didn't get his first points until the third quarter when Ben Wallace made an ill-advised double-team and left Aldridge alone under the basket for a dunk.

Aldridge finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds while hitting 6 of 17 shots.

The Bulls also passed on Portland's rising star, Brandon Roy (25 points, 11 rebounds), the No. 7 pick in that draft.

Thomas made only a brief appearance Thursday and has played a total of 12 minutes in the five games since Boylan took over as interim coach.

"We're going to try to get Tyrus going," Boylan said. "Right now we're in transition. So we've got to let things kind of settle down a little bit. But no one's lost faith in him."

Thomas has appeared to keep a good attitude during recent days. He's not much for cheering on the sideline but could be heard singing or rapping in the locker room following recent wins. Thomas had little to say on the topic before Thursday's contest.

"I'm good," he said. "Stuff happens."

[BuLLzDoMaIn]

Funny thing is i wanted nothing to do with thomas in the draft, he always llooked like a out of control player.. i wasnt 100% upset when we got him but i really did want lamarcus..... Roy was the 2nd person i wanted so we can trade gordon. Man how good would we be with roy and then trading gordon for gosal . we would have no gap...


oh well

thanks paxson i really hope thomas becomes what you think

[cark]

And if the Bulls had taken Aldridge, columnists would be writing how _that_ was a mistake.

You swap their minutes, and Tyrus would have 12 points, 9 rebs, 1.5 blocks, 1.5 steals, and 2 assists per game.

Whereas, on the Bulls, Aldridge would have 9 points, 4 rebs, half a block and assist, and effectively no steals per game.

Aldridge is a better scorer. Thomas is better at almost everything else.

If you want to say Aldridge gives us more of what we need (a better, low turnover Eddy Curry), I can see that. But it's too early to say either is definitively the better player.