With the focus on grooming 7-foot Jonathan Bender to be part of “the future,” and with David Lee playing at “an All-Star level,” Mike D’Antoni said there’s a strong possibility center Eddy Curry may not return to the Knicks’rotation this season.
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.
“It’s tough for Eddy not to have a big role,” D’Antoni said. “When you just throw him in three minutes, the team doesn’t adjust well and he doesn’t adjust well. The circumstances are not real adjustable right now. He doesn’t give us a chance to win as much as he should and it’s not his fault. We do not want to change the way we are playing. Jonathan allows us to be able to do that.”
For the first time, D’Antoni said Bender, signed two weeks ago, could be in their plans for next season, even though his one-year contract won’t be guaranteed until Jan. 10.