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BREAKING: Former Knick Chris Copeland stabbed in Manhattan

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Former Knick Chris Copeland and two women were stabbed while leaving a Manhattan club on Wednesday morning, according to reports.

Copeland was in New York because the Indiana Pacers, his current team, are set to play the Knicks on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Copeland and others were leaving 1 OAK Club in Chelsea when they got in an argument with 22 year-old Shezoy Bleary, who pulled a knife and stabbed Copeland in the abdomen and elbow, slashed his ex-fiancée (now “good friend”) Katrine Saltara in the arm and leg, and slashed 53 year-old Catherine Somani (accidentally; she is believed to be the suspect’s friend) in the abdomen.

Copeland and Saltara were rushed to the hospital as police apprehended the suspect. They are both believed to be in stable condition.

Copeland’s elbow was fractured in the incident and will require surgery

Two Hawks players, Pero Antic and Thabo Sefolosha, were arrested at the scene for obstruction.

*UPDATE: Copeland is out of surgery

*UPDATE: Copeland has been released from the hospital

***Chris Copeland is my favorite player in the league, and has always been supportive of my efforts on this blog. He was nice enough to issue post-game passes so that I could meet him in person the last time the Pacers were at MSG. My thoughts are with him and his wife. -Tommy Rothman

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The Departure of Chris Copeland: Why it Happened, What it Means for the Knicks, and NYKMemes’ Reaction

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By Tommy Rothman

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Yesterday I tweeted “waiting for some Knicks news…” and went to grab some dinner. Of course, the basketball gods saw this as a great opportunity to punish me. When I grabbed my phone to check twitter after my meal, my mentions had exploded, with dozens of fans tweeting me to inform me that my favorite player, Chris Copeland, had left the Knicks. I thought this was a cruel prank, but when I saw the news being tweeted by NBA reporters, i felt the bottom drop out of my stomach. I had always known Chris might leave the Knicks, but did not think it would happen so quickly. Let’s take a look at why this happened, and what it means going forward.

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Why It Happened.

Copeland’s departure happened for 2 huge reasons. In order of importance, those 2 reasons are Mike Woodson and Money. Taking a look at the obvious, Chris Copeland received $3 million per year from the Pacers, which trumps the $1.7 Million we could offer him. But Copeland and his agent had both stated that he would be very open to taking a smaller deal to stay in New York. The main reason Copeland left is because Mike Woodson did not want him here. Woodson was infuriated by Copeland’s lack of polish on the defensive end, which is strange for a coach whose best player, Carmelo Anthony, plays very little defense. The Pacers sat Copeland down and showed him that they view him as a true asset, a player who can become something special in this league. Copeland had shown that every time he stepped on the floor during the season, but unlike Pacers coach Frank Vogel, Woodson neglected to see that. The Pacers made Copeland feel wanted. Copeland wanted to be a Knick. The Knicks showed limited interest in bringing him back, let alone making him a consistent part of their rotation. The Pacers pounced, and defeated us for the 2nd time in 3 months. Woodson let Copeland slip away.

What it means:

Is Copeland an amazing player? Of course not. He is a flawed individual, which is why he was a rookie last season despite being 28 years old. But Cope is a very talented scorer who can put the ball in the basket from anywhere on the court. He also improved his defense and rebounding as the year went on. So after letting such a talented player walk away, the Knicks are in trouble, right? Wrong. Copeland had a very small role on the team last year due to Woodson’s stubbornness, and therefore did not play a large role in the team’s success. This means that his departure will not have a large impact on the Knicks’ ability to repeat last season’s success. However, for those of you who always say that Cope is a bum and a bench player, It is worth knowing that Copeland ranked very high, higher than many established scorers, in “points per 36 minutes”, a stat which shows pure scoring ability regardless of playing time.

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On a more personal note…

Chris, you were a good player for the Knicks and you are also a very good person. You responded to the fans who reached out to you, something we rarely see from American athletes. You let me interview you in an online Q&A, you always showed appreciation for the fans who showed love for you, and you were always willing to discuss the game. You quickly became my favorite player, and it hurts to see you leave the team. What hurts even more is that it seems that you wanted to stay almost as badly as we wanted to keep you. But the Pacers could give you more money, and more importantly a bigger role, something you clearly deserved in New York but were denied by the coach. It hurts to see you leave, and I will be rooting for you all season, except for the four games during the season when we go up against your Pacers. And if the Pacers are unfortunate enough to run into us in the postseason (if we are healthy this time), I suppose I will be rooting against you for a week in May next year. But being able to communicate with a player on my favorite team was a great experience for me as I started this entire Knicks Comedy Blog, and I hope to continue being able to reach out to you for support even though you will be wearing a different uniform. As a player, you will always have our support, and are always welcome back in New York. Hey, it’s only a 2-year contract…

Once a Knick, Always a Knick. But if you want to get the ring you clearly deserve, you better get yourself and your dreadlocks back to NYC soon. The door is open. Never pass up an open shot.

-Tommy

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CHRIS COPELAND OPEN TO REJECTING LUCRATIVE OFFERS FOR KNICKS RETURN (Via RealGM)

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Via RealGM

 

Just last year, Chris Copeland rejected substantial proposals from clubs to fulfill his desire to play in the NBA. After a breakout season with the New York Knicks, Copeland knows he’ll once again have to pass up larger offers for his hope: a return to the Knicks.

European powerhouse FC Barcelona has elevated its pursuit of Copeland and wants to start negotiations on a lucrative contract for the 6-foot-8 forward, league sources told RealGM. Copeland will listen to all potential suitors, but still, he’s made clear his willingness to return to the Knicks even if they aren’t able to match his most pricey offer.

“Returning is very much an option,” Copeland’s agent, John Spencer, told RealGM. “He turned down several options to play, turned down enormous money to get an NBA opportunity last year. He wants to play and wants to contribute. The Knicks are a good organization, with Mike Woodson and the list goes on.

“There’s a chance another team will potentially pick him up, obviously, but the Knicks gave Chris the opportunity to play and he’s loyal because of that.”

Copeland, 29, had scoring outbursts throughout the Knicks’ season, dropping seven 20-point performances including pouring in 55 points over the final two games of the regular season. When given increased minutes in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Copeland averaged 6.2 points on 55 percent three-point shooting.

Several NBA teams are expected to chase Copeland in free agency, but he told reporters at season’s end he only envisions himself as a Knick. To remain with the Knicks, Copeland, a restricted free agent, would have to accept the mini mid-level exception as the most the franchise can offer.