Stephon Marbury, The Ex-Knick?

by faketeams on Nov 14, 2007 3:53 PM EST in Basketball Comment 0 comments

The Knicks and PG Stephon Marbury are on the outs following a confrontation between Marbury and Head Coach/General Manager Isiah Thomas that purports to be about Marbury's lack of defensive intensity. No matter what else was said, Marbury flew back to New York following the discussion.

This morning's Daily News report Marbury is going to get nasty. The money quote:

"Isiah has to start me," Marbury fumed, according to the source. "I've got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can (get) me. But I'll (get) him first. You have no idea what I know."

While I have always been willing to breaking a few eggs, that statement crosses the line even for me. If true, the Knicks have no choice but to jettison Marbury as far from the team as possible. In the interim, 3rd-year guard, Nate Robinson, and 2nd year guard, Mardy Collins, will man the point.

Unfortunately, Collins was injured early in last night's loss to Phoenix, and we can't know whether he would produce at the same level he did at the end of last season. Expect to see some sort of amalgamation at the point amongst Collins, Robinson and Jamaal Crawford.

Given Marbury's monster salary, is it possible he could be used to relieve another NBA team of its high salaried players who have more time commitments than Marbury's 2008 and 2009 one? Sure. As ESPN's Chris Sheridan points out:

If you are the owner or the general manager of a team looking to rebuild, one of the best assets you can have is a contract worth $21.1 million coming off your salary cap in the summer of 2009 when there will be a bumper crop of free agents that could include many of the players from the 2004 draft class who did not agree to contract extensions prior to the Oct. 31 deadline, including Andre Iguodala, Emeka Okafor, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon.

And we would be remiss if we didn't mention the fact that Kobe Bryant also has the right to opt out of his contract in the summer of 2009 and become an unrestricted free agent -- as do Jermaine O'Neal, Richard Hamilton and Al Harrington.

Could it bring Kobe Bryant? If it could, would Kobe even consider playing for the Knicks?

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