20 People who turned their backs on the New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are one of the most storied organizations in the NBA, and basketball is better when the team is good. After years of incompetent front offices, the Knicks have clawed their way back to relevance under Leon Rose.

For the first time in a long time, fans have geniune hope for the future. When you have a player like Jalen Brunson as your starting point guard, how could you not?

Rather than dream about what's to come, though, it's time to take a not-so-pleasant stroll down memory lane. Just remember, at least New York is no longer a dumpster fire!

People who turned their backs on the New York Knicks

Eddy Curry

It’s been almost 15 years since Eddy Curry played his last game as a Knick. He arrived in New York via Chicago, the organization that drafted him with the No. 4 pick in 2001. 

The Curry trade and the six-year, $60 million contract he signed were two of a string of disastrous decisions made by Isiah Thomas. 

The only reason Curry was available to be traded was because he refused to take a DNA test so Chicago could learn more about the irregular heartbeat that sidelined him to end what ended up being his final season with the Bulls. Thomas seized the opportunity to acquire Curry and had the support of head coach Larry Brown, who said Curry’s “best basketball is in front of him.” 

Unfortunately for Curry and the Knicks, that wasn’t the case. He did average a career-high 19.5 points in 81 contests in his second season, but after that, his career started to go downhill. In his final three seasons with the Knicks, he played in only 10 games because of his weight and off-court issues. He didn’t play at all in 2010-11, although he was on the roster. 

It isn’t Curry’s fault that New York traded for him and signed him to a new deal, but he did let the organization and city down in his final few years with the Knicks. 

Since retiring, Curry has spoken publicly about the battles he faced in New York and throughout his entire career. He now works as a consultant to current NBA players, helping them avoid the situations he once found himself in.