SHAME on Eddy Curry. Shame on Jerome James and Jared Jeffries.
Curry dodged this week's voluntary Knicks big-man minicamp in Las Vegas that assistant Mark Aguirre organized to coincide with summer-league play.
This could have been a great chance for Curry and Zach Randolph to get acquainted, on and off the court. It could have been a chance for Jeffries and James, Isiah Thomas' two mid-level free-agent busts, to jump start a new season and earn their $30 million contracts.
Curry had an anniversary vacation planned with his wife this week he wouldn't postpone. Apparently, the Knicks' franchise player felt his vacation that started nearly three months ago, when the season ended April 18, wasn't long enough.
Thomas wants Curry to establish himself as a leader next season. With a chance to step up as a leader, Curry tripped up. It's easy to talk about wanting to win a championship. It's another thing to do something about it, even if it's showing up in Vegas in July and taking the responsibility of a franchise player. Patrick Ewing never would have blown this off.
The Knicks' future rests on Curry and Randolph meshing, whether Curry can share low-post duties with the former Blazer. I do not want to hear in November Curry complaining he and Randolph still have to develop chemistry. This could have been a starting point. Randolph arrived late, but he arrived Tuesday night.
Maybe Curry is confused about the trade. One member of the Curry camp mentioned it's up to Thomas to make this work, not Curry.
Quentin Richardson schlepped to Vegas despite a surgically repaired back. Randolph has a million things to do starting a new life 3,000 miles away. Fred Jones came and he may not make the club. David Lee is here, too. It's called professionalism.
In fairness, the Knicks claim Curry has worked hard this summer and have sent trainer Anthony Goenaga multiple times to Chicago. "He's a grownup now," Aguirre said of Curry. "I don't have to tell him to work out. He just does it."
We'll see the results training camp. Thomas let Curry off the hook.
"I don't know what guys have going on in their personal lives," Thomas said. "I wouldn't be too quick to jump up and say this guy is not here, because you don't know what's happening in people's families."
We know what happened. Vacation for Curry came first.
Marc Berman sure is getting his shots in
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Thats the biggest question..they both can score BUT how will chemistry play out..Thats my biggest problem with IT signings he almost never thinks how players will mesh..
You have to give Marc Berman his PROPS on that article, because it said alot about the Knicks 23 and 33 WIN Seasons. If any Knick-Player belongs in the Knicks Bigman mini-camp in Los Vegas it have to be Eddy Curry. His non-passing-skillz when doubled is worst than his rebounding and defense which is non existing. Plus Zack Randolph showed up.
For Marc Berman to add the BIG-BUST of the two-max MLE Knick-Players in the same article with both being Frontcourt Players that are supposed to give Eddy Curry talent some improvement in the Frontcourt, but made it look like President Zeke is clueless when spending $BIG Money$ on veteran players that dont mesh together under any circumstances. Yet President/Coach Zeke have to give these players playingtime because of their huge contract which made Zeke a "SAVE-FACE" Losing Coach this past season.
First Impression:
How will all this affect how Zack Randolph look at this Knick organization, players, coaches, and Brass???
Lets be honest, does anyone know a Basketball player that likes to play with a teammate that never passes the ball when he is double or tipple teamed???
Lets be honest, does anyone know a Basketball player that likes to play with a teammate that never passes the ball when he is double or tipple teamed???
Now you have two of them in Curry and Randolph.
I loved that Zach showed up late....LOL that's not like him at all.
Zach however is one of the hardest working guys in the league when it comes to offense and off season workouts. You should have no problem with him there.
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Somehow I see PF-Zack Randolph Meshing better with Jerome James at the Center, rather than Eddy Curry. Especially with SF-Q.Richardson peremeter shooting or SF-Balkman slashing to the hoop. Those (highlighted) Four Frontcourt players would be easier for Mark Aquire to get meshing-chemisrty from on both sides of the court than singlely trying to improve all of Curry missing talents to become a tandem with Zack.
Dont be suprise when you see a better frontcourt Tandem in "C-Lee & PF-Zack" in the lineup, or "C-Curry & PF-Lee" rather than this Curry & Zack lineup thats being advertized this offseason...
Hell, Curry for Artest (as a rough idea).
If you can get Miller, all the better - at least that would improve the passing! - chuck in Jeffries. And picks - the Knicks have enough young guys imo.
That's 13 players, I say keep Fred Jones. That's 14.
I like the Nichols oversea idea, so still 14.
Is Malik Rose still on the team?
That's 15 then.
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How well is the Knicks Starters vs NBA Team Starters? 60%? 50%? 40%? or are we waiting to see by being optimistic because we have a new additional player in the Starting lineup that we assume Stat sheet record says he is better with this Knick roster than the guy he is replacing?
When given a one year contract for any sport it should be your main Priority to stay healthy and fit throughout that contract. The same with a 6 year contract. The Knicks BIG-MONEY Players in their Starting Lineup PROBLEM is being a TEAM!
Point well taken on everything else however, we must remember when you are a Scorer on a team you have to learn how to pass the ball to your teammates to make you a better scoring threat on a TEAM.
Example: Paul Pierce and Ray Allen NBA Career gets the majority of their points in the 4th quarter. they play Posum throughout the first three quarters just scoring here or there but in the 4th Qtr. they are liable to score 20 points in that Qtr..
When Marbury turns into Starbury all his teammates STAND AROUND on offense. When a Play is called for Eddy Curry all his teammates stand around. This is not just when these two players started playing for the Knicks this is the same thing that been happening on their previous teams before they became a Knick.
It's very bad for this Knick Team because both Zack and Crawford gets the same treatment from their teammates.
This is the reason why reporting to Mark Aquire Summer Mini-Camp session should've been (Priority) important to Curry, Zack, Crawford, and Marbury, they have to work-out together way before training camp opens. WHY? Because when any of them do not have the BALL in their hands on offense they FREEZE and become the main STAND-STILL Players on the court (and not just on offense but defense too). And do not forget that none of these players put in ANY EFFORT in their passing-skillz to make their teammates a better scorer, especially that once in a while Crawford to Curry alley-oop. Knick-Fans should hurt bad when their oponents fans say, "you may have Curry, Marbury, Crawford, and now Zack (Francis), but you only have ONE-BALL !".
The "ONE on ONE" Scoring Players are on this Knick Team, but the Offense-Talent as a TEAM is missing...
Give curry a break. It was also reported tht he has been working out hard and with some of the coaches. There will be other minicamps and he'll be there. He had previous anniversary plans with his wife, and he honored that committment. That's real life.
OK, he won't work out with the team (even though it's volutary), when there are players/personnel to witness his development, but instead he'll work solo with only the trainers on the payroll to vouch for him? If anything he should be the main one wanting to work out with the team, cause he's a horrible team player. Hell, he's not even good with the 2-man game. The biggest quip is that he's using the anniversay as a clutch, but apparantly his anniversay vacation started when the season ended, meaning it's been 3 months. Now does anyone honestly believe he has been on vacation with his wife for 3 months?
I don't care if its his 25th anniversary. If you are making MILLIONS of dollars playing a damned game, you ought to show some respect to the people paying you. I'm sure his wife, who is a beneficiary of much of those same dollars, would choose the mini camp over not having them to spend. Real life is working like a dog and making 20k. THATS real life. These guys live a fantasy life.
I don't care if its his 25th anniversary. If you are making MILLIONS of dollars playing a damned game, you ought to show some respect to the people paying you. I'm sure his wife, who is a beneficiary of much of those same dollars, would choose the mini camp over not having them to spend. Real life is working like a dog and making 20k. THATS real life. These guys live a fantasy life.
its called voluntary camp ...if the knicks aren't worried about it I dont see why any1 else would care so much.
and its been said before he has been to the previous ones , the knicks more than likely had notice he was missing this camp before zach was even traded aquired.
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Man, it's July. Training camp isn't till October. Is this really a big deal?
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For a lot of reasons. Number one, he's supposed to be a leader and leaders lead by example. Number two, the team has had major changes in the front line make up and chemistry will take time. Time that should not be spent learning when the games count. Lastly, this ain't a part time job. Like Malik said in his interview, preparation is a year round endeavor for winners.
For a lot of reasons. Number one, he's supposed to be a leader and leaders lead by example. Number two, the team has had major changes in the front line make up and chemistry will take time. Time that should not be spent learning when the games count. Lastly, this ain't a part time job. Like Malik said in his interview, preparation is a year round endeavor for winners.
so just because the knicks schedule a voluntary camp no matter what is going on his personal life he has to be there ?
you cant be serious ...players miss playoff games for personal matters at times, players have blown off any number of things for things such as anniverseries , weddings , vacations funerals etc and usually no one says a thing.
and its not like these guys haven't been working on their game , its a well known fact Qrich JC and curry work on their games in chicago every summer together .
and just about every team has some sort of significant change in the offseason most teams get at least 1 new starter and the knicks are no different , they got randolph and the knicks have plenty of camp time scheduled this summer , you cant pospone the calender his anniversery is on a certain date and its been like that for a year , long before the knicks scheduled this voluntary camp.
How many voluntary camps do you think Michael Jordan attended ?
in fact its been documented the bulls for a significant portion of his career didn't do anything extra with the team, not even in season workouts preferring to work with his own trainer Tim grover , (also a guy incedently who works with Curry in chicago BTW) and the bulls not only didn't have a problem with it, they were kind of relieved that he didn't show.
I dont recall any offseason workouts ever that he attended actually that were team organized and I think most would consider him a winner.
all that matters is that Curry puts in his work on his game to be a better player which the knicks seem to believe up to this point he has , i dont see any reason to doubt them.
and actually it is a part time job , the nba has no right to have anything but voluntary camps in the summer , its mandated by the CBA, most players who want to improve put in the work needed but anything they do is gravy they aren't required to do a thing, and since curry has been working with the knicks up til now with no questions I dont see why he cant have a week or so to himself and his family.
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Seems like folks hate on players because they have great jobs. Most of us put in punch a clock and then punch back out when it's our time. Sure we do things on our time to help us advance our careers, but we aren't sowing up for every voluntary thing that somebody throws together. Judge Curry, when we get closer to the season. He' putting in work and he will continue to do so.
Mark Aguirre's Big Man Camp
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