The Knicks Fix

The Fixers have been calling it for a while now...Isiah Thomas' interest in Jared Jordan has resulted in the acqusition of the former Marist star's draft rights from the LA Clippers on Sunday. Jordan will be with the team when they head to Charleston on Monday to open camp.

Jordan's arrival -- we'll deal with his chances to make the roster in a second -- was met with the news that the Knicks are in the process of buying out the remaining year in Dan Dickau's contract. The deal could be done Sunday night, but it's certain Dan won't be with the Knicks for Monday's media day. Clearly the Knicks had no takers for his expiring contract, even as a throw-in for any other potential trades.

Jordan was drafted by the Clippers in the second round (45th overall). His claim to fame out of Marist was that he led the NCAA Division I in assists for two consecutive seasons (first player since Avery Johnson). In the NBA summer league, he averaged 4.2 points and 4.8 assists in five games with the Clips.

The Knicks will likely sign Jordan to a partially guaranteed contract, but the realistic chances he'll make the roster -- with Stephon Marbury, Nate Robinson, Mardy Collins, Fred Jones and Jamal Crawford to compete with in the backcourt -- are slim. What this move is, for the most part, is a way to get Jordan into the organization and get a good look at him. They have the option to send him off to Europe and retain his rights without it costing a roster spot (in other words, what Demetris Nichols would not agree to do). Jordan will have the chance to compete and show what he can do against some veteran NBA guards, but no one is expecting him to beat out Robinson or Collins or Jones for a spot in the backcourt.

Which brings us to Nichols, a guy I'll be watching closely (as much as the Knicks allow) during training camp. You have to look at the facts when it comes to the move we all agree on: keep him and dump a veteran contract. That would mean a big investment in Nichols, because, say the Knicks opted to waive Jerome James and buy out the remainder of his contract (around $18 million) in order to keep Nichols. The Knicks would be eating the buyout number, plus the luxury tax on top of that, all of which stays on the payroll.

Clearly the plan in acquiring Nichols (also a second round pick) from Portland on draft night was to send Nichols to Europe and it backfired when the kid decided he didn't want to go and fired his original agent for telling the Knicks he would. Is there a chance he could change his mind? I guess, though his most recent statements maintain his determination to make an NBA roster. What NBA roster remains to be seen.

Once again, here's where I rant that the NBA's rule regarding D-League assigned players counting against the NBA roster is stupid, though it is there to protect young players from being buried on a D-League roster. There has to be more flexibility. David Stern- revisit this rule!

With Dickau gone and, for argument's sake, Jordan and Nichols not considered roster players (yet), the Knicks actually are at the NBA limit of 15. But we can't forget about Allan Houston.

According to the Bergen Record, sounds like Jason Kidd is trying to convince Allan to take the longer commute to New Jersey, which has two slots open under the roster limit and, with Marcus Williams' injury, could use some more bodies in the backcourt.

I say it's 50-50 we see Allan at the MSG Training Center on Oct. 10, the first day the Knicks return from South Carolina.

The jury is done for the weekend, so you can expect that Isiah Thomas won't be with his team on Monday for Media Day at the MSG Training Center. And unless the jury comes to a quick decision by lunchtime -- doubtful, considering the volumes of information they requested to study -- Isiah likely won't travel with the team to Charleston on Monday afternoon.

Practice begins Tuesday morning and it is possible it will have to be run by Herb Williams and Brendan Suhr if Isiah isn't there. Though it's certainly not an ideal way start off a season, I can't believe this will have that great of an impact on the players . . . as long as it is a short-term deal.

What it does mean for the Knicks and Madison Square Garden is more media attention (you can't ignore it) on why Isiah isn't there - this ugly and embarrassing trial - instead of taking the opportunity to start moving away from the trial talk and getting back into focusing on basketball.

And Isiah isn't the only one you can scratch for Monday. Despite what you might have read elsewhere (I promise I won't be doing this all season...really, I mean it) Allan Houston isn't going to be among the guys in blue-and-orange.

I had a recent conversation with Houston's agent, Bill Strickland, who says "there's been mutual interest" between the Knicks and his client. The word (not only from Strickland, but elsewhere) is that Houston looked better than anticipated at his workout a few weeks ago and the Knicks, who were present, did not totally close the door on the idea of taking a closer look at him.

However....

As Strickland has said several times in print and reiterated in our conversation, Isiah made it clear that Allan "would have to come in and compete" for a roster spot. Doesn't sound like a guarantee to me, no matter what Rod Thorn apparently said to the Nets beat writers the other day.

None of it matters in the present tense anyway. Allan's wife, Tamara, was due to have the couple's fourth child some time this weekend and, you would expect, Allan plans to spend some time with his family at this joyous time. That would suggest he's not planning to spend the coming nine days in South Carolina with the Knicks.

Strickland said missing the start of camp isn't a concern ("He's not a rookie," Strickland said). He also says Allan has his choices down to three teams. You can assume one being the Knicks and No. 2 being the Nets. Location is everything. Houston, who lives in Greenwich, Conn., wants to stay as close to home as possible. Choice three is likely an Eastern Conference team, as well. We only know that Cleveland and Miami also had interest. Boston wouldn't be that far of a commute.

So what I'm telling you is don't expect a decision any time in the immediate future from Houston. It's convenient that he isn't ready to join a team right now and the Knicks don't yet have room for him. I'm sure while Isiah has been busy with the trial, Glen Grunwald has been handling the phone to try to move some of the excess contracts off the bloated roster.

So there's still a lot that has to be done for this Allan Houston return to actually become a reality, if it ever does.

"I don't have any hopes or any expectations," Strickland said.

I feel the same about Allan's comeback attempt, though I can't deny that it's tempting. But at what expense? Cutting Demetris Nichols loose? Dumping Fred Jones, one of the few players on the roster who can defend in the backcourt?

Sure, I agree that you can never have too many shooters, especially experienced ones. But I love the tabloid propaganda that suggested the Knicks "owe" it to Houston to give him a shot at making the team.

Owe? If I remember right, there was still some time and money left on that $100 million contract.

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Nichols will be signed on Monday to finally make him officially a Knick . . . The investigation into the Eddy Curry home invasion robbery in July is still ongoing. According to the Suburban Life newspaper of Curry's hometown of Burr Ridge, Ill., two of the suspects arrested -- Antoine Larkins and Demorris Hill -- have pleaded not guilty and have not given up the name of the third accomplice. The two suspects are due in court on Oct. 31 . . . Show of hands, who are you most interested in hearing from out of Monday's Media Day: 1. Zach Randolph, 2. Curry or 3. Stephon Marbury. I'll tally the votes and go with the winner in the Monday blog. Keep in mind that starting Monday, the print edition takes over as the main source. But I'll still have the pedal to the metal on the blog all season long. We'll have more content, including audio clips, in the near future. Watch it shine, baby.

Right away I thought of David Lee when I saw the words "stress reaction" on the press release that announced Renaldo Balkman's injury. Remember, Lee's mysterious leg injury -- "days, not weeks" he was told regarding a recovery time -- was diagnosed several different ways. One of them was to term is a "stress reaction," which suggests it was a bone injury. Eventually, we learned it was a muscle injury.

Balkman's situation should be a little more definable. But to get a better understanding of what exactly they're talking about, I checked Dr. Stephen M. Pribut's Sports Pages website and what he says about stress fracture and stress reaction injuries.

[Shameless cut-and-paste]

Chronic Repetitive Stress Injuries to Bone (stress fractures and stress reactions) often result from dramatic changes in training. Training errors of a variety of types are a major contributing factor to this type of injury. The use of the word “fracture” in many cases is a misnomer. There is in most grades of this injury no actual fracture line, although in the most significant and severe cases a fracture line is visible and seen on X-ray or more readily on an MRI scan. In a large number of these injuries it is actually a stress related injury or an over stress syndrome of a particular bone. This type of injury in the absence of x-ray signs (and sometimes in the absence of a positive bone scan or MRI scan) has, some years ago termed a pre-stress fracture, then a stress reaction of bone, all of which leads to much confusion within the terminology and among clinicians and patients.

It is an over use injury. First described by Breithaupt in 1855. Long noticed in military recruits and called ‘march fractures” it is still a major problem today in recruits.

Thank you, Doctor.

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The Balkman injury isn't devastating to the Knicks -- he'll miss preseason, which is never good for a young player, but he's not expected to miss a great deal of the regular season -- but it might have a greater impact on folks at Balkman's alma mater, the University of South Carolina. They were promoting his return to the 18,000-seat Colonial Center for the Knicks preseason opener against the Sixers on Oct. 8 in Columbia, S.C. "Balkman's Buddies" were expected to be out in full-force. Now, he may have to join them in the crowd and make the rounds while hobbling on that protective boot.

“The people eat that up probably more than if he were playing,” said Kim Curnutt, the university's marketing director, who did her best to spin the bad news for the event.

They already sold a great deal of tickets to the game and there is some concern that the absence of Balkman (one of the heroes from the 2006 NIT championship team) will hurt attendance. The arena almost sold out a Sixers-Spurs exhibition game from a few years ago, but had a weaker crowd for a Bobcats-Pacers game last season. The college had hoped Balkman's return would draw a big crowd. He was down there earlier this month to promote the game and drew a loud reaction from the football crowd when he was introduced at a game.

“Obviously we’re disappointed," Curnutt said, "but we have to move on and we have to sell tickets.”

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We have visual confirmation from a very reliable source (sarcasm): Zach Randolph is finally in town. He's been on the court and working out with the entire roster of Knicks players who are all working out at the MSG Training Center.

We don't get a glimpse of him in blue-and-orange until Monday's media day, when the players do photo shoots. I only care about Tuesday morning, when the balls start bouncing for real.

Monday is when I put away my saws and impact drills -- kitchen is almost done, house...not so much -- and get back to typing on a regular basis. This weekend I'll put together a preview for the blog (and, likely, for the paper). On Monday I'll try to put up a blog with some loose change from the media day before I hop a flight to Charleston.

Game on, baby. You ready?

We have injury news from the Knicks and training camp hasn't even opened yet....

Renaldo Balkman will be out at least a month after an MRI revealed he had a stress "reaction" in his right ankle along with a small cartilage injury. Balkman has been working out with some of his teammates at the MSG Training Center in Greenburgh for most of the past few weeks and told the medical staff that he was feeling pain in the ankle. A stress reaction is something that develops over time and isn't the result of one isolated incident.

We know Balkman has been putting in a lot of time working out this summer, from the IMG facility in Florida to the MSG Training Center. Somewhere along the line, the ankle took too much pounding and it started to weaken.

He'll be wearing a boot on the ankle when training camp opens in Charleston, SC on Tuesday and the Knicks say he'll be re-evaluated in four weeks. That means you can pretty much cancel him out of a majority of the preseason games, if not all of them, which is tough for the second-year player who figured to be in the regular rotation off the bench as a key energy player.

Nate Robinson was named the MVP of the Las Vegas Summer League, but you could say that Balkman was right behind Nate as the Knicks' top player in the five-game tournament in July. He shut down the likes of rookie stars Kevin Durant and Yi Jianlian and seemed to thrive in the role as a defensive stopper.

Balkman will go on injured reserve, so this doesn't alleviate the roster challenge. The Knicks still are two over the 15-man limit. Second-round pick Demetris Nichols is not yet signed, but expects to be by the time camp opens.

Quick note:

For now, those spammy links are sitting in the comments column to the right of this page. No matter how tempting they may be, don't do it!

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So Shawn Marion is the latest star to go public with his interest in a change of address. What is going on there in Phoenix? Fiscally-restricted ownership, that's what. They'll be a two-star team soon and those stars will be Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. These rumblings have been ongoing and therefore I believe Marion is sure to be moved during the season and almost certainly before the trade deadline.

Now this dude would look good in a Knicks uniform playing at MSG. The ultimate highlight film on the ultimate highlight stage.

But before we start throwing packages of Knick players together to match Marion's $16.4 million pricetag for this season (he has a $17.1 million player option for next season, which, if he's still in Phoenix, right now you have to assume he won't exercise), we already know from reports that the Lakers (Lamar Odom) and Utah Jazz (Andrei Kirilenko) are front-runners.

However...

If you're Phoenix, do you want this guy in the West? We thought the same about Kevin Garnett and it proved to be true when Glen Taylor pulled out of a potential deal with the Lakers before the Celtics deal heated up again.

If you look to the East, Philadelphia will have a lot of cap room after this season, which is enticing for Marion, who wants out because he has yet to get a contract extension at the price he wants (read: more than $17 mil). If Philly can somehow hang on to Andre Iguodala and still make the Marion deal work, they'll have a heck of an athletic duo on the wings (and the Atlantic Division will get even tougher than it already has become).

From the Knicks point of view, there isn't much of a match at all. You'd have to find a combination of $16.4 million in players that the Suns would want. Start with Malik Rose ($7 million) because he is an expiring contract after next season. Add the expiring contracts of Fred Jones and Dan Dickau, who combine for about $6 million. You're still not there. Perhaps the Suns would want Renaldo Balkman ($1.2 million), if you believe the rumors that they were planning on drafting him if the Knicks passed him up in 2006.

But is that really a good trade for the Suns? Shawn Marion, an all-star talent, for three expiring contracts and Renaldo Balkman?

Only if the Suns are really looking to cut salary instead of acquiring talent-for-talent. Certainly it's worth a call, Mr. Grunwald.

* * *

The judge yesterday said he expects the jury to begin deliberating on Thursday, which leaves just enough time for a verdict. Training camp opens on Tuesday and I've been wondering who would run camp if Isiah Thomas had to remain in New York. Actually, I'm also wondering what happens if the jury decides in favor of Anucha. Does the NBA do it's own investigation into the situation or do they go with the decision of the jury? If Thomas is found to have sexually harrassed a team employee, there is some thought that the NBA - concerned about public criticism - might weigh in on this in some way with a suspension. Or do they just let Isiah go about his business coaching the team with the feeling that his debt -- whatever the result of the case -- was paid via the court system.

(I'm checking with the NBA on this -- so far "we don't comment on pending litigation" is the only statement I've received -- and doing some research to see if there is any precedent. The most recent civil suit against someone with the NBA we know of involved Kobe Bryant and that once Kobe settled his civil case with Katelyn Faber - the girl from the Colorado hotel & spa - that was the last we heard of it. I do know that there is another sexual harrassment case in the works involving another NBA team. The Memphis Grizzlies have been named as a co-defendant along with the team's engineering director, Carl Howard Parker, in a $3 million suit filed by an administrative assistant named Breshetta Clark. That suit was filed in August.)

a href="http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/blog/herb.jpg">Despite the judge's optimism, should things carry over into next week, you have to guess Brendan Suhr and Herb Williams take the lead during practice. Not the best way to start the season for a team that desperately needs to get off to a good start. I doubt it will be as much of a distraction to the players, but you like to start your season of hope off on the right foot. And not get plantar fasciitis when you land.

* * *

OK, we gotta lighten it up around here. While surfing through YouTube, I found this old clip of Q-Rich, who made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live a few years ago when Q was with the Clippers. Shows off his personality. Lots of giggles in this one.

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Watch out for that spam! Stomp the roaches!

Hate to take you into the weekend with this kind of blog, but it's time....

If Anucha Browne Sanders entered this fight with the Garden figuring she'll either take their money or destroy their images trying, she's already won the game even if the judge is giving off vibes that the plaintiff's legal team hasn't developed a strong enough case. For ABS, the self-inflicted wounds suffered by Isiah Thomas and the Garden this past week have to be just as welcome as the many bonuses she received over the years.

Never mind the reputation of the once-proud Garden. That's been a lost cause under the current ownership well before Anucha's power struggle with Isiah. Let's not forget that the Knicks aren't the only of Dolan's teams with legal trouble ahead. Former Rangers City Skaters captain Courtney Prince's "hostile work environment" claim is still pending from 2004. The EEOC recommended to the Garden that they pay Prince $800,000 and have all of it's employees undergo sexual harrassment training and introduce an effective anti-sexual harrassment policy, but no settlement with Prince has been reached.

All this stuff makes the Larry Brown soap opera from last offseason seem like a mere flesh wound.

As always, winning basketball games will put some of this under the rug come November. Not saying it's right, but that's just human nature when it comes to sports. Most San Francisco Giants fans still cheer loudly for Barry Bonds. Most Baltimore Ravens fans still love Ray Lewis. John Rocker was completely out of his mind, but while he was still an effective pitcher, most Atlanta fans cheered him. Once he stopped delivering on the field, it was easy to totally disconnect.

Same goes for Isiah and he has yet to even win with this franchise.

I asked a very connected and high-powered sports executive friend (who is a lawyer and part of a major professional sports team's ownership group) about Isiah's future with the Knicks. His opinion? "If the Garden wins, I don't think there's any problem for Isiah," he said. "If he made it this far, what can anyone say now?"

What he means is, if you can't get fired for a lack of success on the court and you don't get fired for embarrassing an organization with your off-the-court actions, then you're practically unsinkable.

While the coming week will be all about convincing the jury to overlook the obvious lack of sensitivity and a legitimate code of conduct at MSG and take their word for it over Anucha's testimony (seems we know now why Jeff Nix no longer works for the team after a long and distinguished tenure), the coming months are all about making a fast recovery. You have to believe they are already working on plans to get you as fans to quickly forget about this messy trial and it's ugly truths and salacious allegations. I might even believe that Isiah is just itching to make a big trade (and Dolan is all for it) to draw some positive headlines and put the attention on basketball. Wouldn't you just love that.

But be careful what you wish: The worst kind of GM is a GM desperate to make a trade to generate a positive response. Some of you are giddy about taking Andrei Kirilenko and the remaining four years and $63 million left on his contract. But what if Utah demands David Lee and this time Isiah, desperate to make an attention-grabbing trade, goes for it? Geoff Petrie should be looking to call Isiah in about a week to re-visit the Ron Artest discussion, as well.

What's easy to see (and say) from my vantagepoint -- and others closer to the situation agree -- is that the only thing that's going to get the stench out of the Knicks' wing of the Garden is winning. Win games. Early and often.

Isiah has been under scrutiny here in New York since his arrival. Some of it justified, some of it excessive. But nothing could tarnish him -- not the allegations of warning Carmelo Anthony before the Nuggets-Knicks brawl or the publicly embarrassing fallout between him and Larry Brown or failing to lottery protect the picks in the Eddy Curry trade -- like the indefensible statement from his deposition regarding the his unsolicited opinion that there are different levels of severity between white men and black men when it comes to the use of the word "b*tch" toward a black woman.

Knowing the guy the little bit that I do, my first reaction to the comment was that Isiah was once again trying too hard to conjure up some bravado and it blew up in his face. Not the first time he's stuck his foot in his mouth and then had to clarify his remarks once he realized what he actually said.

Doesn't make it the least bit OK. He's wrong and deserves to be punished for it in the court of public opinion and everywhere else, including within his own race. As a white male, I have no authority and even less background to speak on the issues among black people, but it is hard not to notice the uproar he has caused within his own community (even after he tried to clarify his comments after the video deposition was released).

"Isiah Thomas owes black women a public apology,” reads a statement released Friday by a coalition of African American leaders and posted on Lee Bailey's EURweb.com. “That type of statement and mindset that Thomas has is ridiculous and should be condemned. There is no distinction in disrespecting black women. It’s not acceptable for anyone to use vulgar and disparaging remarks when addressing black women."

I'd like to add here -- though I shouldn't need to, it should be a given -- that it should not be acceptable to use vulgar and disparaging remaks when addressing any woman; white, black, brown, yellow or even those in that orangy fake-n-bake color that is the result of too many visits to the tanning salon.

* *

A sidenote:

I dig the passion, Everett. Really, I do. I appreciate those Fixers who get my back, but it's all good, because from conflict we learn about each other. These blogs are a great study in sociology. Consider this: despite the names used by posters, we don't know simple facts about anyone: sex, color, age, etc. We debate as humans, use our language freely and without concern.

In fact, some of us may assume Everett is a male, but what if Everett is actually a female? and what if she once had (or currently is having) to deal with sexual harrassment in her life? Now we get to the root of the passion behind her mission here. And, if that's the case, her point of view has greater merit than of a raving antagonist.

If this is the case, I only hope she brings the same kind of energy with basketball talk.

If she, in fact, is a she.

Truth is, here it doesn't matter. That's what I like the most.

Write on!

Say a prayer but let the good times roll
In case God doesn't show
(Let the good times roll, let the good times roll)
And I want these words to make things right
But it's the wrongs that make the words come to life
"Who does he think he is?"
If that's the worst you got
Better put your fingers back to the keys
- Fall Out Boy

* *

Came across video of Stephon from the summer when he made a less-heralded (and less goofy) appearance in July on CBS2's Sports Sunday show with Ducis Rodgers. This was days after court papers were released with his deposition and the story of his night with the intern.

Steph apologizes to Anucha and said he also apologized to his wife and by doing that, he says in the spot, "I'm a bigger person because of that."

It's dated, but thought it would be good to get up on the blog. Wish I could wipe the slate of my guilty conscience as cleanly as he seems to be able to.

* *

Have a great weekend. I start preparing for training camp next week. We'll do a preview before I go. Maybe we'll do a mailbag while I'm in Charleston.

P.S. to African - You're wrong, dude! That isn't Sam Mitchell! Look at the players behind the coach, they're wearing white unis! Gotcha!

Trane came up with a request to get a little inside peek into The Job. I thought I'd oblige, because when Fixers ask, I try to answer.

It's not quite the glamorous life, but as my Dad used to remind me after he put in his 15 hour days at the age of 60, son, it beats working for a living.

Here's sorta how it'll go for the beat writers.

Media Day is Oct. 1. We'll gather at the MSG Training Center with other members of the NY media (TV people, radio, magazine, websites, etc.) for the usual meet-and-greet with all of the players and Isiah. The Knicks have the players sit at tables set up in the gym and you are free to walk around and talk with whomever you feel like talking with (the guy being shadowed by a PR rep furiously transcribing notes onto a BlackBerry is Frank Isola..,the guy in the Starbury gear strapping a saddle onto No. 3 is...ah, nevermind. New year, fresh start, right? I gotta play nice. Set an example. Call a truce).

Funny how it works, though. If you notice three or more writers around someone, there's this subconscious tractor beam that makes you cut off Mardy Collins in mid-sentance and scurry over to see what Stephon is talking about now.

I swear I tell myself not to be that guy. Don't be so concerned about what I might be missing. But fear of not having the "I'm the best point guard in the NBA" or "If Isiah isn't back next season than I'd probably ask to be traded" quote weighs heavily on the first day. By midseason, you tend to get over not getting every gem out there (the percentages are against you...like the odds you'll run into James Dolan in the Garden elevator just as he says into his cell phone "...OK, I'm gonna rubber-stamp this Artest thing, but he's your responsibility, Isiah. And I mean it this time").

After about an hour answering the usual "How do you think the team will do this year?" questions and doing poses for the local news photographers, the media day breaks up and the players hop the charter to Charleston, SC. The rest of us drive to airports - depends on where you live, the Jersey guys tend to fly out of Newark, us NYers will use LGA - file our stories while waiting at the gate (wireless internet is like totally rad) and then cruise down to C-town.

(Quick programming note: We're being asked to start uploading audio to our blogs, so once practice starts, be prepared to get some sound from interviews posted here on the blog. Should be cool. The football guys have started trying it out. Check out Tom Rock's Jets Blog for a sample.)

No, we don't stay in the team hotel, but it's not like we're sacking out at the Hotel No-tell. We go with the major chains (Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, etc.) that have cool things such as complementary breakfast (sportswriters are cheap), fitness centers (sportswriters are out of shape) and rewards programs (sportswriters love to take their families on vacations in the offseason).

There's a good hotel walking distance from the gym at College of Charleston as well as anything downtown. Short walk across a parking lot and we're there, outside the gym, standing around. Waiting.

Camp officially starts -- the first ball bounces -- Oct. 2. There is a morning and afternoon session each day. The media availability is only after the morning session. Neither practice is open for media to watch. There are invited guests (college coaches, scouts, etc.) who are permitted in the gym, but only after Isiah gives the sign to the PR people are media allowed in. In fact, they have dividers up covering any possible opening into the gym. No knothole gangs, here.

I went for a drink at a water fountain once and a security guard who reminded me of the Rev. Brown character that Arsenio Hall played in Coming to America -- "He helped Joshua fight the battle of Jericho, he helped Daniel get out the lion's den, he helped Gillll-i-gaaaan get off the island!" -- stepped to me like he had something to step with.

(By the way, one of my all-time favorite movies to quote. So many to choose from. The Rocky Marciano line. The "Yes! In de face!" line. Sexual Chocolate. And, of course, more Rev. Brown:

"Girl, you look so good, someone ought to put you on a plate and sop you up with a biscuit!")

Once we're in the gym, it's pretty much the end of practice and likely the thrilling adventures of free throw time. Place bets on Jared Jeffries vs. Eddy Curry. One watch Jared, the other watch Eddy. Keep a tally, the pay up.

If Isiah wants us to see him pushing the team hard, he'll put on a little show. One time last season the team was missing free throws so they had to keep running sprints (looked so much like many practices I've endured over the years, I felt for the boys. One of the few times I said I was glad not to be one of them. But when I considered what's in their wallet as compared to mine, I figured burning lungs and aching muscles are worth it). Isiah got so tired of the misses that he yelled, "How the f--- do you expect to win games if you can't hit free throws?"

That's what we in the business call a "harbinger." With 20-20 hindsight, of course.

Once in a while we'll get a peek at the end of a scrimmage. Just about when Eddy, Stephon and Q have already subbed out, but you take what you can get. I try to look for anything within the game that stands out: Mardy's long arms that seem to always be in passing lanes or Nate's hesitation to make a pass, which is long enough to cause the play to break down and Isiah to drop his head. Nothing that would make the back page nor worth writing about, but it's all mental notes to file away.

Until the games start, there is no other way to start scouting the players and getting a sense about the team. You get all the crumbs you can get.

When practice ends, the media is escorted to the gym floor and the players are available to you as they walk off the floor. Once they hit the locker room, they're done. No coming back, unless they agree to. But most hang out a while and make themselves available. They know how the game works and as I've said before, most of the Knick players are very good to deal with. No one is "friends." That word doesn't exist here. But there is a respect that you look to develop. You give it to get it and you only keep giving it if you get it. Like I said, most of the guys know the game.

Isiah then chats with us as a group. Again, the team returns for a night session, but it's private. No media availability whatsoever. Shucks, you mean I have the entire night to myself?

What to do in a college town....hmmmm.

Truth is, most of the media hangs out together for dinner. There's a good sports bar to catch the baseball playoffs. They know when the New Yorkers are in town. Even I will ask them to change the channel from the "Speed" network to Fox or ESPN so we can see Yankees-Indians in the ALDS or Mets-Cubs in the NLDS. No cheering in the press box, but plenty of unsolicited opinions and observations. We're as cliche as Crocs and bug-eyed sunglasses.

It goes like this pretty much all week long. Five days in Charleston and then the preseason opener against the Sixers at Balkman's alma mater in Columbia, SC. Then a flight home the next day and right into the cycle of practices and games for the next seven months. You all hope, I'm sure, it lasts longer than that.

* * *

Thanks to O&B for the link to the NBA Live 08 screen shot, but did anyone catch the mistake in the photo? This is where EA Sports is hurting since I left. Answer below.

* * *

@HarlemBoyinMD: I liked your post about Jerome James = Allstate. Excellent point. You always need size on the bench. Jerome is 6 fouls you can use against Shaq and Dwight Howard and Nenad Krstic and, yes, even Kevin Garnett. No, he can't move well, but he is huge and that in itself can clog up a half-court offense team for short spurts.

What I want is a guy who is motivated to be more than just a clogger. Come to camp in top shape and be a factor from the get. If not, then I say you have to think hard about letting him go. An unmotivated, out-of-shape veteran is a bad kind of influence in a locker room.

* * *

Answer to the NBA Live 08 screen shot: The game pictured is obviously supposed to be played at Madison Square Garden (Z-Bo is in his home white). In the background, you can see what is supposed to be Isiah Thomas on the sideline and the Knicks bench (players wearing white). Problem is, that is the visitors bench at MSG. The angle is from the corner where Fat Joe, et al, usually sit, baseline and down the row from the press. The Knick bench should be at the other end. I gotta call my people at EA Sports and set them straight. Attention to detail is what makes great games legendary.

* * *

As most of you have heard, the judge in the Isiah-Anucha case opined with the jury out of the courtroom that the Anucha side wasn't building much of a case against Isiah. That doesn't mean Isiah is in the clear because it's up to the jury to decide the outcome of this trial. The question I have is, if this thing drags into October, does Herb Williams run training camp while Isiah stays up here in New York? What kind of effect could that have on the start of the season?

I've been meaning to punch out this blog several times, but other Knick-related news kept pushing it deeper into the pile...

During the summer league I asked the right people some questions about an offseason workout regimen that the Knicks provide for their players. I know some of you have been interested in this information, so here's what I know.

Each player is given a specific routine to follow throughout the summer. For some players who are recovering from injuries or surgery, the routine is obviously different than the usual run, lift, play stuff.

We're all skeptical of Jerome James' dedication to the Knicks fitness guidebook, so I asked specifically about him. I was told that Jerome has a program created for him by strength coach Greg Brittenham. The training staff keeps tabs on Jerome throughout the summer and they even pay him a visit at least once a month to check up on him.

Here's where it gets a bit cloudy. I don't know how much a trainer can motivate a guy who does the bare minimum just to keep his physical stats where the team wants them. I'm sure they can report back to Isiah if he is blatantly out of shape. We know Jerome does work out, as do all of the players. How much he does to make himself "better" is what you have to wonder. I guess at his age, perhaps he feels there is no need to improve. Just be what he is: big.

I wish I could be that content in life.

I asked Isiah in Vegas about Jerome and if he was disappointed that Jerome didn't come out for the week to work out, especially because his first two seasons as a Knick were unquestionable disappointments. Isiah mentioned something about how we shouldn't jump to conclusions about people because we don't know about their family commitments, etc. He never specifically said Jerome James, but I did. Certainly everyone is entitled to family time in the offseason. But when your living is made playing basketball, your responsibility to your family is that you show up at training camp in shape and ready to play and be a difference-maker, not a sandbag on the payroll.

We've heard about the bearded Jared Jeffries practically living at the IMG facility in Sarasota (Jared also lives down there, so it's a convenient commute) and Renaldo Balkman putting in some work there, as well. We know Nate Robinson spent almost every day of the summer at the MSG Training Center. David Lee has been at the MSGTC in between his trips to Vegas for the summer league (where he worked out) and then for the USA Basketball training camp. Quentin Richardson and Eddy Curry do their thing in Chicago. Jamal has been back and forth between Washington and New York. Stephon does his workouts during his sneaker tour at whatever available gym there is and also spends time at the MSGTC.

Zach Randolph? All I ever hear are crickets when that dude's name comes up. Crickets.

It is belived he's doing his thing at his new offseason place near Indianapolis. The word on him in the past is that he's a summertime gym rat. But when you ask around the Knicks about Zach Randolph...?

Chirp, chirp, chirp...(crickets)

We'll see come Oct. 1 when they all arrive in Charleston, S.C. to open camp. Well, I'd love to see, but I'll probably only get to watch free throws. Then again, last year as they let us in the door to watch the end of practice, Isiah had the team running sprints for missed free throws. We just walked into the gym and there was Eddy Curry, doubled-over, gasping for air while Channing Frye, Lee, Richardson and mostly everyone else ran them upright. Nate ran them backward. But he's a physical freak.

Of course topping Eddy was Jerome, limping to the sideline with plantar fasciitis.

You can't blame plantar fasciitis on poor conditioning. It was a misstep, from what we were told. He landed on Channing Frye's foot, overstretched the ligament in his foot. According to Heathscout.com, "plantar fasciitis can be caused by a tendency of the foot to roll inward (pronation) upon walking. Other factors may be stress on the heel due to repeated hard pounding or quick turns, often from long-distance running, jogging, or basketball."

In order of importance, whose conditioning I will be checking out:

1. Eddy - Obviously conditioning will be his career-long burden, just like Shaq and any big man of that girth. The Knicks can't afford to have Eddy get himself into shape in November. They need him eating up opponents. It could be all he needs to clinch his first all-star bid.

2. Stephon - As he hits 30, I might advise him to look to shed some of his muscle weight and try to make himself more flexible and quicker. His joints -- knees, I mean -- are only going to continue to creak as he pounds out another 82 games.

3. Q-Rich - Admittedly put on a few pounds after his back surgery (he wasn't able to work out much) but had all summer to burn it off and get leaner. I'm interested in seeing his vertical - there was a lot of talk about his hops in Vegas - and whatever else he'll be able to do now that the back situation is fixed. Also curious to see if the back situation is really fixed.

4. Zach Randolph - As I said, the book on Z-Bo is that he's a workaholic in the offseason. No one I've spoken with about him has ever questioned his desire to play and get himself in shape. I have no reason to believe he's sleeping on a sofa somewhere among empty pizza boxes and ice cream cartons. But, again, you want to see that he's taking this trade seriously. That he will show up game-ready on Day 1. 20-10.

5. Jamal Crawford - He seemed to be reaching his peak just when the fractured ankle appeared out of nowhere. We know he's back to playing full-court, 100 percent. We're hoping his game returns to where it was when his season prematurely ended last spring.

6. Jared Jeffries - Hoping he keeps the beard. He showed up in great shape last season, too, so the workout routine wasn't his problem. Jared needs to find his niche on this team and find ways not to be such an obvious liability on the offensive end. Maybe the latter is Isiah's responsibility.

7. Jerome - I know this is high for someone who is likely the last guy off the bench, but there's a reason why he ranks up here: if he shows up even a little slow, he should be cut. Two uninspiring seasons after he was handed an unwarranted MLE, Jerome needs to start paying back. Say what you want about Jared Jeffries and his MLE, but at least this guy puts in the work. Jerome has a lot of proving to do because with his size and experience, he should be a useful weapon off the bench. Not just six fouls and giddy cheers from the bench when he scores. How is it funny that a $5 million a year player has become nothing more than a Stuart Gray or Greg Butler? Not to me.

8. Renaldo Balkman - Want to see where he is as a player after an intriguing showing at the Summer League, when he seemed to thrive on shutting down the likes of Kevin Durant and Yi Jianlian. Has he started to realize what he can be as an NBA player? Perhaps. Now to see if he learned how to make himself into that kind of player.

9. Nate - I want to see how much smarter he is. We already know his motor revs at NASCAR levels. I want to see how his brain was conditioned this offseason. I want to see how much mental time he's put in at the gym. I'm on this kid this season, right from the get.

10. David Lee - There's no reason to question his conditioning or his work ethic. Enough people have raved about his gym-rat personality and his determination. We wanted to see him beef up a little this summer because it was noticable how he wore down some during the season playing power forward. But after the injury trouble with his leg, all you want to see is that the leg is 100 percent and he's back to pogo-sticking in the paint D-Lee style. Be nice if he had more confidence in the jumper, too.

11. Malik Rose - He definitely talks as if he wants to play a bigger role. Malik has so much to offer, but he's only useful if he's ready to handle the minutes. Another guy you can't question for his intensity. I think if he comes committed it's up to Isiah to commit to him. If not, veterans tend to lay back.

12. Demetris Nichols - I'm admittedly rooting for this kid. I'll say it now. If you ask the other beat writers, I picked Mardy Collins as my favorite last year. There's something you see inside some guys that makes you tell yourself, 'This kid is a player.' I said it about Mardy and I'm saying it about D-Nick.

13. Mardy - The knee should be 100 percent. Want to see how much his game has grown since last season. Lots of comp in the backcourt. Minutes aren't easy to get.

14. Fred Jones - Dude is like Nate, a physical specimen. No worries there. Just want to see what kind of D he can strap on an opposing guard.

15. Randolph Morris - Just needs to be in good shape. Still lots of learning to be done and not many minutes to be had. Yet. Being ready is critical because you never know with injuries.

16. Wilson Chandler - Energy shouldn't be a problem for the rookie.

17. Dan Dickau - Gonna take a miracle for it to matter. Or a trade.

* *

The judge at the Isiah v. Anucha trial has gotten bored enough to point out that one of the jurors fell asleep and warned that the lawyers had better start moving things along. A taped deposition by James Dolan is expected for Wednesday. There was some thought that JD would be called to the stand. We can only imagine what that would be like:

JD: "We fired her because she was incompetent."

Lawyer: "Objection, your honor. It's the witness's opinion."

Judge: "Overruled. The court agrees Mr. Dolan's opinion is allowable because he is a noted expert in incompetence."

--

Filip Bondy of the Daily News wrote an interesting angle on Sunday regarding the prospect of David Stern suspending Dolan if this case proves true, but it was somewhat wishful thinking to believe Stern could easily rid the NBA of him as the owner of the league's flagship franchise. Dolan owns the Garden, which owns the Knicks and Rangers. That's not as easy as suspending a batty old owner of the Cavaliers and eventually getting him to surrender the franchise to new ownership.

* *

BERGER 2.0

Ken Berger and his wife, Melissa, welcomed into the world their second son, Zachary, on Sunday at 12:12 p.m. Z-Berg (too easy of a nickname) weighs in at 7 lbs., 11 oz. and is 19.5 inches long, which means he is almost as big as Daddy already!

Congratulations to the Berger family.

The Star-Ledger is reporting today that Allan Houston's agent is suggesting the Knicks are the front-runner for his client.

"Let's be realistic," Bill Strickland told the S-L in today's edition. "Given his tenure with the Knicks -- and this is me speaking, not Allan -- I would think they had a slight advantage over any and every team, given his history with the team."

The Knicks were present (not Isiah, obviously, he's a little busy right now) to view Houston's workout at the NYAC earlier this week. Houston, according to reports, didn't go against any defenders. He has been working out at the MSG Training Center for a while now, so the Knicks have had ample opportunity to see him. There's little doubt the guy is in top physical condition and that he can still stroke it.

But despite James Dolan's close relationship with Houston, whispers out of the Knick organization suggest there is little to no interest in bringing him back. First of all, there isn't any room for him right now with 16 players under contract and a 17th, second-round pick Demetris Nichols, expected to be signed before training camp. It is highly unlikely the Knicks would give Houston anything more than a camp invite without any promises of a contract. The Nets probably will do the same. Other teams, such as Cleveland or Miami, might create enough of a bidding war to get Houston something guaranteed.

Clearly Houston would prefer to remain in the New York area, because this is where he lives (near the MSG Training facility) and where his family will be during the season. That is why the Knicks keep coming up as an option from his camp.

But let's analyze: if you had a health-concern in Houston, who admits he'll only be able to play about 15-to-20 minutes a game at best, or a young up-and-comer with something to prove in Nichols, who would you go for?

Say you have them both in training camp and both perform well. It's hard to dismiss Houston if he's healthy because the guy is a proven big-game shot-maker. With a low-post game that the Knicks will employ, you need as many perimeter shooters as you can get to punish the double-downs.

But it's also hard to dismiss Nichols, because of his age. Sure he doesn't bring much to the table immediately, but the Knicks would have to waive him and allow another NBA team (Boston? Nets?) to scoop him up and develop him. What if Houston breaks down at midseason or his game just isn't enough to make a difference? You've given up the future for a gamble in the present.

Now you could solve this problem by keeping both and ridding yourself of three other contracts. Even if conventional thinking suggests Jerome James and Dan Dickau are the first contracts to go, you still need to remove one more and, with Houston in the fold, you'd have to find minutes for him in a backcourt with Stephon, Jamal, Nate, Mardy, Fred Jones and, sometimes, Q.

I guess the debate then moves to Jones (an expiring contract). He brings athleticism and defense. Houston, obviously, doesn't. Didn't even when he was healthy. But Houston's shooting ability is a valuable asset. The question: is it still valuable enough to sacrifice perimeter defense?

* *

Speaking of microfracture issues, devastating news for the Portland Trail Blazers. I believe Greg Oden will still have a solid career. It may help him to travel a year in the NBA without playing. See games up close and get a feel for it. Might help make the transition to the court a little easier because the off-the-court stuff will already be experienced.

Certainly puts a lot of pressure on Channing Frye now, doesn't it?

* *

I want to futher explain the point of the previous blog's lead entry, which most of you seemed to get:

If you're a Knicks fan or someone who follows the team closely (be it by choice or for a living) it's only human to be despondent in the midst of this trial, which is yet another forgettable moment for the franchise. Been too many in recent years. My point was to blame the lack of real leadership at the Garden for allowing anything of this magnatude to exist, if, in fact, it did exist.

Everett, with his rambunctious torch-and-pitchfork approach, has a right to challenge me on this because there was likely a misinterpretation of the U2 lyrics. In fact, looking back maybe it was I who misinterpreted them. When the song says, "I'm not the only one/Who's happy to go blind" I read it as not saying as much as I don't want to see, I WANT to see. I WANT to look into the sun and not be afraid of what is there or the consequences that go with it. I know that may be where the truth is, but I'm apprehensive because I know staring into the sun is bad for your eyes.

If Chuck D is still reading this blog, I need you to check with Bono for me on this!

To conclude, my point was that it's not about looking the other way when your team is involved in something bad like this. It's that you have so much of a disdain for it, you just can't look. But you know you have to in order to know the truth. You know it'll be bad to look, that you'll have to see the ugly inside the team you cheer for, or cover or whatever.

It's just a mood I was in, not a method. Too deep for some. Maybe too deep for me, too. Thanks to the Fixer regs for having my back.

Honestly? I don't see any innocent people in this trial. That's my opinion, based on what I know, which is just about the same as what everyone knows. If I was on the jury, I'd feel as if everyone here is dirty in some way. There really is no side to take. No cause to defend.

Just more evidence of a very ugly Garden.

You might have noticed the frequency of this blog has been squelched a bit. Two factors reign: 1. All of the beat writers are trying to stay more than an arm's length away from the Isiah-Anucha trial (it's not our territory and we have to work with this man, for better or for worse, over the course of the coming season); 2. I've got the dreaded summer cold that no legal drug in the world can overcome.

Sledgehammer, meet head.

Reading the coverage of the trial only makes my head feel worse. All the he-said, she-said B.S. that's fit to print. Innuendo and allegations. Let's toss the intern under the bus while we're at it. I wonder if Anucha plans to share any of the cash winnings with this girl now that her name's been revealed and her involvement (regretted or not) with Stephon Marbury publicized to help support Anucha's case?

Man, I don't want to know. Don't want to know. Good thing for me I've only been around this team on a daily basis for a year. I don't know enough about the people behind the scenes or what goes on there.

What I know is you can often look up to see where the rain is coming from; in this case, James Dolan is the black cloud. Poor leadership degenerates even the greatest empires. Not breaking any new ground here, I know. But it's the only result I get after compiling all of the information I've had to read about this ridiculous trial that comes weeks before the opening of what is supposed to be a promising season.

And we can't even enjoy that right now.

U2 speaks the words I need to hear and share . . . reaching for my meds and the box of Kleenex to blow out the mucous. Wish it was as easy with the Knicks.

I'm not just deaf and dumb
Staring at the sun
Not the only one
Who's happy to go blind

. . . You're not the only one
Staring at the sun
Afraid of what you'd find
You step back inside
Not sucking on my thumb
I'm staring at the sun
I'm not the only one
Who's happy to go blind

* *

The Bergen Record reported that the Nets have enough interest in Allan Houston to at least bring him into training camp in a non-committal way. But it sounds like the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to the Akron Beacon-Journal, also like Houston enough to bring him in for a private workout. This is exactly what Houston wants: a bidding war.

* *

Bills tight end Kevin Everett is expected to walk again following a life-threatening spinal cord injury suffered last week in the season-opener. Everett had surgery on Monday and there was a very grim prognosis by the attending surgeon. But the man who is predicting a brighter outlook for Everett is none other than Dr. Barth Green, the Miami neurosurgeon who performed the microdiskectomy on Quentin Richardson's back last spring.

“Based on our experience, the fact that he’s moving so well, so early after such a catastrophic injury means he will walk again,” Green told the Associated Press. “It’s totally spectacular, totally unexpected.”

The Isiah vs. Anucha trial is in it's second day and that's already two days longer than I or anyone else expected it would go. I seriously doubt there is much interest in this case from most Knicks fans. The only interest you might have -- other than what craziness might come out of Stephon Marbury's mouth when he takes the witness stand -- is if to see what might happen to Isiah Thomas if the jury finds him guilty of sexual harrassment.

Would James Dolan fire him on the spot? If so, who would take over as coach and GM with less than three weeks until training camp?

First things first, let's dismiss any thought that Dolan would instantly gas Isiah if he is found guilty. Why? Because Dolan would also be among the guilty party mainly because he is also named, along with Thomas, in the suit. If Dolan had any concern about Thomas' actions, don't you think he would have already fired Thomas and settled with Anucha?

Isiah's job security was a question for about a month last season. Dolan made it clear he had no interest in making a regime change, no matter what.

So, in my opinion, Isiah stays whether he is found guilty or not. There's no need to move to the second part of the question or theorize Herb Williams' move into the interim head coach position again and Glen Grunwald moving into the GM seat. There's no reason to speculate Phil Jackson making a move to New York (and awaiting Kobe) or luring Rick Pitino back where his short-lived NBA coaching career thrived.

Many people still expect this to end in a settlement. WolfBlock labor and employment attorney Michael Cohen had a public relations company send out emails offering his opinion on the subject.

“To prevail on the sexual harassment claim Browne Sanders will have to convince the jury not only that what she says is true but that it rises to the level of a hostile working environment, which may be difficult for her to do,” Cohen says in the email. “Less subjective is the retaliation claim. These are often harder to overcome, since juries are predisposed to believing claims like Browne Sanders in the absence of supporting documentation like performance reviews.”

What you're going to read about tomorrow are the opening statements from each side, which includes much of what you've already read about in the newspapers once the arguments for each side became public documents. It's the cross-examinations that could get interesting, but only from a tabloid point-of-view. It's nothing more than dirty laundry and that's what makes it so surprising to me that the Garden, mainly mediaphobe Jim Dolan, would allow this to carry on for more than a week.

That's why I believe it will be business as usual come Oct. 1. By then we'll be wondering what it will cost to rid them of their next problem: Jerome James' contract.

* *

Allan Houston worked out today for a few NBA teams at the New York Athletic Club. The Miami Heat seem the most interested, as are the Cleveland Cavaliers. But you should know that the Knicks and Nets were both represented at the workout. I still don't believe the Knicks have great interest in Houston, who says he probably can only give about 15-to-20 minutes a game.

We've known about Allan Houston's comeback plans since the spring, but on Thursday morning Houston made an appearance on Sirius' "Cipha Sounds Effect Morning Show" to make it official.

We already know it's very unlikely he'll make his comeback with the Knicks. I've previously mentioned Miami, Orlando and Cleveland as potential places where he can fit in well. Don't count out Boston, either. They need bodies and wouldn't mind another shooter.

The interview was pretty tame at the start. Houston tells the hosts he tried previously to come back for the Knicks but eventually had to put an end to it: "I really hurt myself more trying to come back . . . and it was really hurting me more. And two years later, I always felt, though, in my spirit and in my mind, I always felt I would still have a chance to come back."

The highlight of the interview, however, came when a caller named "Sarge" came on and criticized the hosts for being soft on Houston. Sarge then berated Houston for playing a prime role in the Knicks downfall and blamed him for running Patrick Ewing out of town. Sarge continually calls out Houston for being "friends with Dolan" and that he never defered any of his $100 million contract in order to bring in good players to play around him. He says he got that contract from "one lucky bounce against Miami."

One of the hosts doesn't help matters when he butts in and asks the caller: "Were the Knicks winning anything before Allan Houston?"

D'oh!

Priceless stuff and really raw emotion from a Knick fan, whether you agree or not with the caller.

Check out the entire call here: http://a1022.g.akamai.net/f/1022/8160/5m/images.newsday.com/media/mp3/2007-09/32391845.mp3

(Sorry for the cut-and-paste, but it's too large of a file to upload to the blog)

It was definitely one of those moments where you believe the guy probably once said "I ever had the chance to tell this guy to his face what I think about him, I will." And he did.

I saw that Sporting News story that ranked the NBA's most over-paid players. As most of you know, Stephon Marbury ranked No. 2. It's good off-season chatter fodder. Something to write and get people to discuss. It also needs to be analyzed.

I don't entirely disagree that Stephon's salary no longer rates with his performance level. But you have to also point out that this contract was given to him earlier in his career, when he was posting Big O-like numbers. His statistical comparables to Allen Iverson made Bryan Colangelo - who I consider an intelligent manager - agree to push Stephon over the $20 million-per-year plateau in Oct. 2003, when the Phoenix Suns signed Marbury to a four-year extension. (Note: at the time there were still two years left on the contract Marbury signed with the Nets in 1999, so the deal extends through the 2008-09 season).

It's on Isiah Thomas, however, for agreeing to take on that hefty contract. Back then, Isiah said New York was a point guard town. Now he says the Knicks should be a power team. The focus might have changed, but the contract remained and now it's even more of an albatross.

But back to Marbury...Iverson's numbers are still up there, with 26.3 points and 7.2 assists per game last season and a $20.1 million paycheck this season. Jason Kidd, the other highly-paid NBA point guard at $19 million, goes 13 points, 9.2 assists and 8.2 rebounds.

By comparison, the arguably best PG in the NBA, two-time MVP Steve Nash makes just $11.3 million. His career did take a little longer to erupt, however. Same goes for Tony Parker, a championship PG, who makes $10.5 million.

Let's leave them out of it, however, because they are different kind of players. Iverson and Marbury compare best. As does Baron Davis, who makes $16.4 million and averaged 20.1 points and 8.1 assists last season.

Steph's numbers declined dramatically since he became a Knick. Two seasons ago, it was Larry Brown's coaching that made Marbury's point averages dip under 20 (16.3) and last season it was Isiah Thomas' decision to focus the offense on the post and Eddy Curry which caused Marbury to again average just 16.4 points per game. Marbury's assists also dropped from 6.4 a game two seasons ago to 5.4 a game last season.

He's at the point now where his career numbers (20 points and 8 assists) are dipping below the Big O line. Going into this season, Marbury is averaging 19.9 points and 7.9 assists.

Here's where I have a point to make: Certainly you can argue that bang-for-the-buck, Marbury isn't the statistical value his salary suggests he should be. You can argue the "excuse" that Marbury has had to scale back his game since he came to the Knicks. What's indisputable is he did change his focus during the past season and started becoming more of a defensive player and someone who ran the offense instead of running plays (there is a difference).

Iverson is a physical freak of nature. For someone his size to keep going at the rack the way he does after all of these years is phenomenal. One thing he has going for him is he's light and wiry. Marbury is heavier and his body is taking the same kind of pounding. Clearly there is only so much knees and ankles can take and the wear and tear is starting to show on the 30-year-old guard.

So, no, at 30 years old, playing on a team that is focusing on low-post scoring, Marbury is not a good value at $20.1 million.

But here's something else to consider: you wonder why players are labeled as selfish? It's lists like this. No one wants to be known as overpaid. So a guy keeps an eye on his stats instead of making the play that's best for his team. Get mine first, then try to win the game. Because if we win, but I only get 12 points, they'll say I'm no longer able to score like I used to. They'll say I'm overpaid.

Marbury is a player who admittedly throughout his career lived by his stats and is now making the attempt to give up the numbers to play a role Isiah is demanding from him (and, it should be noted, Larry Brown wanted him to play all along).

The Knicks aren't going to be successful with Marbury as the lead scorer, Isiah made that clear when he made the shift to the low post (again, Brown also felt this way). So Marbury was asked to buy into the system that will retard his stats, but might also finally make him a winner on the NBA basketball court. When players hit 30, winning usually takes precedence over everything else.

So in this point in his career as a Knick, I don't care about Stephon Marbury's stats as they compare to his salary. What I care about is what Marbury does to maintain his value to the Knicks. A guy who gives you tough defense, smart veteran plays, the ocassional point explosion when needed (see: last year in Dallas) and runs the offense selflessly is what you want. If that guy can help lead the Knicks into the playoffs (it's a big if) and beyond, then $20.1 million is worth it.

If not, he'll be playing to Italian crowds in two years anyway.

* *

Ken Berger has started the coverage of the Isiah Thomas vs. Anucha Browne Sanders sexual harrassment trial,, which is set to begin on Monday. Sounds like it's gonna get ugly...
...

There was a story earlier this week in the Boston Globe about new Celtic Kevin Garnett's workout regimen at a Vegas gym called Abunassar Impact Basketball, run by noted hoops fitness guru Joe Abunassar.

I got in touch with Joe Abunassar to see if there were any Knicks among the 20 or so NBA players who have congregated there over the past week to prepare for training camp. There are some big names, such as Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince, Antoine Walker, Al Harrington, Drew Gooden, Mo Williams and Baron Davis. These dudes spend about six hours a day at the gym doing their thing -- the scrimmages have got to be entertaining -- for a few thousand a week.

Joe told me he has known Isiah Thomas, Glen Grunwald and the rest of the Knicks staff for a long time. He's also worked closely with guys like Jared Jeffries and Renaldo Balkman, both of whom put some time in at the IMG facility in Sarasota, Fla., but there aren't any Knicks out in Vegas right now. Some of them are already in New York, including Eddy Curry.

During the NBA summer league, however, the Knicks used Abunassar's facility for the veterans who came out, such as David Lee, Mardy Collins, Quentin Richardson, Malik Rose, Fred Jones and Zach Randolph. Abunassar raved about D-Lee's work ethic ("The guy can not get enough of the gym") and said Collins was "a worker".

I asked about Richardson, who is coming off the back surgery, but this was back in July when Q was only cleared to start playing basketball. Richardson was only just beginning, so it was difficult to make a judgement (though I remember Q was proud to announce he was dunking the ball like he used to). Abunassar said the team medical staff was monitoring the workouts.

At least we know Randolph did, in fact, make the trip and worked out (for a day). We in the media were hoping to catch him out there, but never did.

Most of the Knicks over the past few weeks have been getting together at the MSG Training Center, several players have told me. The guy I just don't hear enough about is Zach Randolph.

I guess this information is dated and doesn't really reveal much. My bad.

* *

A little late for this, but Nate Robinson was playing Wii bowling against all comers for charity (St. Jude's Children's Hospital) at the Toys R Us in Times Square this morning (11 a.m.). It was a Domino's Pizza-sponsored event.

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@starbury fan: It's funny you mention that. When I covered hockey, I always made it a point to sit down when I could, unless I was talking to Zdeno Chara, then it was cool. (Hockey note: Chara is 6-9). But with the NBA, it's far more comfortable, unless I'm standing among the media scrum. Then I feel like a freak again. I don't check the height thing, but my colleagues will often compare me to a player to determine height. One of them once noticed that Jared Jeffries and I were closer in height than the numbers (he's 6-10, I'm 6-6) would indicate. I always say his wallet is taller, which makes up the difference.

I wanted to touch on something Peaceman mentioned in one of his comments. It's actually a good topic that maybe most fans don't understand or realize.

The Knicks play at The Garden, but they practice at the MSG Training Center in Greenburgh. The Knicks also hold their morning shoot-arounds at the TC, not the Garden. Many fans - and some media - wonder why the Knicks don't practice more at the Garden to get used to the place, the rims, the floor and the angles.

Actually, most teams rarely practice on their actual arena floor. In the new arenas, teams have practice courts built in the facility and spend most of their time there. The courts are build to resemble the arena court, colors and all. The Knicks have that too. One benefit of practices at a facility instead of an arena is that there are more baskets available. More shooting gets done.

The main reason, of course, is that the Garden has too many events going on during the winter to have the basketball floor down long enough to allow the Knicks to practice their during a homestand. If the Rangers are playing, you have to get the court up so the ice can be prepared. There are also concerts and the circus, etc.

The MSG TC is gorgeous. The training facilities and locker room area are five-star, compared to the cramped and quite basic set-up at the Garden (other than new carpet and a nice flat scren TV, the Knicks locker room at the Garden is very dated...circa mid-1990s at least). But that's because the Knicks spend most of their time up at the TC.

When Isiah Thomas first came in as team president, he wanted the Knicks to get more familiar with the Garden. So he attempted to have the team hold its morning shoot-around at the Garden on home game days (Opponents often shoot there if the schedule allows, if not, they find a Manhattan-based gym). But Isiah realized the trouble with holding shoot-arounds at the Garden - most of the players lived in Westchester and, therefore, it was a long commute back and forth only to return again for the game (players usually arrive between 4:30 and 5 p.m.). He could have the team stay at a hotel, but that isn't cost-effective, nor does it fly with guys who have families they are away from enough when the road trips come.

So back to the TC the Knicks went for the morning shoots. And the question still remains: is the Garden really a home-court for the Knicks if they only get to shoot there for about an hour before games?

This is nothing new. Back in the championship era, the players used to grumble about making the commute out to Queens to practice at an ancient armory. Hot showers were scarce, so the players would often dress in their gear to and from practice.

You would think, however, that the Knicks should try to take advantage of any days they can use the Garden for practice. There aren't many "dark" nights (nothing scheduled) on the Garden schedule in the wintertime, but the ones that are should allow the Knicks to leave the court down and get some shooting in on the rims that matter most.

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- Saw the tsn.ca NBA preview on the Knicks. Some of you might not get why the author wrote "centre" instead of "center." That's just how Canadians spell it. The King's English. It's why the SkyDome is called "Rogers Centre" and where the Raptors play is "Air Canada Centre." They also spell color like this: colour. And they smoke. A lot. Seven years on the hockey beat and that's what I come away with. That and I really, really, really wish David Stern would put an NBA team in Montreal. Really.