Is Bulls nation excited for a Thomas return?

Should the Bulls be giddy about the return of Tyrus Thomas?  In the last year, Thomas has shown improvement. It’s not the ‘Brook Lopez 20-10′ improvement, but he was getting better, and I can’t complain about that. He protects the basket although not the most complete defender, and hey, the jump shot was coming along. I at least was thinking we could build his trade value if nothing else.

The perception of Tyrus Thomas in Chicago has always been intriguing. Aside from the fans, reading into the perception of Thomas’ return after a broken wrist had lots of interest to me, so I decided to give the rundown on Thomas from every trusted Bulls source on the web.

Doug Thonus at Chicagonow.com says:Getting Tyrus back is definitely big for the organization.  He’s not the best player, but the team will regularly go eight deep instead of seven deep, and they gain some athleticism, size, and defense with his return.   I’d suspect we’ll see a drop in Deng and Noah’s minutes the most which should allow them to play a bit more effectively than when they’re worn to the ground for the entire game.   Particularly Noah.

K.C Johnson at Chicago Tribune.com says:Wander and roam. That’s Thomas’ defensive potential. And at a time the Bulls actually have won two straight games, the return of those elements is imminent.

John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times.com says:The return of Thomas also will take pressure off Luol Deng and Joakim Noah, who have logged heavy minutes during his absence.

My view:All of these observations are correct. A lot of stock should be put into giving Deng and Noah some rest. The Bulls need active bodies at the end of games, not the exhausted ones we’ve been seeing. The Bulls are going to need Thomas to pick up where he left off offensively. He was becoming a regular jump shooter in the pick and roll, which was a weakness earlier in his career. When Tyrus makes the shot with consistency, it gives him the ability to show the ball and use his athleticism to attack off the dribble and get to the free throw line. At the end of the day, the active body of Thomas blends itself well with Derrick Rose.