New York Knicks: Five worst free agent signings in team history

Eddy Curry

Desperate for anything that resembled a center, the Knicks acquired Eddy Curry in a sign-and-trade with the Chicago Bulls in 2005, and subsequently handed him $10 million annually over six years.

Nobody ever denied Curry’s talent. That much was evident. However, there were plenty of questions pertaining to his defense and general work ethic. Some might say that was related to his heart issues, but that is neither here nor there.

What matters is that the former No. 4 overall pick straight out of high school didn’t live up to his lofty contract. In two full seasons with New York, Curry’s contributions climaxed at 19.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in 2006. Just 24 years old at the time, his production indicated that the Knicks had found their big man of the future.

However, knee injuries began to take a toll on Curry and he went on to appear in 59, three, and seven games over the next three campaigns, respectively. New York eventually dealt him to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the February trade deadline in 2011 as part of the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster.

Curry’s off-the-court issues often overshadowed his basketball talent, and he will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest “what if” or “what could have been” stories in recent NBA history.