Marbury expected to be waived *per wiretap*

[Kilroy]

If he is in fact waived, I'd bet almost anything that he signs a big contract overseas...

I just don't see him being humble enough yet to go for the minimum for a bit part, no matter how many rings he gets... I think he might accept less to be a major player on a team but not the minimum and not to be 4th or 5th or 6th most important on a team...

[Danny Darko]

I don't know about thriving even on a vet team with talent. Answer me this? Why has no team he's ever been on had any success regardless of talent? Why has every team that has traded him immediately become much better? To me there just isnt a coincidence, and we don't need him around young guys like Trevor, Drew, Farmar, and Sasha.

[lakerboy]

I think he's worth a shot(vet min),we can drop him as fast as we picked him up.I really think pj can keep him in order,plus ask yourself if you were willing too take artest why not him?

[Squirrel Boy]

Could be a low risk, high reward move. Marbury is a big time talent at PG. Huge scoring threat, also improved his 3-pt shooting to 38% last year.

Gets a bum rap, imo. Perceived as a selfish player, yet has career averages of 8 assists per game. He looks like he has a huge chip on his shoulder on the court, yet sponsors many charities and contributes to the community.

What he isn't is a franchise player. You can't build a team around him, because he doesn't have that personality, he's not a pass first point guard. But he's an bona fide all-star at PG.

He did an admirable job changing his game in NY, under notoriously inflexible Larry Brown and the insane in the membrane Isiah Thomas.

One thing is for sure, he seems and sounds a lot more wise now. He regretted whatever happened in Minnesota, and he apparently trained hard to play for the Knicks this season.

He's a competitor, he's a veteran, he's clutch, and he's got heart. He's made some mistakes in the past, but I wouldn't hold it against him.

He's a HUGE Kobe fan though, so I wouldn't expect there to be any of the reported problems with ego. And if that's not a problem, there is no problem. Sign him, and Phil Jackson has handled players much worse than Marbury, with far less talent.

Thanks miles. Saved a whole lot of writing that I wasnt up for this time around. I know you got my back man.

[milesfides]

I don't know about thriving even on a vet team with talent. Answer me this? Why has no team he's ever been on had any success regardless of talent? Why has every team that has traded him immediately become much better? To me there just isnt a coincidence, and we don't need him around young guys like Trevor, Drew, Farmar, and Sasha.

Hm, I actually think Marbury was pretty successful. He was pivotal in helping the t-wolves make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. When he was traded in a 3-way for Terrell Brandon, the Wolves didn't get any worse because Brandon was actually an all-star himself and averaged the same numbers as Marbury. But there's no way Minnesota would have turned around their franchise without Marbury, KG needed help.

NJ weren't very good with Marbury because...they just weren't very good. Their second best player was Keith Van Horn. Kittles was probably the next best, and the rest of the roster was very thin. Still, the rest of the league recognized his talent and he made the all-star team, where he performed memorably in a shootout with Kobe Bryant.

After he was traded for Jason Kidd in his prime (which shows how high Marbury's value was), NJ did play better. First off, Kidd is a better player, a better point guard. That's not a knock on Marbury. Kidd has a wonderful talent in his ability to get the best out of his teammates. Second, young guys like Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson got a chance to develop into very good players. Marbury didn't have that luxury.

In Phoenix, Marbury was part of a fairly decent run. He was the main engine that led the team to a winning record and to the playoffs where they lost in the first round to the Spurs, 4-2. The Suns actually stole game one from the Spurs, and you can't really look too deeply into the fact that they lost against a championship team. They certainly had a respectable showing.

Yeah, some would knock Marbury's reputation of having a bad attitude. I'd like to point out how NJ landed Kidd for Marbury, which really was the result of Phoenix's knee-jerk reaction to Kidd's domestic abuse incident. Double standard?

Phoenix got even better after they traded Marbury, which was part of a new plan to blow up the team and build around Amare and Marion. There's some background to this, which was the sale of the team to Sarver and injury to Amare which essentially ended playoff hopes that year. The organization went through a major overhaul, which included hiring a new coach and making a major run for Steve Nash, who was the perfect pass-first type point guard to pair up with Amare. That Marbury is singled out is quite unfair - he was just one of many changes to the team. That Nash was considered an upgrade is hardly a reason to crap on Marbury.

In sum, I think it's a little harsh to knock Marbury's career.

He was traded or replaced by three all-stars, some of them the greatest point guards in the history of the game, MVPs of the league.

That he didn't achieve the same success shouldn't justify dismissing everything he helped accomplish (help Minny gain respectability and make the playoffs, continue to develop into an all-star despite being on a crappy team for NJ to land Kidd, and helping Phoenix reach the playoffs after losing Kidd). Let me put it this way, would Derek Fisher or Jordan Farmar have been able to do what Marbury did?

He doesn't have championship rings, but that doesn't make him a loser.
He was traded several times, but that doesn't mean he's a cancer.
He's not a pass first point guard, but that doesn't mean we can't use him.
He might have been immature in the past, but that doesn't mean he is now.

I understand why people would have a problem with Marbury, but I just don't think there's any compelling reason to dismiss the possibility that he would make us a stronger team.

[Asianiac_24]

I don't know about thriving even on a vet team with talent. Answer me this? Why has no team he's ever been on had any success regardless of talent? Why has every team that has traded him immediately become much better? To me there just isnt a coincidence, and we don't need him around young guys like Trevor, Drew, Farmar, and Sasha.

Hm, I actually think Marbury was pretty successful. He was pivotal in helping the t-wolves make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. When he was traded in a 3-way for Terrell Brandon, the Wolves didn't get any worse because Brandon was actually an all-star himself and averaged the same numbers as Marbury. But there's no way Minnesota would have turned around their franchise without Marbury, KG needed help.

NJ weren't very good with Marbury because...they just weren't very good. Their second best player was Keith Van Horn. Kittles was probably the next best, and the rest of the roster was very thin. Still, the rest of the league recognized his talent and he made the all-star team, where he performed memorably in a shootout with Kobe Bryant.

After he was traded for Jason Kidd in his prime (which shows how high Marbury's value was), NJ did play better. First off, Kidd is a better player, a better point guard. That's not a knock on Marbury. Kidd has a wonderful talent in his ability to get the best out of his teammates. Second, young guys like Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson got a chance to develop into very good players. Marbury didn't have that luxury.

In Phoenix, Marbury was part of a fairly decent run. He was the main engine that led the team to a winning record and to the playoffs where they lost in the first round to the Spurs, 4-2. The Suns actually stole game one from the Spurs, and you can't really look too deeply into the fact that they lost against a championship team. They certainly had a respectable showing.

Yeah, some would knock Marbury's reputation of having a bad attitude. I'd like to point out how NJ landed Kidd for Marbury, which really was the result of Phoenix's knee-jerk reaction to Kidd's domestic abuse incident. Double standard?

Phoenix got even better after they traded Marbury, which was part of a new plan to blow up the team and build around Amare and Marion. There's some background to this, which was the sale of the team to Sarver and injury to Amare which essentially ended playoff hopes that year. The organization went through a major overhaul, which included hiring a new coach and making a major run for Steve Nash, who was the perfect pass-first type point guard to pair up with Amare. That Marbury is singled out is quite unfair - he was just one of many changes to the team. That Nash was considered an upgrade is hardly a reason to crap on Marbury.

In sum, I think it's a little harsh to knock Marbury's career.

He was traded or replaced by three all-stars, some of them the greatest point guards in the history of the game, MVPs of the league.

That he didn't achieve the same success shouldn't justify dismissing everything he helped accomplish (help Minny gain respectability and make the playoffs, continue to develop into an all-star despite being on a crappy team for NJ to land Kidd, and helping Phoenix reach the playoffs after losing Kidd). Let me put it this way, would Derek Fisher or Jordan Farmar have been able to do what Marbury did?

He doesn't have championship rings, but that doesn't make him a loser.
He was traded several times, but that doesn't mean he's a cancer.
He's not a pass first point guard, but that doesn't mean we can't use him.
He might have been immature in the past, but that doesn't mean he is now.

I understand why people would have a problem with Marbury, but I just don't think there's any compelling reason to dismiss the possibility that he would make us a stronger team.

+1. Marbury's definitely worth the gamble. Remember he's only for the vet's min. A potential Low Risk, High Reward move.

[Squirrel Boy]

TELL EM WHAT IT IS MILES!! TELL EM WHAT IT IS!!

Marbury is my boy for life. He's as New York as it gets. He's class man. He's class. He's a great leader. He's getting knocked on cuz of Isiah's BS. It was IT's fault for trading away KVH for Tim Thomas. A Marbury/Houston/KVH would have been a solid trio in the Eastern Conference. Isiah blew up the team and y'all know that. Who you gonna listen to man? The NYer or the media?

Marbury has a refuge here. He has his boy LO, his boy Kobe, and the Zen Master. We have a great veteran cast and another mix of youth that are like sponges and are willing to learn.

Tell em what it is miles.

[joe.linnen]

SF:Radmanovic/Ariza/Yue
PF:Gasol/Odom/Walton
C:Bynum/Mihm/Powell
SG:Bryant/Vujacic/Karl
PG:Fisher/Farmar/Marbury


I think he would do wonderful here. Marbury and Bryant in the same back court would cause everyteam some major problems. Its so many lineups we could go with as well. It could turn out to be a good thing for him and the team

[Gerald3Wallace]

nobody has said it better than miles in this post.

i would definitely give him a shot..how can it harm us? yall really think one guy can slow down kobe pau bynum and odom??? i dont think so

[snaquille oatmeal]

do it Mitch!

[lakerboy]

all those in favor of artest should be on board with starbury-miles nother great post holmes....

[Hawaii]

I would love to see the Lakers with Marbury, I think he'd fit right it with the team. Phil Jackson has worked with players with perceived attitude issues (i.e. Dennis Rodman), and it's been fine. You guys should go for it! Offer him the vet min, and see if he bites. I really liked Marbury playing with his hometown team, but it's just not working. Maybe he'll have more luck in LA.

[Squirrel Boy]

Now thats a misconception Hawaii. Marbury does NOT have an attitude problem. He is perceived to have one because our team sucked ass, and it will for the next 5-6 years. Of course, any star player on a losing team will have bitch fit (ex. Kobe a year ago demanding a team and the infamous "BYNUM?!! **** IS BYNUM?!! SHIP HIS ASS OUT!!")

[RJM]

TELL EM WHAT IT IS MILES!! TELL EM WHAT IT IS!!

Marbury is my boy for life. He's as New York as it gets. He's class man. He's class. He's a great leader. He's getting knocked on cuz of Isiah's BS. It was IT's fault for trading away KVH for Tim Thomas. A Marbury/Houston/KVH would have been a solid trio in the Eastern Conference. Isiah blew up the team and y'all know that. Who you gonna listen to man? The NYer or the media?

Marbury has a refuge here. He has his boy LO, his boy Kobe, and the Zen Master. We have a great veteran cast and another mix of youth that are like sponges and are willing to learn.

Tell em what it is miles.

YES! YES! YESSS!!! I actually remember that short period of time when they were actually playing good basketball again! Once KVH got shipped off it went down the crapper.