NY Post Isiah Thomas said Davis has no choice, but that's likely a buyout negotiating ploy. The Bulls will re-sign him if the Knicks buy out a portion of Davis' expiring contract. Davis is set to make $13.7 million this season. "I don't want to stand in his way if he doesn't feel comfortable," Brown said of Davis. "I'd be disappointed. But you don't want somebody who doesn't want to be here. If it's not in his best interests, we'll move on. He's got to be devastated. He's got [his wife] and the kids settled there." Playing bad cop, Thomas said Davis "has no choice. This isn't charity." Davis' buyout would leave the Knicks with 14 guaranteed contracts, one less than the maximum allowed. Yesterday's signee, forward Matt Barnes, a good defender who played for Sacramento and Philadelphia last season, could make the roster. Source
This is disappointing to see Antonio Davis complain about the trade. He was one of the main negotiators for the players union in the new CBA, and one of the new rules everyone agreed on was to punish players who didn't want to report or demanded to be traded or waived. He should be setting the right example by accepting the trade and looking forward to helping the Knicks. If he really doesn't like it in New York, he can leave after this season and re-sign with the Bulls. Antonio Davis would definitely help the Knicks this season. He would be the starting PF, and would bring something to the Knicks defense it didn't have last season. Toughness and consistency. He's the ideal player Larry Brown likes using to anchor his defense, and he would give the Knicks another player with size in the post. The frontline of Curry, James, and AD is solid and a good mix of offense and defense. Without AD, the Knicks will have to start Curry or James out of position at PF, or be forced to use an undersized player at the position like Malik Rose or Mo Taylor, or a rookie Channing Frye or David Lee.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">This is disappointing to see Antonio Davis complain about the trade. He was one of the main negotiators for the players union in the new CBA, and one of the new rules everyone agreed on was to punish players who didn't want to report or demanded to be traded or waived. He should be setting the right example by accepting the trade and looking forward to helping the Knicks. If he really doesn't like it in New York, he can leave after this season and re-sign with the Bulls. </div> I'm pretty sure Isiah expected Davis to take such a stand on this trade since he literarly begged Grunwald to trade him to Chicago when he was a Raptor to stay with his family. Isiah isn't a pushover however, and I think he'll just keep him untill he learns his lesson because it's pretty obvious that he'll sign with Chicago next offseason if he doesn't retire. I think it'll be a good lesson for all players if Zeke holds on to him, even if it means sitting on the IL for the enitre season.
ironic...this was a day or two after larry Brown was saying how essential and significant Davis would be as a veteran influence on the Knicks...
