HoopsHype.com Rumors

Kurt Thomas didn’t make a peep when he went from being the Knicks’ top power forward reserve in their first three games to sitting out their win over Dallas on Friday night. But Mike Woodson said he didn’t expect any backlash from Thomas, whom he called “a true pro,” or anyone else who might be the odd man out on a given night. “My first speech at our team dinner, right before we opened camp, I told everybody that they had to leave their egos at the door,’’ the coach said Saturday after practice in Greenburgh. “If we’re talking about trying to win a title and win at a high level … we got to leave the egos at the door. I’m not going to deal with guys with bad egos. If there’s a problem, they’ve got to go.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Kurt Thomas 

He has such an age fetish that he brought in Wallace in the offseason even though he’s 38 years old—and has been retired for more than two years. Woodson is so into his veterans that he insists on calling Iman Shumpert “Rook” despite the fact this is his second season, and says that one of his “young” players is J. R. Smith, who is only nine months younger than the 27-year-old LeBron James. (He says the same thing about Felton, who is six months older than LeBron.) Aren’t these guys too old to play in the NBA? “Veterans know how to play,” Woodson says. “There’s a difference in bringing in veteran guys on the tail end that can’t give you anything. Camby and Kurt Thomas, guys like that, they have been very productive in their careers. It’s going to be my job to make sure I put them in the right positions to be successful, to help us win games. I don’t have to scream and yell as much with this team.” New York Magazine

New York Knicks, Rasheed Wallace, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Kurt Thomas, Iman Shumpert 

The Knicks really are aging right before our eyes. On Tuesday, Tyson Chandler celebrated his 30th birthday and on Thursday, Thomas celebrated his milestone with a three-hour practice with his teammates in Greenburgh. Thomas is the NBA’s oldest player, but he not only feels that he can contribute this season, he still believes he has a few good years left in him. “I never think about retiring,” Thomas said. “Until no one wants my services anymore, then I’ll start thinking about that. But until then I’m always focusing on the next season.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Kurt Thomas, Tyson Chandler 

Al Iannazzone: Knicks get Ray and Kurt Thomas for Jeffries, Gadzuric, the draft rights to Papanikolaou and Printezis and a protected 2nd-round pick Twitter

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Trade, Dan Gadzuric, Kurt Thomas, Raymond Felton, Giorgios Printezis, Kostas Papanikolaou 

Jason Quick: Knicks get Raymond Felton and Kurt Thomas. No other Blazers players will be included. Knicks will pay Jeffries' $1.35M salary Twitter

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Trade, Kurt Thomas, Raymond Felton 

“It's a dream come true to go back to New York,” Thomas told CSNNW.com. “The only thing I'm sad about is that I'm going to have to miss Brian Grant's Foundation today to take a physical in New York. But, it's amazing. Everywhere I go people consider me a Knick. It's just a dream come true.” CSNNW.com

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Kurt Thomas 

In the trade, the Knicks got even older, adding another former Knick, Kurt Thomas, 39. Knicks free agent Jared Jeffries was signed in the deal and shipped to Portland in the package, along with Dan Gadzuric’s non-guaranteed $1.4 million contract. New York Post

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Dan Gadzuric, Kurt Thomas, Raymond Felton, Jeremy Lin, Jared Jeffries 

The New York Daily News reported that Felton and veteran Kurt Thomas would go the Knicks in exchange for center Dan Gadzuric, forward Jared Jeffries and a 2016 second-round draft pick. Several media outlets confirmed the report, but The Oregonian has learned that the deal is not complete and includes several other components coming to Portland. The details of the deal are expected to be finalized today. Oregonian

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Trade, Dan Gadzuric, Kurt Thomas, Raymond Felton, Jared Jeffries 

Jason Quick: Been told the Blazers-Knicks deal is not done and will not be done until tomorrow. Lots of moving parts and pieces. Twitter

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Trade, Dan Gadzuric, Kurt Thomas, Raymond Felton, Jared Jeffries 

Frank Isola: The Knicks have acquired Raymond Felton and Kurt Thomas from Portland for Jared Jeffries and Dan Gadzuric, sources tell the Daily News Twitter

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Trade, Dan Gadzuric, Kurt Thomas, Raymond Felton, Jared Jeffries 

Ken Berger: Knicks have acquired Raymond Felton and Kurt Thomas from Portland for Jared Jeffries, Dan Gadzuric and 2016 2nd-round pick, source confirms. Twitter

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Trade, Dan Gadzuric, Kurt Thomas, Raymond Felton, Jared Jeffries 

Marc Berman: One agent in deal confirms Felton sign and trade is all done. Twitter

New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Trade, Dan Gadzuric, Kurt Thomas, Raymond Felton, Jared Jeffries 

Me: If you stay healthy, is there an end point for you? Kurt Thomas: You know, I don't even know. I just take it one year at a time. We just see. I still enjoy playing. I enjoy being around the guys. I enjoy talking trash and competing, against my teammates and against opponents. I still have that desire burning. And also, I wanted my son to still see me play. My son is 5 years old, and I wanted him to see me play. NBA.com

Kurt Thomas 

Me: When you're competing out there against a guy that's 10 years younger, is there a sense of pride that you can still play? KT: Oh yeah, definitely. Also, I've learned a lot of tricks of the game, so I'm able to use that to my advantage. And also just knowing where to be out there on the floor. Especially when I'm going against a young guy, I definitely know that they're younger and more athletic than I am, so I just try to use the wisdom that I've gained over the years. NBA.com

Kurt Thomas 

Me: When you came into the league, you were a scorer. How did that change over the years? KT: People ask me that all the time. Because I'm really not known as a scorer in the league. I'm known for my defense and rebounding the ball. But everywhere I go, everyone knows that I can still score. I show that every day in practice. I don't get a number of plays called for me, but as long as we're winning, I'm happy. But every day in practice, I show them I can still put the ball in the hole, that I'm still a scorer. NBA.com

Kurt Thomas 

Vincent Goodwill: NBA's dirtiest players, according to the players: Reggie Evans, KG, Ron-Ron, Jeff Foster, CP3, Gerald Henderson, K-Love, Kurt Thomas, Varejao, Eduardo Najera, Ryan Hollins, Dwight Howard, Battier, Jamaal Magloire and Raja Bell...any surprises? Twitter

Raja Bell, Kurt Thomas, Dwight Howard, Reggie Evans, Jamaal Magloire, Ryan Hollins, Jeff Foster, Eduardo Najera, Gerald Henderson 

But (Kurt) Thomas says he has more in the tank. “I’m going to keep playing as long as I can,” he says. “My body feels good.” Willamette Week

Kurt Thomas 

As he talks, Thomas is prone to bursts of random laughter that shake his shoulders and cause his facial features to scrunch together. He laughs a lot—often as the punch line to one of the extended, intimidating stares that earned him the nickname “Crazy Eyes.” Thomas is a hard guy to get a handle on; always has been. “The kids from my neighborhood always thought I was the worst basketball player of all my friends,” he says. “I was just a young, skinny, lanky kid. When I graduated high school, I was about 6-7 and a half, 170 pounds. I was skin and bones.” Willamette Week

Portland Trail Blazers, Kurt Thomas 

Thomas was an extremely shy kid from a middle-class background. His father is retired from Texas Instruments, and his mother still works at a post office in his native Dallas. “I’ve been hoping she’ll retire before I retire,” he says, laughing again. “I’ve looked up to her my whole life. When I see that she gets up every day, busts her butt, that makes me want to go out there and keep doing what I do.” Willamette Week

Portland Trail Blazers, Kurt Thomas 

There are no other athletes in Thomas’ family. “Playing in the NBA was definitely a goal of mine, but it wasn’t my first goal,” he says. “My first goal was to graduate from college. That’s what my parents pushed me for. They knew the NBA was going to be a long shot.” Playing NBA ball was a longer shot for Thomas than most pros. He didn’t start playing for Hillcrest High School until his junior year, after sitting on the bench as a sophomore. In his senior year, he broke his right ankle. His stock plummeted. Nearby Texas Christian University was one of the few schools still interested in him. Willamette Week

Portland Trail Blazers, Kurt Thomas