How bad was the Curry deal?

[exodus]

For trade to work, Curry needs strength of six menBy Chris Sheridan

ESPN Insider

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Memo to all New York Knicks fans planning to check out Eddy Curry's return to Chicago Wednesday night: As you're basking in the glory of watching the young behemoth pile up points against the Bulls' overmatched and undersized front line, take a brief moment to ask yourself the following question:

We're not just talking about Michael Sweetney and Tim Thomas, the two main players the Knicks jettisoned in the October deal to acquire the 23-year-old center.

A greater concern is what basically amounts to four draft picks -- two No. 1s and two No. 2s -- that Chicago will get from New York between 2006 and 2009 when the price for Curry, if the Knicks miss the playoffs, could turn astronomical.

Fans in New York can already forget about Greg Oden ever becoming the Knicks' savior. He'll go No. 1 in 2007, but Knicks president Isiah Thomas gave the Bulls the right to swap first-round picks in 2007, even if New York wins the lottery.

You like Adam Morrison, LaMarcus Aldridge, J.J. Redick or anyone else expected to be in this year's lottery? Don't like 'em too much, because the Bulls get the Knicks' pick this June, too -- even if it's No. 1 overall.

Isiah also gave the Bulls second-round picks in 2007 and 2009, and don't forget that he still owes another first-round pick to Utah as part of the package he sent to the Suns to acquire Stephon Marbury. That pick becomes unprotected in 2010, meaning the Knicks already are out of the mix on Lincoln (N.Y.) High School freshman Lance Stephenson, already averaging almost 20 points for the school that produced Marbury and Sebastian Telfair.

That's a heck of a jumbo mortgage to take out on a player with significant health risks, and the question needs to be asked whether Thomas had to include all those draft picks. It's not like other teams were beating down GM John Paxson's door after a heart abnormality was discovered and Curry refused to take DNA tests that might have shown whether he was genetically predisposed to the type of ailments that likely contributed to the deaths of NBA players Reggie Lewis and Jason Collier.

The trade left Chicago woefully undersized along the front line, and it hasn't helped that they haven't gotten much production out of Tyson Chandler (4.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) after granting him a contract extension. But this is a transitional year in Chicago, with the Bulls sitting on more than $15 million of cap space for this summer.

Who will end up with Greg Oden? Not the Knicks.

One way or another, they'll replace Curry's size before they turn their attention to extensions for Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni. After that, they can add a few enhancements -- and maybe even Oden -- with the draft picks Thomas tossed into the deal.

See, Knicks fans, that's what a real "rebuilding" plan looks like.

"I don't think that Isiah and our doctors would have taken the risk if we didn't know Eddy was 110 percent, and thus far, thank God we haven't had any problems," said Knicks guard Jamal Crawford, a teammate of Curry's with the Bulls for three seasons. "I don't know what happened in Chicago as far as tests went, but I'm glad he's with us and I'm glad he's healthy."

Curry has been a load for opposing teams to handle in the deep low post, but the Knicks have tended to run plays for him early before switching their offensive sets to get others involved. Curry is averaging only 14.5 points, a drop from his 16.1 last season, and has fallen nearly 10 percentage points on free throws, giving opponents all the more reason to foul him and make him earn his points from the line.

When Curry goes to the foul line Wednesday night, Knicks fans should keep an eye out for the amount of time -- measured in nanoseconds, not seconds -- he spends looking at the rim before releasing his free throw. Watch his footwork, too, for its fundamental flaws, and prepare to cringe if you see Curry get ready to shoot from anywhere beyond 10 feet.

Practice that cringe, too, Knicks fans, because it'll come in handy on the nights of the 2006 and 2007 draft lotteries if this Curry thing doesn't work out.

Chris Sheridan, a national NBA reporter for the past decade, covers the league for ESPN Insider. To e-mail Chris, click here.

[Eddielives]

Not signing Eddy Curry was definately a bright move. Congrats to the Knicks organization once again for demonstrating how to ruin what should be a great franchise.

[chillzatl]

It just shows that Isiah is a horrible GM. He mortgaged that team for the next 5 years on the hopes of a medium-production, high-potential, high-risk player. I'm glad we passed on him.

I'm also glad that we passed on Tyson Chandler. Some people here wanted him more than Curry.

[exodus]

Exactly. It is better to get nobody then to make a bad deal.

[Admin]

Where oh where can Diesel be when Isiah the great is being made to look like such a complete moron??

I still wish we had been able to sign Curry to a fair contract, but am thrilled we didnt for what he is making now and certainly glad since we would have had to give up pieces for him.

[Traceman]

Right now, the Bulls are looking at getting the #7 overall pick if NY doesn't improve (which I think they will). In that range, who will they get? Rondo, Foye or Reddick? They already have Hinrich, Gordon and Duhon. Carney? They already have Deng and Nocioni. Best case, they will likely end up with Shelden Williams or Splitter. Then, the following year, they get to swap picks with the Knicks if the Knicks pick is lower. So? What are the odds that the pick will be a high lottery pick once the Knicks' young guys start to improve under Brown's coaching? Right now, the Bulls are likely to end up with Sweetney (decent but certainly not in Curry's league as evidenced by their record), Thomas (he doesn't even dress), Shelden Williams (hopefully the next PJ Brown) and whoever they end up with in 07. I'd rather have Curry than that.

The only thing I think NY did wrong is overpay Curry. The Bulls certainly didn't care what he got and he had no other offers anywhere near what Thomas gave him. I think they could have got him for significantly less.

[Seano]

Isiah is just a terrible GM, and I would say the pressure is starting to really get to him. I heard where he threatened Bill Simmons on ESPN radio the other day for Simmon's very uncomplimentary columns regarding Isiah's general management skills or lack thereof. Or if not an outright threat it was at least a veiled one, Isiah saying there'd be 'problems' if he ever ran into Simmon's on the street. Bill Simmon's is taking it somewhat seriously. He was like 'Hey, this is the dude that sucker-punched his best friend Bill Laimbeer in the face during a game, so I'd be pretty dumb to overlook or discount any threats of violence coming from him'.

[Duff_Man]

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Isiah is just a terrible GM, and I would say the pressure is starting to really get to him. I heard where he threatened Bill Simmons on ESPN radio the other day for Simmon's very uncomplimentary columns regarding Isiah's general management skills or lack thereof. Or if not an outright threat it was at least a veiled one, Isiah saying there'd be 'problems' if he ever ran into Simmon's on the street. Bill Simmon's is taking it somewhat seriously. He was like 'Hey, this is the dude that sucker-punched his best friend Bill Laimbeer in the face during a game, so I'd be pretty dumb to overlook or discount any threats of violence coming from him'.

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Ah yes...here's the transcript from the exchange with Screamin A Smith...Isaiah and Smith on the same show .

Smith/Thomas transcript

[Packfill]

The good news about Isaiah's terrible GM'ing is that BK will never be the worst GM in the league.

[exodus]

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Right now, the Bulls are looking at getting the #7 overall

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That pick will most likely fall into the top 5. NY can't play D and several teams they are ahead of now have been plagued with injuries.

Do you really think they will finish ahead of Houston?

Orlando just got Grant Hill back.

Charlotte was playing well until Okafor went down.

Toronto completely abused them and will probably finish ahead of them.

Portland has had injuries to both their centers and Miles. They will probably finish higher now that Przy and Theo are both healthy.

They are looking for a big or a 2 with size. They apparently like Brewer but hope he falls to their pick.

They also are not lamenting the loss of Curry. He was a chronic underachiever who was strictly one dimensional (6 assists this year, 37 all last year). He doesn't rebound well or defend and is always out of shape.

[Packfill]

Chicago is also lamenting how piss poor Tyson Chandler is playing. Another waste of talent. They won't be good until either Chandler steps up or they get another legit big man. Similar to the Hawks really accept a lot further ahead in their development.

[exodus]

Chandler was diagnosed with a medical problem but I don't remember what it was. He was complaining of constant fatigue from the beginning of the year, and conditioning hasn't been an issue with him.

[GST]

I don't think the ownership of the Knicks will allow for a classic rebuilding of the team through the draft. Isiah is probably doing exactly what he was told to do. That being said, I still wouldn't want Isiah as a GM.

[DominiqueWilkins]

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It just shows that Isiah is a horrible GM.

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Exactly, Thomas never in my eyes helped the Knicks, and I can't believe he still has the job. I don't think he would have the job this long, if his name wasn't Isiah Thomas, and I hope the gets fired after this season. He did take on a team with a bloated salary and players that weren't worthy of their salary, but still he's caused more issues for the Knicks, and their future. I don't feel sorry for Knick fans, but I would hate to be them, and they currently don't have a better future than us. (Some would argue that)

[Diesel]

I didn't want Curry here. His bad heart, his bad work ethic, his low rebounds... No thank you. I think Zeke made a mistake on that deal.. even though Curry is better than their other center.

However, I feel that Isiah's strength is in the draft. In the draft, he has found Lee, Ariza, Robinson, Frye in the course of the last 2 years. To me, all those guys are very good finds (where he found them).

As I have said before, you will probably never see a NY GM work by cutting salary. NY GMs always have to have contracts to trade.. so an ending contract to them is another contract to trade unless they have designs to resign. For instance, I don't know what will happen with Davis, but he has stated that he wants to play for the Knicks next year. That can't be all bad.

So the question is worse GM...

I don't know, Babcock is just as bad.

Jerry West has been just as bad.

Isiah is definitely better than Scott Layden..

[AHF]

Isiah is a disaster as a GM. His best ability is drafting and he traded away all his draft picks for the next 3 years (actually the Bulls only get their 2007 first rounder in exchange for their own if the Knicks get a better draft spot so they will have a pick in 2007 - just not as good of one as they could have had if they don't finish above Chicago).

The trades and FA signings he has made have been terrible.

Check out the ones this offseason:

Signs Jerome James for $$ (Larry Brown benches him before the season begins because he is worthless and out of shape to no one's surprise other than Isiah)

Trades for Curry (this one was described above)

Trades for Quentin Richardson (this team needed another chucker swingman like a hole in the head)

[Johnnybravo4]

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Chandler was diagnosed with a medical problem but I don't remember what it was. He was complaining of constant fatigue from the beginning of the year, and conditioning hasn't been an issue with him.

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Yeah instead of a bad heart like Curry, Chandler simply doesn't have one.

[Seano]

Agree, Isiah has done pretty well with the draft. Gotta give him that much...

[exodus]

All the more reason not to give up so many picks for a chronic underachiever.

[mudderfudder77]

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Chandler was diagnosed with a medical problem but I don't remember what it was. He was complaining of constant fatigue from the beginning of the year, and conditioning hasn't been an issue with him.

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Yeah instead of a bad heart like Curry, Chandler simply doesn't have one.

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If there is one thing Chandler has its heart, and sometimes he plays with too much of it. He's an extremely emotional player and can get frustrated and down on himself. I think he is as disappointed as anyone at the way he is playing. He also had some hernia and asthma issues at the start of the year - hopefully he'll be back full strength next season.