Knicks Complete Their Break From Isiah Era; Next Idiotic Episode Comes Any Moment Now

To be honest, I stopped paying attention to the Marbury Saga when it turned into updates just for updates’ sake. I knew the two sides were haggling over a buyout, and that eventually, an agreement would be reached. But it still feels strange now that it’s actually happened, and Starbury’s free to go where he pleases -- most likely Boston, where he’d be expected to play the role Sam Cassell did last year. Because really, this isn’t just the end of Stephon Marbury’s disappointing time in New York. It’s also a decisive break with the ignominious Isiah era. ↵
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↵While Eddy Curry is on the roster, he’s absent from the court, and has become a sympathetic figure due to multiple family tragedies. David Lee and Nate Robinson were Zeke draft picks, but both have been rehabilitated: Lee’s extra minutes and featured stats have made him a borderline All-Star, and Robinson’s approaching something like maturity. So you’d expect Knicks fans to exhale deeply, brush that dirt off once and for all, and finally look forward to the brave future. Right? ↵
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Not so for Joey Litman of Straight Bangin’, who sees this as proof that some things never change:↵↵⇥In effect, the Knicks decided that all of the tomfoolery and insanity, all of the wasted time and resources, the chance for Stephon to redeem himself with a title after behaving like a child -- it was all worth $2m now and $2m in luxury tax savings. $4m to the Knicks is like 50 cents to Tiger Woods.↵⇥
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↵⇥It’s pathetic and disgusting. Maybe that’s an overreaction, or a reaction encouraged by an irrational, visceral disdain for Steph. But as a Knicks fan who would like his favorite team to do one thing right for once, this feels like the latest betrayal. They couldn’t even do this one thing. Unreal. And for what? FOR WHAT?↵↵Yes, I’d say that’s an overreaction, especially when there’s so much to be stoked about down by the Garden. There’s no getting around the fact that Walsh and D’Antoni have overhauled this team, changed the basketball culture, and built something where as recently as last year, there was only a gaping black hole of distraction and apathy. He’s right, though, that only the most visible part of the Knicks organization has changed. Behind the scenes, it’s still James Dolan and his minions doing business the only way they seem capable of: farcically. ↵
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↵No matter how much the Knicks improve on the court, New York fans have to know that the next idiotic episode is always right around the corner. That’s certainly enough to cause a bit of angst, drive a man insane, or even put a damper on these dreams of signing Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire in 2010.↵