Rookie Jordan Hill, the Knicks’ lottery pick last year, charged that coach Mike D’Antoni held him back during his brief, forgettable stint in New York.
The 6-foot-10 Hill, who faces the Knicks today at the Garden as a Rocket, was dispatched in the Feb. 18 Tracy McGrady blockbuster trade after team president Donnie Walsh gave up on the eighth pick.
Walsh felt it was more important to open up even more salary cap space, doubting that Hill would develop into an All-Star. In essence, Walsh was admitting to a mistake with the selection.
Hill has moved past another former Knick, Jared Jeffries, in the Rockets’ rotation.
“Coach D’Antoni, he relies on his veterans more than rookies,” Hill told the Houston Chronicle. “He feels like his rookies need to learn more their first year so they could get everything down pat. I understood. I just wanted to wait patiently until my time was coming.”
An active Hill has been a breath of fresh air in Houston. In nine games, he has averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15 minutes. On Friday in Boston, Hill scored 11 points and grabbed seven boards in 27 minutes.
“My chance was here [in Houston] and I’m making the best of it,” Hill said. “Fans there [in New York], they know what I can do. I just didn’t have the opportunity to show it.”
Hill hid his distaste for his role when he was with the Knicks. He spent most of his Knicks days on the bench, starting the season out of the rotation.
Hill’s remarks come after fellow rookie Toney Douglas was given the starting point guard job after being used little in the season’s first half. Douglas has carried the club to a 3-1 record in four starts.
Walsh said before the 2009 draft that the Knicks “can’t make a mistake” with their lottery pick.
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The Great Bender Experiment is over. Jonathan Bender, who signed as a free agent in December to end a long retirement, will have surgery on his broken ring finger and is out for the season. The Knicks are not expected to bring him back after his 25-game stint was a dud.
Bender’s surgery, along with a potential season-ending groin injury to Wilson Chandler, Eddie House‘s sore foot and David Lee‘s right knee tendinitis, could prompt Walsh to sign a D-League player to a 10-day contract. . . . Eddy Curry will not play until the start of a West Coast trip on Friday at the earliest.