Although he only played a few minutes, he looked decent. Obviously he’s out of shape – especially for D’Antoni’s system – but he wasn’t massively out of shape. He scored two points and pulled down two rebounds in his three minutes and hit his only attempt from the field.

Can Eddy Curry become relevant in the fantasy basketball world again? Probably not this year, but there’s a chance. If he can get in D’Antoni’s good graces, there’s nothing quite as fantasy friendly as D’Antoni’s offense.

However, it’s tough to imagine Curry playing the 25+ minutes per game necessary to become fantasy relevant. He’s never been known as a player who likes to run the court, which is a required attribute for a player with these Knicks.

Realistically, Curry’s best chance of becoming fantasy relevant this season is via trade. If he lands somewhere else (the Bobcats have been mentioned), he could see big minutes again and put up decent stats. Though if you are picking him up, you should check out the turnovers and missed free throws he accumulates before making your decision.

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Eddy Curry, New York Knicks
Eddy Curry is a big, strong center who has had quality moments in the NBA. However, in the fantasy basketball world, he’s not worth much. He scores decently and shoots for a good percentage, but all of that is negated by poor free throw shooting, high turnovers and low numbers in rebounds, blocks, assists and steals.

Shaquille O’Neal, Phoenix Suns
Although he may be one of the best players in NBA history, Shaquille O’Neal isn’t much of a fantasy basketball player. His horrendous free throw shooting can be deadly to just about any fantasy team in existence. Shaq also turns the ball over a lot and he has a lengthy injury history.

Jason Collins, Memphis Grizzlies
Jason Collins is one of the best post defenders in the NBA. He’s also a smart guy and a great teammate. The problem is that none of that matters in fantasy basketball. When it comes to stats, Collins doesn’t do much of anything. He has started a lot of games over the years but he’s basically worthless in fantasy basketball.

Quinton Ross, Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers use Quinton Ross as their perimeter stopper. Problem is Ross doesn’t do much of anything offensively. He doesn’t shoot for a high percentage or make three-pointers. Ross also doesn’t impact the game in any defensive statistic. Good NBA player. Bad fantasy player.

Photo: Newscom

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While the rebuilding the Knicks will be extremely difficult, D’Antoni has a president who believes in him and who will rebuild the team around D’Antoni’s vision. Down the road, there’s a good chance that D’Antoni will have the Knicks running and gunning – just like the Suns.

Which current players fit D’Antoni’s run and gun coaching style? David Lee is a natural fit as a guy who can run and score without having plays called for him. Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford like to run. Wilson Chandler and Renaldo Balkman are both long and athletic, traits D’Antoni likes. Quentin Richardson is a former Sun who had arguably the best year of his career under D’Antoni.

The two players who don’t fit at all are Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph. Curry and Randolph are slow, halfcourt type players who will need to be moved. Stephon Marbury is a question mark but he’s not the pass-first type point guard that D’Antoni prefers.

The Knicks could turn around quickly if the team is able to draft Derrick Rose out of Memphis. Rose is a pass-first point guard who could play a Steve Nash type role for D’Antoni. The Knicks will have to hop to land a top two pick in the 2008 NBA Draft to have a shot at Rose.

Mike D’Antoni, head coach – New York Knicks

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