Marbury Could Be Joining the Celtics

Ah yes it’s a new year which means more time to discuss the saga that is the Stephon Marbury situation.  The buyout talks between Steph and Donnie Walsh had reached a stalemate but there were rumors flying around that Walsh would start the talks back up in early January.  Marbury also wrote a blog post for the New York Post that was somewhat bizarre to read.  Everyone knows when Steph blogs, he really drops some knowledge:

I once heard it said that experience is not what happens to a man, experience is what a man does with what happens to him. That’s real science, so I’ll drop that one again. Experience is not what happens to a man, experience is what a man does with what happens to him.

He did even express the fact that he just wants to have a chance to play.  He also claims he didn’t want to be a distraction despite the fact that he sat courtside for a Lakers-Knicks game in LA like a creepy stalker:

I didn’t want to be a distraction for the team first and me second. I honestly came to help the team win. Real talk. I was willing to put in the work necessary to earn my starting spot and humble enough to accept coming off of the bench.

It was unfortunate that the coach wanted to go in a different direction and didn’t want me to be part of the team. I just wish it had been handled correctly from jump. I could understand the fact they didn’t want Chris Duhon looking over his shoulder but if you don’t want me, just pay me and let me go. I just want to play basketball.

Now Marc Stein of ESPN.com is reporting that both the Celtics and Marbury are interested in a deal provided that he can secure a buyout from the Knicks:

Although it has been widely assumed that Celtics forward Kevin Garnett would resist a reunion with the controversial point guard — after Marbury broke up their Minnesota parternship in less than three seasons together by forcing a trade to New Jersey — one Celtics source insists that Garnett has voiced no opposition to the idea of signing Marbury for the rest of the season to strengthen Boston’s backcourt depth behind starters Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.

When asked specifically about the likelihood of Marbury joining the Celtics this season, the source predicted that “it will happen.”

I’m still not entirely convinced that we will have a resolution to the situation anytime soon.  For someone who claims to be desperate to just have another chance to play, he sure does not seem eager to part with any of the $20+ million that is owed to him this year.  I just don’t think this buyout is going to be as simple as one might think.  Donnie Walsh is very opposed to the idea of paying Marbury his entire salary, or close to it, and still have to watch him play on a winning team and contend for a title.  The only question for the Knicks is how desperate they will be to free up the roster space.

From the perspective of the Celtics, I’m not really sure what to think.  They do need to add some depth to their roster because the truth is that the Cavaliers and Lakers are deeper than them.  Their bench could be what causes their downfall in the postseason if they do not address it.  But they really could use some depth with their bigs as I think you can survive with Eddie House backing up Rajon Rondo.  Plus with the way Rondo has improved this season, there will not be all that many minutes for the backup PG to have.  Rondo has a PER of 19.93 which is 7th best among point guards.

I just don’t think it would be worth the risk to bring Steph in here when the amount of minutes for him to get will be fairly low.  Marbury is also a guy that has quit on his team many times in the past, and who knows how his relationship would be with Kevin Garnett at this point.  Plus I don’t buy the idea of Marbury being able to really help a team when he has never done that in his career.  He has been shipped to a different team three times and each time that team has regressed.  The Nets lost 12 more games with Marbury his first year, the Suns dropped 15 more games from the previous year, and the Knicks had a 4 game drop.  The Celtics should be careful with this decision.

Even if the buyout doesn’t work out for Steph he still seems content with collecting his paycheck.  Who can forget his memorable quote while being interviewed on television at the Lakers-Knicks game?  “I’m still earning my check by doing nothing.”  Classy as always.

Walsh and D’Antoni Greet the Media

As NYKnicks.com is reporting, Coach Mike D’Antoni and GM Donnie Walsh sat down for a press conference on Friday as the team prepares for the opening of training camp.  There have been many issues and rumors that have been talked about regarding the Knicks all summer long.  But now is the time to open up training camp, get guys in shape, and see how everything plays out.  There were a couple of quotes from Walsh that kind of stuck out to me.

“We need to show the city that this franchise is for real,” said Walsh. “I’m out there, and I’ve got people talking to me all the time. I’m not sure they were convinced we were (for real). This city has had a great history of basketball, and I grew up in it… This history of the Knicks, when people look at the city, they want the team to play for real. And we’ve got to do that. The best way to do that is to win the games. I think that they’ll embrace a team that does that if they see there’s a future, a direction and hope down the line.”

“I’ve bought into Mike D’Antoni,” said Walsh, who made it clear he believes D’Antoni is among the NBA’s very best at his job. “I like the way his teams’ interrelated with each other and with him. Since he’s been here, I’ve discovered why. The way he approaches players and contact he has, it’s very positive and open, but definitive… The end result is if you have a problem with Mike, the problem is probably with you.”

The one thing I took away from the interview was that this is D’Antoni’s team all the way.  Mike has been given the keys to this long and daunting rebuilding job.  Training camp will be about D’Antoni finding out which guys will excel playing his style of basketball and finding out who are guys that he likes as players.  It will then be up to Walsh to try to unload some of the guys that are not D’Antoni guys.  You can obviously make the argument that Steph and Randolph do not appear to be D’Antoni guys.  But there is only one way to find out.  Let’s get the guys into training camp and then see what’s what.

“We have a new coach who I have a great deal of respect and admiration and faith in,” said Walsh. “So we’re going to start and see who on this team is going to be able to fit into a team that competes, can play together, can play hard and will represent our franchise and our city.”

Updates on Marbury, James, and Rose

The most talked about issue with the Knicks prior to the start of training camp has obviously been the possible buyout of Stephon.  If you saw his interview with Bruce Beck, you would have learned that Steph is not interested in negotiating a discount for the buyout.  He wants all of his $21.9 million either way.  It seems like Walsh and Dolan are having a hard time letting him play for someone else and paying this large sum of money as well.  I think they would feel more comfortable negotiating a settlement in the $15 million range.  However, they may end up having a bigger problem with letting him remain on the team at the start of the season.  Do not expect this story to go away any time soon.

Newsday has also reported that Jerome James and Malik Rose may be finished with the Knicks as well.  Everyone remembers the assanine 5-year, $30 million contract Isiah signed him to.  Sadly there are still 2 years and $12.6 million left on his deal.  The Knicks are reportedly trying to convince James to retire due to medical reasons.  This would help the Knicks by allowing insurance to pay for a nice chunk of what is still owed to Jerome.  This is funny to me since it seems like James has been in retirement mode the last two seasons.  He sure keeps his body in retirement-like shape.

My favorite Jerome James Knick moment came during the Larry Brown year (AKA “The Longest Year”).  There was one game (I forget the opponent) where James was given the start at center.  It was surreal.  James had the best six minutes of his life.  He was making everything.  I believe he scored a dozen or so points in the first six minutes.  Then there was a whistle for a foul and I see James bent over as he was huffing and puffing.  He was so fat and out of shape that he was gassed midway through the first quarter.  So he signals towards the bench that he needs to be taken out.  This during his best start to a game in forever.  I remember the look on Brown’s face when he signaled to him that he was done.  Brown just gave a blank stare out towards the court and shook his head.  Vintage Jerome James.

The other news is that the Knicks may consider buying out Malik Rose.  This makes no sense to me.  Rose has $7.6 million owed to him for the rest of his deal.  I say hold onto him.  He is a good character guy that can actually play some defense.  Keep him as a mentor for the young guys and a guy you can use off the bench every now and then.  If you’re going to have to pay him, you might as well hold onto him or dump him at the trading deadline to another team.

If you waive Steph, convince James to retire, hang onto Rose, and get a comeback from Allan Houston that leaves you with a roster of 15.  Perfect.  That would be my plan.  Even if Houston’s comeback is short lived, as I expect it to be, you can sign a cheap guard off the street.  Maybe the return of Fred Jones?

Mike D’Antoni Interview

Recently the new head coach of the Knicks, Mike D’Antoni, sat down for an interview with NYKnicks.com.  You can read my take on the hire of Coach D’Antoni here.  

Here are some of the interesting things that he had to say:

NYKnicks.com: When you first got hired, you said one of the main reasons you decided to come to the Knicks was the opportunity to work with Donnie Walsh. How has that relationship been working out for the last few months? 

D’Antoni: It’s been great. He’s a good guy, and he’s fun to be around first of all. You know, he’s one of the best (executives) in the league, and just the day-to-day relationship we have with each other, it makes it very comfortable to work. 

NYKnicks.com: Let’s name a few players on the roster, and if you can just say the first thing that pops into your mind, starting with Quentin Richardson, whom you already know from having coached him in Phoenix. 

D’Antoni: He’s a guy you want to go to battle with. He comes up with big plays. 

NYKnicks.com: How about Jamal Crawford? 

D’Antoni: He’s a very, very talented basketball player. 

NYKnicks.com: Eddy Curry? 

D’Antoni: Big. He’s one of the better centers in the league. 

NYKnicks.com: Nate Robinson? 

D’Antoni: Nate … He’s fun to watch. Very exciting. And an unbelievable talent. 

NYKnicks.com: David Lee? 

D’Antoni: He works hard. He’s everybody’s favorite … and he’s definitely a coach’s favorite. 

NYKnicks.com: Zach Randolph? 

D’Antoni: Zach is a 20-10 guy who is one of the two or three guys in the league that can do it. 

NYKnicks.com: How about Wilson Chandler? He’s a player you might not have known a lot about before you came over here. 

D’Antoni: He’s got unbelievable potential. The same with (Danilo) Gallinari. He also has unbelievable talent and can really make others around him better. 

NYKnicks.com: Is there anybody who has surprised you so far from what you’ve seen? 

D’Antoni: Jared Jeffries. He’s surprised me. He’s been a lot better than I thought. 

NYKnicks.com: When training camp starts next week, what are some of the things you are looking to establish? 

D’Antoni: Um, running. Playing together. Just doing the right thing and see where we are and where we can go. I’m excited to get on the road and see the direction where we all want to go to. 

NYKnicks.com: We have been asking players this question, so we’ll put it to you, too: If you have one thing you want to tell the fans about the Knicks this year, one single message, what is it you want to tell them? 

D’Antoni: That we’re going to be exciting. We’re going to be a lot of fun to watch.

You can read the entire interview here.

Walsh Says Marbury Is Here to Stay

Alan Hahn of Newsday is now reporting that Stephon Marbury may not actually be waived after all.  Donnie Walsh told ESPN.com that Marbury will be reporting to training camp.  Walsh is dismissing this as something that the media has created and blown up.  I doubt that’s the case but what else is Donnie going to say publicly at the moment?

Here is Hahn with the latest on the situation: “Walsh, who did not return a message seeking comment from Newsday on Monday, told ESPN.com that “this thing is initiated in the press and then I have to ask questions about it.” A majority of the Knicks veterans were expecting Marbury to be gone by the time camp opened. And despite Walsh’s statement to the contrary, it would be a surprise if Marbury is on the gym floor at Skidmore College on Tuesday morning. Walsh signed free agent Chris Duhon to a two-year, $12-million contract in July with the promise that he would compete with Marbury to be the team’s starting point guard.”

And here is Hahn on the potential of a buyout: “Multiple sources said the Knicks have had internal discussions regarding Marbury throughout the offseason and there was a conclusion that he should be moved. With no takers on the trade market, the only other option would be to buy him out and place him on waivers. Madison Square Gardenchairman James Dolan would have to approve the buyout, which likely would be somewhere around $16.5 million.”

It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that we get conflicting reports about Marbury’s status with the Knicks.  It appears there have been rumors going back and forth on his situation all summer long.  I also believe that Hahn’s original report of the Knicks wanted to dump him came from some good sources and that is still the way the organization would like to go.  The big amount of money is still and issue but I think they will swallow it just to improve the nature of the locker room.  A lot of veterans on the team appear to not want Steph around.  So despite Walsh claiming Steph will stay, I still expect Marbury to be waived before the start of the season.  

But who knows?  This story seems to change daily so we’ll keep you posted.

Breaking News: The Starbury Era is Over

Alan Hahn of Newsday is reporting that Stephon Marbury’s career as a Knick will officially be over very soon.  People that are close to the situation say that the Knicks plan is to waive and buy out Marbury by the end of the week.  Marbury is currently in the final year of his contract with the Knicks which is to pay him $21.9 million.  

This has been something that has been rumored as a possibility for pretty much the entire summer so it does not come as that big of a surprise.  Donnie Walsh went out and signed a capable veteran when he brought Chris Duhon in during free agency.  Walsh believes that Duhon is a player that is capable of setting up the players around him and making them better.  This was something that Marbury has always been critcized for.  He has never been a good leader and most of his teams have seemed to underachieve.

The move to eat the rest of the contract cannot be easy for the Knicks.  In doing so they are giving him $20 million to play elsewhere and they are also reducing the level of talent on their roster.  However, this is still the move that the Knicks needed to make.  Yes, this is a move that can be classified as addition by subtraction.  It is about separating themselves from the previous era of Knicks basketball and starting the D’Antoni/Walsh era.  It is about starting to rebuild and moving this organization in the right direction.  

The move is also about improving the nature of the locker room by removing someone that was conceived to be a cancer to it.  The uneasiness between Steph and the other players was there, as Hahn reported:

“Marbury, who created a huge divide between himself and teammates after he went AWOL in Phoenix last November, stayed to himself with his workouts at the MSG Training Center this offseason until yesterday, when he joined the other Knicks veterans in pickup games. One observer from yesterday’s workout noted the uneasy atmosphere among the other players. “You could just feel the hate,” the person said.”

So now the Knicks can move forward once the move becomes official.  Let’s hear what you guys think about the move in the comments.  Happy?  Sad?  Indifferent?  Let’s hear it.

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Photo via AP

Gallinari Back Talk

I have to be honest.  I am very concerned about the back of Danilo Gallinari which he injured during summer league back in June.  There have been no reports of any improvement and that is an alarming sign.  However, the New York Times has recently given Knicks fans a reason to smile:

“The back injury that kept Danilo Gallinari out of action all summer will not prevent him from practicing with the Knicks when training camp opens in 12 days, Gallinari’s agent said Wednesday.”

This is the first positive news surrounding his back but two months of inactivity has to raise some red flags.  Let’s hope the cortisone shot does the trick and everything goes along to plan.  The Knicks appear to be acting very carefully with him which is good judgment on their part.  He is just a 20-year old kid.

A Look Back and a Look Ahead: Is Mike D’Antoni a Good Fit for the Knicks?

Last year certainly brought the Knicks to rock bottom.  There were all of the “Fire Isiah” chants and all of the off the court issues, including the embarassing sexual harassment lawsuit.  The Knicks managed to win just 23 games and Donnie Walsh replaced Isiah Thomas as team president.  The burning question at that time was, “Who is the coach that can help fix the Knicks?”  Then Mike D’Antoni had his falling out with Steve Kerr and the Phoenix Suns.  The Bulls and Knicks both pursued him but D’Antoni chose the Knicks and their 4-year, $24 million deal.  Right away there was a lot of criticism accusing D’Antoni of running to wherever the most money was.  The Bulls seemed to have a brighter future and an upcoming lottery pick.  It was also perceived that the Knicks had a roster with a mess of underachievers with bad character issues who many believe do not fit in with D’Antoni’s uptempo style of basketball.  So you heard all of the people who said that this relationship was an awful fit, like the couple that is destined to be found fighting and breaking up every other weekend.  Is he really a bad fit with the Knicks?  Let’s look a little deeper first.

One thing that you cannot debate about Mike D’Antoni is the fact that he has been a very good coach in this league.  All you have to do is look at the numbers and accolades that he has achieved so far.  His head coaching career began slowly in Denver in 1998 as his team went 14-36 in the lockout-shortened season.  He then spent a year as a scout for the Spurs and a year as an assistant coach in Portland.  He joined the Suns in 2002 as an assistant and took over as head coach in December of 2003. 

In four full seasons as head coach of the Suns here is what they accomplished:

• 50 wins in all four years, including two seasons with more than 60 wins.
• Three division titles and two Western Confernce Finals appearances.
• Led the NBA in team scoring for three straight years.
• In 2004-05 they averaged over 110 ppg, the first time that has happened since 1994-95.
• In his first year with the Suns, they won 62 games which was 33 more wins than they had the previous season.

And here are the coaching accolades he has achieved:

• Won NBA Coach of the Year in 2004-05
• Four time winner of the NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month
• Was the head coach for the Western Conference at the 2007 All-Star game
• He is the third winningest coach in Suns franchise history
• His .650 winning percentage with the Suns is second in franchise history

The one thing I remember about the Suns during the “Seven Seconds of Less” days was that I never felt like they were really a great team or legit title contender.  Yet year after year they won around 60 games and continued to have their high octane offense in gear.  Heck you can make the argument that in 2007 they would’ve won the title if not for the key suspensions of Stoudemire and Diaw in their series with the Spurs. 

Mike D’Antoni had a big role in this great success for the Suns.  The best attribute about him is that he finds out what the strengths of his players are.  He then develops a style that fits them best and puts them in the best possible situation for them to succeed.  He did that with the Suns as they went to small and fast lineups that would play at relentless pace and shoot a high percentage.  Also he is a coach that players seem to love playing for which probably helped him get the maximum effort from those good Suns teams he had.

The criticisms about the situation with the Knicks are valid.  Eddy Curry has got to want it more, Danilo Gallinari has to get his feet wet, Stephon Marbury is not a leader, Zach Randolph has to play harder (if he isn’t in Memphis soon), Quentin Richardson needs to be in better shape, and Chris Duhon needs to be the guy to help set up his teammates to succeed.  It is true that not many players on this roster would succeed at the phrenetic pace of the “Seven Seconds or Less” Suns.  However, I truly believe that Mike D’Antoni will learn what his players do well and develop a style that will help him get the most out of his players.  The truth is he is just a very smart basketball person who knows this game as well as anyone.

I truly believe that the Knicks made the right hire for this rebuilding process.  D’Antoni will get the most out of his roster and will see what he has.  Then it is up to Donnie Walsh to bring in more players that fit into what kind of style D’Antoni wants to play.  Danilo Gallinari and Chris Duhon are a start but there is a long way to go.  Let’s see what they can do.

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Photo via AP

Walsh Hires Two Execs

John Gabriel and Misho Ostarcevic have been hired by team president Donnie Walsh.  It has been reported by the New York Times:

“John Gabriel, a former N.B.A. executive of the year with the Orlando Magic, has joined the Knicks’ revamped front office and will assume a major role in rebuilding the roster after seven straight losing seasons.

“Donnie Walsh, the team president, appointed Gabriel as the director of pro scouting and free agency, a newly created position. Gabriel’s primary duty will be evaluating current N.B.A. players, with an eye toward future trades and free-agent signings.

“Gabriel is well versed in the art of rebuilding. He was the Magic’s general manager from 1996 to 2004, a period in which the franchise lost Shaquille O’Neal to free agency and traded Penny Hardaway, but restocked by obtaining Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady.

“Also joining the Knicks’ front office is Misho Ostarcevic, who will be the director of player personnel. Ostarcevic was Walsh’s international scout with the Pacers.”

I wonder if these guys are Eddy Curry guys or Zach Randolph guys.  We’ll see what kind of roles these new execs play as Walsh attempts to get under the cap for the big off-season summer of 2010.

Will The Clown Sell the Knicks? Keep Dreaming

Many Knicks fans have believed James Dolan to be a clown with the way he has run the Knicks and the Rangers (especially in the Knicks case).  You can constantly hear him being bashed year after year if you tune into some sports talk radio shows in the New York area.  Under Dolan the Knicks have gone from a proud and storied franchise to the punch line of a lot of jokes.  Let’s review some of the sad history of MSG under Jimbo:

-The New York Rangers missed the playoffs for seven straight years after making it in 1997, the longest playoff drought in franchise history.  And this occurred with the league’s highest payroll.

-Gave Allan Houston a 6 year, $100 million contract in 2001.  No one else offered him more than $75 million.  He retired 4 years later due to injuries.

-There were all the bad personnel decisions including the Jerome James contract (5 years, $30 million).

-In 2005, he signed Larry Brown to a 5 year, $50 million contract to be the head coach.  Brown won 23 games in his first year and was fired.  Dolan bought out Brown’s contract for $18 million.  That’s $28 million for a 23-win season.  $28 million sure doesn’t buy what it used to.

-Then there washe rest of the Isiah Thomas era which was capped by the embarassing sexual harassment lawsuit which forced MSG to pay Anucha Browne Sanders $11.6 million.  An all-time low for MSG.

-Then there was the situation in September when the Rangers filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NHL.  This after the league allegedly threatened to kick the owners out of the league if they did not give up control of the team’s web site. 

You can see what Knick fans have had to endure.  So you can imagine the reaction of Knick fans when rumors of Dolan selling the Knicks began to surface.  There was some speculation that Dolan might sell MSG, the Knicks, and the Rangers as a way to satisfy shareholders of Cablevision, whose stock price has gone down.  It was reported that this rumor got Knick fans more excited than when they see Marisa Miller in a bikini.

But it appears these rumors could be nothing more than wishful thinking.  A recent report by Newsday addressed these rumors:

“Not so fast, though. Dolan’s gesture to investors – allowing them to voice concerns during a “listening tour” last week – seems to have been little more than a head fake. People knowledgeable about MSG in particular, and the sale of sports franchises in general, tell Newsday that it’s premature to run out onto Seventh Avenue traffic and celebrate Dolan’s departure from the Garden of Ills.”

But at least fans of the Knicks can have some hope with their new regime of general manager Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D’Antoni.  Maybe they can help offset some of the bad karma that Dolan has been putting over Madison Square Garden for years.