Francis negotiating buyout, may then sign with Philly?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01092007/sports/knicks/putting_the_w_in_weird_knicks_peter_vecsey.htm
PUTTING THE 'W' IN WEIRD

January 9, 2007 -- I KNOW what you're thinking: It doesn't get any more bizarre.

Here are Isiah Thomas' 15-21 Knicks returning to Madison Square Garden tomorrow from a 2-3 road trip, with Nate Robinson back on active duty following a 10-game suspension, and the first callers are the 76ers, whose newly-appointed executive VP is none other than archenemy Larry (Gurney) Brown.

Weird is today's operative theme, that's for sure.

And a case can be made the weirdest part is that Brown has exhausted his lifetime supply of original next towns to frolic hither and yon. So, the former 76ers president/coach (a six-year tour; forever and a day in his tight travel schedule) is forced to bolt to the same places all over again.

However, that argument is invalid. You want ultimate weirdness, see how this grabs you: A source claims the Knicks and Steve Francis - exiled to Houston supposedly to rehab a tender knee - are discussing a contract buyout; what remains of this season's $15 million salary and the next two, $16.44M and $17.8M.

Actually, that in itself is not all that weird, or scarcely surprising considering Maurice Taylor and Jalen Rose already have taken that route, and Francis is a duplication of Stephon Marbury. At least two columns, maybe three, were committed to condemning the acquisition of Francis the week leading up to the exchange of the expiring pact of Penny Hardaway and Trevor (eight straight double-figure scoring efforts for the Magic) Ariza.

Everybody and his rollers recognized Francis didn't qualify as a lid to the Knicks' pot. Everybody, that is, except Thomas, and by the looks of things, Brown too, which I queasily admit is news to me.

A seamless segue to the perfectly peculiar part of this latest development: According to the same source, stage two of Francis' buyout conversation, coordinated by agent Jeff Fried, is dialogue with Brown about his client joining the 76ers after he clears waivers.

Say it ain't so! For months I've maintained "Play the game the right way" Brown never would've endorsed such procurement, much less initiated it. Has Billy King seconded this motion? If so, does that mean he's back under the influence of Brown and no longer in charge? If not, is the Sixers president aware of the talk? That's just what David Stern needs, another team management matter to arbitrate.

Brown is responsible for putting the "W" in weird.

Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, a report surfaced last week the 76ers were discussing a contract buyout ($20.72M/$22.3M) of Chris Webber.

King refused to comment on the Webber matter to the local media and failed to respond to my e-mail or an earlier phone call about something else. More evidence Brown is back wielding the weight. I figured it'd be a waste of time to contact him regarding Francis.

It's no secret Webber and Thomas are boys. When he was a free agent four years ago, Thomas' Pacers were one of the few teams C-Web seriously considered playing for; in fact, he went through a whole interview process with Indiana before re-signing with Sacramento.

When (not if) Webber's buyout agreement is finalized, I'll be shocked if he doesn't wind up a Knick for at least the remainder of the season.

Between Thomas and Brown, they're weirdin' me out.

This just in: Francis is so eager to rejoin Brown he has volunteered to make up the difference for what Larry surrendered in his settlement with James Dolan.

That brings us back to Robinson, Thomas' pet rock-head. He was quoted the other day as saying this was the first time he'd ever been suspended.

"It hurt. I'll learn from my mistakes."

Oh, really?

A Knicks source claims Brown suspended Robinson a game last season, though the team kept it on the down low. Instead, beat reporters were told he was home sick. I believe it was Dec. 17, a Pacers victory at the Garden. He was benched the next game as well, a loss to the Spurs, the Knicks' seventh straight.

Why was The Gadget banished, you ask? On the charter from Atlanta (122-111, Hawks) to New York, Robinson bombarded teammates and other team personnel with spit balls.

So, Thomas says he worked on the ingenuous "Eddy Offense" for five weeks before installing it? Five weeks! I guess the False Prophet forgot Eddy Curry averaged 16.1 points his last season for the playoff-bound Bulls. I assume Scott Skiles had concocted a way for his center to score, which must've contributed to Chicago's success to some extent.

Hardly a day goes by that Thomas fails to insult our intelligence. I've got news for him; there are fifth graders who are pretty tall. How long does he think it takes their coaches to design a game plan to "throw it in to the tall kid?"

"Imagine if it really did take him five weeks to come up with the 'Eddy Offense' " underlines Ballalot 3, an e-mail column contributor. "That'd be really sad."

peter.vecsey@nypost.com

 

If Francis gets the buyout the Rockets should take a good hard look at him.

DD

 

wow, larry brown is an uber jerk. Nate Robinson got suspended for shooting spitballs on the team charter last year. Way to be a micro manager larry.

 

If he could commit on D and reduce his turnovers by 60% then hell ya. IF...

 

C'mon. I'd rather give the minutes to Span.

 

Since this is a column by Vecsey, it is probably pointless to comment on it, because it is likely completely made up anyway. But, if Philly wanted to get rid of Webber, and the Knicks wanted him, and if NY wanted to get rid of Francis and Philly wanted him, why wouldn't the two teams trade? NY would have to throw in a scrub to make salaries match, but that seems a lot better than agreeing to a buy-out (not that I think they are doing one).

 

Francis following Iverson is on Par with Brent Barry having to follow Jordan.

It's doomed from the start.

and no Dada, we should not take a look at Francis. He has not changed and if you followed his trail in NY you would see that professionalism has never set in with him.

Speaking of his lack of professionalism, I'm amazed at his love for Larry Brown. I mean, every time a coach has ever asked anything of him, he whines like a b****. What does he think Larry Brown will do? Lavish praise upon him for his wonderful record label?

 

no way, I'd take him. at least he can make a shot.

 

We don't need another scorer. We already have Tmac, Yao, Head and JHo. We need a playmaker like Span, and we don't definitely need a greedy, immature and knucklehead player like Steve. Plus his defense is malnurish.

 

OMG, Rafer must REALLY suck if the original Steve hater is willing to replace him with Francis...

 

i'm with dadakota. hes in a tight seat right now, an all-star to a bench player is hard for anyone especaily someone with his kind of heart. i'm pretty sure he'll do anything to resurect his carreer. basketball players are human too

 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Francis is a cancer, he is a loser who will never win.

We need a point gaurd who protects the ball, can hit a spot up 3 and plays strong D for 4 quarters.

Francis=no no and no

 

See,

I agree that Francis is not a leader, but on a team with Tmac, I think he would be FAR more effective than Rafer.

And, he can shoot the 3 and finish around the rim much better.

Steve would play well with Yao and Tmac.....IMHO

DD

 

You may be right but I am not willing to cut anyone other than Sura for Steve and I think the Rockets will be shoping Sura's contract for players who can help

 

Unless he's finally changed his game, like the "glove", and accept being a role player might be worth a minimum contract...

 

he was a role player in new york. its hilarious, he can't win. he didn't shoot or score a lot in new york, deferred to curry, richardson, and crawford, and people said he was a waste of money. he fit in on that team as best he could. its hard when the pieces don't really fit.

 

Hell to the no and back to hell again. He can't shoot past 18ft, plays no D, and is a turnover prone shoot first PG. Rafer has better handles, is a better decision maker, a better outside shooter, and puts forth more effort on D.

 

not arguing he should be brought back btw. but francis has been reduced to a role player, for better or worse since the beginning of last season. I think even his myopia can accept he's not a star anymore.

 

vecseysux