Stephon Marbury seems unfit for Knicks

BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Reports of Stephon Marbury's rigorous summer training sessions have failed to impress at least one of his teammates.

"It's the same story every year," says one veteran Knick. "He's doing this, he's doing that, he's running hills, he's lifting weights. And then on the first day of training camp he can't even finish some of the drills."

Marbury made his "This is my year" declaration months earlier than usual, and there is little doubt that he wants to play out the final season of his contract in New York. But there is a strong possibility he will not get that opportunity. If club president Donnie Walsh acquires a point guard, Marbury likely will be released, according to a league source.

Marbury cleared one hurdle on Thursday when Walsh elected not to take a point guard in the draft. Instead, Walsh picked Italian forward Danilo Gallinari at No.6 and later said of the backcourt, "I think there are other ways to solve the problem if we have to."

Any trade for a point guard likely would include forward David Lee for a number of reasons: he is one of the few Knicks with trade value; he's looking for a contract extension; and Walsh didn't draft Gallinari to have him sit on the bench. The Bobcats' Raymond Felton and the Trail Blazers' Steve Blake are possible options, although the Knicks want to exercise fiscal responsibility with an eye on the 2010 free-agent market.

Their strategy is to avoid handing out long-term contracts, so the best available free-agent point guard, Sacramento's Beno Udrih, is not a realistic option because he is seeking a five-year deal. The Knicks would be willing to go two years, which would put them in the market for Jason Williams, Carlos Arroyo and Marbury's cousin, Sebastian Telfair, who is a restricted free agent.

Former lottery pick Shaun Livingston will become a free agent next week when the Clippers decline to tender him a qualifying offer. But Livingston, who is still rehabilitating from a devastating knee injury, is too much of a medical risk for a team that is hoping to add a starting-caliber point guard.

If Walsh cannot acquire a point guard, Marbury could survive but only as a last resort. Marbury's contract expires on July 1, 2009, so the countdown on his Knicks' career has already started. Earlier this past week, Marbury confirmed a Daily News report from last November that Garden chairman James Dolan and then-Knicks president Isiah Thomas had considered buying out his contract.

WALSH LOOKS TO MAKE POINT
KNICKS TURN ATTENTION TOWARD FINDING GUARD
By MARC BERMAN

Last updated: 2:33 pm
June 29, 2008

Donnie Walsh is just getting started. With 6-foot-10 forward Danilo Gallinari in the bag as one building block, Tuesday begins free agency, and the Knicks New York Knicks president will have multiple point guards to chase with his $5.1 million mid-level exception, young and old.

Walsh would like to make one sign-and-trade and one mid-level signing. Nevertheless, especially with the mid-level, he will not make an offer beyond two years, to protect his goal of getting under the 2010 salary cap for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh.

Other than rehabbing Stephon Marbury Stephon Marbury , there isn't a legitimate point guard on the roster. And Marbury is in the final year of his contract.

"I think we can use help (at point guard)," Walsh said. "But we probably could go in the way we are but we'll probably look for help."

Golden State's Monta Ellis is a wonderful point-guard-of-the-future candidate but that has to be a sign-and-trade scenario because Warriors general manager Chris Mullin would match a two-year deal. Walsh and Mullin are close, making a transaction doable.

Other young free-agent point guards available for mid-level money are Chris Duhon, Brooklyn's Sebastian Telfair, Keyon Dooling and Tyronn Lue. Memphis has a glut of point guards after obtaining O.J. Mayo and may trade Mike Conley or Kyle Lowry. The Bulls, who desperately tried to get David Lee David Lee in the Eddy Curry deal three years ago, are also expected to shop Kirk Hinrich and restricted free agent Ben Gordon.

Walsh said he is confident he can sign a solid player with a two-year deal, but believes he may have to wait it out into August in some cases. Veteran point guards Sam Cassell and Carlos Arroyo are also free agents.

If he gets a point guard through a trade or sign-and-trade, Walsh could use the mid-level on shotblocking help, Adonal Foyle free. Another free agent is sharpshooting Celtic guard Eddie House, who raved about Mike D'Antoni during The Finals and would love to reunite. House said he had his best season under D'Antoni in 2005-2006.

"I'm going to go in and see if players can help our team but in terms of long-term contract no," Walsh said. "There are players who can help us. No stars out there, but that's good because we couldn't get them anyway."

The Knicks' two free agents, dud-center Randolph Morris and guard Fred Jones are both goners. With the addition of Gallinari, the Knicks will have one roster opening.

Adding Gallinari has created a glut at power forward. Walsh called it "the survival of the fittest." Lee, one of the league's best rebounders and their most popular player, is being shopped.

Walsh is also willing to move Curry and Jamal Crawford because of their long-term contracts, and they have value, too. The player he most wants to trade though is the hardest to ship, Zach Randolph, who will make $18 million in 2010. Unlike the Nets trading Richard Jefferson to position themselves for 2010, Randolph's worth is minimal.

Nevertheless, Walsh discounts the notion his players have no trade value outside Lee.

"I would've said that early," Walsh said. "But as I got out there and started to realize there is value for a lot of players. People know they do have talent. But when things aren't going well, nobody looks good."