Curry gets face time with LeBron

Eddy Curry and LeBron ... in Chicago? (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Well gees, if this isn’t a slap in the face to Tom Izzo. After The King refused to field calls from the MSU coach during his courtship with the Cavs, LeBron met with Knicks veteran Eddy Curry.

According to the New York Daily News‘ Frank Isola, the two met in Ohio but their conversation “had nothing to do with Eddy trying to recruit LeBron to New York.”

In fact, Curry may have been recruiting himself to join James either in Cleveland or Chicago. Curry is entering the final year of his contract and has told close friends he’d welcome a buyout from the Knicks in order to become a free agent.

LeBron reached out to Curry in early May about potentially working out together in the offseason. The two share the same agent, Leon Rose, and are close friends with NBA powerbroker William “Worldwide” Wesley. Curry had always talked about returning to his hometown of Chicago to restart his career, and since the Bulls have enough cap space to sign James, it looks like Curry wants to join.

But as Isola explains:

The chances of the Knicks reaching a buyout with Curry are remote because [Donnie] Walsh sees Curry as an important asset. With Curry set to become a free agent next summer, he has all the incentive in the world to have a bounce-back season.

Curry’s expiring contract makes him a valuable trade commodity and Walsh, who has been Curry’s most ardent supporter, remains convinced that Curry can also be of value to the Knicks on the court.

I’m sure Donnie’s thrilled to hear his center is essentially recruiting for the Bulls, though. [New York Daily News]