Here's another good article on Curry and buyout option:
Eddy To Knicks: “Play Me, Trade Me, Or Cut Me Loose”?
Dec 26th, 2009 by Dan L.
In each of two road losses two weeks ago to the Bobcats and Bulls, the turning point to the Knicks’ demise may have been the plodding, turn over laden minutes Mike D’Antoni set aside for Eddy Curry.
Since those losses, Curry has not played, and he’s getting frustrated (via Newsday’s Neil Best):
“I just leave it up to him, and when he decides he wants to play me, if he decides, I’ll play, and if not, then I’ll try to figure something out.”
***
“During the game, when I’m sitting over there and time is just ticking away, a lot of stuff crosses my mind, but it’s too early for that.”
The implication here is that “that” is a trade or a buyout. He was asked how he would feel if the remainder of his season turns out to be one DNP after another:
“At that point, I would hope both sides would do what’s right. If [D'Antoni] decided to go that long, he probably would have made up in his mind, if he hasn’t already, that I’m not a fit for this team. I would hope we could work something out.”
I understand Curry’s frustration. He worked hard all summer and during the start of the season to get himself into the type shape that he is required to be in, and now he doesn’t play.
But Curry needs to understand that he is in a situation of his own making. He has always had a responsibility to keep himself in shape. It’s part of what he’s being paid $11 million to do. If he’d done that throughout his career he’d never have lost his timing, and quite frankly, his game, which is nothing like what it used to be.
Instead, he used injury as an excuse to turn his back on his responsibilities and his team. He didn’t stop collecting paychecks though.
That’s what I call a lack of professionalism.
Even more glaring is that Curry has absolutely no sense of the context of his situation, saying:
“I try not to think of the reasons because that’s so out of my control, it’s ridiculous.”
What is ridiculous is that Eddy could have played over the last two years if he just stayed in shape. What’s ridiculous is that Curry would collect close to $20 million over the last 2 years while playing in less than a handful of games because he couldn’t keep himself away from the feeding trough while he was hurt. What’s ridiculous is that he’s been healthy for all of several months and he thinks he can start making demands for playing time. What’s ridiculous is that he thinks keeping himself in the type of shape that is implied by a eight figure contract entitles him to call his lack of playing time ridiculous when it’s clear he damages the team.
But Curry’s failure to grasp the irony of his situation is really a tangential issue. The main issue is that Curry wants out. I’m sure the Knicks would love to trade him as badly as he wants to be traded, but the market for a still overweight, lead-footen, center who doesn’t block shots, rebound or play defense is about equivalent to the market for a 5′7 shooting guard with poor shot selection who doesn’t play D or pass. Especially when the Knicks aren’t taking back any contracts beyond this year.
If the Knicks could trade Curry they should have done it yesterday.
Instead there are two ways Curry could get out of his situation. The first is a buy-out.
I can’t claim to know how the collective bargaining agreement would treat a buyout the year before a player option. The Knicks should jump at the opportunity if as part of it, Curry forfeits his option year. The Knicks should give Curry 100% of this year’s salary in a lump sum under that circumstance and wish him the best of luck.
If that isn’t possible though under the collective bargaining agreement, or if Curry isn’t willing to go along with it, then he should explore the other way to escape from New York. His player option.
That seems like a non-starter though. As Curry said (via Berman):
“I would never [opt-out].”
Ok Eddy. Then you should get used to your spot at the end of the bench and collect your dozen or so million dollars next year from your courtside seat, whether you like it or not.
Update:
According to Larry Coon’s salary cap FAQ, after a buyout, the team’s cap number is adjusted downwards to reflect the buyout amount, rather than the original contract amount.
Also, after a bit of further research, it seems that it is possible to buy out an option year. The only provisos are that the player contract has to have a option buy-out clause and that the option buy-out clause cannot exceed 50% of the option year salary.
Thus, the Knicks and Curry could theoretically agree to buy out Curry’s option year but it could not for more than half his option year salary, which is about $11 million. In other words, f the Knicks bought out Curry to the maximum amount permitted under the CBA, they would save about 5.5 million under the 2010 cap.
Incidentally, they could do the same thing with Jeffries and save another 3.5 million or so based his approximate $7 million salary for his option year.
If the Knicks can’t trade either and either or both agree to such a buy-out, the Knicks are looking at another$3.5 to $9 million under the cap in 2010.
.
12/26/2009 9:30 AM