OT: The Trials & Tribulations of Starbury...

[mrautobahn]

By now most of you should be shaking your head over the latest "disciplinary action" of the NY Knicks...

If you are still eating the Thanksgiving turkey and haven't heard the latest... then read the story here:

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/ ... suspended/

Yeah... he got suspended and yeah... and the NBPA is gonna appeal for him...

And it is pretty bad when Q-Rich, of all people announces in public... "He isn't My Teammate!"

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/ ... _teammate/

This should give a cautious pause to any poster who STILL thinks Starbury would be a good addition to our team...

[Taget]

Will be fun to see which team is blessed by being the next stop for the drama llama. Hopefully we pass on him and it isn't the Celtics.

[ParticleMan]

There is already talk of him going to GS after being released. Them and Clips seem to be willing to take on NY's trash, for some bizarre reason. oh right, they're the warriors and the clippers, that's why.

[nugentrk]

And it is pretty bad when Q-Rich, of all people announces in public... "He isn't My Teammate!"

D'Antoni's hatred for Marbury goes back to at least 2004, he bench Marbury without even talk to his GM.

Whats new here though? almost all Knicks franchise player leave on bad terms, Frazier/Ewing/Spree/Marbury. As for Q-rich, you can't take anything he say as facts, Q-rich has been leaking crap about Marbury all summer via Newsday (own by Cablevision/Knicks).

[HighAboveCourtside]

I actually feel for Marbury in this situation. He's pretty much been the company guy throughout this whole mess, came in with an open mind, and D'Antoni just **** all over him. Wouldn't play him, wouldn't tell him if he was going to play/be traded/etc. Just being a dick. If you don't want the guy on your team, send him home, don't have him sitting around doing nothing. And then claiming he's a cancer?? **** that, you had the opportunity to stop this right away and didn't. D'Antoni completely **** this situation up.

[mrautobahn]

He's pretty much been the company guy throughout this whole mess, came in with an open mind, and D'Antoni just **** all over him. Wouldn't play him, wouldn't tell him if he was going to play/be traded/etc.

Couple of things... how do you explain away Isiah's problem with Marbury? (see the trend here?)

And how exactly would YOU handle this situation? You have a massively unhappy player who is a major distraction to the other players who do want to play... and has a virtually untradable contract?

I would just isolate the guy until him and his agent accepts reality and makes a reasonable offer to NYK to buy out the remainder of the contract and part ways...

[Jammer]

There are so many stories floating around that there is a lot of misinformation.

This is one case where Marbury may have been set up by an inept (politically) head coach.

D'Antoni drew a line in the sand early on when he didn't want Steph in training camp,
and told other players that Steph wouldn't keep his starting job (from last season),
who then relayed that information to Steph (which doubly upset Steph, losing the starting job, being told of such by teammates and not the coach, and after hearing that D'Antoni didn't want him in training camp, he went anyway, to which D'Antoni supposedly said "what are you doing here?"

So, D'Antoni drew a line early, despite GM Donnie Walsh's pleas to keep Steph around in case someone is injured, traded, or they want to use Steph in a trade.

The Milwaukee fiasco seems snaky on D'Antoni's part. D'Antoni had repeatedly made it clear to Steph that he was not in the teams future plans. When D'Antoni offered Steph time (after the Jamal Crawford trade), instead of simply accepting, Steph supposedly responded to D'Antoni "I thought that I wasn't in your long term plans?" Which can be taken as a question, or a statement. D'Antoni supposedly reacted "Well, if you feel that way ..." and then D'Antoni portrayed it to the media as a refusal to play, even though Steph suited up for the game, taped his ankles, and was NEVER ASKED TO GO IN AGAINST MILWAUKEE.

There was no grounds for a suspension here, just character assasination by D'Antoni.

The more recent game was similar, D'Antoni never actually asked Steph to go into the game, but relayed a discussion that happened before the game, where Steph swears he never said that he wouldn't play. I think Steph and the Union have great grounds for this suspension without pay (2 games, the last one and tonight) to be rescinded, since D'Antoni is obviously not giving Steph a chance to get on the floor and possibly show D'Antoni to be a FOOL.

Don't be surprised if the Celtics were to pick Steph up and put him on their active roster,
with either Sam Cassell being waived or Gabe Pruitt traded for a second round pick.

Marbury averaged 20 ppg and 8 apg EIGHT straight years,
there is a reason that
Marbury is the second highest paid player in the NBA after Kevin Garnett.

[Harison]

@ Jammer, you seem very defensive of Marbury, but D'Antoni isnt the reason Starbury has this nickname. He was (and is) one of the most arrogant players in NBA, who isnt a good team mate, why do you think a LOT of people call him cancer? And no, this have nothing to do with D'Antoni. Do you think Knicks doesnt need his offence? They do, but still they prefer to eat ~21$ mln. but not to play Starbury anyway.

Celtics GM already said he isnt interested in Marbury, there was interview posted some time ago. Cs have very good team atmosphere and I would hate to see it ruined, this would hurt team more than few points extra.

[ParticleMan]

yeah, there is ZERO chance starbury ends up here. we're just not a stupid and/or desperate franchise.

and yes, d'antoni has from the start wanted nothing to do with steph, but that's a lot on steph's past behavior. d'antoni wants to win, and he realizes that starbury has never in his career been a winner.

[Jammer]

Look, Harison and Particle Man, you are both very intelligent posters, and make good points,
but I, after initially objecting to Marbury joining the Celtics, have come to realize:

1. Yes, Steph is a bigger knuckle head than anyone on the Celtics currently.

2. Steph is more IMMATURE than anyone currently on the Celtics.

3. Steph doesn't give a hoot about the team, it's all about how Steph played, how many points did Steph score, and how great Steph is.

4. That said, the Celtics need a 5th guard. Someone who can protect the ball when Rondo is off the floor in the face of intense pressure. Marbury, at 31 or whatever, is still quick enough and has the handles to do that. Also, the Celtics badly need a bench scorer for the playoff games when Pierce, Ray Allen, KG, or House are not hitting, or Tony Allen has not brought his A or B game. Enter Steph Marbury, that of the sweet stroking jump shot. Yes, Marbury incessantly pounds the ball and dominates it. But, as a bench scorer, basically, the Celtics would be inserting Marbury out of desperation. Please, go ahead Steph, and shoot till your hearts content. Steph would take Pruitt's spot on the active roster, and be a scoring/assist upgrade. Yes, Steph's Defense is not as good as Gabriel's; but Steph's offense and ball handling are light years ahead of Smiling Gabe.

5. Steph says stuff that pisses off his teammates. The Celtics could "assign" Steph to the charge of Paul Pierce, assisted by Tony Allen, Leon Powe and Kendrick Perkins. Now, this would not be like New York, where when Kurt Thomas said that he was going to beat the crap out of Marbury, they traded Thomas to Phoenix within days, knowing that Kurt didn't bluff and that Marbury would have been pulp. In the case of the 2009 Celtics, you stay out of Pierce and Company's way, and let them deal with Steph. You keep Steph's two "friends", Sam Cassell, who has known Marbury since Marbury was in 10th grade or so, and Kevin Garnett (who may never have forgiven him for demanding out of Minnesota), out of the way, and leave it up to Paul Pierce and his crew to deal with. I'm sure that Paul would be able to get Steph's attention with something as simple as a headlock.

The Celtics gain someone who can protect the ball, and come in and score some points if need be, who is also a pretty good passer.

[Jammer]

Peter Vecsey, who has been covering the Knicks since 1966,
sheds a little light on the subject.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11302008/sp ... tm?&page=0

[Jammer]

With all of this talk about Steph Marbury being a chemistry killer, locker room cancer, and
overall jerk; I thought that it would be appropriate to make an imaginary list of the

TOP TEN THINGS THAT STEPH MARBURY MIGHT SAY AS A MEMBER OF THE CELTICS:

10. Ubuntu, Schumtu.
09. I'm the reason that this team is so successful.
08. The Celtics were a good team before I arrived; but I make the Celtics a great team.
07. I'm the best point guard in the Eastern Conference.
06. I should be starting.
05. I'm paid to shoot, right, so that's what I do.
04. You don't make the All-Star team by penetrating and kicking.
03. I made 2 All-Star teams without ever playing a lick of DEE-FENSE.
02. Wanna go make out in my SUV ? (to Celtic cheerleaders and interns).

And I'll let other posters suggest the 10th possibility.

[celtxman]

Peter Vecsey, who has been covering the Knicks since 1966,
sheds a little light on the subject.
I'm on both sides of this issue. I have no problem if the Celtics want to bring him in. You're talking about a player, now playing for a contract, who is now healthy and has skills. So you "waive" Cassell and give him his money back as an assistant coach. I saw Marbury both passing and scoring in pre-season, not just in the Celtics games but also against the Nets. He can still play. I'm for helping out the Celtics - Marbury can do that.
As to the Vecsey article, I couldn't disagree more. D'Antoni sent the message right away in the first game. Marbury refused to take the high road and take a buyout, demanding every penny of his salary at that point. I believe the benching had a lot to do with Marbury's attitude. Had he offered the token $1 million back to the Knicks that he is offering now from the beginning, he might already be comfortably on another roster, showing other teams that he isn't all about the money, but he wants to play for a championship team.
Ownership is always expected to renegotiate contracts when players have career years. Yet there are those who would argue why should Marbury give up a penny? No one put a gun to ownwership's head signing Marbury. Yet you see a guy like Antonio McDyess leave money on the table to continue to play in the right situation for him and his family.
So the message was clear - Stephon - you want every penny of the contract you "earned" because you can. Ownership decided to put you in street clothes to watch games for $22 million dollars.....because they can. Marbury gave them notning back and he was rewarded in kind. Quid pro quo.
If the Celtics were to get Marbury (which I don't think they will) I believe Marbury would become a model citizen and would be an asset. It doesn't matter to me that his motivation would be selfish - to re-build his image for a new contract. I just worry about what he can do on the court.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11302008/sp ... tm?&page=0

[celtxman]

I'm on both sides of this issue. I have no problem if the Celtics want to bring him in. You're talking about a player, now playing for a contract, who is now healthy and has skills. So you "waive" Cassell and give him his money back as an assistant coach. I saw Marbury both passing and scoring in pre-season, not just in the Celtics games but also against the Nets. He can still play. I'm for helping out the Celtics - Marbury can do that.
As to the Vecsey article, I couldn't disagree more. D'Antoni sent the message right away in the first game. Marbury refused to take the high road and take a buyout, demanding every penny of his salary at that point. I believe the benching had a lot to do with Marbury's attitude. Had he offered the token $1 million back to the Knicks that he is offering now from the beginning, he might already be comfortably on another roster, showing other teams that he isn't all about the money, but he wants to play for a championship team.
Ownership is always expected to renegotiate contracts when players have career years. Yet there are those who would argue why should Marbury give up a penny? No one put a gun to ownwership's head signing Marbury. Yet you see a guy like Antonio McDyess leave money on the table to continue to play in the right situation for him and his family.
So the message was clear - Stephon - you want every penny of the contract you "earned" because you can. Ownership decided to put you in street clothes to watch games for $22 million dollars.....because they can. Marbury gave them notning back and he was rewarded in kind. Quid pro quo.
If the Celtics were to get Marbury (which I don't think they will) I believe Marbury would become a model citizen and would be an asset. It doesn't matter to me that his motivation would be selfish - to re-build his image for

[Truthiracy]

I'm still scared now (Zach Randolph is gonna murder the East)