Knicks Shop Randolph to Bucks & Nets

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Zach Randolph came to the Knicks well aware he had to make some adjustments in his personal life and, perhaps, with his game. The question would constantly be asked how he would conform his game to work with Eddy Curry.

Randolph's history of off-the-court trouble seemed to have been left behind in Portland, but this thing about conformity just isn't sitting well with him on the hardwood. It's not just about how he plays with Curry, but how Isiah Thomas is playing him. He isn't the only player who gets frustrated in the whatever-works-for-us-tonight philosophy Thomas employs, but he's one of the few who is open to discussing it.

The Knicks were back to a more conventional rotation in last night's game against the halfcourt-based Lakers here at Staples Center, but Randolph doesn't like how Thomas is so quick to yank him or Curry when teams go with smaller, quicker lineups against the Knicks.

"Nah, that ain't the right way," Randolph said. "The right way - how I know, coaches I had in the NBA and in college - they tell me we don't care how we match up, they gotta match up to us. That's what I learned playing in the NBA and college."

In Sunday's loss to up-tempo Golden State, Thomas kept Randolph and Curry on the bench for long stretches because, he said, of the Warriors' small lineup. After he put up seven points, five assists and four rebounds in 20:06 of the first half against the Warriors, Randolph had just two points, one assist and three rebounds in 12:52 of the second half.

He played a little more than half of the fourth quarter, but wasn't on the floor in the final 5:57 of the game.

"I don't know, coach took us out," Randolph said. "You have to ask him, he's the one who took us out. I was playing hard, playing defense. I guess he just wanted to go another way."

There has been an ongoing debate between Thomas and Randolph, who was acquired on draft night last June to fill a hole at power forward. Randolph has had words with Thomas on the bench and also has ignored him. He has also wondered aloud why Thomas brought him to the Knicks in the first place. Randolph entered last night's game averaging a double-double (16.9 points and 10.3 rebounds) in 32.6 minutes per game, but while his rebounding is the highest it's been in four seasons, his points and minutes were his lowest in five seasons.

Though Thomas has denied it, the Knicks put Randolph on the trading block a few weeks ago to see what type of interest he would get. The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly offered a package that included Charlie Villanueva and the Nets offered Vince Carter. The Knicks turned down both deals.

Notes & quotes: Though it's far-fetched to think the Nets would trade Jason Kidd to their rivals across the Hudson - or that Kidd would want to go there - that doesn't stop Thomas from looking into the possibility now that Kidd has made his trade request official. "Our business is to find out," Thomas said yesterday. "When players are on the market, you try to find out."</div>

Source: Newsday