Via NBCSports (via Hahn)

So far this summer all Curry has done is pick up his $11.2 million option for next season and have an arrest warrant filed against him. But not workout at the Knicks facility, according to Alan Hahn of Newsday.

Curry missed almost all of last season (he played in seven games) with a calf injury and did stay on in New York through June working out and doing rehab, then he went home to Chicago for the birth of his fourth child. After that, nothing. He was supposed to be in Las Vegas during Summer League, when veterans were working out with the team. Nothing. He did not come back to work out at the Knicks facility in July, as promised.

He’s not even returning the Knicks calls.

Mozgov has come here to play, and we know Turiaf is in the rotati0n. Looks like another year of playing “where’s Eddy?”

Finger point to MPM for the link…

Great job by Marc Berman uncovering the details of Eddy Curry no showing in Vegas when the Knicks anticipated him being in the desert to work out.

In truth, the Knicks have low expectations for Curry. They can’t count on him. The days of coddling and showcasing Curry to increase his trade value to open up more 2010 cap space are over.

Curry has an expiring contract. If he had showed any ability to stay healthy the past two seasons, Curry could have been traded and the Knicks would have had room for close to offer three maximum contracts — like the Heat did.

You can make the case that Curry’s lack of motivation to play, something we’ve touched on, killed their chances to land Lebron James. Imagine if they could have moved his contract. Imagine if he played in 65 games like he did when he came back for that brief cameo this season? He was pretty effective in that small glimpse here. I remember liking what I saw in the Indiana game. Imagine what the Knicks could have done with more cap space?

Ultimately, all signs point to Lebron choosing to play with D-Wade. (more…)

Via Chicago Tribune:

“…A source close to the Knicks tells us New York is trying to improve its position in the LeBron James sweepstakes by creating cap space to accommodate Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh, along with James.

Center Eddy Curry, who has one year remaining on his contract, would have to be moved via trade or a buyout of the last year of his deal…”

I’m sure they’ve been trying for a while and as we said they are dangling Wilson Chandler. And we’ve talked about the buyout situation. He has to be traded.

Several tweets and talks from the national media are focused on the idea that the big name free agents will agree to sign and trades because they won’t leave money on the table. Yet most completely believe that Lebron is headed to Chicago and they are clearing room for Bosh. How exactly does that work?

RicBucher

Ric Bucher

@RicBucher: In hindsight, our Fastbreak FA panel forgot a vital element: no FA - LeBron, Joe, Bosh - wants to forfeit $30m. S&T still No. 1 objective.

Jun 27, 2010 @ 05:50 PM from web

I’m not sold on the idea that Bosh and Lebron are a combo. Never was. What puzzles me here is that with the Bulls shedding contract the Knicks have Eddy Curry‘s deal that can really help the situation. It’s possible that Curry can’t be moved for anything at this point, but is it really impossible to believe that Curry is a big part of this thing moving forward at least for next year? In other words, is Curry a piece for Lebron to consider? I mean, he’s never mentioned because he’s easily forgotten.

Please don’t read this as the Knicks’ pitch to Lebron being Eddy Curry. Curry hasn’t played in two years. I’m not one who’s a huge believer that he’ll ever play a full season again. But imagine he came back the player he was several years ago offensively. That’s a piece. He’s in a contract year. This is it for him. Desperation time. And in fairness to Curry, as much as we’ve given a pass to the Knicks over the last 2 years, pairing Curry in his contract year with a star could be very productive. He has received that same pass for 3 years.

I reported he quit on the team last year, but if he were hurt and the team thinks he actually fit in the plans, it made no sense for him to play. But maybe, just maybe, Curry can get himself in shape enough this summer. Maybe, just maybe, Curry went out to talk to Lebron to tell him he was ready to grab his career back it what may be his last contract year.

Hard to believe? Yes.

Possible? I believe conceivably. (more…)

10:00: My apologies. Thanks to all who noted that a Curry buyout wouldn’t impact the cap as his number would still exist for the 2010-11 season. The difference in a buyout wouldn’t be all that significant. I was thinking opt-out, not buyout.The Knicks can use the space to snag another 1st rounder, but they’d have to be supremely confident in Plan A.

Via Daily News:

“…According to a source close to Curry, the Knicks‘ veteran center met with James in Ohio to discuss Curry’s future, which may or may not include having LeBron as a teammate. The conversation, the source said, “had nothing to do with Eddy trying to recruit LeBron to New York.”

In fact, Curry may have been recruiting himself to join James either in Cleveland or Chicago. Curry is entering the final year of his contract and has told close friends he’d welcome a buyout from the Knicks in order to become a free agent.

Curry has talked about returning to his hometown of Chicago to restart his career. The Bulls are one of several teams with salary cap room to sign James, who is expected to visit New York, New Jersey and Chicago when he becomes a free agent on July 1…”

Wait a second. A Curry buyout story is front page news to Knicks fans. Why is it buried in the middle of a Lebron James sit down story? And Curry has been saying all year he won’t let the Knicks off the hook.

“…“I’m not taking a buyout, so that’s not happening,” Curry told The Post in April. “Definitely not. They can try to trade me if they wanted to. I hope it doesn’t come to that…”

As always we encourage fans to utilize the forum of TKB to speak out. Feel free to send submissions to theknicksblog@gmail.com

An Open Letter to Nike CEO & President Mark Parker Regarding the New York Knicks, Eddy Curry, and NBA Free Agency

by “Stuckey”

Dear Mr. Parker,

No doubt you’re a very busy man, so Iet me cut right to the quick. I’d like you to please consider writing a check this June to New York Knicks “center” Eddy Curry in the amount of $11.3 million dollars with the provision he does not exercise the $11.3 million dollar player option on his 2010-11 Knicks’ contract.

Now upfront I’ll acknowledge to you I’m a Knickerbockers fan, so my reasons for such an unusual request should be plain. The NBA free agent market is historically full this off-season, and the Knicks’ talent level historically low. Each and every additional cap dollar the Knicks have to spend this summer could have a cascading, exponential effect on who they can attract to rebuild the legacy of the once proud organization (though most fans like me will settle for repairing the reputation).

Depending on the final 2010-11 cap figure, the Knicks have likely already cleared enough to extend two max contracts, but they can certainly use more options and flexibility, with Curry’s tantalizing 8-figure amount (wasting an all-important roster spot) standing in the way of an historic one-year overhaul.

The mechanism of such an arrangement is simple enough. Curry – whose apparent mutual desire to be rid himself the Knicks is trumped only by his need of some quick cash – already happens to be on your endorsement roster of NBA players (though far be it for me to ask a man of your accomplishments why..?) Depositing this “incentive” into his account should be simple enough. Nike apparently already has his tax I.D. on file.

As to the “legality” of such an unusual proposal, while I’m no Larry Coon, I can find no evidence suggesting the CBA hawks of the NBA front office would have any recourse to prevent you from making this offer, or Curry from accepting it. So long as Nike does it completely by their own initiative, without any coordination, communication, or pre-arrangement with the NY Knicks organization (that’s where I come in), the NBA would have no choice but, and every reason, to look the other way.

So with all that out of the way, let me get to the $11.3 million dollar question – why should Nike consider this?

My answer is simple:

If LeBron James – perhaps your corporation’s most valued long-term asset in the wake of the great Tiger Woods implosion – genuinely wants New York (a question you likely have some insight to), it is uniquely within Nike’s grasp to help give him the best possible version of the Knicks he can have, and perhaps the best possible version of any NBA team that can reasonably be assembled around him.

It would give the Knicks the ability to sign or trade for not only the aforementioned complimentary max player, but also the ability to acquire another star or near-star level player, likely finalizing any and all debate about which team could put the best supporting court around the King.

The Knicks could potentially assemble a Power Trio to immediately surpass Boston’s aging Big Three and become a dominant force in the NBA for years.

And let’s also not forget some of the names we might be talking about here: Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, Dirk Nowitzki, David Lee, and Rudy Gay.

Nike clients all.

Given the size of the NY stage, the back-story of the Knicks’ organization, the dynamics of the free agent personalities, and the unique opportunity at hand, we’re talking about what could be not only the biggest NBA story/attraction in the post-Michael Jordan era, but potentially the biggest attraction in all of professional sports for years to come, with Nike not only acting as the facilitating force, but in secure position to reap the untold rewards of their own doing.

And all that stands in the way is $11.3 million dollars…

… or in other words, walking around money for Nike, Inc.

Via NY Post-

“…Embattled Eddy Curry told The Post he hopes the Knicks waive him if he is not in their plans for next season.

The Knicks’ star-crossed center, who has played 10 games in two seasons, said he would not take less money to go away.

“I’m not taking a buyout, so that’s not happening,” Curry told The Post. “Definitely not. They can try to trade me if they wanted to. I hope it doesn’t come to that.

“But I would just hope that if it came down to it, especially going into a contract year, that if [coach Mike D'Antoni] knows this wasn’t the right place for me, they would make the right decision. Other than that, I’ll do everything I can to be ready…”

I actually expect Curry to be in training camp, seeing that his contract is more valuable the more the Knicks pay it during the season. But like training camps past Curry will be a ghost. Curry is like a phantom at practices. It’s obviously he’s not part of the plan, but he’s not being waived. I find that impossible to believe.

What do the Knicks do with Eddy Curry?

He’s not going to retire, he’s not opting out, and the Knicks don’t have much of a case from a medical or disability standpoint. Even if they did, who knows how long that would take.

I posed the question to cap-guru extraordinaire Larry Coon on Twitter, and his response was simple.

“…Curry would have to give up salary — why would he do that?..”

But what can they do with him is the question. He’s a valuable contract who just gets more valuable as next season goes on. So does a team jump at the chance now to deal for a guy who won’t help them, all the while giving up existing talent? I can’t see that happening. Do the Knicks package Curry with another player this offseason to gain even more cap space?

I believe that would be the play worth pursuing aggressively.

Any way you slice it, they’ve tried for two years to implement him, raise his value and ship him out. He is, fairly or unfairly, the last link to the Isiah Era.

If I’m Donnie Walsh, I look for the best deal to include Curry in, but that’s difficult to do considering he may be able to hold on to him and move him for more value next season. In other words, trade Chandler, Gallo or TD with Curry this off season, or wait until next when his contract is more valuable because the Knicks already paid some/most of it.

What would you do with Eddy Curry if you were Donnie Walsh?

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Via NY Daily News

“…There is a sense that Curry, who hasn’t played since Dec. 17, is not rushing back because he’s still upset that D’Antoni didn’t give him consistent minutes when he was healthy. Curry insists that he is experiencing considerable pain in his right calf.

However, Curry also knows it is in the Knicks’ best interest to play him and hope he performs well. Assuming Curry is exercising the player option in his contract, he will become a valuable asset because he’ll have an expiring contract…”

I’ve heard some buzz that Curry isn’t really all too hurt, and that he may not play for the rest of the season. As Frank mentions, he’s ticked that he wasn’t played regularly when he was healthy.

I guess you can say he’s taking a stand the best way he knows how.

Sitting.

So much for him rededicating himself to his game. Bottom line is that it’s clearly quite simple, the man just doesn’t want to play basketball.

NY Post

“…Curry is averaging just 3.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in 8.9 minutes this season, and it’s pretty much an unknown what he can offer now. When D’Antoni was asked yesterday what his expectation was on what Curry could give the Knicks and also how much he would look to play him, the coach replied, “No idea and no idea.”

“With a lot of these guys, we’ll just kind of feel it out and see how he goes and he’ll tell me and I’ll look at it,” D’Antoni said. “I do want to play him and keep amping up the minutes a little bit. But I would imagine the first week or so is going to be kind of rocky, and we’ll have to go from there…”

What are we going to get from Curry? Who knows. I will say this though. He played really hard and with some snarl that game in Indiana back in November, and for a few moments, the ball went through him, offensively. It’s just impossible to ever expect that those games can happen over an entire season.

Frankly, I just don’t think he likes basketball all too much.

So with the Knicks dealing Jared Jeffries, I’ve received a ton of emails and tweets about Eddy Curry.

Here’s how I see it.

Curry is now, wait for it, an asset. He will have an opportunity, again.

He can be moved come summer time, or be bought out, or he can again attempt to figure a way to be a post presence.

Remember, star players make everyone better, as long as they can play.

On his injury, I’d be shocked, based on the fact that Jordan Hill and Jared Jeffries, that Curry wouldn’t be put back in the mix to play, so long as he’s healthy.

If this opportunity doesn’t motivate him, nothing will.

Via NY Daily News

“…Eddy Curry vowed to be healthy enough to play again this season even though the veteran center is convinced Mike D’Antoni won’t give him a chance to get on the court.

“Odds are I’m not going to play,” he said. “For my own sanity I would like to come back.”

Curry, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Jan. 18, has appeared in just seven games this season and 10 over the last two years. Curry also revealed that he intends to exercise his $11.27 million player option for the 2010-11 season…”

Okay so let me get this straight. You know you’re not going to play, but you’re going to take every cent of the money you are earned instead of agreeing to a  very expensive and reasonable buyout and having another opportunity elsewhere?

Sweet.

Via Team Release-

“…Eddy Curry will undergo arthroscopic debridement this afternoon to remove loose cartilage in his knee. Rehabilitation will start within a week and is expected to be out approximately six weeks…”

So I had the chance to read Kelly Dwyer’s take on the Knicks and there are several things that jump out at me. Let me say this, I have a ton of respect for the guys at BDL. I find them very entertaining and relatively informative. But, like a ton of media who cover the league as a whole, it’s clear that Dwyer hasn’t been completely paying attention to the Knicks.

That said, Kevin from Basketball Prospectus most certainly has.

Dwyer would lead you to believe that the Knicks would move any young player on the roster if it meant ridding Jared Jeffries or Eddy Curry.

“…The problem here is that the Knicks want, oh, about none of these players back next year. They’re trying to shed space for a bit of free agency fun; and while their quartet of youngsters (Danilo Gallinari(notes), Toney Douglas(notes), Jordan Hill(notes), Wilson Chandler(notes)) will be under contract and a welcome sight on the 2010-11 roster to coach Mike D’Antoni and personnel chief Donnie Walsh, don’t think that New York wouldn’t deal any of those parts in a second if it meant being able to deal either Jared Jeffries(notes) or Eddy Curry(notes) for expiring contracts.

Everyone else? Gone…”

The first sentence is a contradiction. “About none of these players” means that they want at least one player back and that’s obviously Gallinari. He is going nowhere. Period.

And I’d venture to guess that Wilson Chandler is getting himself to untouchable status too. But I won’t go that far, considering that Chandler has $2.1 million on the books for next year. Frankly, between Jeffries and Chandler, I can imagine Donnie Walsh may be receiving phone calls about availability of both players now, based on how well each has played. Jeffries may be playing himself into a situation where he doesn’t need an asset with him in order to be moved. Now, I mentioned yesterday that Jeffries has been a huge piece to the team, defensively, and that I wouldn’t just trade him if it weren’t the right deal at this point. I mean, to take say, Adam Morrison, back or Earl Watson to unload JJ may make more sense at the trade deadline, but not now. Jeffries would help the Lakers and the Thunder as a defensive presence off the bench. Mike James is a name that has always been tossed out there, but who knows what the Wiz are thinking now. Any deal could severely hamper the Knicks playoff chances should they still be in the mix, which is why Walsh’s best bet is to wait until the deadline. (more…)

Via NY Post:

“…D’Antoni gave his sturdiest defense on why he has given up on Curry, who the coach believes more firmly than ever doesn’t fit his style. Curry has been a DNP for five straight games and appears as out of the picture as Nate Robinson and Darko Milicic.

As reported last week in The Post, Curry said he hopes the Knicks buy him out after the season.

The Knicks could open another $2 million in extra cap room in 2010 — which is crucial — if Curry agrees to take $9.3 million of the $11.3 million he has left in the final year of his contract. Curry figures to make up the money by signing elsewhere for the veteran’s minimum ($1.9M).

A buyout is virtually impossible this season since Curry’s final year is a player option and not guaranteed. Hence, a current buyout would not factor in next season’s salary, and Curry would never do it…”

We were off a little on the veteran minimum, but it makes sense that Curry would try and latch on with a team with the hopes of supplementing the rest of his salary next season. There is zero reason to believe that either he or his representation would do anyone any favors by taking less money than he is owed.

At this point you have to figure that an additional $2 million dollars is well-worth sending Curry on his way, but should he manage to stay healthy for the rest of the season, couldn’t he be of some use next year, especially when there are sure to be vacant roster spots to fill?

Yeah, on second thought, I’ll take the $2 million in cap space.

Then the focus would have to be dealing Jared Jeffries.