Knicks Expected to Buy Out Eddy Curry This Summer

[Shapecity]

It was no secret the Knicks were looking to pawn off Eddy Curry's albatross of a contract for expiring contracts before the trade deadline, but there was no market, so the Knicks traded Jared Jeffries' more reasonable contract instead in the three-team deal between the Kings, Rockets and Knicks that sent Tracy McGrady to New York.

Curry is making $10.5 million this season -- injuries have limited him to only seven games -- with a player option of $11.2 million next season.

Jeffries is making $6.4 million this season with a player option of $6.8 million for next year, and was productive in spurts for the Knicks before being traded to Houston.

With Curry having a large expiring deal next season, there's talk he could be a nice trade chip for the Knicks this summer or before the trade deadline.

But the team could also buy him out to shave some salary to free up a little more cap space.

And according to the New York Post, that's his likely fate: "The Knicks are expected to buy Curry out this summer to save another $1 to $2 million of cap space."

If Curry is bought out, it's somewhat hard to imagine another team taking a chance on him, unless it's for the league minimum or a much smaller salary than he's made previously.

Once thought of as a top prospect coming out of high school -- the Bulls selected him fourth overall in the 2001 draft -- he's struggled with his fitness and injuries in recent years.

Source: NY Post

 

[Shapecity]

Why wait?

 

[BasX]

I'd do it now too though i understand that you can save more in the off-season.

 

[Mr. J]

Curry's expiring contract is a huge asset, though. Depending on who we sign this summer, we can use Curry's contract to trade for a star/good role player.

If we don't get lucky this summer (no Wade, James, Bosh, etc.), we might want to buy him out then.

 

[Shapecity]

Curry's expiring contract is a huge asset, though. Depending on who we sign this summer, we can use Curry's contract to trade for a star/good role player.

If we don't get lucky this summer (no Wade, James, Bosh, etc.), we might want to buy him out then.

Good point, but it's hard to say how teams are going to operate moving forward because of the looming lockout.

Most owners should want to shed cap space, but are the Knicks going to be willing to take back the equivalent in salary?

One option the Knicks might be able to pull off if they are far under the cap is take a smaller contract and get a nice trade exception out of the deal.