While we don't walk or run in Allans shoes, is he cooked, or does Dolan/Isiah want his insurance policy money? We don't get any relief from cap, and Allan has been out now a real long time. Given what he is paid, it mist seem like forever!

Allan was a rock his whole career, this sad if true!

Time to draft another guard?

I hope Isiah handles this one well! (running Allan out of town!)

The thing with Houston, he was rushed back yet again.

He had to play starter's mintues because Anderson was cut from the team when Craw and Penny went down at the same time.

That really set him back.

Now he has his thing again, as in "I was rushed back to play 30 min to soon, even though I was promised to play 10 until I was really ready", I got betrayed by the coahing staff.

So now he is just lookin out for himself only, and basically thinks that, OK, I'm just not going to come back this year, seat out untill I'm 100% and can play 30+ minutes and come back next year.

But the problem with line of thinking, is that he CAN play 10-15 minutes of the bench, and would give us a huge boost with his outside shooting. And more importantly, he might NEVER be able to play more minutes then he can now. But he is basically in denial about that and thinks that with "not being rushed back for the first time" he would return to past "glory", even though all he ever was was really a jumps shooter, and then on a terrible team he got to be the man, something that never should have happened.

its awfully tough to let a guy making $20mm be a jump shooting role players for 10-15 minutes a game. If thats all he can give you I would say its Houston's obligation to retire and let MSG and co collect insurance money.

I think Isiah said the fair and honest things... Houston has a progressive injury. Rest doesnt cure an arthritic condition. Moving forward assuming H20 wont be around is the smart thing to do. Thus is life

Posted by simrud:

The thing with Houston, he was rushed back yet again.

He had to play starter's mintues because Anderson was cut from the team when Craw and Penny went down at the same time.

That really set him back.

Now he has his thing again, as in "I was rushed back to play 30 min to soon, even though I was promised to play 10 until I was really ready", I got betrayed by the coahing staff.

So now he is just lookin out for himself only, and basically thinks that, OK, I'm just not going to come back this year, seat out untill I'm 100% and can play 30+ minutes and come back next year.

But the problem with line of thinking, is that he CAN play 10-15 minutes of the bench, and would give us a huge boost with his outside shooting. And more importantly, he might NEVER be able to play more minutes then he can now. But he is basically in denial about that and thinks that with "not being rushed back for the first time" he would return to past "glory", even though all he ever was was really a jumps shooter, and then on a terrible team he got to be the man, something that never should have happened.

First off, he wasn't rushed back. He was cleared by both his doctors and the Knicks doctors. The second problem was he didn't have timely surgery 2 years ago to stop the problem before it got worse, another decision he made against the Knicks wishes. The problem was that Houston used a bogus rehab specialist, "a high jumper trainer". This was done against the Knicks' wishes and his own doctor had concerns. He will never be 100%, he has a chronic condition, there is no cure. You have to learn to play through the pain. He should just talk to current teammate Penny, past teammate Ewing, and Chris Webber about it.

Houston has made a ton of mistakes and I agree that he doesnt want to play through pain. This however is not a time to point out Houston's mistakes. It is time to provide him with as much moral support as possible to want to stay around so that we can trade him. If things dont improve, it is time to convince him to retire early. He should be resting in his condition. He shouldnt be trying to come out and shoot jump shots. Anything that gets him out of a Knick uniform is the right way to go right now and I think Isiah realizes that.

I didn't mean to come off as insensitive to his condition. Because I like Houston, but I don't like the fact that he has made his condition worse off, he has now convinced himself that he is right, and now Grant Hill is his inspiration, but he is confused. Grant Hill could not play because he multiple surgeries that he was recovering from. I understand that any player worth anything will always want to play and I think he does. But to now convince yourself that you will not retire and you won't come back until you are 100% is really irrational. His doctors told him that the pain will be there. Now I am religious person myself but to just believe that God will alone help you get back to 100% is irrational. He is still not rehabing like he should be. I blame the Knicks for this though, he is employee, he shouldn't be allow to make decisions like that for himself. But like Marbury to Isiash, Houston is to Dolan.

Posted by Nalod:

Could be just two sides postering for the upperhand in a buyout scenario.

Allan needs to say he is coming back, Dolan/Mills needs to show him enough money to convince him otherwise.

I don't know enough about his condition to render an opinion about surgery. If it would help, he could do it now and still rehab before next season.

Of course given Allans strong faith he might be convinced that his contract is a sin and its gods way of telling him its wrong and needs to retire! If true, Miss Gazy needs "the exorcist"!

You usually need a full year off from microfracture surgery, and that's if your 25. If Allan had the same surgery now and didn't rush things, I doubt he'd be playing for much of next season.

Posted by Nalod:

He would need mircrofracture Surgery?

What is his condition at this point?

If he just arthritic, there ain't nothing to do.

Im sure its nice to say "its in gods hands", but now that "god" has spoken, its not in "Isiahs" hands.

I was talking about *if* he needs microfracture surgery again. I have no idea what his condition is at this point. No one ever tells the media.

If Houston cant come back and be a 30-35mm a night player he's obligated to retire. If he wants to come back and be a light bench player he should except a buy out where the Knicks pay him something like $8mm for the last two years. If he retires (pending and NBA docs approval) he gets all his cash.

Isiah is right. If you cant perform at the level you are paid to (did he ever?) you should move on. This is economics 101

Just a thought. Maybe Houston actually likes to play? Granted that may not the best decision for the greater good of the team/business. But I wouldn't be a little surprised if he does decide to retire, there'd be stamped, in Big Bold letters, the word S-U-C-K-E-RRRRR right on his forehead.

Yeah, moral obligations play no part in these decisions. It was a busines contract offered to him which he signed, with both party's fully aware of the possibilities. NBA contracts are guaranteed and they both knew that. Would you take 8 million when you were owed 20? I doubt it. I wouldn't do it, that guy is a billionaire and I wouldn't feel sorry fo him.