CHARLOTTE – Bobcats coach Larry Brown said Donnie Walsh completing two cap-clearing trades on Nov. 21 was the right thing to do, figuring New York is a strong-enough lure to land LeBron James or one of the other premier free agents available in 2010.
The Knicks have suffered since trading their two leading scorers, Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, and role-playing guard Mardy Collins.
Brown said the Bobcats were trying to get Tim Thomas from the Clippers, one of the players involved in the Nov. 21 deal.
“Donnie’s as good a GM as there is in the league,” Brown said before the Knicks edged the Bobcats 93-89 last night. “Everybody is looking to help themselves for 2010; a lot of pretty good players out there.
“How many franchises can a player look at and say, ‘I want to go there.’ Not very many like New York.”
Surprisingly, Brown stuck up for his former feuding partner, Stephon Marbury, seeming to take the blame off Marbury.
Brown hinted Marbury was used as a pawn in the Isiah Thomas-Brown feud.
“[Marbury] tried his best for me,” Brown said. “It was a difficult situation he was put in and it wasn’t by his choosing. I wish him well. I still think he can play.
“I just want it to be worked out for both parties. He’s a talented kid. He should be playing.”
The Long Beach native said he wanted Thomas.
“I tried to trade for Tim Thomas,” Brown said. “I begged [Bobcats president] Michael [Jordan] to try to get him.
“I always loved him.”
*
Ceddy Curry did not rule out returning to practice tomorrow, when he is reevaluated. Curry came to the arena early yesterday to work on his shooting.
Nine days ago, Curry finished a three-week program, taking one weekly injection of a lubricant, Orthovisc, that is normally used to treat osteoarthritis. Curry said he does not have osteoarthritis, but the medical staff thought it would relieve knee pain.
Curry was told he couldn’t do any running until 10 days after the final injection.
Al Harrington was benched for the second straight game due to his defensive deficiency in favor of Jared Jeffries, but Harrington started the second half. Harrington finished with 16 points.
D’Antoni finally backed off his Jeffries-Boris Diaw training-camp comparison. D’Antoni said David Lee (13 points, 16 boards) is more like his favorite Frenchman, who hit two 3-point daggers down the stretch and finished with 20 points, 4 assists and 6 boards.