DRAY DOCTORS
Softens stance on Knicks as others still rip toxic MSG
NEW ORLEANS − Now all of a sudden, Draymond Green isn’t sure what players think of the Knicks.
The Warriors All-Star continued to walk back comments that were made on his own podcast, essentially stating Friday that his claim that free agents don’t want to join the Knicks was irrelevant.
“I’m not sure how people view it. I don’t really know anybody else’s opinion or views around the league,” Green said. “I’m in the locker room with 14 guys on a daily basis. I kind of know their views because we talk a lot. But I don’t know everyone’s views.”
While ripping the Knicks and James Dolan for their treatment of Charles Oakley on his podcast, Green said, “I don’t know a free agent that would want to go there. I don’t know someone that would really want to go there.”
He also said Dolan handled Oakley with “a slave master’s mentality,” which Green also backtracked on. Mostly, the championship forward didn’t want to talk about the hot-button franchise. But not before one former player jumped on Green.
“The next time Draymond wants to put his foot in his mouth, at least take the shoes that have been stepping on dog poop off first. Ok,” Olden Polynice, a retired center, said on Fox Sports Radio. “And I say that to say this. You are not in a position to make such a comment, at all. You’re not privy to anything that’s been going on. You just don’t know. You’re too young. And for you to throw that out there so flippant like that, it’s a disgrace and disservice to all the men, women and children, that were enslaved. Because to me, that is like the easiest thing for a lot of people to do — just throw out slavery, or racism.”
At least on the issue of free agency, however, some players agree with Green’s walked-back opinion. Kevin Durant offered a “no comment” when asked, but veteran James Jones said “it’s kind of self-evident” that the Knicks have stained themselves with free agents.
Journeyman Anthony Tolliver, the vice president of the Player’s Association, said the impact depends on the player.
“I think it’s kind of a personal thing. For some guys, for sure it does. Those guys have made it known that it will affect them. Other guys, maybe not. So you can’t obviously put a blanket statement on all players but me personally playing for so many different teams like I have, there’s a big difference between an organization that’s run the right way and an organization that isn’t. You notice it.”
Michele Roberts tweeted #NoBan in the aftermath of Charles Oakley being ejected from Madison Square Garden, but the NBPA executive director said she won’t get involved unless Oakley reaches out for help.
“I had been a fan of the Knicks since I could spell. And I welled up when I saw what happened to Oak,” Roberts said. “So of course I was affected by it. I must say because there are criminal charges pending and with my history as a defense attorney, I take my marching orders from Oakley’s counsel.
“If there is a hand extended for help by him through his lawyer, then I’m happy to see if there’s something I could do to help.”
Chris Paul was especially bothered by the way the Knicks portrayed Oakley — who was announced Friday as a playercoach in the BIG3 3-on-3 summer league that features former NBA players — as having a problem, referencing a statement the club sent out that read, “we hope he gets help soon.”
That was real tough to watch,” Paul said. “To hear them say that they hope Oak gets help like he was mentally ill or something, that was tough because since I came into the NBA you talk about looking out for younger players and Oak has been a guy who has always checked on me.”