Donnie Walsh stands with Mike D’Antoni’s decision of benching Anthony Randolph
New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh said that he agreed with Mike D’Antoni’s decision of benching Anthony Randolph after the player's lacklustre performance in his first eight games this
season.
Randolph, who was acquired by the Knicks along with Kelenna Azubuike and Ronny Turiaf in the deal that sent David Lee to Golden State Warriors, averaged 2.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in eight
games this season, but was benched in the Knicks’ last five games. D’Antoni’s decision produced great results after the Knicks posted five-straight wins with Randolph out of the rotation.
Walsh revealed that he and D’Antoni talked about it before he underwent surgery last, but he clarified that they still believe that Randolph would be an impact player and even an all-star
once he learns to focus in every game.
“We talked about that and I fully supported it,” Walsh said in an interview with New York Post. “It's good for Anthony. It does him no good to go out there without a game to go to. He needs
to work with coaches in defining how he can use his talent in a defined way. That's what he should be working on every day, so when he goes out there, he has a defined number of things.”
Walsh also said that the Warriors offered Monta Ellis for Lee, but he pushed for Randolph’s inclusion in the deal because he believes that the 21-year-old forward would help them in the future.
He also added that they considered drafting him in the 2008 NBA draft.
Meanwhile, in other Knicks news, Azubuike, who was also a part of the Lee sign-and-trade deal, had his first full practice with the team on Wednesday 24 November.
Azubuike, who averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game with Warriors last season before sustaining a season-ending knee injury, said after their practice that his knee is feeling good
and he is hoping that he would be allowed to play next week.
“It's holding up fine, and I'm getting more confident,” said Azubuike, who underwent patella tendon surgery on 18 November 2009. “I'm getting excited. They want me to get in more practices.”
The Knicks will take a two-day break before gunning for their sixth straight win when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday 27 November at the Madison Square Garden.
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