Let me start by saying I have no vendetta against Stephon Marbury. In fact, I have more of a grudge against the Knicks for trading Patrick Ewing to the Supersonics more than eight years ago. However, if I ever hear another group of people start a Marbury chant, I will do something that makes the guy from "No Country for Old Men" look like Bugs Bunny.
As I said earlier, I have no personal beef with the artist formerly known as Starbury, but let's be realistic: This is a man who signed an $80 million contract to put up the numbers you would hope to get from your second-best bench player. 13.9 points and 4.7 assists is, in my opinion, unacceptable for the second highest-paid point guard in the league.
However, Steph is finally doing something to contribute to his estranged team this season. How is he doing this? By riding the bench. Is he doing so willingly? Of course not.
But who cares? Coach Mike D'Antoni has the right idea. He doesn't care who it pisses off. Marbury will receive less playing time than I will from the Knicks in the foreseeable future under the new Knicks head coach. There is no point in trying to go over D'Antoni's head, because after meeting with new team president Donnie Walsh, Marbury learned the front office is completely backing D'Antoni's decision.
Unless all three of the Knicks' top guards - Chris Duhon, Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson - come down with an incurable disease simultaneously, I think it's safe to say Stephon Marbury's days as a New York Knick are in the past.
Let's be honest. No matter how good his numbers were in the past, the statistics are misleading. He may have averaged more than 19 points and close to eight assists a game in his 12-year career, but how many times has he helped any of his teams make the playoffs? Four times, plus, he only made it with the Knicks the year he was traded halfway through the season and didn't have a chance to ruin the mechanics of their offense.
The New Jersey Nets failed to make the playoffs all three years Marbury was a member of their team. However, after Stephon was traded to the Suns for Jason Kidd, the Nets won two consecutive Eastern Conference championships, reaching the playoffs six years in a row.
What does the future hold for the former All-Star? Who the hell knows? I'd say he could go overseas, but I don't think anyone would want him. They are getting enough players who still have talent at this point. I would say he should give the CBA a call, but the Knicks' other greatest acquisition this past decade, Isaiah Thomas, caused the CBA to go bankrupt years ago, so I guess that's out of the question, too.
All jokes aside, Marbury is still young enough to turn his career back around for the better. One thing's for sure, though: He's got to get on the court to make that happen, and that sure as hell isn't going to happen while he's a New York Knickerbocker.
