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Pharzeone
Posts: 32183
Alba Posts: 14
Joined: 2/11/2005
Member: #871
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Frank Isola, Daily News
Chris Duhon was an unexcused no-show in February when the Knicks' charter flight returned home from Miami the morning after their loss to Dwyane Wade and the Heat.
When Stephon Marbury went AWOL in November of 2007, his disappearance became national news. Duhon's error in judgment, however, barely caused a ripple outside of the Knicks organization.
The official word was that Duhon overslept, which is entirely plausible. But the incident did raise additional concerns about Duhon's lifestyle - which were first broached last summer before Duhon joined the Knicks on a two-year, $12 million contract - and whether his affinity for the nightlife is directly linked to the point guard's rapidly declining play during the second half of the season.
As Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni evaluate 2008-09 and begin building next season's team, Duhon's future will be one of the main topics. According to a source, the Knicks will try to upgrade at the position with the idea of making Duhon the backup, which appears to be a more suitable role for him.
A trade is not out of the question since Duhon is entering the final year of his contract. However, Duhon has a strong supporter in D'Antoni, who, on the advice of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, lobbied Walsh to sign the point guard last July.
The move paved the way for the Knicks to begin divorce proceedings with Marbury, the incumbent starter who never played a minute this season before negotiating a buyout two months ago.
D'Antoni had enough confidence in Duhon that he anointed him the starting point guard before training camp began and demoted the more accomplished Marbury. For a time, the controversial decision appeared to be the proper move. In the Knicks' first 46 games, Duhon averaged 12.7 points, eight assists and 2.85 turnovers. Plus, the Knicks were in the thick of the playoff hunt, going 21-25 through January.
But as Duhon has fallen off, so too have the Knicks. Since Feb.1, Duhon has averaged 10.1 points, 6.1 assists and 2.87 turnovers while the Knicks have gone 10-24 and managed to go from playoff contender to irrelevant.
Duhon has acknowledged that his body has felt the impact of averaging a career-high 37 minutes per game. Duhon enters tonight's final road game, against the Heat, having already played 2,849 minutes, shattering his previous high of 2,177 set during his rookie season of 2004-05 with Chicago.
Duhon clearly looks a step slower and that became apparent two weeks ago against the Utah Jazz when Deron Williams easily beat him to a loose ball even though Duhon was at least three feet closer to it. Scouts have also noticed that D'Antoni's renowned running game has become a jogging game over the last few months with Duhon running the point.
Once D'Antoni determined that Marbury didn't fit into his plans, the Knicks suffered because they didn't have a suitable backup to limit Duhon's minutes. Nate Robinson is more of a scoring guard whose poor decision-making drives D'Antoni crazy. Signing Anthony Roberson over the summer was a mistake since he was a shooting guard who never found his stroke, and he was eventually traded to the Bulls in the Larry Hughes deal.
This summer the Knicks may explore the possibility of acquiring Steve Nash, the maestro of D'Antoni's "Seven Seconds or Less" offense in Phoenix. According to sources, the Suns want to sign Nash to a contract extension but would honor his request for a trade if he was looking to move on. Whether the Suns would agree to a deal with the Knicks, however, remains to be seen.
There is also talk of the Charlotte Bobcats looking to move Raymond Felton. Philadelphia's Andre Miller would be an ideal fit, but the Sixers are expected to re-sign him.
[Edited by - pharzeone on 04-12-2009 10:11 AM]
I don't like to play bad rookies , I like to play good rookies - Mike D'Antoni
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