[NY Post] Lee Miffed About Return To Bench

rady

Administrator
Staff member
David Lee appeared displeased by Isiah Thomas' statement that he will be heading to the bench shortly, when Jared Jeffries and Channing Frye make their returns.

Lee, the team's most popular and scrappiest player, had always followed the company line, so his remarks were very significant.

"I'm surprised he's already made the decision," said Lee, who's started at power forward since Frye sprained his ankle 10 days ago.


http://www.knicksonline.com/teaser/5928/lee-miffed-about-return-to-bench.html

 

Starks

Starter
Okay. so we bench are most popular and hardest working player.. Yea, thats a great message. Things are going to get extremely ugly..and I mean fast
 

paris401

Starter
i sorta agree.. i think that jefferies and frye should get a starting job by earning it back when they are healthy.

normally a player does not lose his job because of an injury, but these are not normal times here in knick-land.

the team is dying for players who show up every night, and so far this year that's q-rich and lee... and recently i guess curry..

some guys will have a bruised ego being the 6th or 7th man... tough shit...
 

20 is a CROOK

Benchwarmer
I totally agree, David Lee and Balkman hustle their asses off which is more then i can say for anyone else on the team, besides maybe Q rich. Frye should not get his job back and jeffries never had it. Yea he was IT's "big" offseason signing but he has never played with the other guys and im sure he will be rusty. If i was Lee i would be pissed too, the guy averages almost a double double and your gonna bench him. thats bullshit.
 

theknicks3

Benchwarmer
i love lee as a player, he is hardworking and someone I would want in the starting line up.

Alot would disagree with me, but I think we could package QRich and Marbury or Francis for two capable players. I think this is something we should look at. I cant see this same roster winning the playoffs unless something like this is done. The only trade bait we have...

QRich - keep playing him, trade him for someone we can see has chemistry with other players.

Frye - injured value gone down.

Lee - We should sleep on Lee, I like him and see him in the future lineup at PF with Curry.

Who agrees./disagrees with this
 

dr.carpy

Benchwarmer
David Lee should shut up and go back to the bench. When you come off the bench (secondary player) you know that when an injured starter is returning he won't lose his position to injury. Lee has been effective, but his bitching does nothing for team chemistry, which at times seems very tenuous at best. If this was Stephon Marbury unfortunately everyone would be on him for being a bad teammate. Lee knew this was temp job, so really he has no reason to act out this way.
 

rady

Administrator
Staff member
I don't think Lee can be blamed for what he said. And what did he said in fact?
"Let's put it this way, I don't think it's a compliment. At the same time, I respect his judgment on whatever he decides to do, whether coming off the bench or playing. I'd like to think I can bring that consistent energy if I start or I'm off the bench."

Honestly, that's not bitching ;)
 

paris401

Starter
Alot would disagree with me, but I think we could package QRich and Marbury or Francis for two capable players. I think this is something we should look at. I cant see this same roster winning the playoffs unless something like this is done. The only trade bait we have...

i partly agree with ya.. q-rich is probably our best trading chip/bait. on the other hand, he and lee are the only guys who seem to play hard every night, so trading him probably hurts us in the short run, but depending on who is aquired for him, it could help us in the long run... decisions/decisions...

as to packaging 'Q' with one of our point guards, i don't think there is a market for either... both have a lot of baggage tagging along with them... namely $ 40m (give of take a couple of $$$) owed over the next two years..

if u are a contender and aquiring 'starbury' or franchise puts u over the top, then maybe u look at them, but does anyone really think that a contender is going to look at either of those guys and think they are the answer?? i don't .

if u are not a contender, what the hell will either guy give u for $40m??.. they ain't making u an upper tier team, so u mite as well go with guys making a lot less..

if I.Thomas can move either of them, in my mind he is G.M. of the year.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

datruth

Your Best Bet is B Ez
I totally agree, David Lee and Balkman hustle their asses off which is more then i can say for anyone else on the team, besides maybe Q rich. Frye should not get his job back and jeffries never had it. Yea he was IT's "big" offseason signing but he has never played with the other guys and im sure he will be rusty. If i was Lee i would be pissed too, the guy averages almost a double double and your gonna bench him. thats bullshit.

well jefferies wasnt going big on the offense, so i dont think rust will be a problem to a defender, i guess the speed of the game but he 4 yyear plus in the league so it shoulndt be a problem, and anyway david lee is still gonna get big minutes, just that energy he brings off the bench is needed and david lee is better off playing other teams 2nd unit
 

sxmarbury516

Benchwarmer
Thomas was kinda messed up singling out Lee like that. especially when hes playing better then pretty much everyone on the team. what has Frye done so good that makes him a lock as a starter? nothing that ive seen. and the more time is going by the more he is reminding me of Kenyon Martin. not the style of play but the inconsistency and how he has been injury prone.

Lee- 10.7PPG 8.9RPG
Frye- 7.6PPG 5.5 RPG

channing needs to prove he can play @ the level he did the begining of last season on a steady basis. the truth is he hasn't yet. and carpy take it ez. if anything lee bit his toungue when questioned by the media. he was very professional about it.

our starters get us in a hole early mainly because of rebounding. frye next to curry allows the opposition to rip down boards on both ends of the court @ ease. lee allows curry to worry more about his offense and getting up and down the court then chasing rebounds. i dont care whatchu say ... David Lee is a better man for the job.
 

Starks

Starter
David Lee should shut up and go back to the bench. When you come off the bench (secondary player) you know that when an injured starter is returning he won't lose his position to injury. Lee has been effective, but his bitching does nothing for team chemistry, which at times seems very tenuous at best. If this was Stephon Marbury unfortunately everyone would be on him for being a bad teammate. Lee knew this was temp job, so really he has no reason to act out this way.

jeesh, relax. Lee's comment was shrewd and very proffesional. Ever read quotes by otther NBA players these days?? Bootom line is that David Lee is a self-groomed NBA Proffesional
 

BallHead

Benchwarmer
Lessons must be learned...

Now I love D. Lee as a player and our starting PF. I think that should be his role for the sake of chemistry with curry. However, he is the second-to-last person I thought would make the comment he did.

When NYK began the season, they began as a team. Everyone knew their roles and embraced it for better or worse. His would be to play off the bench and everything that comes with it. I knew things were going to get ugly when Al Trautwig asked Lee what he thought was the reason for Curry's recent string of dominant play. Lee responded "Other than me starting. Nah just kiddin". -------WHATTTTTTT!!!!!!!!

Now he makes the comment that he's surprised that IT has made "that" decision already. -------WHATTTTT!!!!!!! Isaiah made the decision a month ago when the season started.

Can anyone see the knife in Channing's back (best friend on the team). Can anyone see the knife in Isaiah's back (the one who saw his potential and drafted him). Obviously Lee is going for self which only means certain disaster. As a matter of fact he's stabbing in the gut, out in the open.

TO HELL WITH THE LOCKERROOM PLAY MEEEEEEE. EVERYMAN FOR HIMSELF, THE SHIP IS SINKING.
 

dr.carpy

Benchwarmer
I made my point. If you took the same quote from Lee and put Marbury or Francis, everyone would be losing their minds. That's the truth. Has anyone here ever spoken out about their boss? NO! Why? It's considered to be...UNPROFESSIONAL!! It is inexecuseable. No comment or a private meeting with Isiah is how Lee should have expressed himself. You don't do that in the papers. Ballhead is right, as I also stated in my previous post, chemistry is key. So to all the people who think I should take it easy, answer one question. How does Lee's comments help chemistry? Frye spreads the floor when he is on. Lee has no jumper to speak of, and primary scores off work created by our guards. His shooting percentage is high because he scores at the cup. Ultimately, we will need a PF that has inside/outside versatility. That is Frye when he is on.
 
Last edited:

easyrider

Rookie
It's a good sign to see a player react like that. It proves that he's really concerned and motivate to reach a better level and some responsabilities in the team... Who's could prefer a player happy to get back on the bench to start??? All the rest is newspapers stories...
 

sxmarbury516

Benchwarmer
channing knows lee is playin better basketball than him right now. i cant see him arguin that. and bein that they are close friends lee knew frye wouldnt take it to heart. he said the 1st thing that came into his head. should he have been excited to be going back to the bench? trautwig asked him that knowing w/e his response was the media would have fun with it. ny reporters r ruthless n like to start drama so they have something to write about. after tonite Lee is 2nd in the LEAGUE in fg%. stop makin excuses and giving the credit to the guards. i dont think someone whos shooting that good and rippin down rebounds the way he is deserves to be on the bench to start the game. when channing comes back he should earn his way back to the starting 5 because of his poor play and to prove the injury hasnt effected him.
 
Top