The Basketball Gods Have Spoken

I have never liked the Celtics so I'm feeling good that they were finally eliminated last night. But a certain degree of satisfaction comes from the idea that the Celtics collusion with Marbury was not rewarded.

Not too long ago, stories were floating around that someone in the Celtics organization had put the bug in Marbury's ear that if he were released by the Knicks he could join a Celtics championship squad which is exactly what happened.

Now I was never a Marbury hater but there was no excuse or explanation for his behavior this season except to put it in the context of this alleged Celtics collusion story. This probably didn't qualify as organizational tampering but nonetheless, Marbury was playing the Knicks as if he had an ace up his sleeve all the while professing his love for the team.

In any case, the Knicks have been getting dumped on for years by this league and by sports fans everywhere because the Knicks are the one NY sports team that hasn't produced consistent winners. This "dumping" has taken on many forms with the worst being the trading of injured or impaired players with brutally bad contracts to the Knicks where their short-comings are immediately exposed and their contracts become untradable assets.

So when the rumor that Marbury had a back channel escape hatch to the Celtics, my attitude changed about him. This sounded and felt like just another cheap shot at a Knicks team that has been on its knees for nearly a decade.

So today I celebrate a Celtics playoff elimination and I wish them many more. And believe me, I do know what that feels like.

The Marbury Tempest

New York's usual suspects are creating a mini-controversy regarding the fact that Marbury did not play against Miami in a blow-out game.

D'Antoni explained that he is pursuing a futures line-up rather than a win-now strategy. At face value this makes perfect basketball sense. The issue isn't whether or not Marbury could play a better game than Mardy Collins who had a poor showing. The broader issue is that Mardy Collins needs the opportunity to succeed or fail in D'Antoni's system so that mid-season trade decisions can take that information into account.

Marbury's absence in garbage time may more be a sign of respect for Marbury than an insult. Marbury is not on the bench as a garbage time player. Inevitably, D'Antoni will insert Marbury into a high-pressure, must-win situation and D'Antoni will expect Marbury to respond with an "I'll show you attitude." Part of what makes D'Antoni's high octane methodology work is adrenaline.

You can be sure when Marbury takes the floor there will be sparks.

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There's some talk about an Eddie Curry swap with Golden State to acquire disgruntled Al Harrington.

No one would be happier than I to rid ourselves of Curry whose shelf-life in New york has expired. Curry has created a situation in which fans and team are emotionally exhausted from watching him mold his character around Jerome McJames instead of Shaq in his prime.

Curry should be working 24/7 to redeem any self-respect he has left or this contract will likely be his last.

But the broader issue for me is what Al Harrington might add to this squad and that's an odd algebra. I like the fact that Lee, Gallinari, and Chandler are developing. While Harrington is a better Malik Rose, he would inevitably steal minutes from our future core.

The real player question is whether or not Harrington enjoys playing the uptempo game. If he's unhappy under Don Nelson, anyone trading for him needs to understand why. After all, not even getting rid of Eddie Curry is a good enough excuse to acquire a player who hates the system we're running.

Time to Put Lipstick On...

Well, McCain has "suspended" his presidential campaign to further dress up negotiations in Washington. A recent Jill Greenberg photo shoot as reported by BuzzFeed catches him looking dapper.



And of course in Knicksville Stephon Marbury is quoted as saying, "They're going to give me all my money."

It takes a lot of lipstick to make that sound pretty. I'm assuming he has a great year.

Marbury, Cuban, and Italian Thunder

We have all heard Starberman's proclamations that echo Marbury's "love" of Italy. But the more I read of what's going on in Italy, marbs might reconsider his career choices.

In his customary midday Sunday address, the pontiff expressed concern at "recent examples of racism" and reminded Catholics it was their duty to steer others in society away from "racism, intolerance and [the] exclusion [of others]".

On any other day, his remarks might have been seen as no more than a restatement of official Catholic doctrine. But they came instead in the midst of a furious dispute over an editorial published by Italy's bestselling Catholic weekly, Famiglia Cristiana.

In an editorial on Friday, condemning recent government moves against immigrants and Roma, the magazine said it was to be hoped fascism was not "resurfacing in our country under another guise". The jibe outraged Berlusconi's supporters, many of whom are themselves pious Catholics.

As I read Pope warns Italy in danger of returning to fascism by John Hooper, I wondered how a wallflower like Stephon Marbury would fare in a country that is making the church squeamish.

As I daydreamed a scene from the comedy Tropic Thunder comes to mind. Toward the end of the film in which Ben Stiller's character, Tugg Speedman, waves the helicopter off from a bridge he's standing on. Tugg, after being re-educated by his captors believes he has found someone who cares about him, Little Half-squat. Tugg turns and returns to his captors.

The crew is stunned but resign themselves to living without Tugg [Stephon]. No sooner than the helicopter is about to take-off there's a ruckus coming from the bridge. In a flurry of angry captors chasing Speedman, the crew watches as Little Half-squat is firmly clinging to Tugg's back stabbing and choking him. By now Tugg can't leave his captors fast enough. He grabs Little Half-squat and tosses the kid over the bridge, sprinting to the helicopter.

It is not hard to imagine Marbury going to Italy, aggravating the fans, and chasing a plane out of the country with a horde of blood-thirsty euro-fascists clinging to his body as he flings them off.

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I have written about this before but it's bubbling up again. Mark Cuban thinks Jason Kidd will deliver a championship in Dallas. I don't think so. Kidd will pout subliminally all season long without a contract extension. No money, no honey.

Marbury is a better, more hungry player than Kidd and a one-for-one swap makes sense. The Knicks can rent Kidd for a year or two with no grandiose expectations. Marbury may very well finally win a ring and redemption in Dallas.

It's a hellish deal but one that makes sense. If Marbury fails... well, Cuban rebuilds with no hard feelings.

Imagine the conversations Mark could have with Marbs (with apologies to Tropic Thunder):

Marbs: There were times while I was playing [with the Knicks]where I felt...
[pause]
Marbs: ...retarded. Like, really retarded.
Cuban: Moronical?
Marbs: Yeah!
Cuban: An imbecile?
Marbs: Yeah!
Cuban: Like the dumbest motherfucker that ever lived?
Marbs: [pause] When I was playing [with the Knicks].

Deal With It

People need to calm down. The New York pitchfork and torch crowds are circling the Garden as if Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and the Mummy were hiding inside. Get a grip.

There's no place to send Marbury. Deal with it. That doesn't mean that a complementary trade can't help but Isiah is right on the money in calling out Marbury. The fallout certainly is unexpected and painful but the Knicks are too far down the road to turn back now.

Like the postcard says, "When you're going through HELL, keep going!"

Isiah has done a marvelous job reinventing the roster. Critics who don't understand the dynamics of NBA trades, buyouts, and signings insist that instant-gratification-magic-dust works but Isiah inherited a monumental mess and has delivered a positive return using what he had which wasn't much.

The Marbury fiasco makes it all look diminished and doubtful but under the dust-up lies a good team. Marbury can't be moved because there's no buyers offering something better.

But teams like Portland have good young PG prospects who can be negotiated away. Marbury needs to play the shooting guard position or come off the bench.

That means more roster changes. But now is the time. Early in the season when it is obvious the current roster has not gelled.

Shades of Summer

Ian Thomsen's Inside the NBA column is the best I've read today. Check it out.

While the Knicks deserve ridicule for the outlandish contracts they've awarded over the years, they also deserve some credit for owning up to those mistakes and buying out the contracts. Far better to open up the roster spot than to compound the original mistake by tying up room on the bench.

Do they buy out Marbury? When I played the longshot and picked the Knicks to finish sixth in the East this season, it was based on the assumption that they would rely more on young point guards Nate Robinson and Mardy Collins at the expense of Marbury, who -- if he would accept it as humbly as Manu Ginobili has in San Antonio -- could be an excellent sixth man as a microwave off the bench. Statistically, Marbury is their best point guard, but he isn't what they need anymore. With scorers Randolph, Curry and Jamal Crawford dominating the lineup, the Knicks need a distributor and defender starting in the backcourt. But, of course, Marbury is going to view a change in his role as a demotion.

BlackBishop on the Marbury Situation

One of Realgm's most trusted posters reports an altercation on the Knicks plane between Marbury and Isiah that precipitated Marbury's excused absence.

The OP claims Malik Rose wants out.

Update:

A second credible source at Realgm (HellsKitchen) claims these assertions are true.

Berman of the Post on Marbury

Berman has an inside line:

Marbury had bolted in a huff, flying for home amid an apparent feud with Thomas over his starting role, leaving his future as a Knick in serious doubt.

Marbury landed in New York about 4 p.m. and said in the message to The Post, "I have one thing to say, and that's I got permission to leave. I would never leave my team on my own. What I’m telling you is that I got permission to leave from Isiah. He said I could go home. God bless. Peace be with you."

Marbury added he was not expecting to join the team in Los Angeles tomorrow night.

"No, I'm not coming to LA as of now," he said.

Marbury MIA

My, my. Isiah seems to be challenging Marbury to step it up. From Howard Beck at the Times;

Marbury traveled with the team from New York to Phoenix on Monday, but he left Phoenix early Tuesday morning, possibly to return to New York. He also has a home in the Los Angeles area, where the Knicks play Wednesday night. The Knicks would not say where Marbury had gone, but Thomas at one point said, ”We look forward to seeing him tomorrow.”

Thomas declined to say whether Marbury left of his own volition or whether he was asked to leave. Thomas called it ”an in-house matter,” a phrase he invoked 12 times in a seven-minute interview after the team’s shoot-around. The coach also repeatedly stressed that Marbury is welcome to return, though in what role he would not say.

Tension between Marbury, once considered the face of the franchise, and Thomas – who acquired Marbury in a 2004 trade – seems to stem from Marbury’s contributions to the Knicks’ poor start (2-3). He has been indifferent on defense and erratic on offense, most notably in the final minutes of Sunday’s 75-72 loss to the Miami Heat.

Marbury is averaging 15.2 points and 6.8 assists in five games this season, while shooting 40 percent from the field. However, those are not the things that most concern Thomas.

”We need leadership from that position at the point guard, and we also need defense,” Thomas said. ”And those are two things that he’s definitely capable of doing. And when he returns, that’s what I expect out of him. I expect him to lead from that position and I expect him to defend from that position. Those are the only two things that I require from that position.”

Oh, Get Off His Case

Stephon Marbury made an appearance on the Mike'd Up show recently and made a bit of a spectacle of himself by having some fun with the host of the show.

Of course, Marbury, speaking euphemistically and metaphorically is being hounded by a self-righteous brigade of fools who are twisting his every word literally and unforgivingly.

Marbury is a generous soul who speaks a street dialect that plays right into the hands of the literalists. Marbury said "the Knicks could steal the trophy meaning of course that they aren't expected to win it and could sneak through the playoffs to snatch the prize. In the New York media they're playing it like an Ocean's Eleven heist.

During the interview his phone rang and and he said, "it's my other ho... it's my wife" which sounds to me like "it's my other home.. it's my wife." but again, the media is acting as though Marbury is doing Imus impressions.

He's a not ready for media spotlight baller - BFD. Yes he intentionally exagerates how much he'll get the ball into Randolph and Curry, so what?

Give the guy a break.

Is the NBA salary cap hurting local charity?

When I read NY Post articles like this one, STEPHON: I'D BE OK WITH KOBE by Marc Berman, I can't help but wonder if the salary cap as an instrument of fiscal policy is worth it.

When I see players like Marbury, love him or hate him on the court, opening his heart and wallet to aid vital community organizations - one has to wonder if satisfying the appetite of owners for quick profit isn't hurting the league more than helping it.

If the big salary players become local philanthropies, this generates a goodwill fan base that the organization would spend far more to buy. Yet, in the NBA, teams in big cities with big needs are punished for compensating players appropriately. Let's face it, NY has far greater charity needs than say, Memphis.

Secondly, when NBA teams used to bid for college talent, the ante went up. The kid making big bucks was given the attention the club thought he deserved and even a Memphis suddenly created a buzz. Now the buzz is that the team that sucks gets rewarded for losing.

Maybe the good old days really were better.

From Berman's piece:

June 17, 2007 -- Stephon Marbury opened his wallet to New York City policemen, firemen and teachers yesterday and opened his arms to Kobe Bryant becoming a Knick.

In an appearance yesterday in Marbury's hometown Coney Island, he announced a series of $1 million donations then addressed the brewing Bryant saga, saying the NBA would benefit greatly if Isiah Thomas secured the Lakers' star.

Yesterday, Bryant met with Lakers owner Jerry Buss in Barcelona, Spain, with the L.A. Times reporting Bryant restated his trade demands. The report said Buss warned Bryant a trade would be a long-term process.

"Hey, I'm not opposed to it," Marbury said with a laugh. "I want to be clear-cut. I'm not opposed to it."

Presiding over opening ceremonies at the annual Stephon Marbury Basketball Classic at Surfside Gardens, the Knicks point guard said he believes the NBA could use a jolt after the Spurs swept to their fourth title in nine years in the lowest-rated NBA Finals.

"New York would be dynamite for [Kobe]," Marbury said. "This would be someplace where basketball would become the biggest and highest of the high for the NBA. It will help the game in a tremendous way because that would give New York that solidification . . . where you look at the Knicks as, oh, man, that's the team again. There's still a search for that team that people want to follow."