Filed under: Knicks, NBA Rumors
In a bit of an understated line at the end of a story on Danilo Gallinari's condition (better than we thought last week), Howard Beck of the New York Times indicates Stephon Marbury will be on the open market in the next few weeks.
Most of the Knicks' top rotation players from last season have been scrimmaging at the team's training center. The group has included Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, David Lee, Nate Robinson, Jared Jeffries, Wilson Chandler and Zach Randolph, as well as the free-agent pickup Chris Duhon. The most notable absence has been Stephon Marbury, who is expected to be waived before the season.
The conventional wisdom on this has changed repeatedly since the end of last season. To be honest, I expected the buy-out to go down months ago. Nothing Marbury offers will make a lick of difference for the Knickerbockers, unless you're a dreamer who thinks NYK is playoff-bound. If healthy, Starbury probably brings more than either Chris Duhon or Nate Robinson. But that ignores Marbury's lack of recent health as well as his abnormally awful locker room impact.
The Walsh-D'Antoni no doubt would like a clean break from the Isiah Thomas era. Starbury is the most obvious flag remaining from the dark period. Cutting him loose seems like a no-brainer, finances be damned.
