Chandler rides the pine … but without any regrets

His NBA career can be measured in minutes, not games, and he finds himself at the end of the bench for a last-place team in crisis.

The next question becomes obvious.

To borrow a line from acclaimed director and die-hard New York Knicks fan Spike Lee, did Wilson Chandler do the right thing?

Chandler's decision to enter the NBA draft after two seasons at DePaul came as a surprise to many, including those in Lincoln Park. It was hard to fault the 6-foot-8 forward after he became the Knicks' first-round draft pick (No. 23 overall), earning a coveted guaranteed contract.

But Chandler entered Tuesday night's game against the Bulls having played just 48 minutes in six games for the 8-24 Knicks. Another year at DePaul could have helped the 20-year-old, but he doesn't second-guess himself.

"No regrets," Chandler said Tuesday morning after the Knicks' shootaround at the United Center. "Even if I left (DePaul) after this year, I'd probably still be in the same situation.

"I could have got drafted by a different team, got put in a different situation, but I'm here, so I'm making the best of it."

With the Knicks in town since Sunday night, Chandler got a chance to spend some time at DePaul, where he averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 31.2 minutes as a two-year starter. He addressed DePaul players on Monday and that night had dinner at ESPN Zone with close friend Draelon Burns, a senior guard for the Blue Demons.

"He's doing all right, working hard," Burns said of Chandler. "I'm always messing with him that he should have stayed."

Chandler admits the decision to leave DePaul wasn't easy. He considers Demons coach Jerry Wainwright a father figure and enjoyed his teammates.

If Chandler had stayed, he and Burns would have been one of the Big East's top returning tandems this season.

"I was in a good situation," Chandler said, "so I didn't know if it was going to work out for the best or the worst. Coach Wainwright gave me his support, so that's all I needed.

"You never know if it would have made a difference (after) this season."

Chandler describes the NBA as "a tough experience," but he's trying to improve physically and mentally. He lives five minutes from the Knicks training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y., and logs extra time in the weight room and on the practice court.

The rookie also keeps his ears open, as the Knicks veterans, including former DePaul guard Quentin Richardson, give him tips.

"I played a lot when I was at DePaul and I came here and I barely play, so it's a big adjustment," said Chandler, who averages 3.5 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. "I'm not disappointed because I've got a lot of good players in front of me, so I know it's going to take time. The other day, I played 16 minutes, so hopefully this is a start of things to come."

Losing often prompts changes to a team's rotation and increases opportunities for young players -- but with the Knicks, it's just the opposite.

Embattled coach Isiah Thomas hasn't found many spots to use Chandler or Randolph Morris, who had appeared in just one game entering Tuesday.

"If we were playing better, they would've had the opportunity to have more court time and learn out on the floor," Thomas said. "With the situation we're in right now, you want to try to win as many games as you possibly can."

Chandler hopes to be in the mix when the Knicks reverse course. For now, he waits his turn without wondering what if.

"You never know how it would have worked out," he said. "I like my (Knicks) teammates, I like my coaches, so I'm glad to be here."