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Former NBA guard Cuttino Mobley filed a lawsuit against Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, accusing the New York Knicks of pressuring him to retire as a way to save approximately $19 million.
Mobley retired because of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart disease, shortly after the Knicks acquired him from the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 21, 2008. He knew he had an irregularity with the heart, but an MRI exam the team ordered after his physical revealed the more serious condition.
The lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York contends the Knicks knew of Mobley’s condition but pushed to make the trade anyway, then sent him to specialists they knew would oppose him playing, so insurance could pay his contract and it wouldn’t count against the luxury tax.
Herald: Mobley sues Knicks over medical retirement
Slick move by the Knicks. And its not like we haven't seen something like this before. Darius Miles' comeback with Boston and then Memphis came after a medical retirement. And the best part is, his 18 million dollar salary at the time of his retirement went back on Portland's books and forced them to pay the luxury tax.
I don't know if this rule will survive the new CBA, but let's assume it does because there's no point of contention regarding it. So here's what I propose: The Celtics leave slot open and sign Cuttino Mobley. I don't care that he's 36. I don't care if he's even very good at all.
But IF there is a season, the schedule will be backed with back-to-back games. And IF there's a season packed with back-to-backs (or back-to-back-to-backs) the Celtics will be in a position where they need to rest the Big 3 and play other guys. So in that situation, they could use Cuttino Mobley to play in the games they're sacrificing anyway. They're probably going to lose anyway.
In the mean time, the Knicks are already on the hook for $60 million next season. $50 million of that is tied up in Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Chauncey Billups. Cuttino made $9.5 million in the last year of his deal when he was forced to retire. If the rules are the same, the Celtics could stick the Knicks with a $9.5 million cap hit, forcing them to pay more taxes.
I know, it's the Knicks, and they piss money. But I want to screw with them. Who knows what dumb moves you can force… or what moves you could prevent… just by doing that. And who the hell cares if Mobley sits at the end of the bench and only plays in those throw-away games?
So F the Knicks. I'm on the Mobley bandwagon!
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