General

Marbury’s Impending Release is Quiet Because it Doesn’t Change Much for the Knicks

Sep 22, 2008, 3:45 PM UTC

In a nice touch that Zillerâ†µcalled “understated,” New York Times‘ Howardâ†µBeck sure makes it sound like Stephen Marbury’s fate is sealed:â†µâ†µâ‡¥Most of the Knicks’ top rotation players from last season have beenâ†µâ‡¥scrimmaging at the team’s training center. The group has includedâ†µâ‡¥Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, David Lee, Nate Robinson, Jared Jeffries,â†µâ‡¥Wilson Chandler and Zach Randolph, as well as the free-agent pickupâ†µâ‡¥Chris Duhon. The most notable absence has been Stephon Marbury, who isâ†µâ‡¥expected to be waived before the season.â†µâ†µAs Tom points out, it’s weird that it took this long. The concept ofâ†µmoney seems fairly meaningless over at MSG, and it’s not like anyoneâ†µthought Marbury had room for redemption. Maybe it was the collapse ofâ†µthe Zachâ†µRandolph-to-Memphis deal that finally dissipated last week. You’veâ†µgot to figure the new Knicks regime has two top priorities -- both ofâ†µthem pretty tall orders. They need to clean house, financially andâ†µcharacter-wise, and then get a D’Antoni-style party in place. It justâ†µso happens that the “problems” -- Marbury, Randolph and Eddy Curry -- areâ†µalso the most onerous contracts, which makes things a little moreâ†µtidy. It would be a real pain if the cap and morals were two entirelyâ†µseparate fronts.â†µ
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â†µBut what’s missing here is the transition from tearing it down toâ†µliving in a brave new world: Time, suffering, and inconclusiveness.â†µYes, the likes of Walsh and D’Antoni can work miracles, but you’ve gotâ†µto wonder if the Knicks, or at least the media and fans, aren’tâ†µmisguided in expecting the organization to pull off both at once -- inâ†µeffect, ignoring that yucky transition period. This might be theâ†µautumn talking here, but isn’t it entirely possible that the twoâ†µobjectives could end up stepping on each others’ feet? Teams haveâ†µrebuilt out of nowhere, but almost never with as much of a grandioseâ†µmess on their hands as the Knicks have -- or with as specificâ†µrequirements as D’Antoni, or maybe just his admirers, have for a teamâ†µwith his name on it.â†µ

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