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Sporting KC deal Thomas to TFC for 2nd-round pick in 2015

MichaelThomas (SKC)

By JUSTIN FERGUSON

Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday that they have traded midfielder Michael Thomas to Toronto FC for a natural second round pick in the 2015 SuperDraft.

“Michael is a solid player who our coaches have had their eye on for some time,” TFC president and general manager Kevin Payne told the team website. “He’s versatile and athletic and will be an important part of TFC for some years to come.”

Thomas was selected by San Jose in the second round of the 2010 SuperDraft, but the Kansas native opted to begin his professional career in Sweden. He made five appearances at the end of the 2009-10 season for Halmsteds in the country’s top division before making a move to second division side Ljungskile.

The 25-year-old Notre Dame product made seven MLS appearances and two Open Cup starts last season for Sporting Kansas City, who he joined in January 2012. Thomas made one appearance for SKC in 2013, playing in their Open Cup match against Des Moines.

What do you make of this trade? How do you see Thomas fitting in at Toronto FC?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. For TFC this is midfield cover – a younger Terry Dunfield at half the price. Might indicate the end of Reggie Lambe who is taking up an international spot.

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    • So, Chivas traded their natural 2nd round pick get Seattle to take Joseph, but they held on to the 2nd rd pick they got from DC for Townsend. That’s the distinction.

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    • @ Josh D

      It is only referring to the draft pick that would “naturally” be allotted to the team on the basis of their performance in the previous season.

      For example: If you are the worst team in the league in 2013 (D.C. or whoever), you will be allotted the 1st overall pick in the 2014 SuperDraft. That is your “natural” 1st Round pick. The 2nd worst team in 2013 will hold the 2nd overall pick in 2014… and so on and so forth.

      Clarifying which pick is being traded (natural or otherwise) is necessary because some teams hold multiple picks in the same round as a result of trades.

      It is not nearly confounded as it might otherwise seem.

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  2. Payne doing what he did in DC. Trading away picks that might bring in someone more talented for a mediocre. No doubt, Payne was always willing to part with draft picks for United in the optimistic belief that those picks would be low picks because the team would do well. He’s making the same mistake here. Toronto will suck next year and that pick might be pretty valuable. KC knows what ti’s doing.

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    • Toronto FC has produces academy players likes FC Dallas, so losing out on a draft pick in the first round isn’t as bad as it seems considering the option to sign some of those prospects before they go in to the draft.

      I think KP knows what hes doing here.

      All depends on if Thomas pans out.

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      • I don’t know if the homegrown player lottery — which often doesn’t pan out — is as worthwhile as a top 3 pick — which often does work. 2 of the 4 TFC homegrown people haven’t seen a MLS game field. The other 2 are spot starters on a bad team. This is not LA, I am not sold the future of the team is waiting in the academy.

        And it’s all kind of misleading because you can always sign a homegrown, and sign them to an off books reserve deal even. They can sign the pick and the homegrown, or trade the pick and sign the homegrown, and get whatever in return. The homegrown is really the constant and should be judged on their own merits. The trade should be judged on its own merits. To me it’s a sign of desperation if you’re already tossing in, I also signed some 18 year old kid straight from HS who may or may not pan out.

        Personally I don’t think any of this helps because TFC already has young prospects, and hustle players, what it needs is top end stars.

  3. I was surprised that he didn’t get more of a shot at a starting job this year at SKC, if he can find his way onto the pitch at TFC (which shouldn’t be so hard at this point), I think he will prove he is quality in winning the ball, keeping possession, and making the smart pass… now, up to the rest of his team to finish.

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    • Thomas’s position as a central, defense-first midfielder is one where SKC has loads of depth–so much so that they could afford to let Julio Cesar walk after two solid years with them. Thomas was behind Uri Rosell, Paulo Nagamura, Lawrence Olum, and US U-20 player Mikey Lopez on the depth chart. It’s sad from an SKC perspective in that they’re losing a hometown guy, but it isn’t surprising that Thomas had a hard time finding minutes.

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  4. TFC’s problem is top end talent quality — they don’t have much — I don’t see what another ordinary pro does for them.

    Reply

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