Culture of Hoops

New York Knicks’ World Peace open to trade

Image courtesy of Keith Allison/Flickr.

Image courtesy of Keith Allison/Flickr.

Baller Mind Frame’s No Layups brings you the hottest NBA stories on the web mixed with personal opinion from our very own Aaron Lanton. Check it often and absorb the knowledge we’re dropping on you!

Metta World Peace is in New York Knicks coach Mike Woodson’s doghouse and he’s unsure why. After returning from a blood-spinning procedure on Jan. 24, World Peace has seen little time in the rotation and now is open to getting traded, according to a league source.

After spending his career wanting to be traded to the Knicks, the defensive forward, who has been in and out of the rotation since December, wouldn’t mind being traded from the Knicks.

“He didn’t sign up for this,’’ one person close to him said.

When asked about whether he wanted to get dealt at the Feb. 20 deadline, World Peace said: “That’s up to my agent. I don’t worry about it. I’m optimistic about my future. … I’m not going to complain.’’

Another source said the possibility exists that Woodson was unhappy with World Peace after a recent practice, in which World Peace spoke up about his playing time, making a wisecrack. World Peace is a constant clown in the locker room, but Woodson took exception.

Agent Marc Cornstein said he hasn’t gotten a firm reason why World Peace has seen limited time after the Knicks gave the rest of their mid-level exception in signing the Queenbridge product in July. He has been relegated to mostly garbage time since returning from his platelet-rich plasma procedure. World Peace played the final five minutes of garbage time in Friday night’s rout, as the Knicks fell 117-90 to the Nuggets.

“I haven’t been given an answer,’’ Cornstein said. “Usually, I’ll get an answer, not always the one I want to hear. But I don’t have an answer for you on this.’’ New York Post

I am well-aware that a lot of media folk love Mike Woodson. He seems like a cool enough guy in the minute time we get to hear from him based on the Knicks’ media policy. Woodson is a weekly regular on the Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Rucco Show with ESPN New York, but rarely gets to say much outside of the appearances on that radio show. It is understandable why so many people have been Woodson apologists considering management issues, blah, blah, blah.

Here’s what I do not understand: why the hell is Meta World Peace not playing? I wrote about the Top 10 X Factors for Baller Mind Frame’s season preview and mentioned how managing minutes could be an issue.

 

A big deal is already being made about how horrible the defense will be with Amar’e Stoudemire and Bargnani on the court at the same time. I’m more concerned about how head coach Mike Woodson will find a way to spread out the minutes for forwards on the team who expect to play significant minutes: Andrea Bargnani, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Metta World Peace and Kenyon Martin. Also, J.R. Smith has to play and someone has to relieve Felton at point guard unless J.R. Smith is going to… no, nevermind. That’s a lot of huge egos to satisfy. Woodson also has to find a way to take advantage of Bargnani’s game without affecting the way Anthony likes to operate on the block. The Knicks have all the talent they need to contend in the East. It’s all up to Woodson now.

 

This is even more ridiculous considering that Andrea Bargnani is likely out for the remainder of the season. I do not believe that holding Woodson’s feet to the fire is disrespectful. All coaches have to deal with scrutiny when the team is not doing well. 

For the first time in a long time, Metta World Peace looks like the rational person in the room. – AL

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