KNICK NOTES
CHARLOTTE – Larry Brown admitted it’s no picnic managing the roster of high-salaried players. The Knicks’ 17-44 record proves it.
The Knicks’ league-high payroll never looked so out of place than last night, when they battled Charlotte for the rights for NBA’s worst record – a dubious distinction the Knicks came away with after their 116-109 loss.
The Bobcats, in their second year, have a $33 million payroll. The Knicks’ payroll is $92M higher – at $125M.
“When you have guys making a lot of money, they expect to play,” Brown said before the game. “So, that’s different. I don’t worry about what guys make. You worry about the contribution they make to your team. Guys making a lot of money, doesn’t always equate to wins. And I don’t think I’ve ever been asked to play guys because they’re getting paid a lot. You play the guys you think can help you win some games.”
Brown said he’s never before coached a team with a high payroll.
“This team’s mentality is different than any I’ve ever coached,” Brown said. “That’s for sure. But we’re losing games, so, that can be expected. When you’re on a team that loses games, everybody thinks they should be playing. Young players generally sit on the bench and wait their turn. This is just a whole different ballgame right now.”
Because of trade rules, Brown acknowledged it’s difficult to make deals for much-needed, lower-salaried role players – with the contracts they have.
“The way trades are made, you’ve got to match salaries,” Brown said. “Sometimes, when you have long-term contracts for a lot of money, it’s difficult to make changes as quickly as maybe you’d like or as quickly as you deem necessary. We want to worry about that when the season’s over. Obviously, with our record, you’re going to have to look to make some changes. I’m sure Isiah [team president Thomas] is carefully looking at that.”
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With March Madness upon us and Brown back on Tobacco Road where it all started for him at UNC, he says he’ll follow the NCAA Tournament closely.
Yesterday, Brown delayed his pregame meeting with reporters until the end of UNC’s loss to BC.
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The Knicks have two late first-round picks – Denver’s and San Antonio’s. Yesterday, Thomas was in L.A. watching the Pac 10 tournament.
