Eddy Curry was traded to the New York Knicks tonight reportedly for Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, Jermaine Jackson, and draft picks according to the New York Daily News. Antonio Davis was also reported to be involved in the trade.
After being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat that caused him to miss the final thirteen games of the regular season and the playoffs, the Bulls were insisting that Curry agree to a DNA test to see if he is susceptible to a potentially fatal heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Curry and agent Leon Rose have been insistent that he would not submit to the testing worried that the Bulls would use the results in negotiations to potentially damage the financial aspects of Curry’s upcoming contract as a restricted free agent Each side has had their share of cardiologists upholding their views, and it has seemed a foregone conclusion that the trade was imminent as of last week when Rose went public with the trade offer.
It is a shame that a well-respected general manager such as John Paxson was made out to be the bad guy throughout negotiations by Curry and his agent. I find it hard to blame a GM who wants to avoid a situation such as the Boston Celtics had with Reggie Lewis or Loyola Marymount with Hank Gathers, both of whom collapsed and died as a result of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Curry has not been able to secure disability insurance because of his heart issues. Obviously, there is some measure of concern. But in a time when athletes jump from high school to the pros in an attempt to cash in rather than risk injuries playing in college (until the recent age requirement was instated), it is no wonder that a player would want to secure as big of a contract right now, than a potentially less lucrative contract in the future.
Paxson announced that the Bulls offered to pay Curry $400,000 annually for the next 50 years if he failed the genetic test. Does that sound like something an uncaring GM and organization would offer? Not a bad deal for someone who would probably not have to lift a finger for the remainder of his life, and still enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle than most of us will ever know. As an organization, the Bulls have been extremely generous historically. Towards the end of the Jordan era, the Bulls were paying MJ $33 million a year. While one can argue that he was worth much more than that to the team because of revenues generated, they certainly did not need to pay him that and could have signed him for considerably less. When Jay Williams injured himself in a motorcycle crash, the Bulls paid him $3 million when he was in clear violation of his contract and they were not required to give him anything. It is unfortunate that organizations are consistently made out to be uncaring corporations who try to devalue their players for better bargaining position, when there is clear evidence that this is not always the case.
Beyond the touchy-feely aspect of this story, it will be interesting to see how this drama unfolds. Will Curry be able to secure disability insurance? Will he continue to play like he did last year, showing signs of dominance offensively, or will he revert to his old lazy self after he signs what is reported to be a six-year, $60 million contract? Will the Bulls regret sending him to another Eastern Conference team and potentially face him in the playoffs for years to come? Did Paxson take advantage of the extremely fallible Isiah Thomas as so many other GMs have?
Stay tuned.
