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With the announcement of the signing of Jonathan Bender today by Knicks general manager Donnie 
Walsh, many Knicks fans are probably a bit skeptical of this move.
First of all, what does Jonathan Bender have to offer, and does he have anything left? Well first of all, with Bender’s non guaranteed contract, this is a low risk move for the Knicks with a player who could possibly have some type of value left in the tank. He is a versatile big man who has the ability to shoot from the outside.
Despite being injury prone throughout his career, Bender is athletic and a once-gifted world class athlete, which we will see just how much he has left of. He has the ability to play multiple positions which would fit perfectly in D’Antoni’s offensive scheme. Considered to be a draft bust by many, Bender according to Donnie Walsh, “…has worked extremely hard in preparing himself for a return to the NBA.” Having a veteran presence on a rebuilding Knicks team can always help. Bender would be a great role model for the likes of Jordan Hill, Wilson Chandler, and Danilo Gallinari as he is an extremely hard worker and maintains a positive attitude despite all the trouble he has encountered. Also, with a fifteen man roster, the Knicks will be able to have enough depth especially if they trade for a large expiring contract such as Tracy McGrady’s.
With so many expiring contracts on the roster, it looks like, if this move pans out, Bender could be on the bench next season providing depth and versatility for the Knicks’ front court.
I can’t see how this is not a move before a trade how does he crack the rotation over Hill Jefferies Curry I don’t see it, hes a trade piece for Nates BYC contract.
I didn’t even think of Bender as a vet. Still think of him as that young kid on a young team in Indiana.
One of the things that has been frustrating about this season has been the Knicks lack of interior defense/shotblocking. If Bender can find a way to play and provide that it will be a big improvement. Just can’t see him getting any playing time unless a trade is made.
I like the move. Would have liked to see them sign a PG but I guess they are going forward with Hughes and Duhon.
Why are you guys looking so deep into this?
Lets be real, hes only gonna play if were up by 20, or down by 20
I really don’t expect anything at all from Bender. When he actually played he wasn’t that productive, and I don’t think he’s been working on a post up game or a consistent 3pt shot these past 4 or 5 years.
I dont get the point in this.
I am guessing Darko will be cut or traded because D’A thinks he’s crap, and Bender is just a roster filler.
Darko looks like a certified busto. Too bad, he got some size & length to help the middle. I was hoping he would finally prove Dumars wrong (or right depending on which axis your on.)
Hey, what’s with this GreatScott and Heri thing?
Is this the love boat or a Knicks blog?
great scot and heri are the same person.Heri thinksif he has someone post something positive about one of heri’s posts,then we wont thnk he is some kind of an idiot that he obsesseson Ricky Rubio every second of every day.So every time you see a blgger write”Heri,enough with the Rubiostuff already” ! heri will have greatscot write “Herilove your postabout Rubio,you rally are the smartest guy on the net,keep it up!”…HOW SAD IS IT ,WHEN YOU HAVE TO WRITE TO YOURSELF,JUST TO GET A COMPLIMENT?THIS GUY SHOULD HAVE HIS PC TAKEN AWAY…THEY WARNED US,,,FIRST HERI RUINED BERMAN BLOG,THEN HAHN’S BLOG,NOW HE IS HERE.ITS ONLY AMATTER OF IME
Well if we trade for Tyrus Thomas we will have one of the greatest draft bust teams of all time. Darko, Thomas, Bender and Curry all on the same roster.
Forgot to add Jeffries.
Hope Hill never makes this list.
Not sure I put Curry and Thomas on the same level as guys like Bender and Darko.
Curry played well enough to warrant a top 5 selection for a few years. Think of how many other top 5 guys have never come close to putting up some of the years that Curry did.
As for Thomas, he has been productive, but not #4 productive.
Bender and Darko were highly touted and produced next to nothing.
Bender is not getting close to actual game time.
Maybe this is just a retirement package for one of his old players.
I can accept he is here to act as a good influence on the players and an aggressive practice body but why would we seriously consider dedicating 2010 cap space to this guy?
He hasnt played in four years and all but retired from a blown out Knee. Wouldnt it be better to expend 2010 cap space on a young player who might have a future and some useful talent?
Knicks have young talent at every position except PG. This team needs some veteran leadership as evidenced by Nate’s antics this year, Harrington’s last year, and even Larry Hughes at times this year.
Unfortunately Bender is not going to play so it is like having Malik Rose. Nobody is going to listen to him. Grant Hill would have been perfect for this team.
you contradict your own point.. you cant lead from the bench I agree.
=
“Knicks have young talent at every position except PG” that’s just not true. There is no center, no 2 guard and no point guard going forward. There are 2 power forwards Gallinari (his will be his best position going forward and give him the best opportunity to be effective in the NBA) and Jordan Hill (maybe he gets stronger and can get spot duty at the 5 but he seems more like a solid power forward, however he may be’s a center by definition in a _’antoni system but nowhere else)
As for Johnathan Bender? I never ever saw a good game from this dude. Ever. Granted he played for Indiana so I never got a look at him night in and night out, but I’ll put it the same way Tommy reacted to me when I was all for bringing in Gerald Green for at least a look and at most an end of the bench practice role to see if he could earn a role on the team, “Why doesn’t anyone else sign him? There has to be a reason”
Damn, typos galore. My apologies.
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Please let some team take Jeffries away. PLEASE.
I agree, I cringe everytime I see this guy shoot a 3 pointer or any shot for that matter….
He’s either signed for a trade, or as a replacement for someone who is going to be traded. (Jeffries?)
It’s a zero risk move, so there’s no sense complaining about it. There is no way he’s just being nice to some guy who he once liked; that is unprofessional. They guy has probably worked for a long time to get back into the league, and clearly he appears to be able to give it a shot; that doesn’t mean that shot will be here though. Maybe he’s a replacement for jeffries. What seems to be working for us is having tall, athletic, defense players in the lineup (except for Lee’s spot, ironically), so maybe this will be that extra body incase jeffries goes. That makes sense, because obviously coach doesn’t think hill is ready to be playing the big minutes to fill jeffries hole, given that we are actually chasing the playoffs.
Um, Lee is tall and athletic. Maybe not tall enough, and maybe not athletic in the way that he does all kind of fancy things that don’t help win a game, but go ahead and try to find a quicker interior player.
Your general point is valid though.
Exactly fuhry which is why he should be better defensively. He gets under my skin and I can’t wait until he’s gone.
Notwithstanding our recent success, I am expecting Jeffries and or Curry and or Robinson to be gone by January 1st? Hope DW figures out a way to resign Lee. Soon we will know? Do we now get our point guard for the future?
We can’t do anything to resign Lee until the summer, unless all the big 2010 free agents already resign. You HAVE to sign a guy like Lebron (unlikely) or Wade (very unlikely) if they become available. But I really think the Knicks have an excellent chance at signing Chris Bosh. Seriously if they can trade Jeffries for an expiring, I can very realistically see Bosh & Joe Johnson both coming here together, and I’d be totally down for that as plan 1b next to 1a of getting Lebron & someone.
Lebron & Bosh is my #1 choice.
Lebron & anyone else is my #2.
Bosh & Joe Johnson is my #3.
Honestly Lee is down on the pecking order, but if those other players don’t become available, we could very realistically settle for Lee & someone. Hopefully we’re not giving someone like Amare or Boozer max money, that would be a serious mistake. We’d be better off saving money with Lee & a second tier star like Ray Allen & waiting for 2011 free agency.
hey if you leave off the Lee.it says:Hope DW figures out a way to resign
Give the guy a shot. If he’s 90% healthy, he’s a better offensive version of Jared Jeffries. Which means bye bye to JJ.
No risk, some reward. I’ll reserve judgement until I see him play otherwise he’s just bench fodder with sparkly name that hasn’t sparkled for several years. We’ll see.
I actually don’t remember too much about Jonathan Bender when he was on the Pacers. Even looking at his stats, nothing stood out. Everyone just talks about how good he could’ve been.
But as everyone basically is saying on the site, he’s a low risk potentially high reward guy. I personally believe there is a trade possibly brewing for them to bring in Bender to replace the likes of Jeffries or Curry. I really hope so at least.
co-sign. If walsh can make a move that jettisons either jeffries or curry we’re looking at 2 max cap player option in 2010. A small miracle.
They could have signed Nikoloz Tskitishvili after summer league for another big body, so maybe there is a trade coming. Hopefully Hill is involved for a 2010 1st rounder, if not it’s sad to think they would be making a trade of a big body and would go out and get a has-been/bust who hasn’t played basketball in 4 years rather than give Hill whatever minutes become available.
Also been hearing that Bender is also one of those good locker room guys and plays hard in practice. They think his hard work and good attitude will rub off on the rest of the team during practices.
No one has answered the question:
What has Bender been doing the last 4 years? Has be played any kind of ball???
Why speculate about what he can do if we don’t even know if he’s been scrimmaging with semi-pros?
Well, I can’t really see this move hurting the Knicks at all, which is a good thing. I don’t really think he is going to get a chance unless Curry or JJ is traded, and even then Im not quite sure how he will be any better of a project then Darko. Hopefully there is a trade in the works, and if any of the stuff about him being a hard worker and veteran leader is true, then I welcome him aboard.
Yawn….
Much to do ’bout nuttin’……….
He is a good guy from what I read and a very hard worker. He’s also a successful businessman who turned his money into business’s and not bling, hoes and glocks.
Maybe that’s what this team needs a little of. Good citizens, can’t hurt at the end of the bench and during practices. You need bodies to practice correctly. That’s how Nate McMillan got hurt, actually playing during practice because they were short handed.
So here is another player brought in that will be an extension of the coaching staff. Much more going on behind the scenes and in the locker room then we all know about. I really think before we went on this winning streak there was dissension in the locker room. Once it was straightened out and people were told were they stand everybody pulled together and started playing the way they should have.
I thought we were a 40 win team and able to get the 8th seed. maybe even steal a few games and get through to the next round.
But to me that means nothing. I would rather lose a lot more games to get players ready for the coming seasons like Gallo, Chandler, Douglas and Hill. They are the only ones guaranteed to be here contractually. They are the ones who should be getting minutes even if they stink up the joint. What’s the sense of finding out Hill is a bust 2 years down the road, too late, let’s see what these guys can do now. Get them 20+ minutes a game and show them what they need to do this off season in terms of working on their game and body.
Put Douglas at the point for 10-15 minutes a game and have him learn how to be a PG. If he’s ever going to be a starter in the NBA it’s at the PG. Yeah a combo guard can make a good living in the NBA but we did not draft him so he can make a living in the NBA. We drafted him because we desperately needed a guard, any guard and we still do. But we NEED a PG, not a combo guard.
I am hoping Joe Johnson is wearing a Knick uniform next season. If it’s with LeBron great, first choice, Bosh well yeah if we can’t get LeBron. But can Hill play? He’s not going to get any time if we sign Bosh. So let’s see if the guy can play now and force feed him. Or trade him for something and a first round pick so we can get a PG.
I’m sure Walsh is talking to a lot of other teams about a lot of scenarios.
“He’s also a successful businessman who turned his money into business’s and not bling, hoes and glocks.”
As opposed to most other black athletes/basketball players?
Just curious.