<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Michael Sweetney will not duplicate Eddy Curry's finesse inside and he is no match for Curry on a measuring chart. So far this season, though, Sweetney is taking up the slack nicely. That's a surprise because the trade that brought him here was supposed to be a losing proposition for the Bulls. He has validated at least part of the trade for the Bulls; the jury's still out on Tim Thomas. Sweetney and Thomas joined the Bulls in early October from New York in the deal that sent Curry?and the debate about his heart condition?to the Knicks along with Antonio Davis. Although he doesn't have Curry's starting role, Sweetney, 23, has proved he could be a legitimate replacement for reasons that go beyond the critical free throws he sank Wednesday in the closing seconds of a one-point victory over Golden State. Sweetney seems to have a better grasp on the game than Curry, along with a better shooting percentage this season and a huge advantage from the free-throw line, shooting 78.6 percent to Curry's 60.6. "Mike's a very skilled guy," coach Scott Skiles said. "There's not much he can't do. He can shoot it. He can put it on the floor. He can score a little bit in the low post. He's a good passer. He's a low-turnover player. He has quick feet." Sweetney is playing about five fewer minutes per game than Curry this season but is averaging 10.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 turnovers. Curry is averaging 14 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.8 turnovers in 26.3 minutes for the winless Knicks. The same questions about the 6-foot-11-inch center's work ethic that existed in Chicago followed him to New York, where reports indicate he still isn't good at getting back on defense. Sweetney has weak spots too. Speed is hardly a strong suit for the 6-8, 270-pound power forward. A Bulls staff member said if he doesn't improve his conditioning and lose weight soon, he will occupy a seat on the bench for the long haul, no matter how desperate the Bulls become for a low-post threat. But Sweetney has shown he is willing to do the work to meet Skiles' demands. "He's the boss," Sweetney said. "You have to do what he says. If you do that, good results will come."</div> Source
I have been singing Sweetney’s praises since he came to Chicago. At first I worried about how he would play down low, but he is a beast down low despite being undersized. I personally think he should be starting, but Skiles knows what he is doing, and having him coming in with the second unit gives us a high powered offensive second unit. Our starters where the other team down with their defensive abilities then a couple minutes later Gordon, Deng, and Sweets come in, and put points up. It sounds good and has worked to a certain degree, but our one weakness so far this season that has been painfully apparent is our inability to get points early. Having Sweets in the starting lineup would give us a good option to get easy buckets early.
I think Sweetney should start, I think he's capable of doing more than Curry did because of his rebounding ability and his better than Curry defense. I've liked Sweetney since the day he was drafted so Im happy he got shipped to Chicago to a situation where he could really prove how good he is.
Sweetney has been a great surprise for the Bulls so ar this season. He's giving them quality minutes every time he's been on the court, and he's been a better inside prescence then what I thought he'd be. However, with him, you always have to worry about the stamina and his ability to get back on defense. The reason for this is obvious, and that is his weight problem. He's going to need to drop some weight if he ever wants to get that chance to play 30mpg or so on a consistent basis. At his current weight, his conditioning is not exactly what I would call good. However, if he can drop some of that weight and get his conditioning better, he's going to play a much larger key in the offense later in the year then what he is right now.
It is good to see he is willing to work on the problems Skiles has pointed out to him. Something Curry didnt seem to want to do (unless it is a contract year).
I remember last year when quite a few of us (on this board) were clamoring for a trade of Eddy Curry for Micheal Sweetney. I knew it would work out. I would like Sweetney to lose some weight and establish some of the quickness he had when he was in college.
