Knicks not commenting on reports Brown will be bought out
Posted 5/15/2006 6:30 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this



NEW YORK (AP) — Larry Brown may be on his way out of New York. Stephon Marbury doesn't care either way.
"Based on our record, that's normal for anybody to have that speculation," the Knicks' point guard said of reports that the coach may be booted following a 23-59 season.

Owner James Dolan is considering buying out Brown's contract, the New York Post and Daily News reported Sunday. His possible replacement: team president Isiah Thomas, according to the Post.

"I wouldn't mind, it doesn't matter who coaches," said Marbury, who feuded with Brown throughout the season. "I don't care if Larry Brown comes back. I wouldn't mind at all."

Thomas coached the Indiana Pacers for three seasons, reaching the playoffs each time, before he was fired.

"We have not commented on anything over the last two days," Barry Watkins, senior vice president of communications for Madison Square Garden, said Monday.

A message left for Brown's agent was not immediately returned.

Brown, a Brooklyn native, described his hiring last year as a "dream job," and the Knicks hoped his happy homecoming signaled a return to the playoffs. But despite a league-high payroll of more than $120 million, New York finished with the league's second-worst record, matching the most losses in franchise history.

Still, the Hall of Fame coach — who signed to a five-year deal with the Knicks worth a reported $50 million — has said he believes he will return.

"I meet with Mr. Dolan and Steve probably once a week," Brown said the day after the season ended. "I've never, ever gotten a feeling they don't want me to be a part of this. And they know how much I want to be here, especially in light of the fact that we won 23 games and I feel directly responsible for that."

He acknowledged that coaches without his resume probably wouldn't be safe with such a poor record, but Thomas indicated after the season ended that Brown would be back for another try.

"We haven't considered making a change because of his history. He may not want to hear this, but outside of Detroit and maybe Indy, he starts slow," he said.

"If you look at his history, he's a slow starter and then he picks up steam and all of a sudden players start doing what he wants them to do and GMs such as myself find a way to get him the things that he needs and he finds a way to win. And I believe that will be the case here."

If Brown does not return, it would be the second time in as many years that a team didn't want him back. He reached a buyout last summer with the Detroit Pistons — Brown maintains he was fired — even though he led the Pistons to the NBA Finals in both of seasons.

Brown endured a miserable season with the Knicks, squabbling with players through the media and missing three games in April because of illness. He had only one worse season as a coach, when he went 21-61 with the San Antonio Spurs in 1988-89.

Marbury is classless.

Posted by NYKniCksFan87:

Ive had it....we should call for a boycott and rally @ MSG protesting the knicks and management....Stern would pay attention to it

im down...ill start painting my sign asap...when u wanna do this?


[Edited by - tymelessknicks on 05-15-2006 8:27 PM]

These articles are a bit misleading, Beat writers have a way of spinning a statement, and making it seem classless. Stephon Marbury, wasn't trying to say he doesn't care if LB stays or goes IMO... The question was asked in a way that merited that response from Marbury. It seems like he was saying he is "OK" with LB coaching NY next year. "He doesn't mind him being the coach"

Yeah, but what does Starbury think?

He acknowledged that coaches without his resume probably wouldn't be safe with such a poor record,

Telling statement here

The quote was from Larry Brown Himself

[Edited by - buddapaw on 05-16-2006 10:36 AM]

[Edited by - buddapaw on 05-16-2006 10:37 AM]

[Edited by - buddapaw on 05-16-2006 10:38 AM]

Posted by buddapaw:

That quote was from Larry Brown himself

[Edited by - buddapaw on 05-16-2006 10:36 AM]

oops.....I take it back....

Posted by Killa4luv:

Posted by TMS:

if i were the best player on a team that just finished 23 - 59, i'd be taking some accountability for the record too... so far, i haven't heard Marbury say a thing about his own lack of performance this past season... it's always about the system, or the coach... at least LB is man enough to stand up to the piss poor performance the team that he coached turned out last year... Marbury's not man enough to do it... he's a coward as far as i'm concerned.

[Edited by - TMS on 05-16-2006 10:37 AM]

LOL! How typical. LB should own up to this because this is his fault. Knicks could have won 33 games with no coach at all. LB made us -10, Steph was here last year.

So using this logic, Nate, Frye, Lee, Q, and Q2 are also -10, Francis and Jalen are -5, and Butler who was here last year would share Steph's "rating" of success from last year because he was here also??

Posted by Killa4luv:

Posted by TMS:

if i were the best player on a team that just finished 23 - 59, i'd be taking some accountability for the record too... so far, i haven't heard Marbury say a thing about his own lack of performance this past season... it's always about the system, or the coach... at least LB is man enough to stand up to the piss poor performance the team that he coached turned out last year... Marbury's not man enough to do it... he's a coward as far as i'm concerned.

[Edited by - TMS on 05-16-2006 10:37 AM]

LOL! How typical. LB should own up to this because this is his fault. Knicks could have won 33 games with no coach at all. LB made us -10, Steph was here last year.

the only thing typical here is that you didn't even comprehend what i just wrote & instead chose to jump to the conclusion that i was exhonerating LB in this case... i just got done saying LB took accountability for the bad job he did last year coaching this team... Marbury on the other hand, hasn't taken ANY accountability for his career worst season & instead chooses to blame all that on the system & on the coaching... go ahead & dispute that if u like... let's see how you twist my words this time.