Shandon Anderson : Nice Work, If You Can Get It



The Daily News' Frank Isola reports on scuttlebutt (damn, so good to use that word again) that the New York Knicks are so sick of Shandon Anderson, he's been told to steer clear of training camp.

Isiah Thomas is so committed to removing Shandon Anderson from his life that he is willing to give him $24 million not to play basketball.

According to a Knicks source, Thomas informed the veteran guard not to report to work come Monday, the first official day of training camp. That move would appear to be a first step in negotiating a buyout agreement with Anderson, who has three years remaining on his contract worth $24 million.




However, Thomas, the Knicks' president, said last night that the team has no plans to "give money for nothing."

"There will not be a buyout," Thomas added. "You can count on that."

Without going into details, Thomas seemed to suggest that Anderson will remain on the roster but would not be welcomed around the team. In the meantime, the Knicks will continue to explore trade possibilities for their unwanted player.

Anderson fell out of favor with both Thomas and coach Lenny Wilkens last season, culminating with the player blowing off his exit interview with them in April. Anderson became so disenchanted with the franchise that he also skipped several mandatory charity events.

A rift between Anderson and the Knicks' top basketball officials began in January when Anderson's streak of 543 consecutive games played - the longest such streak in the league at the time - ended in Atlanta, his hometown. The following day, Anderson missed a game against Miami due to a migraine headache and was sent home.

Anderson has a history of migraine headaches but has managed to play despite the pain. That night, the Knicks insisted that he return home and they scheduled a MRI exam for 24 hours later. Thomas then wanted Anderson to go on the injured list but he refused, claiming he wasn't hurt.

In March, after a loss to the Bulls in Chicago, Wilkens publicly blamed Anderson for the defeat, saying the forward had ignored his instructions to foul with 26 seconds left and the Knicks trailing by two. Anderson appeared incredulous when informed of Wilkens' comments, saying, "I could be honest with you but nothing good is going to come out of it." Several players, including Stephon Marbury, said Wilkens never had told the team to foul.

On another occasion, Thomas, who likes to have a close relationship with his players, became infuriated when Anderson refused to acknowledge him as the two passed in the hallway outside the Knicks' locker room.

Posted: Fri - October 1, 2004 at 09:34 AM      

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