Hooped Up

Could the mess that is Marbury in New York, finally be coming to a close? 

“Marbury, Donnie Walsh, and a rep for the Player’s Association will resume buyout talks as early as tomorrow, and could have a formal proposal by the end of the week. The sticking point all along has been Marbury’s refusal to accept anything less than the $21.9 million he’s currently owed, but he’s apparently not concerned with trying to total more than his current salary, which seems like a pretty reasonable compromise. The Knicks, for their part, stand to save at least $300,000 automatically if Marbury signs elsewhere.”

New York Magazine

It’s 10 games into the new season and the Knicks still haven’t budged on their Marbury stance yet. However, Mavs owner Mark Cuban is a fan of the Knicks point guard and given the right opportunity has said he would be interested in acquired him as a back up to Jason Kidd. 

“Mark Cuban held court before the game, and said he understood the Knicks’ decision with Stephon Marbury regarding changing the culture. Cuban also suggested there’d be a number of teams bidding for Marbury’s services when he becomes a free agent. Cuban was a guest on Marbury’s “Stars on Stars” TV show two years ago. Cuban likes him, thinks he’s a smart guy, has always lauded his business acumen from the Starbury sneaker campaign. The struggling Mavs (3-7) could use a deeper bench and a backup for Jason Kidd.”

NY Post

The Spurs are without Tony Parker for a while, Manu too and Jacque Vaughn is starting for the Spurs. Unless this is 1993, Jacque Vaughn starting at the point for your club means you need help and with Spurs GM R.C. Buford looking for a guard and the Knicks hatin’ on Marbury, could this be a match if Steph is bought out?  Well according to the New York Post, Marbury certainly thinks so and had this to say when asked.

“Who wouldn’t want to play for San Antonio?” Marbury told The Post last night. “To play with Tim Duncan, who would complain about that? That’s a great organization, they win championships. They have a nice system and I like (Gregg) Popovich as coach. I can play 1 or the 2. If I was a free agent, yeah.”

Chances are we’ll see George Gervin suiting up before we see this Starbury saga end.

A day without a Marbury story is like a day without unicorns in heaven.  Since D’Antoni is not at all interested in playing Stephon Marbury and he is hardly practicing with the team these days. Marbury is interested in practicing with his old high school basketball team at  Brooklyn’s Abraham Lincoln High School to maintain his conditioning, according to the New York Daily News.

“I think I’m going to start practicing with my high school team,” Marbury said after practice Thursday in Greenburgh. “Seriously. I’ve already called the coach to see if I can run up and down with the guys and at the same time help teach the younger guys the NBA game.”

After one look at Starbury’s workout video below it’s a shame that the Knicks won’t give him a break.  He looks like he’s in the best shape of his life.

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Unless Satan forgets to pay Hells gas bill and it freezes over, chances are Stephon Marbury will not play in New York this season or next.  So to help Marbury out, I though I would list 5 trade scenarios that would work to get Starbury back on the court with help of the ESPN Trade Checker.

Chin up laddy, help is on the way!

1. Miami Heat
(To New York: Marcus Banks / Udonis Haslem / Marcus Blount  -  To Miami: Stephon Marbury)
The Heat could use a guard of Marbury’s talents to help fuel the offense in Miami and Wade, Marion and soon to be starting Beasley would only benefit from this addition. By not playing Marbury, the Knicks are already a guard down and Marcus Banks knows the Mike D’Antoni system well from his time in Phoenix .

Eddy Curry is Prince Markie Dee, and Jerome James is Kool Rock-Ski so by adding Haslem and Blount to the frontcourt the Knicks would gain much needed depth.

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Walsh and D’Antoni met regarding the situation that is Marbruy Gate and they have decided that Starbury will be Sliverbury according to the ESPN and will sit all season long unless there is an injured guard in the rotation.  Somehow I have a feeling that the Knicks dislike Marbury so much that if every guard is injured Mike D’Antoni would suit up and run the point before he would give Marbury the go ahead.

$21.9 million sitting on the bench, amazing!

The saga that is Marbury versus the Knicks, could come to an end this week with Walsh and Marbury set to meet today or tomorrow. D’Antoni has kept him on the bench since the beginning of the season and has now moved Marbury to the inactive roster. If the Knicks decide to waive Marbury this week, his Facebook profile will read “Stephon Marbury is Paid in Full” or Stephon Marbury is “Rich, Biatch” because the Knicks will have to pay him the $21.9 million he is owed this year.

“When asked if he could envision Marbury being inactive for the entire 82-game season, Walsh replied, “No, and that’s why I’m saying I’ve got to get involved in this.”

Walsh, who said D’Antoni has full autonomy over who plays, will meet with his coach today to begin the process of ending the Marbury saga”

Newsday

In the Knicks season opener, Stephon Marbury did not contribute in a 115 - 120 victory over the Miami Heat, but he did contributing to Senator Barack Obama’s presidential run along with Alex Rodriguez.

“Marbury, who donated the individual maximum of $2,300 to Obama’s campaign in June 2007, said he’s not looking for a tax break from the next president, even though his 2008-09 salary of $20.8 million puts him in an income bracket the rest of us can only dream about.

In fact, Marbury told Newsday on Monday that he’s more than willing to pay his share and even endorsed what he called Obama’s plan to “spread the wealth.”

Newsday

A day without Stephon Marbury news is like a day without sunshine or a day without George Hamilton tanning.  This post from Straight Bangin’ now qualifies as the second best thing I’ve read so far today.  This being the first (hype!) and this being the third (strangely enticing).

Have a read below of the latest Marbury headliner.

“Marbury celebrated his first start with some solid play and a vicious verbal duel with House while House was sitting on the bench. It lasted several minutes and several possessions.

After Marbury drew a foul on Kendrick Perkins and hit two free throws, he turned and screamed at House, from midcourt: “You’re a bum!”

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