LONDON – Kenyon Martin is with the Knicks in London, but not the way he envisioned.
Martin’s goal was having offseason ankle surgery, rehabbing at the team’s facility in Tarrytown, then picking up where he left off with the Knicks, joining Carmelo Antony and the club in midseason.
Martin said as much when he visited the club at the Las Vegas summer league in July.
Instead, Phil Jackson showed scant interest, according to a source, and now the 37-year-old Martin is with the?Bucks, signed last week to reunite with his buddy, coach Jason Kidd. Martin, who played the last two seasons with the Knicks, is ready to wreck havoc on coach Derek Fisher when the teams meet Thursday at O2 Arena.
“You got to ask them that, boss,’’ Martin said when asked why the Knicks didn’t pursue him. “You know that. They made that decision. It is what it is. I moved on. I went and got my surgery and did most of [the rehab]?on my own. I don’t hold no grudges. I thought it would’ve been a little different. It is what it is. I’m not bitter.’’
Martin’s ankle was a wreck last season. He was limited to just 32 games – often on a minutes restrictions – and shut it down in late January, realizing he needed surgery. Jackson wanted new blood and signed jump-shooting power forward Jason Smith, who hasn’t made any impact defensively, showing little of the competitive fire Martin brings.
“I told people time and time again, I guess they didn’t need my services anymore,’’ Martin said. “People ask what happened and I guess they didn’t need my services. They didn’t want the old guy around.’’
In his first appearance with the Bucks last Friday, Martin made all three?of his shots. The ankles?
“Night and day, none of the pain I was going through last year,’’ Martin said. “Surgery was a success.’’
And Martin won’t gloat over the Knicks being 5-35.
“It happens, man,’’ Martin said. “I’m not going to bad-mouth the organization. I had a good time here in my two years. A certain talent level is not there across the board.’’
Perhaps there’s more freedom of speech in London: Associate head coach Kurt Rambis held court during availability for the first time since the regular season began. The NBA is coordinating the media here, not the Knicks.
“Our guys work hard in practice, get along, so from a coaching standpoint, it still has been a pleasure to work with the guys,’’ Rambis said. “There isn’t anyone on the coaching staff or management-wise who isn’t in it for the long haul and committed to make sure it does happen. But it’s going to take time.’’
This is Kidd’s third straight regular-season trip to London. He was on the Knicks squad that beat the Pistons in January 2012 and coached the Nets in their preseason game against the Kings last season. Asked if he was insulted only Carmelo Anthony got invited to meet Prince Harry, Kidd said, “That’s OK. That’s what the best players in the world get. In Milwaukee, we have to continue to get better and we’ll get an invite.’’