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Thomas' happy return: No Skiles, no problem

February 22, 2009
BY BRIAN HANLEY bhanley@suntimes.com

Tim Thomas actually appeared comfortable at the Berto Center on Saturday.

Given that Thomas had been paid his $14 million salary by the Bulls to stay away from the team for months before being waived three years ago, his demeanor was almost as surprising as his return.


Tim Thomas is back with the Bulls. (AP)

''It's a weird situation,'' said Thomas, who was traded from the New York Knicks to the Bulls on Thursday in a deal for Larry Hughes. ''That's all in the past. You still want to hold grudges, but you have to let it go. Once I moved on to Phoenix, I let it go a little bit. Basketball is basketball. This is my 12th year. I'm just trying to reach the ultimate goal, which is a championship. You see all these banners around here. That's what it's all about for me.''

It's a safe bet that Thomas, who first joined the Bulls as part of the trade that sent Eddy Curry to the Knicks in September 2005, never went to dinner with former coach Scott Skiles as he did Saturday with coach Vinny Del Negro in Indianapolis.

Del Negro was a teammate of Thomas for two seasons in Milwaukee (1998-99, '99-2000) and was a member of the Phoenix front office when the Suns signed Thomas after the forward was waived by the Bulls on March 1, 2006. Thomas said Del Negro is ''cool.''

''I have a really good relationship with him,'' Del Negro said. ''He's a good guy who wants to play and win.''

Thomas is on his eighth stop in his NBA career, including three teams this season. Thomas, the Sporting News Freshman of the Year when he left Villanova for the NBA, has been tagged as an underachiever by coaches and players.

''Everybody has their opinions,'' Del Negro said. ''All that matters now is my opinion and how we're going to work together. He knows he can help us. That's why he's here. How he works into everything, we'll just have to wait and see. I feel the guys who are starting now are playing well. We'll try to move the new guys around as best I see fit.''

Thomas made it clear his problems with the Bulls last time stemmed from his relationship with Skiles and not general manager John Paxson, who called Thomas shortly after the trade Thursday.

''[Paxson] really didn't go into it,'' Thomas said. ''I'm pretty sure he felt a certain way about the whole situation. There was a lot of heat on the organization at that particular time. There's really no need to talk about it. That's in the past. The guy who was pretty much controlling things is gone.

''I'm just looking forward to playing great basketball and enjoying every minute. This is my 12th year. My years are winding down. I'm trying to win a championship. This group definitely has what it takes.''

Thomas and the Bulls' other new trade additions -- Brad Miller, John Salmons and Anthony Roberson -- spent an extra hour after practice with Del Negro and his assistants walking through plays.

Thomas, Miller and Salmons all should get playing time today, when the Bulls play at Indiana. Salmons could start if Tyrus Thomas has not recovered from a strained right hamstring he suffered Friday in the win against Denver.

Thomas said he and the others should be ready to contribute.

''I left a system [with the Los Angeles Clippers] that had a lot of plays,'' Thomas said of the team where he started the season. ''In New York, it's a lot of run and gun without many plays. Vinny has kept it simple here from what I see. It's not that difficult. I'm looking forward to having fun and playing the game. I'm getting older. You have to take each and every day for what it's worth.''