AP Photo/John Raoux

By Paul Gotham

Van Gundy criticizes Carter’s defense…or lack thereof

It sure didn’t take long, and it sure comes as no surprise that Stan Van Gundy voiced his displeasure with Vince Carter’s defensive effort in practice.  On the second day of practice, Wednesday, Carter decided to take off a play and let JJ Redick go back door for an easy deuce. Van Gundy let Carter know of his dissatisfaction and commented that an individual video session was in the eight-time all-star’s future.

The Magic’s acquisition of Carter continues to be a head-scratcher. During last year’s playoffs, Orlando thrived on perimeter ball movement. In the past, Carter has demonstrated that he is one-man flow-of-offense hindrance.  Should we guess as to the over / under on the number of times Van Gundy and Carter air their differences this season.

Knicks playing the waiting game

When the Knicks traded Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph they freed $27.3 million for their 2010-11 salary. Now Eddie Curry and his $11.3 million contract becomes the question. Will Curry show he is worth the investment and reach his potential?  Or will Curry become valuable trade bait? Or will Curry be a bust?

Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh will have to bide their time before they can take advantage of the upcoming free agent class. Whatever happens, the Knicks will look to improve on 2008-09 when they finished seven games out of the playoffs at 32-50. The Knicks haven’t qualified for the post-season since 2004.

Super subs

Peja Stojakovic and Kirk Hinrich will settle into new roles this season coming off the bench. Stojakovic enters his twelfth season of play. Last year, the native of Serbia played just 61 games because of back ailments. Stojakovic is the highest paid player on the Hornets’ roster.

After last season, Hinrich thought he would be traded. The trade did not occur. Now, with Derrick Rose and John Salmons penciled in as the Bulls’ starting back court, Hinrich will come off the bench this season – his seventh in the NBA.

Recovering from knee surgery Al Jefferson is looking to earn a spot with Timberwolves this season.  The center dropped 31 pounds this summer. Jefferson credits Subway for his leaner look.  Dining on ham and turkey footlongs have helped Jefferson get ready for the season. And, no, he doesn’t even have a deal with the sandwich maker.

Arenas injured again

Grilling outside has taken another hit. No, it’s not Gilbert Arenas’s surgically repaired knee. Arenas sat out scrimmages on consecutive days due to an injured finger. Get over it!!!!

Scab …errr replacement refs to start pre-season

The lockout between the NBA and its officials has not ended, and replacement officials will blow whistles for at least the pre-season. Here’s hoping that the background checks on these guys include any possible gambling history.

Pacers got the injury bug

Mike Dunleavy(knee), Tyler Hansbrough(shin), and Travis Diener(toe) will all watch from the sidelines when Indiana opens pre-season play versus Chicago.  Troy Murphy is questionable as he recovers from a sprained ankle.

Got any NBA splinters? Share them here.

I got a treat for New York Knick head coach, Mike D’Antoni. Coach D’Antoni what’s your flavor? Do you like Three Musketeers? I got a bag full after you took the overpaid, uninspired, and soon-to-be-if-not-already-disgruntled pair – Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry – and showed them the view from the end of the bench. That was great stuff – you and Mike Singletary must have attended some coaching classes together.

If D’Antoni gets a treat, then Marbury gets a trick. Yo Stephon! We are taxing you 1/20th of your $20 million dollar salary. Dude – you have been guilty of grand theft salary for far too long. It is time to take a little away from you and find a deserving charity that needs a donation. Anyone know of a non-profit organization that could use some coin?

Hey Thomas Vanek! Do you like Milky Way? The way you’ve been lighting the lamp – 9 goals in 10 games – you deserve whatever you want.

Jerry Jones – how about some tricks. Jerra you have done a fine job of assembling a train wreck. You better be careful of that guy you hired to be the conductor – Wade Phillips. Did you talk to Ralph Wilson about him? Wilson let him go, and now Wade’s cronies are making it difficult for Ralph to get his well-deserved spot in Canton. Uh oh Jerra your Canton stock is dropping like everyone else’s 401K.

C’mon Clipboard readers! Got some tricks or treats to hand out?

Instead of riding off into retirement Walsh signed on as general manager. D’Antoni left Phoenix after leading the Suns to four consecutive fifty win seasons.

To understand the magnitude of their decisions is to understand the money pit also known as the Knicks player payroll.

The Knicks made headlines with an overall player payroll in excess of 96 million dollars for the ’07-’08 season. Not until the Mavericks traded for Jason Kidd and his $21,000,000 contract did any other team pay more for its basketball…talent?

For their 96 mill the Knicks won 23 games.

Hey, that’s five more than the Patriots, and it’s been argued that New England had one of the greatest teams of all-time.

On the other hand only Seattle, Memphis, Minnesota, and Miami won fewer than the Knicks. Of course Miami had Shaq doing his finest Big Baby Huey until he was traded. Kevin McHale proved he still bleeds Celtic green when he pawned Kevin Garnett. The Sonics spent a season learning how lame a duck can be. And Memphis has no friggin’ excuse.

Leading the way for New York in the category of grand theft salary was Stephon Marbury. At 19,012,500 Marbury earned more than the combined paychecks of Rajon Rondo ($1,222,280), Chris Paul ($3,615,960), Deron Williams ($4,010,640), and Derek Fisher ($4,350,000).

Stephon played 24 games in the Knickerbocker back court. The Brooklyn native averaged a little less than 14 points per game. Man, who is Marbury’s agent?

I know. I know. You are laughing so hard you need to catch your breath.

I’ll wait.

It gets better.

Zach Randolph came in second on the Knick grand larceny list. On the surface Randolph’s salary looks like money well spent: $13,333,333 (before you think Zach is enamored with the number 3, his uniform reads #50) for 17 ppg and 10 rpg. That’s not bad. Until you consider Chris Bosh earned $12,455,000. Carlos Boozer? 11.5 million. Even Rasheed Wallace, who is the highest paid player on the Pistons, earned less than ‘Zach-attack’ with a salary of $12,790,000.

Oh yeah – all those guys played in the playoffs…except, of course, for Randolph.

Wait there’s more.

If you had your pick of the following centers: Kendrick Perkins, Antonio McDyess, Dwight Howard, Al Horford, or Eddy Curry; who would you pay the most? Howard right? No, no, no the self-appointed Super Man, who led the Magic into the second round of the playoffs, earned a tad over 6 mill. Horford, whose Hawks almost pulled off the unthinkable when they took the Celts to seven games, pocketed 3.7 million. Kendrick Perkins and Antonio McDyess are still playing in the playoffs. They are taking home $4.4 and $6.3 respectively.

Actually, this is kinda like Sesame Street: one of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn’t belong. Yeah, of the five players, only Curry didn’t play in the playoffs, yet the Knick center took home a cool $8,947,543.

If you are scratching your head, it’s all right. I am too.

Then there’s Quentin Richardson whose salary of $8.1 million ranks him ahead of Andre Igoudala ($2,804,889), Hedo Torkoglu ($6,373,900), Stephen Jackson ($6,630,000), Bruce Bowen ($4,125,000) and Shane Battier ($5,883,600).

The list goes on: Jamal Crawford ($7.9), Malik Rose ($7.1), Jerome James ($5.8), Jared Jefferies ($5.6).

So much for performance-based pay.

What’s worse? All the players mentioned above are due to get raises next year!

Marbury has a player option coming. My guess is he’ll opt to receive the $20,840,625 that he signed for.

In fact the Knicks have 89 million already locked up into next year’s salaries.

Randolph, Curry, Crawford, and Jefferies are all signed to wear the Knick jersey for the next three seasons. Tinker Bell doesn’t even have enough pixie dust to make that situation better.

It wouldn’t be so bad if you could trade these guys, but where’s the trade value?

Here’s hoping the contracts of Walsh and D’Antoni outlast that of their players.