Players Indifferent about Curry’s Minutes

by Tommy Dee on December 27th, 2009 at 10:51 am

As the Eddy Curry situation escalates, two people with solid knowledge of the situation have told me that there isn’t a single person within the locker room who actually minds that Curry isn’t on the court.

Let’s face it. Just like July 2010 hovers over the players not guaranteed for next year, Curry’s looming presence is an added distraction to a team that is trying to play with blinders on in its attempt to make the playoffs.

When Curry, who has played a total of 62 minutes in 7 games (the Knicks are 3-4), enters the game the ball movement stops. It seems the players understand that the organization is trying to show the league that Curry can still play, but in terms of successful basketball Curry doesn’t help all that much if he isn’t getting strong post position. In his last game against the Bulls, Curry took the Knicks completely out of their rhythm and the Knicks went on to lose the game. That is not to place all the blame on the big man for them settling for over 40 three pointers, it’s to say that whatever rhythm they had in the first half vanished.

There has been talk of a buyout with Curry for next year, which would be ideal as it would create more cap space for the summer. But Curry must have an opt-out in his contract and remember who did the deal. Isiah Thomas never seemed as if he was real strong in negotiations, but we will have to see if, in fact, the last year of his deal can be tweaked. In fairness, Curry’s financial woes have been very public and to think that he’s just going to do the Knicks a favor and walk away from $5.5 million dollars guaranteed is a long shot. If he gets “cut loose” and wants to continue his career elsewhere, he’ll most likely sign with a team for the league minimum ($1.2 million) prorated, with essentially a tryout for the rest of the year.

In essence, as fans, the hopes of ridding Curry’s contract rests on the confidence that Curry can make money and produce for another team.

Curry does deserve some praise for getting himself back in great basketball shape. He’s done it for his career and for his overall health. But from day 1 it was obvious that he’d be a square peg in this system, even one that has been changed to suit the need of the players on the roster. When you are used to pick and rolls and driving and kicking, it’s a major shift to turn into a dump-down post team, which is what they become when Curry enters the game. The result can be force feeding, and a lack of ball movement leading to open shots.

And from what I’m hearing, the players know it too.
  • TobyKnight

    I raised this idea in the other thread, but will raise it again here to see if anyone has any thoughts on it.
    Taking a page out of the book that the business people in Minneapolis were using to try to woo Rubio to come to Minnie, can we somehow create a fund to send Eddy Curry away?
    Can we raise money from Knick fans that would go to Eddy Curry if he were to do us all a favor and leave the Knicks, freeing up cap space for us to sign two max free agents.
    Lets say we raised $5 million in the fund. Could we get him to accept a buy out for $6 million and clear up $5 mil of cap space?
    It would be the first fan funded buy out in the history of the NBA, but imagine the message it would send to top FAs — NY Fans REALLY care about their team being a winner.

    I can’t think of a player less deserving of our hard earned money than Eddy Curry, but I can’t think of a fan base more in need of a winning basketball team than the Knicks.

    Does anyone have the time and ability to create a fund that we can get folks to start donating money to?
    If we can’t get Curry to take the money to leave, then we can always donate the money to a charity.

  • EQ1217

    I never understood why people always have to praise Curry for getting into basketball shape considering its his job.

  • J_Starks3

    I have said it in previous posts that Eddie will not accept a buy out. We will be lucky if he get traded but the way I look at it this isn’t necessarily bad. I see a trade on draft day for a big time player to pair up with LBJ. After this year Curry’s contract becomes gold (expiring).

  • bartnyk

    When Curry gets in the game the players change the offense which is stupid, the need to run the PNR with him instead of dumping it in the post and him going 1 on 3, from what i saw Curry didnt look bad the team just couldnt throw a entry pass to him. Hes in good shape Mike needs to use him the same way he uses Lee and he can be effective.

  • itzyung1

    If Nate isn’t Playing why in the Hell does Curry think he should be playing?

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    I don’t think there can be a draft day trade involving Curry – draft occurs before the July FA period – teams will not know whether they have a shot at their targeted FAs yet and will be unwilling to take on cap space w/ Curry. Curry’s contract becomes gold after the 2010 FA frenzy ends and the dust settles.

  • x-man

    Is D’Antoni trying to distance himself from Isiah y putting an end to Big Ball? lol You can’t have thinner Curry on the bench! This dude gave snacks and you’re sitting him? That adds weight and doesn’t help him burn calories.

    Our coach is always trying to be counterproductive to the team! How can Curry audition for other teams when he’s NOT playing. Does the coach think other teams know that Curry is awful already? If so, why don’t we?

    If Parker and Ginobli feels like penetrating today, the LANE is wide open! Just saying!

  • DatNewYorker

    i dont care what the players are feeling about Curry because those players are not going to be here. In the game against Chicago where Curry allegedly messed up the system they shot 47 three pointers and Curry had two shot attempts. It is too early to say if Curry can fit into this system but the system has changed already. They used to run up a uptempo until DAntoni fianally realized it did not work. MD just has to adjust his offense to fit him in. He still is a force on the block and anything that can prevent Al from taking bad shots would benefit the team. I want Curry showcased to the league so we can trade him. We got nothing for marbury because of the same situation. I dont believe Curry is going to give up money so dont expect him to opt out of his contract. He has to play, the deadline is around the corner. i would settle for 14 min a game. He wont take any of jordan hill’s min. cause DAntoni wont play Hill anyway.

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    hate to say – the lane is wide open even if Curry plays – man cannot play solid D even when he was in his prime

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    some
    sidenotes

    cleveland toronto an houston are interested in acquiring kevin martin

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    Why would any team trade us an expiring contract for Eddy Curry? That would just ruin their team’s cap space for 2010 just as Eddy’s ruining our ability to offer 2 max contracts. What benefit would Eddy bring? And if you answer by saying Eddy would bring a benefit to the other team – than why don’t we just keep him. Hate to say it – but he is with us going into the 2010-11 season and then we can trade him to a team that missed out on 2010 FA and wants cap space for 2011 or just does not want a lengthy contract that we can take off their hands if that contract has long term player potential in combination w/ our 2010 FA signing.

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    Read an article about that – asking price is high – essentially the article states that to get Martin – Toronto would need to offer up Bosh.

  • DVJ

    That’s why you include the Mobley contract when permitted to wipe off most of Currys contract. This makes it easier for the other team to acquire Curry.

    Patience my friends.

  • monstert

    Only way the lane would be closed is if Curry ate the lane.

  • monstert

    Bosh for a season vs. Martin for the next 3…not a bad move for a team almost guaranteed to lose Bosh after the season.

  • bartnyk

    Anyone think its time to get Ty Thomas

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCgE4DVRZF4

    21 pts 9 rebs 2 ast 2 blks

  • monstert

    Course, Martin is an anemic defender who is always looking for his own shot…but in Toronto, he’ll fit right in. No one plays defense anyhow.

  • bartnyk

    Not ever team in the NBA is looking at 2010 FAcy

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    Ahhh – who then?? Houston is – Chicago is – and the other teams that you say are not looking at 2010 FA – they are already contenders and 1) do not need to be sattled w/ Curry, 2) do not have any expiring contracts to offer for 2010, and 3) do not want to part with pieces of their playoff contending teams. What – we think the Nuggets or Lakers are going to Curry? The Magic? The Celtics? Who??

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    I thought we had to trade Mobley’s contract by end of November – or one year within his injury to receive that sitUation – if this were the case as you state – I would think this trade would already be done – unless Curry has no value out there at all. Also – I remember reading that Donnie Walsh did think he would trade Mobley’s contract.

  • DVJ

    Depends on who we would have to give up.
    Certainly not Lee, Gallo, Hill, Douglas or Chandler.

    Anyone else and we should be all ears.

  • dino2008

    why the hell is bender playing over nate…. makes no sense imo. id rather see curry and i would LOVE TO SEE OUR 8TH PICK PLAYING OVER BENDER…. the honeymoon is over with bender…. im sick of seeing him drive down the middle and fall.

  • hydro

    No one probably responded to your last thread because, like me, they thought that you were kidding. I’d rather give my money to a real charity. Pass.

  • bartnyk

    Washington,Portland

  • Mucha

    ROTFL

  • DVJ

    I think the NBA hasn’t ruled on the Mobley contract yet.

  • J_Starks3

    You might be right but a trade can still happen after the FA period.

  • bartnyk

    Milwakee, Golden State, Sacramento,Indiana

  • Mucha

    Yeah it’s ridiculous.

    Jonathan Bender lol what a joke, the guy is an injury-prone BUST who hadn’t played an NBA game in 4 years… Of course the honeymoon is over, I’m happy for him (half-a-mill is good money) but he’s a waste of playing time.

    We need Jordan Hill more than another tweener regardless.

  • J_Starks3

    Using Eddie the same way they use David??? How???? Curry cannot play the pick and roll. He doesn’t have a mid range jump shot. If SSOL didn’t work with Shaq in PHX it will not work with Eddie.

  • bartnyk

    Lee is not coming back after this year he wants the big bucks hes needs to get traded. I would trade AL for Ty Thomas.

  • Mucha

    *anyways

  • bartnyk

    My Knicks Trading block:

    David Lee
    Nate Robinson
    AL Harrington
    Jordan Hill – to move Curry
    Eddy Curry
    Jared Jefferies
    Tony Douglas

  • x-man

    lmao, finally a defensive strategy we all agree on “YES WE CAN”

  • bartnyk

    What the hell are u talking about

    “Curry cannot play the pick and roll”

    Why not any one can PNR and I have see Eddy PNR and score. I’m not sure about his shot but Duhon and Lee do not PNP so thats irrelevant, if you play Curry you have to PNR with him if you don’t want to bog down the offense.

  • x-man

    Sound you subscribe to Big Ball-Small ball! One good thing about many Knicks Fans, we have a short memory…..and short # of rings too!

  • DatNewYorker

    Curry most likely wont be traded but you have to try. The future is much more important then this year. We pray and hope that one of these GMs bite. Now is the time to showcase him. After the deadline we dont have to play him as much but I think playing him gives us a more balanced offense anyway.

  • x-man

    My Knicks Trading Block:

    Each and E-v-e-r-y-B-o-d-y including the coach, GM, Owner and waterboys!

    But I would expect to get something of real value back for a few of them if a trade is necessary.

    However, Gallo should improve, Chandler is sleep walking most of the time and he should be progressing better at this pt than he is. He’s only consistent at being inconsistent. Douglas probably is a keeper!

    The only person who seems to think D’Antoni is a keeper is Mr. Furious and he has the nerve to be furious! lol

  • hydro

    Let eddy curry earn, yes earn, his minutes back during garbage time. Maybe he could get back to the + side of his +/- statistic, that would be a good start. But I have to actually see a positive impact from eddy, when win/loss situations are not on the line, to convine me that he should be playing. The GM’s around the league know what they are getting with eddy curry, you can’t fool them by forcing his playing time and then forcing him the ball while he is in there. Our opponents know exactly what to expect when eddy is in there, it’s too easy for them to defend it. He needs to add other skills to his game,(like passing) to succeed on this team. If he truely is a professional, then the should be able to do that. He’s being paid as an above average professional, he should start acting like one.

  • bartnyk

    LOL

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    Why would Washington want Curry – when they already have Jamison and Javal?? Why – unless we would take back Arenas? Come on.

    GS – good luck w/ that – that goes right up there w/ all the people who think we can get Randolph from GS for Chandler and a bag of beans

    Sacramento – again why would they do this? And why haven’t then done this already?

    Bucks are in position w/ Redd’s contract coming off to make a move

    Indiana’s not stupid – and what expiring contracts do they have?

    Portland is not stupid also – they are not going into panic mode with their two Cs already down and taking on money that could push them over the cap w/ Roy and Aldridge signing their long term deals – they will just wait for next year for Oden to return

    Seriously – if all these teams would want Curry – then why is he already not on that team already? No one wants that contract until after the 2010 FA frenzy is over and the dust settles.

  • bartnyk

    Dude no one wants him straight up but he can be dealt to one of those teams with another player.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Hahn said he hasnt heard back from teh league regarding Mobley’s tatus.. But said that the front office told him that ship sailed..

    They would rather save the coin than use the contract as an asset

  • HaS

    _’antoni is trying to justify his not using him by putting him in situations where he can’t be effective.

    Why even run a play for him at all? Just let him come in he game and focus on other aspects of the game. Period. Once he gets a rhythm then run a Pick and Roll or throw him an entry pass.

    Instead, the coach makes him the focal point of the offense. Why? It’s either because he’s dumb or it’s the quickest way to show he has no use for him and that he’d rather not play him. Curry has quick feet and excellent hands. There is no reason he can’t play Pick and Roll. His jumper was better than Lee’s (and Jeffries’) at one time, I find it hard to believe he can’t knock down an open one here and there if he gets into a rhythm.

    It is not in _’antoni’s best interest to allow Curry to succeed, he’s not his type of player, the same goes for Darko. It wasn’t in his best interest for Marbury to succeed, he didn’t like him (hence the phony “clean slate” speech he gave in reference to his new roster), it’s not in his best interest to play Nate against inferior competition (Bobcats twice, Bulls twice etc.) because if Nate succeeds and looks good he’ll be forced to play him again, he doesn’t like him and doesn’t want to play him again.

    This coach is stubborn. He’ll “cut off his nose to spite his face”, it is just his way.

  • bartnyk

    What were u saying pretty much every team in the NBA is thinking about 2010 the ones that aren’t are contenders and the others don’t have expirings, false.

    Washington has Mike Miller, James, Foye etc

    Sac town has Kenny Thomas etc no one is going there in 2010.

    Milwakee no one is going there Redd is on the books for 15 mil+ in 2010 he would be a fool to opt out.

    You can scratch Indiana I thought Fords contract was expiring but he has a player option.

    Every Report says Portland is scouring the league for big men Lee + Curry is not a bad deal for them they gave Aldridge + Roy extensions they wont be in the 2010 lottery.

    There are options

  • bartnyk

    I agree Pryzbilla is a good center he averages 4pts 8rebs 1blks and they don’t run plays for him he has value and is tradeable. Eddy is 7 ft like 290lbs im sure he could set some great picks and hes a much better scorer than Przybilla.

    Przybilla = Curry if he plays

  • CircleLimit4

    Hmm maybe they’re hoping a portion of that coin goes into a Curry buyout?

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    lee is our best trade piece

    gotta get a star in return for lee or a lottery pick

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    u 4got to add
    danni boy.

    lmao..

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    good post man
    i agree

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    Why would any team – again – want to be sattled w/ Curry’s contract NEXT year and give us an expiring contract that comes off the books THIS year? Why – and trading Lee makes no sense for the other team b/c Lee’s bird’s rights are renounced and he becomes an unrestricted player. The only way Curry gets moved before summer 2010 – if at all – is packaging Gallo and/or 2012 first round pick. Again – why would anyone want him – they would essentially be putting themselves in the same situation we are trying to get out of right now???? It makes no sense – or else we would be holding onto him if he had value.

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    And the smugness about no one wanting to go to these teams – I find a little offensive. Sacramento only has this year’s best ROY candidate in Tyreke Evans w/ Kevin Martin. The Bucks have Jennings – which is more than we can say. You are deluding yourself too much that MSG itself will be enough to attract talent – the talent goes where the best chance to win is w/ money being equal. Plus if MSG was such an attraction and playing in NY – Grant Hill or Jason Kidd would be here – and Steve Nash would not have signed an extension with the Suns. As much as I love NY and the Knicks – it is not the end all to be end all when attracting talent.

  • bartnyk

    Obviously you would trade Lee to a team like Portland who was going offer him a contract this summer hes NOT resiging with the Knicks so use him to dump Curry.

  • bartnyk

    NO ONE is going to Sac Milwaukee Indiana Golden state just to name a few.

  • Realist_Knick_Fan

    Again – find those comments about players not wanting to go to those team too much smugness – Danny Granger decided to reup – Jennings is w/ the Bucks, OKC is up and coming, the Spurs in San Antonio are not a big market but players flock there now – big city bias is not as prevalent these days – too much smugness – and it is not going to get Curry traded – look if any of these teams were really interested – Donnie would have Curry there w/ whoever else – just no one is interested w/ 2010 coming up and there’s not much to offer on our roster – that’s what happens when we do not draft well or trade away our picks.

  • bartnyk

    Maybe Curry wont get traded but NO ONE is going to those teams if they get a star they will have to trade for one with long term deal. They can get a guy like Boozer or Gay if they OVER pay them yea but other wise no one is headed in that direction. Players flock to San An like who??????

  • DeBusscherescorner

    HaS, I need to take that comment and frame it. I mean I was always asking myself if DA was putting players in situations were they can’t succeed? Like, If he wanted Hill to be successful, why not put him in a lineup with veterans who could take the pressure off of him instead of putting him in a lineup with Douglas, Landry and JJ to make him look bad. Look at TD, I always wonder why he didn’t put him in a lineup with Lee, Harrington, Chandler and Galo where Toney can succed, which they did well against the Hawks in Atlanta. But he is so in love with Duhon that if he gave Toney minutes and he succeeds it would make him look bad for giving Duhon all those minutes. Do you think he’s doing that to other players on the team?

  • JeffFinance123

    Humphries, Gooden, Carroll from Dallas for Curry and Landry. Knicks waive Gooden and Gooden resigns with Dallas after 30 days.

  • gordons18

    anyone know if it’s possible under league rules to buyout eddy this year, for say, $40M, in exchange for an agreement that he’ll opt out of his contract next year and give the Knicks cap space next season? My guess would be no, considering how tight NBA rules are on these things, but that would be amazing if we could and not have to worry about finding a dumby GM to trade for Eddy.