Looking to breathe some life into your stagnant fantasy hoops team? Look more further than Tyrus Thomas. While he’s been a consistent starter for the Bulls over the past three seasons, Thomas has been out of action for the majority of this year after suffering a fractured radius of his left forearm at practice during a weight-training session. This freak injury kept Thomas out of 22 consecutive games, so it’s highly likely that he’ll be available in your free agent pool unless one of the more savvy GMs in your league has already swooped him up. Thomas just returned to action on Saturday night.
Why should we think that Thomas will be a viable fantasy option coming back from this injury? Look no further than the boxscore of his first game back. Thomas put together an impressive performance against New Orleans, notching 22 points, nine boards, two blocks, two assists and a steal. While he came off the bench, the Bulls couldn’t afford to keep him off the floor as he ended up playing over 32 minutes. The Bulls had been filling Thomas’ absence by giving big minutes rookie Taj Gibson (who also started against the Hornets), but with Thomas back it will be back to the bench for Gibson. With Thomas playing so well, Gibson only played eight minutes. This is a trend we should continue to see, with Thomas re-entering the starting lineup in place of Gibson sooner than later.
The best thing about Thomas is he does a little bit of everything. With his athletic style of play, he’ll have nights where he’s wreaking havoc all over the place. Last year he averaged nearly two blocks a game, and would occasionally have all-night block parties. On four occasions last season, he blocked five or more shots in a single game – including an impressive eight-block game against the Timberwolves. He’s also expanded his offensive arsenal, and has developed a relatively consistent mid-range shot. This should pay big dividends for Thomas, as he will become more efficient in the halfcourt set and less reliant on fast breaks and broken plays.
Were you lucky enough to snag Thomas in your league?
