Link:I KNOW what you're thinking: It doesn't get any more bizarre.
Here are Isiah Thomas' 15-21 Knicks returning to Madison Square Garden tomorrow from a 2-3 road trip, with Nate Robinson back on active duty following a 10-game suspension, and the first callers are the 76ers, whose newly-appointed executive VP is none other than archenemy Larry (Gurney) Brown.
Weird is today's operative theme, that's for sure.
And a case can be made the weirdest part is that Brown has exhausted his lifetime supply of original next towns to frolic hither and yon. So, the former 76ers president/coach (a six-year tour; forever and a day in his tight travel schedule) is forced to bolt to the same places all over again.
However, that argument is invalid. You want ultimate weirdness, see how this grabs you: A source claims the Knicks and Steve Francis - exiled to Houston supposedly to rehab a tender knee - are discussing a contract buyout; what remains of this season's $15 million salary and the next two, $16.44M and $17.8M.
Actually, that in itself is not all that weird, or scarcely surprising considering Maurice Taylor and Jalen Rose already have taken that route, and Francis is a duplication of Stephon Marbury. At least two columns, maybe three, were committed to condemning the acquisition of Francis the week leading up to the exchange of the expiring pact of Penny Hardaway and Trevor (eight straight double-figure scoring efforts for the Magic) Ariza.
Everybody and his rollers recognized Francis didn't qualify as a lid to the Knicks' pot. Everybody, that is, except Thomas, and by the looks of things, Brown too, which I queasily admit is news to me.
A seamless segue to the perfectly peculiar part of this latest development: According to the same source, stage two of Francis' buyout conversation, coordinated by agent Jeff Fried, is dialogue with Brown about his client joining the 76ers after he clears waivers.
Say it ain't so! For months I've maintained "Play the game the right way" Brown never would've endorsed such procurement, much less initiated it. Has Billy King seconded this motion? If so, does that mean he's back under the influence of Brown and no longer in charge? If not, is the Sixers president aware of the talk? That's just what David Stern needs, another team management matter to arbitrate.
Brown is responsible for putting the "W" in weird.
