Gomes for Ty Thomas?

[Krapinsky]

Thomas tonight: 11 and 8 w/ 3 block and 3 steals on 4 of 6 shooting.

[Woomanchu]

Thomas tonight: 11 and 8 w/ 3 block and 3 steals on 4 of 6 shooting.

If the Wolves made a deal that brought them above salary cap I would absolutely pull this trade off, but since his salary cap hold is ridiculously high the current scenario doesn't make any sense.

[Krapinsky]

Thomas tonight: 11 and 8 w/ 3 block and 3 steals on 4 of 6 shooting.

If the Wolves made a deal that brought them above salary cap I would absolutely pull this trade off, but since his salary cap hold is ridiculously high the current scenario doesn't make any sense.

The cap hold is not a concern at all.

For example, we can still negotiate with Rudy Gay with the cap hold in place. If we come to terms with Gay, we simply renounce Thomas' rights. This can happen instantaneously. If we cannot garner any free agent interest, then we can look into resigning Thomas as a fall back, assuming we liked him here during his test run.

(at least this is my understanding -- correct me if I'm wrong)

[prefuse73]

Yeah, If we can get Tyrus for an expiring and the utah pick, I would pull the trigger and see what happens. I think most of the attitude problems comes from an inconsistent role. I think we can just plug him in for Hollins, who even at 7ft can't rebound or block shots really, and see what happens. If you believe ESPN, Big Al, Love, and Tyrus are all 6'10, so it could be worth a shot.

Jefferson - Love - Hollins
Thomas - Love
Gomes - Wilkins
Brewer - Ellington
Flynn - Sessions

For the 16 minutes that Love is with Thomas, we should roll with a small, up tempo lineup (as if we had a choice). Love, Thomas, Brewer, Ellington, Sessions/Flynn. The main idea would be to put brewer at SF and leave wilkins and gomes (if not traded) on the bench.

As long as it is true that the cap hold won't effect other free agent signings, Im on board with it.

[Worm Guts]

Thomas tonight: 11 and 8 w/ 3 block and 3 steals on 4 of 6 shooting.

If the Wolves made a deal that brought them above salary cap I would absolutely pull this trade off, but since his salary cap hold is ridiculously high the current scenario doesn't make any sense.

The cap hold is not a concern at all.

For example, we can still negotiate with Rudy Gay with the cap hold in place. If we come to terms with Gay, we simply renounce Thomas' rights. This can happen instantaneously. If we cannot garner any free agent interest, then we can look into resigning Thomas as a fall back, assuming we liked him here during his test run.

(at least this is my understanding -- correct me if I'm wrong)

We have to give Thomas a qualifying offer to maintain his rights, if he signs it, no Rudy Gay. And if we renounce Thomas and sign Rudy Gay, then we gave up a first round pick for nothing.

[C.lupus]

We have to give Thomas a qualifying offer to maintain his rights, if he signs it, no Rudy Gay. And if we renounce Thomas and sign Rudy Gay, then we gave up a first round pick for nothing.

That's my concern with this TT scenario. I'd much rather have Rudy Gay at the SF than TT as a backup PF - unless one of Love or Jefferson gets dealt in the offseason for a SF. But that's a huge gamble.

[Krapinsky]

I think there is absolutely, 100%, no chance he would sign a qualifying offer. His agent is not going to let him to do that and go into the new CBA without a long term contract. Especially for Thomas who is looking for his first contract off of his rookie deal. 100% no chance in my opinion.

[Worm Guts]

I don't know, I don't think he'll get 6 million a year otherwise.

[horaceworthy]

What kind of long term contract offers do you see him getting? Is he going to get offered $6 million per year by any team? Why wouldn't his agent tell him to take it and then go into the lockout year with the option of playing elsewhere and making some money during the lockout? Personally I see the offers for him being in the 2 years, $6-8 million total range and could easily see him signing a qualifying offer. Giving up an asset beyond an expiring contract for him would be stupid.

[Krapinsky]

Yeah, I think he gets about $5-$6M/year on a 3-4 year deal. Either a playoff team will extend him at the MLE, or a team with left over cap space -- Nets, Raptors, Knicks, Bucks -- will give him a deal. His agent will try and get him a Villanueva type contract, but b/c of the market he'll get a little less.

[Worm Guts]

I think part of the reason Chicago is trading him is because they're afraid he might take the qualifying offer. Otherwise they could just keep him as insurance from missing out on a big free agent.

[Krapinsky]

I think part of the reason Chicago is trading him is because they're afraid he might take the qualifying offer. Otherwise they could just keep him as insurance from missing out on a big free agent.

Maybe, but I don't think so. I don't think the Bulls will give him a qualifying offer. They want to trade him because they've already made this decision. Thomas doesn't want to be there. He hates Del Negro and he hates the limited minutes he gets there. The Bulls want to trade him because he's become a distraction and have no intention of keeping him beyond this yer.

[horaceworthy]

I agree that the Bulls have likely already decided not to extend Thomas the QO.

Krapinsky, I think you may be overestimating how much teams will be willing to spend on TT, depending on how he closes out the season. Right now he's a raw but talented malcontent that's had trouble accepting that he's a PF (along with the role he'd play as a PF) and has clashed with just about every coach he's had, dating back to high school. If he closes out the season strong in a new uni, then I could see him getting the kind of offer you're talking about, but I think teams will be scared about committing that type of money to him, particularly going into a new CBA and potential lockout.

[Krapinsky]

I agree that the Bulls have likely already decided not to extend Thomas the QO.

Krapinsky, I think you may be overestimating how much teams will be willing to spend on TT, depending on how he closes out the season. Right now he's a raw but talented malcontent that's had trouble accepting that he's a PF (along with the role he'd play as a PF) and has clashed with just about every coach he's had, dating back to high school. If he closes out the season strong in a new uni, then I could see him getting the kind of offer you're talking about, but I think teams will be scared about committing that type of money to him, particularly going into a new CBA and potential lockout.

At this point we can only wait and see. I just think someone will take a risk on his upside.

Even as you state his current image -- "Right now he's a raw but talented malcontent that's had trouble accepting that he's a PF (along with the role he'd play as a PF) and has clashed with just about every coach he's had, dating back to high school. " --- He's probably worth $5M a year, isn't he? After all, supposedly teams are offering expirings plus a first round pick to take him at his current salary.

If you sign his @ $6M a year, sure, there's a chance you might get a $4M a year player. However, there's also a chance he might develop into a $9M a year player. There will be a lot of cap money out there, and despite market conditions, I think teams will bid to take that risk.

[horaceworthy]

I think someone will take a risk as well, just not as big a one as you're laying out. TT the player is worth $5M a year, but that's before factoring in the other stuff, with the other stuff being why he's in the predicament he is right now.

Personally, I think if there was a line around the block offering that package for TT like some Bulls fans say, he would have been dealt by now. If teams are offering 1st rounders for him I'm guessing they're contenders that think he has a chance to put them over the top. Giving up a late 1st rounder for someone you think has a chance to extend your playoff run is different than committing $15-24 million on a headcase going into a new CBA and potential lockout.

I also think it's kind of pointless to go down the "$4M, $6M, $9M" road right now since we don't know what kind of player those numbers will net under a new CBA, or in a market preparing itself for a new CBA. My guess is that non-star types will have more trouble than expected landing long deals. He could get paid like that, it really depends on what happens the rest of this season, I just don't see it happening as it stands now.

Also, it should be taken into account that this coming draft runs deep at PF/C, which could eliminate some teams that would be suitors for TT, as this past PG heavy draft did for Sessions.