where my knicks fans at
faded_glory
421 Posts
The Bulls dealt center Eddy Curry to the New York Knicks on Monday, ending a contentious negotiation in which Chicago insisted the restricted free agent take a DNA test over a heart problem.In making the announcement, an obviously frustrated Bulls general manager John Paxson did not specify what Chicago got in return and he did not field questions."We will have an announcement tomorrow morning," Bulls public relations director Sebrina Brewster said Monday night. "All we can say right now is we traded Eddy to the Knicks."Knicks spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said the team declined comment on Paxson's announcement.The Bulls had insisted that Curry take a DNA test to determine whether he's susceptible to a potentially fatal heart problem. Curry, who missed the final 13 games of the regular season and the playoffs after experiencing an irregular heartbeat, balked, saying it violated his privacy."I would never put a player on the floor in a Chicago Bulls uniform if I didn't do everything in my power to find out all the information that was available," Paxson said. "You can debate genetic testing 'til you're blue in the face. But from what I know, from what I've learned over the last six months, that test could have helped us determine the best course of action."Curry, drafted right out of high school, averaged a career-high 16.1 points in his fourth NBA season.The standoff stemmed from a benign arrhythmia that caused Curry to miss the final 13 games of the regular season and the playoffs.Several prominent cardiologists cleared Curry to play, but Barry Maron, a world-renowned specialist in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, suggested the DNA test.Paxson has said he understands the privacy issues involved but insisted the Bulls do not have an ulterior motive; they simply do not want a situation similar to those of former Boston Celtics guard Reggie Lewis or Loyola Marymount star Hank Gathers -- players with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who collapsed and died.Paxson, speaking during the team's media day, told reporters the Bulls had offered Curry $400,000 annually for the next 50 years if he failed the genetic test."So he would have an above-average lifestyle that would put him in a position that most other people aren't in," Paxson said. "Our intention through that whole process was to show him that we did care about him and that we were concerned about his well-being."Curry's agent Leon Rose did not return calls seeking comment Monday.Paxson said he resented insinuations that the Bulls were on a sort of witch hunt, trying to find information on Curry.The general manager started by asking reporters to "let me ramble a minute." After a long pause, he said, "This has been about as uncomfortable and unusual a situation I could ever imagine. We've attempted from Day 1 to do the right thing, and I'm absolutely confident that we have in every way we went about it. And in a lot of ways we've met resistance in trying to gather all the information we feel we need."About three minutes later, Paxson said, "From a basketball standpoint, I understand what I'm doing. But I have an obligation to this organization and the people I work for to do the right thing. And I did the right thing. That's all I've got to say."Then, he walked away from the table. **********************wow. i'm a little nervous about this but as long as we didn't give up ariza as part of the deal i'm more than down with it. our team is looking kind of nice all of a sudden.
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me growing up(and still,just not as much)..which is sort of odd being from down south
"You are fine. Don't you FEEL fine? How DARE the Bulls want you to take any more tests. That's not only mean-spirited - that's a violation of your constitutional rights. Your HUMAN rights, even. Take the cash and the contract and the New York love. Yeah, New York. NEW YORK LOVES YOU. Promise. They need a basketball Jesus. They haven't had a center since a few years before Ewing left. You know, in two or three years, you'll be the only big man in the East that matters. Promise. You'll be the new Shaquille. Promise. This is just a speed bump in your rise to fame and riches. The sky's the limit for you, kid. Promise."
If the legacy of Reggie Lewis has tought me one thing, it's that basketball and everything wrapped up in it (see Spike Lee's "He Got Game" for a literal and visual rundown of the perks) is complete and utter bullshit compared to the importance of a human life. If Eddy Curry has made the wrong choice here, it has the potential to be more than just a bad business decision. It could cost him his life.
no, absolutely not. all basketball contracts are fully guaranteed, unless otherwise specified and signed by both sides - some injury-prone guys like marcus camby have incentives built in based on their injury history. but the vast, vast majority of nba contracts, including eddy's, will be paid in full to the player regardless of injury. the insurance issue only relates to whether it will be the insurance carrier or the team that has to pay it.
I thought he was negotiating a $5 million dollar, one-year contract. $400,000 over 50 years is $20 million. Maybe he has another $20 million left in him for his playing career, but maybe not...
On the insurance issue, this article from ESPN says, "Curry has already been cleared to play by several prominent cardiologists, but he can't get disability insurance for his contract should he be sidelined again -- or worse -- with heart problems..." Then later, "If I'm the team, let the insurance be your guide," Stanley said. "The insurance won't insure it, that should tell you something. They've got the biggest group of risk managers."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2174877
i'm honestly kind of torn on the issue. at first i saw it from the bulls' standpoint and considered that big of an investment in someone's body ample reason to take all precautions before signing a contract. now i'm not so sure. requesting dna is really unprecedented as of now - this is the kind of issue that i could see literally making it all the way to the supreme court. conducting a phsyical and checking the soundness of a player's body is one thing, and nba physicals are extremely thorough. but demanding to be able to check the genetic code of any person as a precondition of offering that person a job takes it to another level.
i'm not saying the bulls were completely out of line either. i think paxson is a bit of an asshole, but he does what's right for the team and seemed to be looking out for curry as a person as well. i think paxson ended up just losing his trust with his hardline stance, and i can understand that. it's easy for me to comment on it, but nobody's asking for my dna, you know ...
As far as the health issues, that's his choice. He's been cleared by several big name cardiologists, and if that's enough for him, it's enough for me. Mourning and Elliot both played with serious kidney ailments. These are grown men making grown decisions.
If the DNA test showed he were susceptible, and he still wanted to play, he'd never get a big money deal. Maybe he weighed these issues and decided that this was the route he wanted to go.
I honestly believe that Eddy is willing to die to play ball. If the DNA test determined he is at huge risk to die from playing, his life would be over. What would he do? What can he do but play ball?
Another thing to consider, and perhaps this is just speculation, is that Eddy is flat broke. People in Chicago like to talk especially about out athletes. Word on the street is that Eddy had spent all his money. A friend of mine lived in the same complex and was witness to his fleet of 6 cars dispersed throughout the gated community (especially his Maybach which was too big to fit in his garage). In his rookie season he bought a Hummer tricked out with huge rims. When he was pulled over by the police b/c they were not street legal, he was forced to leave his truck in the practice facility parking lot---all season. I have even heard from people that he was borrowing money from his teammates. Promising to pay them back when he was going to get his huge contract, of course before knowing about his heart condition.
Paxson even said he would give Eddy the maximum deal if the DNA test showed promising results.
This truly is a sad story namely because a tremendous athlete has potential to die on the court.
I wish him the best.
their lessons.
BUT
Marbury/Richardson/Ariza/Curry/James..........Not bad w/ Brown's willpower.
Antonio Davis.....hmmmmmmmmmmm.
Usual flooding of big forwards in NYC.