<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Steve Francis made it clear: By next season, if he's not starting, he'd rather be departing. The Knick guard yesterday said he'll willingly go to the bench when Quentin Richardson returns, which ironically could come tonight at Orlando, the team that just traded him a month ago. But three-time All-Star added that, if he's not starting next season, the Knicks should trade him. Then, after Larry Brown said Francis would have to earn back his job in training camp, Francis went out and spit the bit in a the Knicks' 114-109 loss to Toronto. Stevie Franchise? Try Stevie Disenfranchised. "Hopefully next year it'll change," said Francis, who had only come off the bench three times in his career before this season. "This summer we'll be able to evaluate more what my role is. I don't plan on coming off the bench next year. "If it's a situation where they don't feel I'm a starting player on this team, it'll be good to go in a different direction. "It's not a big issue now. [November] is when it'll be an issue. I'm not trippin' on it." Brown's response? "I'm happy he wants to start. That's why you have training camp," said the Knick coach, who praised Francis' willingness to come off the bench. "He'll be in a position to earn the right to play. I'm glad he wants to be in that position." Francis has struggled with Brown's disciplined, half-court system, averaging just 12.4 ppg with the Knicks. He didn't score until 1:28 left in the half, and got showered with boos after back-to-back turnovers in the third. And his defense on Mike James, who barely broke a sweat scoring 37 points, was even worse. After James made Stephon Marbury look silly with a crossover and basket with 4:43 left in the half, Brown put Francis on James. But after the Amityville, L.I., native dominated Francis even worse; and after a half-hearted effort fighting through a third-quarter screen, Francis played just one minute in the fourth. "We're not playing an open style. We're more ball movement, and Larry's not much different," said Magic assistant GM Otis Smith. "I don't think he's lost confidence. He's just still adjusting to different styles." Brown acknowledged that Francis has struggled in the halfcourt and when playing off the ball, but insists he can co-exist with Marbury. "Right now it's a struggle. The more I see him the more I think he needs the ball on the break, running the team; and it's hard when you come in midseason. He's going to need training camp," Brown said. "They could be very effective, but I'm trying to figure out how. "When Pearl [Monroe] came I don't think it was smooth from the start with Clyde [Frazier]. Guys have got to make adjustments and sacrifice. I'm sure Red [Holzman] had to get an understanding of how to use them. Hopefully we'll find that." </div> NY POST
What a cry baby Francis is and yet he got himself in this position!.....if he didn't act like a child, skip out on practices for B-day parties, and other senseless dribble maaaaybe I would have more respect for him. The fact still remains though that he has not shown WHY he should start, so he better start showing why he should start.
