Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Nate Robinson’s agent has requested that the Knicks deal the diminutive guard and says the team has agreed to try and move him.
“Yes, I have because coach has not played him, does not plan to play him and does not want him on the team,” Aaron Goodwin wrote in an email.
“Coach told the press, ‘I would play SATAN if that could help me win,’ and when his team shot 4-for-23 in the 3rd quarter against Chicago, he didn’t even look Nate’s way.”
Asked if Knicks president Donnie Walsh had agreed to work with him on a trade, Goodwin said: “Yes, Donnie has agreed to work with me.”
Walsh was not immediately available for comment, but on Dec. 6 he said he was open to trades that would make the team better.
“We’re out there talking to teams to see if there’s interest in a way to see if we can get somebody who can help us,” he said. “That’s it.”
The 5-foot-9 Robinson signed a one-year contract before the season worth $4 million, but he has fallen out of head coach Mike D’Antoni’s rotation and has notched eight straight DNPs.
“Nate Robinson, tight rotation, not quite ready yet,” D’Antoni said Friday before the team’s win over the Clippers. “That’s just the way it is and I can’t explain exactly every second the ins and outs. We were on a roll and that roll just doesn’t quit just because you lose a game. You just see over time if this works or not. And if it doesn’t then I‘ll go back to Nate and we’ll try something else.
“You gotta make decisions as a coach who plays and who doesn’t.”
He added that it wasn’t personal and that it had more to do with his preference for rookie Toney Douglas and his emphasis on defense.
“The only thing I don’t want to get into is, is it a personality thing,” D’Antoni said. “Like I don’t play a guy because of this. That has nothing to do with it. I’ve got to figure out what is best for the Knicks and how we function and that’s my whole goal. And the rest of this stuff, I get a little annoyed with that.”
Robinson is averaging 10.9 points and 3.2 assists on the season and scored a season-high 25 points at Sacramento Nov. 25.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Nate Robinson’s agent has requested that the Knicks deal the diminutive guard and says the team has agreed to try and move him.
“Yes, I have because coach has not played him, does not plan to play him and does not want him on the team,” Aaron Goodwin wrote in an email.
“Coach told the press, ‘I would play SATAN if that could help me win,’ and when his team shot 4-for-23 in the 3rd quarter against Chicago, he didn’t even look Nate’s way.”
Asked if Knicks president Donnie Walsh had agreed to work with him on a trade, Goodwin said: “Yes, Donnie has agreed to work with me.”
Walsh was not immediately available for comment, but on Dec. 6 he said he was open to trades that would make the team better.
“We’re out there talking to teams to see if there’s interest in a way to see if we can get somebody who can help us,” he said. “That’s it.”
The 5-foot-9 Robinson signed a one-year contract before the season worth $4 million, but he has fallen out of head coach Mike D’Antoni’s rotation and has notched eight straight DNPs.
“Nate Robinson, tight rotation, not quite ready yet,” D’Antoni said Friday before the team’s win over the Clippers. “That’s just the way it is and I can’t explain exactly every second the ins and outs. We were on a roll and that roll just doesn’t quit just because you lose a game. You just see over time if this works or not. And if it doesn’t then I‘ll go back to Nate and we’ll try something else.
“You gotta make decisions as a coach who plays and who doesn’t.”
He added that it wasn’t personal and that it had more to do with his preference for rookie Toney Douglas and his emphasis on defense.
“The only thing I don’t want to get into is, is it a personality thing,” D’Antoni said. “Like I don’t play a guy because of this. That has nothing to do with it. I’ve got to figure out what is best for the Knicks and how we function and that’s my whole goal. And the rest of this stuff, I get a little annoyed with that.”
Robinson is averaging 10.9 points and 3.2 assists on the season and scored a season-high 25 points at Sacramento Nov. 25.
