Walsh's Moves

[Kefa461]

Knicks president Donnie Walsh will travel with the team on its eight-day Southwest road trip, but may call Players Association attorney Hal Biagas as soon as today to restart buyout talks.

Marbury said he is skeptical he will be given his freedom. He will not take a buyout and said he believes the Knicks will not release him not because of the money, but because they don't want him to make their decision look bad if he goes to Boston or Miami.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01052009/sp ... 147302.htm

Stephon Marbury remains the property of the Knicks, who are not exactly enamored of the idea of Marbury joining an Eastern Conference rival and remaining relevant well into June -- a good two months after the Knicks' own 2008-09 relevancy will have long since expired.

New York is even less enamored of Marbury possibly joining the Miami Heat
-- one of the teams the Knicks expect to be contending with for one of the final playoff spots in the East. That is why team president Donnie Walsh was planning to check into the legality of whether NBA rules permit him to make a deal -- whether a handshake deal, or something in writing-- with Marbury in which New York would offer a larger buyout sum if Marbury agreed to sign with a Western Conference team.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3810443

It seems this is gonna drag out.....

[s1ickd]

Don't you find it strange that the Knicks want to get him off their roster SO badly.... yet are equally affraid that he'll HELP an apponent? If he's such a helpful player, why dont they just suck up their foolish pride and play the man.

Isiah Thomas ruined Marbury and the Knicks.... Marbury did not ruin the Knicks. Hell, a perrenial 20 ppg scorer in Houston and Orlando called Steve Francis joined the Knicks and his career instantly ended. That's how absurd that situation was. Someone like Eddy Curry, who had a lot of promise and was never considered a malcontent in Chicago goes to New York.... and wallah, his career is over!

Wake up people. Marbury, Francis, and Curry were once very coveted players. Isiah Thomas destroyed their careers, confidence, and love for basketball.

[Hemingway]

It seems a little odd to be able to make a buyout deal with specification as to where the player can go next. It does make sense but it seems like one of those things that opens the door to a lot of bad things. If this was aloud how much of a stretch would it be for another team to buy someone out with the specifications that they have to go to NY, and a trade of sorts could be worked out. Maybe its nothing but it seems like once you cut someone or buy them out or what ever, you are done with them.

[Joebiscuit]

I think if you're bought out you can play where ever you want. I don't think the NBA will allow the Knicks to make this kind of deal with Marbury. It kind of opens the door for the owners to have way too much power.

[Dave_From_NB]

The whole mid-season buyout thing is completely ridiculous. Make guys earn their paycheck, if you don't want to play them tell them to go home and pay them. If they don't want to play for you, suspend them without pay.

[Zin5]

I don't get why they'd be scared of him coming here. It's not like they had much of a chance at the championship, let alone making the playoffs. I can never understand why teams that are bad will only move a player if it's to the opposite conference. Wasn't that some of the buzz regarding why KG was traded here instead of LA? It's not like either of us are impacting what they're aiming for.

[Collinto]

1. The Knicks cannot make that type of agreement, I heard someone on ESPN radio the other day who had checked with the league office.
2. The Knicks don't want him on the team that keeps them out of the playoffs, or crushes them in the first round.

On a side note, for them to be worried they must think he has something left in the tank, huh?

[Jammer]

ESPN's Mark Stein already answered your questions.

The Knicks can not put any restrictions on where Marbury can sign in writing.

If they get Steph to make a verbal agreement on where he won't go,
and Steph breaks that verbal agreement,
it is unenforceable,
meaning once waived, Steph can sign wherever he likes.

Walsh and D'Antoni have been quoted in New York papers as having no problem with Boston.
That was Steph speculating that they would look bad if he signed with a winner.

What Walsh did say was that the Knicks would have a problem with a team in the East
that Marbury could help take a playoff spot from the Knicks.

Realistically, you can exclude Boston, Cleveland and Orlando;
because they are pretty much cinch's to make the playoffs.

The 4 teams Steph mentioned in a quote a few days ago were
Boston, Miami, Orlando and the Lakers.

Obviously, Walsh would not want Steph to sign with Miami,
which could cost the Knicks Millions in playoff money if the Knicks end up 9th in the East.

But the other 3 shouldn't matter.
It was D'Antoni who didn't want to play Steph,
obviously from their Phoenix days,
since Steph never saw a minute this year despite playing
nearly 30 minutes per game in pre-season.

Walsh clearly wanted Marbury in the rotation from the get go,
so it would be D'Antoni who will look bad,
not Walsh,
should Marbury contribute to a winner.

[TheSheriff]

Marbury is going to have to take a pay cut for him to get his release. Right now they are paying him his full salary and he is not with the team, so he is not a huge distraction to the players. If they are going to have to pay him the same no matter what, they are better off with the situation as it is so he does not play for some one else. They really gain nothing by releasing him and paying him his full salary.