Knicks order Eddy Curry to report to Summer League

BY ALAN HAHN | alan.hahn@newsday.com
9:05 AM EDT, July 10, 2009

Eddy Curry has been ordered by the Knicks to report to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas so that team president Donnie Walsh and his staff can monitor the progress of Curry's offseason diet and conditioning program, according to Jerry Powell, one of Curry's offseason trainers.

Curry will not play for the Knicks summer league team but is expected to be on the court for the second workout of a two-a-day session Sunday at Valley High in Las Vegas, where the Knicks will work out before their summer league opener Tuesday at UNLV.

Powell says Curry, who began a strict diet and fitness regimen set up by California-based strength coach Tommy Weatherspoon in May and began workouts with Powell in June, has lost almost 50 pounds.

"They want to see what he looks like," Powell told Newsday. "They want to see him get up and down with the summer league team and practice."

There is good reason. The 6-11 Curry, who three years ago displayed all-star potential, ballooned to well more than 300 pounds this past season, when weight and conditioning issues caused him to miss 80 of the 82-game schedule.

Powell said it was clear to him that Curry's "confidence has been damaged," but noted a serious lack of responsibility as the cause of his downfall.

"He's going to be better because he's putting the work in ... There were summers he did nothing," said Powell, who is from Lindenhurst and has built a career out of basketball training, with NBA players such as Knicks forward Al Harrington, Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, Nuggets guard J.R. Smith and Grizzlies guard Marko Jaric, among other college and high school players, on his client list.

And it showed, especially last season, when Curry -- despite the knowledge that new coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo system demanded a high level of fitness -- arrived for training camp in poor condition. Then he contracted a bacterial infection and missed the first two weeks of training camp. A myriad of off-court issues also deeply affected him personally.

With two years left on his contract, the 26-year-old Curry's career is unquestionably at a crossroads.

What the Knicks apparently are trying to determine is if he figures in their plans going forward, or if, with a hefty $11.2-million salary against the 2010-11 payroll, they should try to trade him and clear more space for their anticipated foray into free agency next summer. The problem faced by the Knicks -- who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday -- is the amount Curry's value has depreciated. One NBA executive said if Curry was "in shape and on the floor demonstrating it" his trade value, with two years and $21.7 million left on his contract, would still be "limited."

And that's why the Knicks worked with Curry's current agent, Leon Rose, and ubiquitous basketball attaché William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley, to oversee a focused offseason program this summer. They set up shop at Oakland University, near Wesley's home in West Broomfield, Mich.

Weatherspoon arranged all of Curry's meals and conditioning regimen. And when his weight was down to a manageable number and his knee issues, which have limited him to a total of 62 games during the last two seasons, had finally subsided, Powell began to work with Curry, scheduling two workouts per day from June 11 until July 3.

Powell yesterday flew to Chicago to meet with Curry for some fine-tuning before Curry headed to Vegas for what will be his midsummer checkup. After Curry returns from Vegas, he and Powell will reunite in Ocean City, N.J., to continue their workouts until camp opens in Saratoga in late September.

good management by the Knicks. The guy can score.

A big part of me is rooting for Curry. He's never been dedicated to BB but he isn't a bad guy. He strikes me as someone with limited intelligence who's been taken advantage of. He's also had some really lousy breaks in life to go with his good ones.

I want what's best for the Knicks, and getting Curry playing well then trading him is most likely what's best (see Zach plan).

Either way I hope he does well and its good to see Knick management taking a good long look at what the have or dont have here.

Easiest way to improve is to get better from within.

At 26 Curry has two years to eat his way out of the league or take care of himself and have a solid career. This management knows something about taking care of players needs. fingers crossed

Don't we hear this same story every summer?

No. We heard Quentin always saying "Oh man, Eddie's in good shape". We would hear how Curry would hang out at that place "ATTACK" or whatever it's called in Chicago. Then he had a video describing the place and he basically went nuts over the video games and the massages and relax lounges there, but hardly said a word about working out. That was last Summer. It was obvious he wasn't doing a thing.

He's actually with a trainer on a strict program. He has no choice to get in shape because the Knicks will probably void his contract during a time that he can in no way afford to have it voided. His back is against the wall.

If this Summer were more of the same, it would show something is seriously wrong with his head.

Hence, I believe he's getting in shape.

Posted by Allanfan20:

No. We heard Quentin always saying "Oh man, Eddie's in good shape". We would hear how Curry would hang out at that place "ATTACK" or whatever it's called in Chicago. Then he had a video describing the place and he basically went nuts over the video games and the massages and relax lounges there, but hardly said a word about working out. That was last Summer. It was obvious he wasn't doing a thing.

He's actually with a trainer on a strict program. He has no choice to get in shape because the Knicks will probably void his contract during a time that he can in no way afford to have it voided. His back is against the wall.

If this Summer were more of the same, it would show something is seriously wrong with his head.

Hence, I believe he's getting in shape.

Remember when he showed the weight room and it was empty, unused, clean as a whistle, and the lights were out? LMFAO.

As to 50 pounds it's 50 pounds but from what starting point? 365? Even then it's a huge (lol) improvement.

Questions are: Is this legit or the same we always hear only to see him fatter than ever anyway. --- What was the starting point weight. --- Will it continue to be maintained.

These are all questions that came up with the answer "NO" ever since he was a rookie with Chicago.

Seeing is believing and you can't miss Eddy out there. We will see.

The final thing is how rusty is this guy at basketball? He hasn't played at a high level for three years now (06-07) and marginally the past two seasons.

I'm interested in how much of it was water weight and 50 pounds in two months is hardly sustainable. He will not be working out like that during the season. He probably hasn't had a double bacon cheeseburger then in two month and when he hits the road he's going to order his usual seven.

Posted by Bonn1997:

Posted by SupremeCommander:

I'm interested in how much of it was water weight and 50 pounds in two months is hardly sustainable. He will not be working out like that during the season. He probably hasn't had a double bacon cheeseburger then in two month and when he hits the road he's going to order his usual seven.

Maybe he started losing some of the weight before the new diet and then just continued losing weight? Or maybe they're rounding 30 pounds up to 50? I find it hard to believe that he actually lost 50 pounds in 2 months.

It's possible. When you have so much to lose, it sheds right off, if you're working hard and eating right. They probably have him busting his ars hard.

My worries is does he sustain it. Supremecommanders concern is quite legit.

Neighborhood Watch

The Las Vegas casinos have a truckload of discount restaurants. Hell, there is even a Nathan's Hot Dog stand inside the Hyatt.

Who is meeting Eddy at the Las Vegas airport?

If this is legit, this is great news. I have always said that if Curry could get down to 270 and work on his decision-making, he would be an allstar. With Shaq getting old and Yao being injured, there only 2-3 other centers in the league who can match Curry's abilities on the low block. If MDA can teach him how to pass and limit his turnovers, we will have a solid offensive force this season. Moreover, I think his defense will improve at the lighter weight. WHile he will never be a good defender, we just need him to get to at least 1.5 blocks a game, with a couple of shot changes.