Bulls Blink First, Trade Curry to Knicks

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Oct 4, 2005 12:00PM

Contract negotiations between the Bulls and Eddy Curry had remained at a standstill most of the off-season, as the Bulls requested that Curry take a DNA test before they clear him to play while Curry and his agent refused. With Monday's deadline for signing qualifying contracts for the 05-06 season, the Bulls traded Curry to the Knicks when they couldn't get Curry to agree to the DNA test.

On Monday night, a Bulls spokesperson announced simply that, "We will have an announcement tomorrow morning. All we can say right now is we traded Eddy to the Knicks." However, league sources have said that Curry and Antonio Davis will head to New York in return for Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney and Jermaine Jackson. Draft picks will also likely be part of the deal.

Bulls GM John Paxon was visibly frustrated at having his hand forced by Curry, especially since he and the Bulls seemed to have Curry's best interests in mind when demanding the DNA test. "I would never put a player on the floor in a Chicago Bulls uniform if I didn't do everything in my power to find out all the information that was available," Paxson said. "You can debate genetic testing 'til you're blue in the face. But from what I know, from what I've learned over the last six months, that test could have helped us determine the best course of action."

The Bulls even offered Curry $400,000 a year for 50 years were he to take the test and be unable to play. But Curry and his camp have bigger dollar signs in their eyes and continue to hope that nothing's wrong. Maybe that'll be the case, and a successful campign will earn Curry big bucks next summer as an unrestricted free agent. But it also possible that he's at risk of ending up like Hank Gathers and Reggie Lewis. Curry's willing to take that risk. The Bulls were not.