There exists an alternate, ideal universe in which the Knicks stayed healthy, Mike Woodson stayed cool, and the guys added this summer fit into sensible roles alongside their incumbent teammates. In that universe, Metta World Peace plays regular, perhaps even big minutes, assuming the toughest defensive assignment and shooting only off cuts and catches.
But, yeah, no. Metta's been unpredictable in big minutes, or he's been hurt, or he's been benched. And now he wouldn't mind a trade, according to Marc Berman's source:
After returning from a blood-spinning procedure on Jan. 24, World Peace has seen little time in the rotation and now is open to getting traded, according to a league source.
...
"He didn't sign up for this,'' one person close to him said.
When asked about whether he wanted to get dealt at the Feb. 20 deadline, World Peace said: "That's up to my agent. I don't worry about it. I'm optimistic about my future. ... I'm not going to complain.''
Some things:
1. Berman goes on to say there may be a rift-- perhaps even a recent kerfuffle-- between Metta and Mike Woodson. We've heard rumblings of such conflict before, so that'd make sense.
2. Metta's agent, Marc Cornstein, went on record for Berman, saying he didn't know why his client wasn't getting regular minutes. I don't know whether that means the source is someone else or not. Daniel Artest says it's not him. Doesn't especially matter.
3. "Open to being traded" isn't the same as a trade request, right? He's not *demanding* to be traded. He'd just be okay with it. Beno Udrih requested a trade. Metta is open to one.
In a season like this, for a player who hasn't meant that much, this isn't too big a deal. If the Knicks deal him, I hope they can get a draft pick or something/someone useful in return. If they don't trade him, I hope they can find a way to use him or at least keep him happy. Metta came here for relatively little money, and it's a bummer he hasn't been able to earn it.
Update:
Here's Metta again:
Being Traded never came out my mouth. Dont listen to these stories. life is fun. Whats so bad about playing.
— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) February 8, 2014
Life's lesson: everything is not perfect according to your wishes. So just enjoy . Whether i play or not , i am enjoying NYC.
— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) February 8, 2014
@NYPost_Berman is very entertaining. We joke often. Titles sell papers and ads. But he knows that i never said i want to be traded.
— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) February 8, 2014