Knicks sign Jonathan Bender! He hasn't played in NBA in years

New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that free agent forward Jonathan Bender has been signed to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. InsideHoops.com guesses that it is a nonguaranteed contract for one season.

More: [url]http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=5138[/url]

Very interesting, I used to beast with this guy in NBA Live 06.

Donnie Walsh strikes again.

What are the odds D'Antoni plays him at center?

WOW break out year for bender. Donnie, Darius Miles is still a free agent!

I'm stunned. I'll be even moreso if he can actually play consistent minutes.

LOL get Bender, but you don't want to sign Iverson. huh that's really wierd.

Thought this guy retired...

:eek: Never thought he would be back...

[QUOTE]"Due to a medical condition in my knees, I will not be able to continue playing basketball"[/QUOTE]

Guess he was wrong. :oldlol:


Donnie Walsh always had faith in this guy though. He was a big fan of Bender and always believed he could turn out to be great. Bender was 'his' project and it looks like he never gave up on him. Walsh just might be the only GM to give Bender a second shot at playing in the NBA.

Good for Bender, but a risky (bad) pick up by the Knicks if you ask me.
Bender relied on his athleticism and that might've taken a serious hit because of the the injuries and years of not playing. He is only 28 though, so who knows. Back then I think he would've done great in a run and gun system.. lets see how much he has left.

Can't hate - Welcome back Bender :applause:

It's a banner f[COLOR="Black"]u[/COLOR]cking year at the Bender household. [COLOR="White"]Breakfast Club[/COLOR]

This is a surprise. Wasn't he running a HUD scam in New Orleans?

Let's see, Knicks have Lee, Jeffries, Curry, Hill, and Milicic as big men, not to mention Harrington and Gallinari who both have size.

Yet Walsh felt need to add Bender.



Hmmmm......me thinks Knicks have another trade up their sleeve........Jeffries a goner?

[QUOTE=Toizumi]:eek: Never thought he would be back...



Guess he was wrong. :oldlol:


Donnie Walsh always had faith in this guy though. He was a big fan of Bender and always believed he could turn out to be great. Bender was 'his' project and it looks like he never gave up on him. Walsh just might be the only GM to give Bender a second shot at playing in the NBA.

[B]Good for Bender, but a risky (bad) pick up by the Knicks if you ask me.
[/B]Bender relied on his athleticism and that might've taken a serious hit because of the the injuries and years of not playing. He is only 28 though, so who knows. Back then I think he would've done great in a run and gun system.. lets see how much he has left.

Can't hate - Welcome back Bender :applause:[/QUOTE]

How do you figure?

[QUOTE=bagelred]Let's see, Knicks have Lee, Jeffries, Curry, Hill, and Milicic as big men, not to mention Harrington and Gallinari who both have size.

Yet Walsh felt need to add Bender.



Hmmmm......me thinks Knicks have another trade up their sleeve........Jeffries a goner?[/QUOTE]

Either a trade or they want another big body for practice.

[quote=Abd El-Krim]This is a surprise. Wasn't he running a HUD scam in New Orleans?[/quote]

All the construction was on the up and up as far as I know.

[QUOTE=Knicks101]How do you figure?



Either a trade or[B] they want another big body for practice.[/B][/QUOTE]

Its possible, but I doubt that. Teams don't pay guys $800,000 as a practice body. You could literally hire a D League player just to travel with the team to practice for like $75,000.

Just doesn't make sense, unless another trade in the works. Time will tell.

But getting Bender certaintly isn't "risky". What's the risk?

[QUOTE=Knicks101]How do you figure?
[/QUOTE]

sixth sense :D

"Jonathan Bender"...
is it that robot from futurama? :wtf:

[IMG]http://sports.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0901/nba_g_bender1_300.jpg[/IMG]

good for Bender, don't really see him getting much burn though

[QUOTE=bagelred]Its possible, but I doubt that. Teams don't pay guys $800,000 as a practice body. You could literally hire a D League player just to travel with the team to practice for like $75,000.

Just doesn't make sense, unless another trade in the works. Time will tell.

But getting Bender certaintly isn't "risky". What's the risk?[/QUOTE]

We don't have the details of the contract, but I guess they could just re-sign Chris Hunter or one of the other bums they picked up last season for cheap. Maybe Walsh just likes Bender and wants to give him some cash. :confusedshrug:

[QUOTE=Toizumi]sixth sense :D[/QUOTE]

I don't mean why do you think that he'll be bad. What's the risk? If he sucks you cut him.

[QUOTE=RaceBannana]"Jonathan Bender"...
is it that robot from futurama? :wtf:[/QUOTE]

Some trivia:

Bender from Futurama was named after John Bender of The Breakfast Club.

[QUOTE=Knicks101]Maybe Walsh just likes Bender and wants to give him some cash. :confusedshrug:
.[/QUOTE]

I swear, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe he just likes the guy or are friends, and this is a way to get him some cash legally. This wouldn't be the first time.

James Dolan and Allan Houston were good friends supposedly. That's why he paid him $100 million in an extension.

[QUOTE=Knicks101]
I don't mean why do you think that he'll be bad. What's the risk? If he sucks you cut him.[/QUOTE]

my bad. Well there's no risk for the Knicks, I meant that they're taking a risk on him, since he hasnt played for so long and was already retired due to injury.

On a related matter, Donnie Walsh really likes to brings players in he knows. Harrington, now Bender....

Look for Knicks to try to get Jermaine O'Neal cheaply during the summer.

wow, another indy combo forward from back in the day. Always liked him. I thought he didnt have any cartilage left in either knee?

[QUOTE=bagelred]Let's see, Knicks have Lee, Jeffries, Curry, Hill, and Milicic as big men, not to mention Harrington and Gallinari who both have size.

Yet Walsh felt need to add Bender.



Hmmmm......me thinks Knicks have another trade up their sleeve........Jeffries a goner?[/QUOTE]

I hope they do.

[QUOTE=bagelred]On a related matter, Donnie Walsh really likes to brings players in he knows. Harrington, now Bender....

Look for Knicks to try to get Jermaine O'Neal cheaply during the summer.[/QUOTE]

He was also trying to bring in Tinsley....

Good thing he didnt:rolleyes:

I guess Walsh wants to have an Indiana Pacers reunion. You guys can sign Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley this summer.

I doubt Jonathan Bender does anything special in his time with New York. He was quite the talent, but knee injuries derailed his career. I'm shocked to see him back in the league, because I thought he risked serious damage by playing again. I can tell you this, Bender won't feel as good as he does now once New York plays a couple of back to backs.

For a 7 footer, he was or still could be really agile. he's majority of minutes were played at SF/PF.

[QUOTE=LA_Showtime]I guess Walsh wants to have an Indiana Pacers reunion. You guys can sign Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley this summer.

I doubt Jonathan Bender does anything special in his time with New York. He was quite the talent, but knee injuries derailed his career. I'm shocked to see him back in the league, because I thought he risked serious damage by playing again. I can tell you this, Bender won't feel as good as he does now once New York plays a couple of back to backs.[/QUOTE]

I'm thinking O'Neal is probably plan B for when James isn't interested.

[QUOTE=LJJ]I'm thinking O'Neal is probably plan B for when James isn't interested.[/QUOTE]

i laughed..

The only logical reason for signing this guy is if we're trading someone else soon. If we dont then this was a waste of a signing because D'Antoni only plays 8-9 guys anyways. And theres no way he should be getting minutes over Hill, who isnt even getting minutes now.

Maybey their just trying to give Darko a little company on the bench?:confusedshrug:

Bender and Curry = twin towers.

Look out, NBA!

[quote=OneMoreSucka]Bender and Curry = twin towers.

Look out, NBA![/quote]

Bender and Curry = twin hospital room!:confusedshrug:

[QUOTE=LJJ]I'm thinking O'Neal is probably plan B for when James isn't interested.[/QUOTE]
Oh believe me, James is interested :D

Walsh should have signed Steve Francis. He would be a beast in d'antoni's system.

[IMG]http://blogs.eveningsun.com/troublebrewing/bender.jpg[/IMG]

wheres spreewell and larry johnson? knicks disappoint again

[QUOTE=Real Men Wear Green]What are the odds D'Antoni plays him at center?[/QUOTE]

I forget which game, but I would go into Career mode, have him on the team and he would turn into a 22PP/11RPG player after 4 years. :oldlol: I remember I molded Darius Miles into a 25ppg, 9rpg, 38% 3p shooter.

[QUOTE=RaininThrees][IMG]http://blogs.eveningsun.com/troublebrewing/bender.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Can someone photoshop "Go Knicks" in the Applause sign.

[QUOTE=Meticode]I forget which game, but I would go into Career mode, have him on the team and he would turn into a 22PP/11RPG player after 4 years. :oldlol: I remember I molded Darius Miles into a 25ppg, 9rpg, 38% 3p shooter.[/QUOTE]

Probably NBA Live 06. Nobody had a skill set like Bender. He could play in the post, shoot threes, dunk on everybody. He was ridiculous.