New York, NY (Sports Network) - New Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni reportedly wants the club to waive point guard Stephon Marbury.
The New York Post reported Sunday that D'Antoni, in his first season on the bench for the Knicks after four-plus seasons coaching the Phoenix Suns, wants the Knicks to cut ties with the embattled point guard.
Marbury, who played in just 24 games last year, was in uniform but did not play in New York's season-opening win over the Miami Heat. He was put on the inactive list for the Knicks' loss to Philadelphia on Friday; where he traveled with the team and sat on the bench in dress clothes.
The Knicks are on the hook for Marbury's $21.9 million salary this season. If the club waives him, Marbury will inevitably clear waivers in two days and become a free agent.
According to the Post, new Knicks president Donnie Walsh wants to meet with Marbury before any decision is made.
The Post said that Marbury entered camp in the best shape of his career, but D'Antoni fears that the mercurial guard will grow tired of his limited role on the team and become a distraction, and therefore would rather the club just get rid of Marbury now. The situation itself is becoming a distraction, as D'Antoni tries to implement his up-tempo style of play in New York. Fans chanted "We want Steph" during the season-opener.
Marbury missed considerable time last season recovering from the ankle injury, and he had surgery on the ankle in January. He also took long leaves of absence after the death of his father, and a bitter public feud with former Knicks coach Isiah Thomas led to Marbury being benched for long stretches before being shut down for the season.
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The Brooklyn native and Georgia Tech product averaged 13.9 points and 4.7 assists per game last season. A two-time NBA All-Star, Marbury has averaged 19.7 points and 7.8 assists in 823 games over his 12-year career with Minnesota, New Jersey, Phoenix and New York.
