Sam Smith still hates Tyrus Thomas, and he actually has sources this time Options

[TeaLeafReaderII]

Rare Bulls risk isn't delivering
Skiles tries everything to reach Thomas


November 21, 2007


DENVER -- It didn't appear to be out of anger, deep and bubbling over after simmering for weeks, the result of the early-season frustration because of the Bulls slow start.

For Bulls coach Scott Skiles on Tuesday it appeared more a cumulative frustration as he seemingly is unable to dislodge the tantalizing talent of Tyrus Thomas at a time the Bulls remain in desperate need.


There has been so much hope for Thomas as a rare Bulls experiment, not exactly the usual, blue-collar solid guy model of the team, but an exceptional athlete whose ceiling seemed even above his uncanny leaping ability.

But you begin to wonder, though he is in just his second season, whether Thomas is going to be more promise than performance, a good idea that failed to develop.

That possibility ostensibly is what Skiles was contemplating in what was almost a plea before Tuesday night's loss to see more commitment and purpose from Thomas.

"I'm always in a difficult spot with a player like that," Skiles offered calmly and seemingly without rancor.

He seemed to understand where he was going with Thomas, a fan favorite because of his spectacular dunking and occasional brilliance in games. He has shown his promise, such as when he scored 21 points with 12 rebounds in a victory over the 76ers and had 19 points with 14 rebounds in another over the Pistons.

The excellence seems right there, but no one can quite grab it. It's like a fog, which Skiles seemed to suggest often envelops Thomas.

"I understand the fans see one side of it," Skiles said "We see the other. We know what's supposed to be done out there. We ask him to sprint the floor. To my knowledge in his career he hasn't done it one time.

"Not one time."

Still, Skiles gave Thomas an early run against the Nuggets. It perhaps was the team's worst individual display of the season. Thomas came in for Adrian Griffin with 7 minutes, 40 seconds left in the first quarter and the Bulls down six.

The first time Thomas touched the ball, he committed a turnover, stripped as he tried to drive. On the next possession, he committed an offensive foul. Then he fouled Carmelo Anthony on a drive. All this within 42 seconds before he was yanked in favor of rookie Joakim Noah with the Bulls down 18-8.

Skiles seemed determined to get something out of Thomas, bringing him back early in the second quarter as the Bulls opened with a 7-0 run before the Nuggets scored 13 straight.

"Watch when he gets in there," Skiles said Tuesday morning. "Is he jogging or is he sprinting the floor? So I have to look out not only for … 'Can somebody help me win a game tonight?' but balance that against trying to get him to be a high-level player.

"He's not going to be if he doesn't do that one thing. That's about all he has to do, change ends like a train. We have not been able to get him to do that.

"I'm not not playing him to penalize him for that. I went in a different direction. We played great in the Clippers' game. I didn't see any reason to disrupt the lineup. The Lakers game we were right there when they kind of blew the doors open.

Skiles had more to say.

"And that's just one thing," he said. "He doesn't have the habit of doing it, of being on all the time and into the game. He's much better than he was.

"If verbally telling someone and not getting the result … you have to try another avenue to get to them. That's just common sense. He's leaving an awful lot [of scoring] on the table by not doing that. We need that scoring. With our guys, the way they pass the ball ahead, if we take an early jump shot and you just run down the middle, there are tip-ins and rebounds, no one is boxing you out. He knows it. We show him over and over. It's something he has to do."

Asked about Skiles' comments, Thomas had little to say:

"He's the man who makes the call," Thomas said quietly. "I guess you have to adjust. It's as simple as that. There it is."

Where, exactly, is much more uncertain.

Thomas is going to continue to play. He has to because his trade value given the current situation is probably nil. The Bulls spent a No. 2 overall draft pick on him. He is still very young, having played just one season in college.

Did the Bulls give up on Tyson Chandler too soon?

Sometimes it takes awhile for a player to develop. Sometimes it doesn't happen. It's much more difficult to make an assessment of young players. Ask the Pistons about Darko Milicic. The Bulls want Thomas to run. Whether that's toward the exit will be the question.

[Chicago Bulls Fr...]

Lol @ Skiles, yes Tyrus has sprinted the floor more than one time. So this is why his minutes have decreased. I guess if he wants to play he better "Sprint" the floor. Skiles will never develop anybody because he is too worried about somebody running the floor over wins and losses early in the season. Scott, how bout GET YOUR DAMN TEAM PREPARED for the season and stop jacking around with Tyrus Thomas. He'll probably run him off, just like he did with Tyson Chandler.

In Skiles defence, I don't like hearing Thomas being called lazy. He needs to act like a pro, he's making all this money the least he can do is do what your coaches tell you, even if he should be a college coach..

IMO I think Skiles is trying to take all the pressure off him and his moronic coaching and put it all on the players. Paxson actually acted like a man and said it is his fault, he put the team together. Why doesn't Skiles man up and blame it on him for once in his life. I realize the players aren't living up to their end of the bargain but the reason may be the lack of good coaching, or maybe these players have reached their limit; maybe they won't get any better than they are right now (Speaking of Deng, Gordon, and Kirk). O and, Sam Smith is a douche.