Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 at 9:00 am  |  148 responses

Will Stephon Boo the Knicks in L.A. Tonight?

by Marcel Mutoni

It’s been eerily quiet on the Stephon Marbury front of late, and that’s never a good thing. Thank goodness for the NY Post!

Steph’s BFF, Marc Berman, reports that the former Knick point guard (can we start calling him that now?) wants to attend the Knicks/Lakers tilt in Hollywood tonight.

Steph, who’s working out in the LA area, will not only be at the game, but he might be sitting courtside among the rich, famous, and totally insane. Gnarly:

Despite being banned from the Knicks New York Knicks , Stephon Marbury Stephon Marbury is strongly thinking about attending tonight’s game in Los Angeles against the Lakers – as a fan.

Marbury was investigating whether he was allowed to buy courtside seats and sit among the celebs.

This is an awesome idea by Stephon Marbury on too many levels for me to list; I can only hope that he tops it by wearing a Vujacic jersey or something.

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  • http://nyer.sosblog.com/ Be A Real Fan

    They suspended him because they don’t want him around the locker room, coaches or the players. They docked him one game pay which is being appealed so he still has a chance at getting that money back if he’s proven right. Steph still gets paid so its not like he is being done wrong. The reporters who keep piling on have mind’s of their own and most of them are on the side of the franchise cuz when Stephon is gone, the Knicks will remain. Stephon has not had many fans in the NY press other than Berman. So if you wanna blame anyone other than Stephon for his public image, it would probably be them. Look, if Steph were a professional, he’d have teams fighting over him. He would have been playing his ‘contract year’ for the Knicks, had the ability to resign with the Knicks or with a new team. His expiring contract could be a trade chip and he’d have the front office looking for teams that Stephon would like to play for. There’d be consideration and a little give and take. But, that’s not what Stephon has cultivated while in NY. You make your bed and lie in it. This is what he reaped because its what he sowed. He neglected to keep it all about basketball so here we are in the midst of his ‘contract year’ and its about everything but basketball. That’s not news, that’s expected with Steph. That’s how he made his bed.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    I think ‘victim’ is the wrong word used in these arguments; neither party is a victim to anything. Now, ‘stubborn’ is a very good word. Both sides have arguments and both sides are also wrong in the way they have handled some of this dilemma. Steph has a guaranteed contract, so by law of that he is owed everything that was initially agreed upon. However, the Knicks also have the right to ask for a portion back if in fact they are releasing you outright so that you can go play for another team this year. This is not specific to the NBA because the NFL, MLB, and NHL also has these issues. I guess it is how you yourself see things.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    The media is a different story Allen your right about that he is gettting shafted by the media

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    It seems like some people think Marbury is getting shafted by NY because he isn’t getting to play, frankly he is getting 22 million dollars he could be forced to wipe sht from toilet seats and still wont be “screwed” by the knicks. Are any of you getting 22 million dollars to not do your job? Didn’t think so

  • http://fjsdklf.com Jukai

    I’m a bit torn here. I think I agree with Russ 95%, that 5% being that awful shoveling scenario. If I sign a contract with a house saying I shovel their lawn every week and they pay me a set amount for every week I shovel, then if they don’t want me to shovel anymore, they still need to pay me. That being said, I’d take maybe half of that money (more than the work I did owed me but less than the total contract) and find a new job. And stop being a little baby.
    God, I don’t even know if what I said above made sense. I’m not proofreading. That’s for all you to do.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    Jukai would you take half if the other half was 11 million dollars is the question

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Correct me if i’m wrong: If a team cuts x player with a contract and x player signs with another team, isn’t the first team owed money back regardless as per the CBA? That could be an NFL thing i’m thinking of.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    If a team cuts a player they must pay his gauranteed money no matter where he signs

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Ok, that must be a different league i’m thinking of. Thanks.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    But if the team that resigns the players signs him for the veteran minimum (im not totally sure the circumstances) the league will pay half the new salary

  • http://nyer.sosblog.com/ Be A Real Fan

    They are due back what the new team pays the player. So if Steph’s signs for the vet minimum (1.2mil) the Knicks will get the 1.2mil. Pro-rated of course as one quarter of the season is already gone. The Knicks are paying him so that’s not the issue. They docked him for the one game where D’Ant alleges he offered him the starting SG position which Steph declines. Steph also says D’Ant should have forced him to play and he would’ve played. That’s the most funny thing I’ve read from Steph. Basically, he’s saying he would prefer D’Ant be an assh0le and tell him to do things like a child as opposed to asking him if he would like to play, like a man. Treat me like a man, you know. Tell me to do something. Don’t leave it to me to decide. HAHA Steph says things without thinking of how that reflects on him and his train of thinking. But, hey, he’s the millionaire so he must know what he’s doing.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    So, Russ, you’re essentially telling me that the deal breaker is 1 or 2 millions? Can you tell me with a straight face that the Knicks really care about saving 1 or 2 millions. They want to stick it to him and get him to bend over. That’s it, that’s all. You wanna get rid of him? Pay him what you owe and keep moving. It’s beyond me to criticize a man for wanting what he is entitled to by virtue of a legally-bound contract. FWIW, I don’t give 2 sh-ts about Steph. It’s just the principle.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    The Knicks were talking about paying the difference b/n his new contract and his old contract for a buy out. Knowing that Steph would have prolly signed a 1-year deal for the prorated vet’s min that would represent a discount of about half a mil. N…. please.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Be A Real Fan, I’m amazed that you can’t see that D’Antoni is playing that game. Since when does a coach ask a player if he wants to suit up?! I’ve NEVER heard of that EVER. What I fail to comprehend though is this : it is apparent that Mike D was not going to play Steph regardless of what Steph did on the basketball court in the preseason. He had no plans for Steph the moment he took the offer. Why are we in this situation in mid-december? A buyout or a trade could have been arranged LAST SUMMER. I just don’t get it.

  • http://nyer.sosblog.com/ Be A Real Fan

    Its more like 3 or 4 million. Of course they (Dolan) want to stick it to him and make him bend over. But they’d only be returning the favor after Steph’s four yr career in NY. Everyone acts like they’d do this to anyone and everyone. Look what they did to Alan Houston. Its not all business with Stephon, it personal. Players have a certain amount of time and then their bodies break down and they are forced to retire. Teams keep going. By tying up Stephon for the rest of the season, they are messing with his FUTURE earning potential. Stephon chooses not to cut his losses and continues to allow himself to be associated with this fiasco. That’s his choice.

  • http://www.ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com Allenp

    NBK
    So, we’re taking D’Antoni’s word that Steph refused to play? Even though Steph has denied this?
    The same D’Antoni who said Steph had a clean slate before abruptly benching him, and the same D’Antoni who said the Knicks are not focused on 2010?
    There is no evidence Steph refused to play. None. There is evidence that Steph said he would prefer not to play, but he never refused to play which would have opened him up to suspensions. In fact, he has explicitly denied this.
    So, I don’t see your point.

  • http://www.ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com Allenp

    Steph is not a victim.
    He’s a man with a contract and uncertain future earning potential.
    If I had uncertain future earning potential, I would try to make sure I made all the money I could make right now. Period.
    That’s what this boils down too. If Steph takes less money, there is no guarantee he’s going to make that money back. In fact, any new money he makes back, is less money the Knicks have to pay him this year, so he’s actually going to take a loss no matter what.
    So, Steph is being asked to do the Knicks a favor. That’s what it boils down to and I don’t particularly see why he would do that.

  • http://nyer.sosblog.com/ Be A Real Fan

    Z, I agree. I said it all summer long, the Knicks should get this situation dealt with and get rid of him. I’ve been saying to buy him out for 3 yrs or do like they did with Steve Francis. Of course D’Antoni’s playing the game. And Stephon is playing a game and Dolan and Walsh. They all have their roles to play. So why try to call the franchise out for the way they play their game? If I were him, I’d take the hit and find a team that wanted to use me correctly. A team that wants you to shine is the best remedy. But because he knows he won’t find a team that wants him to shine, he fights for every last cent. More power to him. But don’t act like you’re a victim then. You know your deal and you know your situation and why you are in it. So for 3 or 4 million dollars, if you’re Steph, you’d sit at home and continue to allow your name and image to be associated with this situation? Do you think the Knicks are going to lose money or value because of how they handled this? I don’t. They’ve lost miserably for years and have had bad management for years and they are still the richest franchise in sports. They won’t lose anything by letting Stephon stew for the sake of his principle. No, I wouldn’t want to lose out on a few million of guaranteed money but I also wouldn’t want to be held hostage for a year when I know my career is winding down and teams will be less willing to pay me max money.

  • http://coco-vents.blogspot.com Co Co

    He isn’t going to get max money anyway. Period.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    Allen it does not matter if D’Antoni was telling the truth because of the appeal, what i am saying is steph brought the situation onto himself by complaining openly to the media. If he lied or if D’Antoni lied has a what 1 million dollarish effect on marbury’s season? I am saying that Marbury will get his money, he signed a contract, the knicks are not going to be able to screw him out of his money. Stephon Marbury is not being screwed over by the Knicks by getting benched he is getting payed 22 million dollars to NOT do his job. What does he have to complain about? He said he doesn’t want a buy-out he put himself in the posistion he is in, he said if you don’t have me in your future i don’t want to play, if thats not refusing i don’t really know what is. Although he is not part of their future that does not mean he was not offered to partake in the present. There is no quote anywhere that says d’antoni didn’t offer him the sg spot, the quote says marbury was told he was not part of the plans, (which was said at the beginning of the season) so he said he was not interested in playing thats what marbury said.

  • http://nyer.sosblog.com/ Be A Real Fan

    Even though Steph has denied this?Steph didn’t deny he was offered a starting SG position. He denied refusing to play. D’Ant admitted he asked Steph and Steph admitted he declined the offer. The Knicks responded by suspending him and docking him one game’s pay which I think will be overturned and Steph will get his one game money returned. That’s moot though. I don’t see what that proves other than Stephon not wanting to play for D’Ant and D’Ant being willing to use Steph as a starter. If anything, it proves D’Ant was honest about “not disrespecting Stephon with spot minutes or a diminished role”. because when a starting SG became available he offered it to him. So if anything, that situation was definitely the nail in the coffin.

  • Sari

    yea i agree 100% wit coco, jus put urself in his situation and try forgettin this messed up image that the media made of him

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    Why would a guy sign a buyout when he is owed 22 million dollars. Why would you take less, say you make 30 thousand a year, you sign a yearly contract for that amount but your company says we are going to have to give you a buyout its over a 1/3 through the year and they say we will give you 25 thousand to go find another job where you will probably get paid 1 thousand dollars for the rest of the year. That equals 26 thousand dollars instead of 30, all your livelihood and everything you do in your life that year depends on how much money you get, do you still take the buyout?

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    Its the same concept except this is millions of dollars he would be leaving on the table, call him greedy all you want but money is the only thing that lasts after you retire not how many different teams you played on.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    There are no nails in no coffin. I’m not taking anyone’s side in this one. Buy him out for the full price and keep moving. I’ve read every post in this thread and I still don’t see why Steph should give the Knicks a discount. It’s not either or. Why couldn’t he be bought out AND look for a vet’s min somewhere? His next contract (IF he gets one) should have NOTHING to do with the present buy out.
    I do not care about Steph’s image or career, I wouldn’t want him on the teams that I root for. I don’t care about the Knicks either. I just don’t see why a wealthy player should give a discount to the wealthiest organization in the L. Do business like grown ups do and pay what you owe.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Why couldn’t he bought out for the full price is what I meant, obviously.

  • http://nyer.sosblog.com/ Be A Real Fan

    @Z, but see, what you are describing is hardball. If you don’t want to come down from your price then why should the Knicks buy you out? What’s their motivation? If they have a juicy 2 for 1 trade offer (the rumored Curry to the ‘Cats perhaps) and they need Steph’s roster spot to make it happen, I can see the Knicks buying him out and being done with it. But if they aren’t getting a discount then why do a buy out? For Steph’s sake? You can forget that. I’m a Knicks fan in case anyone didn’t already know. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have even scrolled this far down. :)

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    because the knicks dont want to give him all his money to go win on some other team

  • http://nyer.sosblog.com/ Be A Real Fan

    what do the Knicks gain with a full priced buyout? a roster spot that they would then have to fill and pay double because of the salary cap hit. they aren’t in a rush to do that. I’m not saying I agree, I’m just saying what it is.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    There is no reason for either the knicks to do anything nor stephon if he doesn’t want a buy out then the knicks should not give him one. If you give him all 22 million dollars then you are paying a guy to play for a different team. What if he does to miami and the heat take the 8th seed in the playoffs and the knicks get left out at number 9, plus marbury hits a game winner in the last game of the season to bury the knicks. How would knicks fans feel knowing they payed the guy that beat them 22 million dollars and got nothing for it?

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Moose

    Steph needs to get his act together. He needs to realize what he has rather than what he doesn’t have. He could have an NBA career while making a ton of money. Yet he wants MORE. Jeez. Selfish much? He’s more fortunate than 99.9% of the world population.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com Nbk

    yeah but he is not worried about the rest of the world he does not affect their life with how much money he makes. It is stupid for him to take less money when he does not have to, its not like if he didnt take the money the knicks would donate it to the needy.

  • knick

    Mike please start Steph as your shooting guard and Steph please be reasonable and accept the offer!

  • http://www.ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com Allenp

    Moose
    Check out a site called Sports on My Mind and read about what Marbury has done with his money.
    Do that before you call him selfish. Just search for Marbury’s name on the site.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Moose

    Thanks for that, Allenp. I read it and now I don’t agree with my last comment. But I still think that what Marbury is doing right now stinks.

  • http://fdsklf.com Jukai

    I don’t think Marbury is selfish to get what is his.
    I DO think this shows the world that Marbury has never cared for the game of basketball.
    If he did care for the game, he’d take the four million paycut, still have 16 or so million, and play on an other team, just to play ball.
    This is just two stubborn forces trying to stick it to each other the best they can. Neither cares about the game. That’s the end of it.

  • Young Chris MP3

    Stephon Marbury sucks.

  • Danny W UK

    Well I got excited when Steph became a Knick, it just seemed like the Boy done good and then came home. Maybe he’s hanging on, hoping it can be resolved, and he can play for his hometown Knicks again. We all know he thinks a little different to most of us.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Jukai, 4 mil is A LOT of moolah to leave on the table. Even for a multimillionaire. The Knicks do not HAVE to buy him out. Steph does not HAVE to take a buy out. Neither can blame the other one for standing pat. However, Steph should not be criticized for wanting his full contract. There’s A LOT to criticize about his pouty/moody behavior or his game. I won’t criticize his money though.

  • http://fjsdklf.com Jukai

    Z: First off, worst case scenario, Steph takes a 4 million pay cut and signs with another team or 1.2 million. That’s 2.8 million for the love of the game. Probably scenario, three million and signs for two. That’s a cool million for the love of the game. To a multi-millionaire.
    Sorry, if I was in his crazy, cheap-ass shoes, I’d take the hit.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Jukai, you don’t know that. You don’t know that you would unless you’re already a millionaire. Who’s giving Steph 3 for 2?! How is that the most likely scenario? If he ever plays this season, he’ll be a rent. Pro-rated vet’s min for the remainder of the season which will be about 600K. Again, that’s a lot of money to throw away for the love of the game.

  • http://fjsdklf.com Jukai

    Not really. You don’t think there would be teams who would wave the pro-rate?
    I mean, I’d delve into the fact that Marbury showing he could play for another team effectively would mean getting a bigger and longer paycheck by another team (He is in the “best shape” of his life) but if pages and pages of convincing writing on the same subject by Russ doesn’t convince you, you’ve already made up your mind.
    If Steph is done with the NBA for good, then this is arguably a smart move. He’d rather not play ball, he’s on extended vacation and is getting paid 22 million for it. The next year when his contract is up, he’ll either live confortably with the 50 or so million dollars he has or move to Europe to play some ball.
    If he’s planning on playing ball in the NBA, he’s an idiot or a stubborn punk.
    Once again, I’m 100% positive I’d take the paycut and keep playing… that is, if I knew I could jump on another team and help that team (which I’m sure Stephon can). It makes financial sense.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    I see your point, Jukai. But I don’t think that this year is do or die for Steph. Why? Because he can play. That’s the thing about the NBA, as long as you can play someone will throw money at you. He can sit the rest of the season, stay in shape down in LA and sign with a team this summer. There will always be an agressive GM like Riles or Cubes to take a headcase… or better yet a hard-nosed coach à la Sloan or Pops that has a solid system that can afford to take a shaky character. (like SA did with Jax)

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    That’s a lot of words for a player I couldn’t care less about. I think I’ve just OD’ed on Starbury-talk. No mas. I just didn’t like how he was portrayed like a villain in this particular instance. As I’ve said, there’s a lot material to work with as far as dissing Steph.. but, for once, I think he played this just about right.

  • http://fjsdklf.com Jukai

    Sloan or Pops wouldn’t take Marbury if THEY were paid twenty two million. Steph’s hurtin’ his career right now. He hurts his career every second he doesn’t play.
    Or, at least to me he does.
    I think that’s the major point here. If Steph can get a nice contract without playing a minute this year, then hell, let him do what he wants. I question if he can. We’ll see.

  • awesomepossum

    so much comic hate here..

  • Antonis Fotsis

    @vtrobot…:thanks a lot!!!

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    I happen to think that Pop would take Steph in a heartbeat. They need a back up pg. With so many high character guys on the Spurs, Marbury won’t have the opportunity to disrup sh–. Timmy is just so unphased. That’s just my opinion.

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