The Knicks have not traditionally sent players to the NBA D-League but made an exception Tuesday by moving center Jerome Jordan and point guard Jeremy Lin to the Erie Bay Hawks.
Still, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said both players would only stay there for a couple games.
“They’ll be back pretty soon,” he said Wednesday before the Knicks lost their fourth straight, 91-88, to Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns. “There’s not enough practices. They were just sitting there. We do want them to play and be in game condition in case you need them. This is the perfect time to do it now.”
The 6-foot-3 Lin appeared in five games for the Knicks and scored just five points while dishing two assists. With Iman Shumpert and Mike Bibby at the point, and Baron Davis soon to make his debut, the Knicks had little need for the former Harvard star.
The 7-foot Jordan is averaging 1.3 points and 1.3 boards and is playing behind Tyson Chandler and Jared Jeffries.
“He’s got a lot of talent, he’s just not strong enough yet,” D’Antoni said of Jordan. “He works very hard. He’s talented, shoots the ball, runs the floor. He’s 7-feet. There’s a possibility.”
