Great read written by Matthew Gordon of RealGM, who nailed the weakness of Eddy Curry to a tee. Gordon then looks at the positive side on how Curry can again become a factor in the league.

“…Having clearly defined roles in the post, with the power forward being the enforcer and Curry being encouraged to use his skills on offense, makes Curry less of a liability. When a talented big man is willing to defer to Curry in scoring situations and play help defense, Curry can focus on getting his twenty points and doing whatever he can elsewhere.

Curry could even be removed when the opponent is playing two offensively gifted big men or when his shot isn’t falling.

Good Shooters On The Perimeter

In order to maximize Curry’s effectiveness, he needs to be given room. Eliminating the opponent’s ability to pack the paint not only makes it easier for Curry to find a good shot, but it also reduces the chance of him turning the ball over. (A guard stuck to a shooter can’t double down for the strip, after all). The Bulls had Ben Gordon, then a rookie, who shot 40.5% from three-point land and averaged 15.1 points. Eric Piatkowski also shot 42.5% from downtown, albeit on far fewer shots.

Spacing the floor allows Curry greater freedom in the post, where he can establish his position without necessarily having to worry about a double-team. Curry can even dribble the ball a couple times before shooting, something that would be unthinkable with the threat of a speedy perimeter player swooping in for a steal. He can then get his best possible shot, or even a dunk, while also killing the shot clock.

A Taskmaster Of A Coach

Motivation is often cited as one of Curry’s biggest problems, and it’s a feasible explanation for his lack of production in many key areas. He’s retained his weaknesses, and any conditioning he’s undergone hasn’t had a visible effect.

Whether he can be disciplined or not, playing on a disciplined team is certainly a start, whether he becomes more motivated or whether the rest of the team simply plays better defense so it’s not as required of him. The Bulls had Scott Skiles, as well-known as anyone in that context, who immediately set high defensive standards for the team…”