Jumping the gun just a bit here is a radio reporter who put a little too much emphasis on what was a passing remark by Isiah Thomas today in his media address. It caused a little frenzy on the airwaves this afternoon after Thomas' "I don't know" response to a question about the possibility of Stephon Marbury never returning to the Knicks raised some eyebrows.
The beauty of radio and dot-com "journalism" is you have the ability to race to the airwaves and world wide web to report a story, then later shoot down your own story with another report after you get the facts straight.
At least this one didn't get on a back page before it was found to be completely innacurate.
While there's certainly reason to speculate about Marbury's future with the Knicks and reason to debate his extended absence from the team (it's been an exceptionally bereavement period, no doubt), there is nothing concrete to suggest that Marbury won't be back with the team this season.
At the end of his scrum with reporters following practice today, Thomas was asked the daily question about Marbury:
Q: Any sense of when Stephon's going to be back and whether there's something that's got to be worked out?
Isiah: No, um, our organization speaks with him daily and, uh, it's very safe to say he's having a very difficult time.
Q: Do you think because he's not here, I mean, eventually he will be back, that you'll have more tinkering to do, with how he fits in? Is that something you've thought about?
Isiah: No.
Q: Is there any chance he doesn't come back?
Isiah: Um, I don't know.
At this point, the Knicks PR person ended the interview with the usual, "OK, thanks Isiah." There was no opportunity to ask Isiah to elaborate on his "I don't know."
Marbury's plan has always been to come back after the New Year. Not sure what that means exactly -- does it mean the Jan. 2 game against the Kings or will he make the San Antonio-Houston-Chicago trip? -- and clearly he won't have much time to practice if that's his plan.
As much as I am curious about this extended absence by Marbury, I also question how much Thomas really wants him back at all. When he does return, how can you expect Marbury to step right in and play big minutes and contribute? He'll be gone almost a month at that point.
Here's the next and, likely, final phase of this relationship: the later into the season we go, the more attractive Marbury becomes on the trade market, because after this season he has an expiring contract. At $20 million this season and essentially $22 million next year, it's still a large sum of money. But if you're the Miami Heat and you can't get a good deal to land Mike Bibby....or say you're the Lakers....or Houston....
This will become the hot rumor of the second half of the season.
Comments (19)
what a soap opera.
i agree that star-jerk and the knicks are certainly headed for divorce, though i find phil jackson to be an unlikely suitor. if miami began to show a pulse, then that makes more sense.
the longer this nightmare goes on, the more likely i feel it is that stern will step in and take action. this city is the home of the league office, the mecca of basketball, home to the premier brand in the nba (by far the most valuable franchise), and this ownership has given the league and the sport and the city a big black eye.
shame on these fools.
12/28/2007 – OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
FIRE ISIAH! DUMP DOLAN PROTEST & WALKOUT
CLOTHING DRIVE TO BENEFIT NYC’S HOMELESS SHELTERS
SUNDAY DECEMBER 30, 2007 AT 11:00 am
IN FRONT OF MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
PROTEST = Stand with us outside the Garden, Be Heard.
WALKOUT = We are encouraging all fans that attend the
game against the Bulls to make a statement by leaving
the Garden at the end of the 3rd quarter and join us
in our protest.
BENEFIT = Donate a clothing item to NYC’s homeless
shelters for those less fortunate.
Die-hard fans have suffered tremendous anguish
watching this ownership and management dismantle
and ruin this proud franchise and everything
it stands for, our Knicks. The laughing stock of the
NBA.
In fact, we’ve been told by one of our die-hard, disgruntled
Knick Fans that they will be burning their Knicks tickets
for the media at the protest.
WE MUST BE HEARD!
Please show your support us a s well as admired and
highly influential Norman Siegel, New York City’s most
successful Civil Rights Attorney and a many other media
types Sunday, December 30, 2007 in front of MSG
“The Worlds Most Famous Arena” with the
“Most Pathetic Basketball Organization!”
I can be reached via email at joeyvworks@yahoo.com
Trade him. Like it makes a difference. This season is a bottomless pit of losses. Heck... Trade the team and leave all the expiring contracts. The hoops dreams are coming to fruition. This team has low IQ, over paid, non-athletic, other team rejects that can't beat an egg right now. Eddie Curry should sit the bench and be traded when the first trade becomes available for him too.
Marburyz shaking down the Knicks for money. Everyone knows it. No one will say it. Now it's been said.
Trade? Are you kidding me? You would actually want a trade to take place? Screw this trading our expirings for other teams junk mentality. Keep him and waive him and he'll contract will be off the cap in 2 years. End of story. ISIAH NEEDS TO STOP TRADING AND FIRE HIMSELF.
ZEKE HAS DONE A FINE JOB IN DESTROYING A GREAT FRANCHISE WITH HELP FROM DOLAN.HE IS TRYING HIS BEST TO GET FIRED BUT DOLAN ISN'T TRYING TO HEAR THAT.HE IS ANOTHER REASON Y MARBURYS NUMBERS HAVE DECLINED OVER THE YEARS.CURRY HAS TO GO ALONG WITH Q BACK TO CHITOWN.STAY TUNED FOR MORE KNOWLEDGE.I 4GOT WE MIGHT GET A TOP 5 PICK BUT WHO IS THERE.LMAO@ THE PLAYERS YALL SAY CAN HELP THE KNICKS ROSE N MAYO ARE BENCH PLAYER IN THE NBA....
You know nothing about basketball if you think Rose and Beasley are bench players in the NBA. Idiotic statement.
Knicks Trade:
Steph and Balkman (I love this guy)
for
Bibby and Artest
Instant upgrade to a very good team..whattya think?
Knicks have no one that another team wants in a major deal. You could swap David Lee, Renaldo Balkman, or maybe Crawford straight up for someone in a minor, two-player trade. But the Knicks have nothing for someone with any franchise talent.
Isiah won't do it. If Artest has one foolish moment it would all on Zeke and his death as Coach/GM. I like it.
Simple fact for NYK fans:
Knicks Now = No Heart
OldSchool Knicks = Huge Heart
As much as people here want to say Ewing (etc.) didn't win any r8ings, at least you knew those guys put there heart and soul into every game!
Only a select few compete on a nightly basis on this squad. Malik Rose is the ONLY guy who tries not to give up "free" lay-ups/dunks (& maybe Balkman on occasion).
Get Marbury off the team, but not through trade. Just let him sit at home and cry. It's not like Dolan has a problem wasting money, since we've seen him waste about $100 million on this team every year.
Fill the PG void in with Derrick Rose through the draft.
Let Eddy Curry sit in McDonalds and eat his face off until he gets stuck in the booth and can't make his way back into the Knicks lineup.
Deport Isiah Thomas.
Everyone switch their cable provider if they have Cablevision (Verizon, Direct TV, ANYTHING)
Bam: Knicks fixed.
I obviously can't spell: I meant "rings" and "their' not "there".
The organization has been looking for a savior since Ewing left. They are not going to find one via trades anytime soon. They need to get rid of all the big egos on this team. That includes the biggest one - the false profit Isiah. Assemble a team of no names and let them play is hard as they can.
The Knicks in the summer league could have won 20 games with the roster they had. They were young and playing complete team basketball. Nichols was making huge buckets. Chandler looked like a force from hell. Nate looked like a 25 - 10 guy ever night. Play the same guys that were on the summer league team and the Knicks would be a winning basketball team. Problem with this team is the big names. They all have to without the big names the rebuilding process to begin with the exception of Randolph because he just got here.
AR: I couldn't agree more. Also, you keep Malik Rose around to be a great, veteran influence.
Then, get all the old guys back as coaches. Let Herb take the reigns, hire Ewing, Oakley and Starks. Even let Clyde in the locker room to speak to the team (he's says a ton on the subject on MSG broadcasts).
That's how the young guys learn what it is to be a NY Knick...
Knicks deserve all this bad karma they're getting and will continue to get until Isiah is gone. Dolan said last season he won't make a decision on Iisah until after the seazon, then the Knicks beat the Wizards to get the 8th seed for a day and Dolan gives him an extension!!! The basketball gods do not like that.
FIRE ISIAH!!!!!!!!!
Watching the two of you talk to each other is like watching cripples run a relay race.
You shouldn't do it.
Dear Steph:
u are not only letting down your team,but also the kids that wear your 14.98 and sometimes 9.99 sneakers.u know the ones that have to wear them because their family is poor, can u imagine the jokes these kids are facing,i am a working man that can buy jordans, i actually rocked lebrons before the starbuys came out and i wear your sneakers i have 12 pairs, i now want to burn them
ZEKE IS DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB TO GET FIRED HE WANTS TO GET FIRED.I WONNA BE THE G.M REALLY BAD WISH ME LUCK.HOPEFULLY I'LL BE.ONLY A FEW PLAYERS ARE PLAYING BUT ALOT OF THEM GAVE UP ALREADY..2 BAD KNICKS FANS YES ITZ ANOTHER YEAR OF LOSERZ...EVEN IF THEY GET THE TOP PICK ITZ STILL A JOKE CUZ NO1 THATZ IN COLLEGE CAN PLAY GOOD BALL...