BY ALAN HAHN
Newsday Staff Correspondent

January 18, 2007

WASHINGTON - Steve Francis' D.C.-based agent, Jeff Fried, met yesterday with Isiah Thomas, but the two did not discuss either a buyout or a potential trade to move the guard. Instead, Fried updated Thomas on the situation with Francis' ailing knee - there still is no timeframe for his return - and the two decided to leave it at that.


BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

There is still a possibility that Steve Francis will be bought out at some point. Francis has told people close to him that he and the Knicks have had preliminary discussions about a buyout but that the two sides can't agree on terms of a potential settlement. According to the Knicks, Francis remains in Houston on a rehab assignment.

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If he is bought out it will kill any feasible/realistic chance to land a big chip.

That's fine with me. The less options Isiah has available the better he does.

Posted by gunsnewing:

Its fine with me because no one is going to want Francis and his contract anyway unless we're getting hosed in yet another deal

more specifically, i think we'd have to give up a ****load of picks to move francis. no thanks.

Posted by Masterplan:

Posted by gunsnewing:

Its fine with me because no one is going to want Francis and his contract anyway unless we're getting hosed in yet another deal

more specifically, i think we'd have to give up a ****load of picks to move francis. no thanks.

Exactly. I don't understand how someone is allowed to keep their job when they just cost the company almost half a billion with no shot of adding a superstar via free-agency, trade or draft. Imagine what the chance to add a star young player would do for NY regarding ticket sales, merchandise and hype. I know Dolan makes so much money that he doesn't care but come on! even Billionaires are always looking for ways to make more money!

Isiah already made the mistake of taking a big gamble on Marbury a few years back & taking on Penny's contract in the process... i can't blame Dolan for wanting to put an end to moves like this.

that would entail playing Francis & giving him the minutes to show that he can still be effective, which would undoubtedly negatively effect Marbury's play in the process... sometimes simply cutting bait & admitting your mistake is the better option... that's what we really should be doing w/Big Turd's contract too.

maybe the Knicks are better off w/o Ray Allen & the 4 years of his maxed out contract too?

I say keep francis rehabbing- don't do a buy out unless you can shave money off and save the company money.

What happens if Q's back acts up and Marbury gets hurt again- I forget which game it was, but MSG showed him getting up, rubbing the shoulder he hurt last year.

I know we might be fine with Crawford, Nate and Collins- but in the above scenario- I'd love to have Francis to step in. He was showing flashes of having gotten how to play before being hurt.

Posted by TMS:

maybe the Knicks are better off w/o Ray Allen & the 4 years of his maxed out contract too?

if the plan is to start getting under the cap in 3yrs than I agree. But then why was Isiah allowed to throw the full MLE at Jeffries this past offseason? I'd rather go after Ray and see how he works with Curry, Marbury & Lee that is a hell of a team. Not a definite lock for a championship but an exciting one that would bring us back to repectability and improve the play and attitude of every single player on the team. And when your guys are playing well its easier to make trades. I think its much better than stockpiling on garbage players no one wants and continuing to have losing seasons