The Stephon Marbury Saga

The Stephon Marbury Saga

So far this season, we've been blessed with so much good basketball, that there really hasn't been much time for off-the-court problems. We've heard a few trade rumours, the usual, but nothing major.

Apart from over in the Big Apple.

Unless you live under a rock, you might have heard that Stephon Marbury hasn't played a minute so far this season.

Seven Games. That's a possible 336 minutes, without even counting overtime.

Marbury hasn't played in one of those.

In New York there is a stalemate. In this stalemate we have three sides. The aforementioned Stephon Marbury, Point Guard. Mike D'Antoni, Head Coach. And finally Donnie Walsh, Team President. We've heard a lot of quotes from the three, trying to explain why this situation has occurred.

But we don't want to hear all that again do we?

So despite what they are saying, this is basically what's going on with these three characters heads:

Stephon Marbury: Marbury is the best he's been for years. He reported to training camp in excellent condition and is apparently playing brilliantly. (before he stopped practicing at least). But much more important, Marbury is playing motivated and is playing to win, which is again something we haven't seen for a long time.

PLUS, Marbury is being smart. He's not making a huge fuss, not creating more problems. He is almost a polar opposite of what we've become accustomed to over in NYC. He's being smart, humble and just caring about winning.

Mike D'Antoni: D'Antoni has of course staked his career on this move to the Knicks. He will always be legendary for bringing one of the most exciting and popular teams in decades to our attention. But that team didn't win a championship. And D'Antoni was highly suggested to move on by Steve Kerr.

He wants to bring a new era to the Knicks, to erase the horrible few years that they've endured. And it looks like he doesn't want to risk that all on Stephon Marbury. Can you blame him? Don't forget that D'Antoni coached Marbury back in Phoenix, so he knows what he's getting himself into.

Donnie Walsh: We've heard it a thousand times: Donnie Walsh doesn't like buying players out. Fair enough, it must be quite annoying to pay someone money for them to simply walk away. (especially as much money as he would have to have to pay Marbury) Yet what Walsh doesn't seem to realise is that he is doing exactly what he wants to avoid... paying Marbury to do nothing.

Which of course leaves the same three options: play him, trade him, waive him.

It may seem like i'm being sympathetic to Marbury. Which i suppose i am in a way, i (like at least some of the Knicks crowd) would prefer to see Stephon simply be played. I mean why not? But it's also true that Stephon did bring this on himself in some ways. For the past two or three years, despite being one of the main stars on the team he is exactly what you don't want a player on your team to be.

We all saw what happened between Stephon and the last Knicks coach (Oh, and the one before that), and i guess D'Antoni doesn't need that on his plate along with everything else.

Either way, either Walsh or D'Antoni has to give at some point. Because of Stephon's great attitude to the situation, sympathy is mounting for him, there is even word of the Players Association getting involved, which would just make the situation ten times worse.

D'Antoni has stated that Marbury will play if injuries force it (though in a way that statement is just as disrespectful as not playing him anyway), but barring that, i think the most likely option is for Walsh to give in and buy him out. Of course, if some kind of trade can be reached, Walsh would likely take it without a second thought, but that is incredibly unlikely due to the size of the contract and the concerns that come with Marbury.

Truthfully, D'Antoni should be the one to back down, playing him should be what happens, but this is the New York Knicks, since when have they done what they should do?