E-News Sign Up
RSS Feeds
Print
Share on Facebook
ShareBilly King Announces the Kenny Thomas Trade
Trade Press Release
“We have traded the rights of Mark Bryant, Art Long and a future conditional first round pick for Kenny Thomas of Houston. It’s a three-way trade but the end result is that we end up with Kenny Thomas. Kenny is a player that has worked out here in Philly a lot. Larry (Brown) and I have been looking and trying to get him. We loved him down in Houston and asked them for Kenny because he can play the three or the four. He fits in how we want to play. Just in watching our team and how it is made up, we felt that we needed to add that (player ability). I talked to Mark (Bryant) and have known him for a long time. We roomed together in 1987 and it’s tough letting Mark go. I appreciate what he has done in the 14 years here. Fourteen years in the league and a short time here with us. I told Art the same thing. I told him, ‘don’t look at this as a set back. You guys help set the ground where we are.’ We are excited about having Kenny and hopefully we will get him in uniform Friday night.
What will he bring to the table?
“I think he brings toughness. I think he can give you some scoring. He can post, and he can shoot a perimeter jumper of about 15 or 16 feet. Most of all, I think that he brings that, ‘Philly style basketball’, the way Larry (Brown) likes, which is very tough basketball.
What is his connection to Philly?
“I think that his agent was based here. Coming out of college he (Thomas) worked out here and liked to (ultimately) come back here. He has worked out here every summer against our guys. He has been around quite a bit.
What are his abilities?
“I think he is a guy that can play some four or three. He can post up or make the open jump shot. I think that he will be a great complement to Keith (Van Horn), Derrick (Coleman) and to all of our big guys because he can play with any of them. He can play even the small forward at times. That is the great thing about it, I don’t think that he is limited to one position.”
On the team’s roster situation
“We have one roster spot, but right now, I am just looking at seeing where we are. This deal took a lot today. It has been in the works for about a week now, but it took a lot today to get it done”
Was the deal more for the player than the team?
“It was for the player and then looking at the team, he fits in. We wouldn’t have just done it to just bring him in as duplication. Even Monty, when he is healthy is really our only true three. Kenny can play some three and now with Monty’s injury, it helps let Monty recover at a slower pace and not rush him back. It helps Aaron McKie now, and maybe he doesn’t have to play as much as we needed him.”
“We have traded the rights of Mark Bryant, Art Long and a future conditional first round pick for Kenny Thomas of Houston. It’s a three-way trade but the end result is that we end up with Kenny Thomas. Kenny is a player that has worked out here in Philly a lot. Larry (Brown) and I have been looking and trying to get him. We loved him down in Houston and asked them for Kenny because he can play the three or the four. He fits in how we want to play. Just in watching our team and how it is made up, we felt that we needed to add that (player ability). I talked to Mark (Bryant) and have known him for a long time. We roomed together in 1987 and it’s tough letting Mark go. I appreciate what he has done in the 14 years here. Fourteen years in the league and a short time here with us. I told Art the same thing. I told him, ‘don’t look at this as a set back. You guys help set the ground where we are.’ We are excited about having Kenny and hopefully we will get him in uniform Friday night. What will he bring to the table?
“I think he brings toughness. I think he can give you some scoring. He can post, and he can shoot a perimeter jumper of about 15 or 16 feet. Most of all, I think that he brings that, ‘Philly style basketball’, the way Larry (Brown) likes, which is very tough basketball.
What is his connection to Philly?
“I think that his agent was based here. Coming out of college he (Thomas) worked out here and liked to (ultimately) come back here. He has worked out here every summer against our guys. He has been around quite a bit.
What are his abilities?
“I think he is a guy that can play some four or three. He can post up or make the open jump shot. I think that he will be a great complement to Keith (Van Horn), Derrick (Coleman) and to all of our big guys because he can play with any of them. He can play even the small forward at times. That is the great thing about it, I don’t think that he is limited to one position.”
On the team’s roster situation
“We have one roster spot, but right now, I am just looking at seeing where we are. This deal took a lot today. It has been in the works for about a week now, but it took a lot today to get it done”
Was the deal more for the player than the team?
“It was for the player and then looking at the team, he fits in. We wouldn’t have just done it to just bring him in as duplication. Even Monty, when he is healthy is really our only true three. Kenny can play some three and now with Monty’s injury, it helps let Monty recover at a slower pace and not rush him back. It helps Aaron McKie now, and maybe he doesn’t have to play as much as we needed him.”
