Kenyon Martin Angry With Lack of Preseason Playing Time


New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson has glued Kenyon Martin to the bench during the preseason, and it’s not, um, sitting well with K-Mart. Per the NY Post: “Because his late-season severe ankle sprain healed slowly over the summer, a plan was devised to keep Martin off the court during most of preseason. But Martin vowed even if he doesn’t play a preseason game, he will be out there for the season opener Oct. 30 against the Bucks. Martin said he has yet to hear if Woodson will unleash him for the preseason finale Oct. 25 at the Garden against the Bobcats. ‘I’ll definitely [play] on the 30th,’ Martin said. ‘I’m going to push that much harder to play. I’m not questionable. I’m fine.’ Asked whether he would play the last preseason game, Martin snapped, ‘I wanted to play the first. You got to ask Woody. He’s the coach. If it was up to me, I’ll play.’ Last week, Woodson hinted Martin could play the final two preseason games, but has since backed off. ‘I’m ready now,’ Martin said on whether he would be fit for the regular-season opener. ‘And it’s nine days away. I’m fine, man. If he decides to play me in one of those last preseason games, he’ll let me know. If not, the real show starts and I’m ready. I understand: I’m not a young guy,’ added Martin, who turns 36 in December. ‘I’m not going to press the issue about playing preseason [even if] it makes no sense to me. I’m going to press the issue when it’s playing the regular season. Because I want to play. I understand the issue. We have guys fighting for jobs and in order for them to do that, I have to take a backseat.'”