I have never been a big fan of Starbury (you guys like to call him that), but I rather call him Scrubury. He is very talented mind you but as a leader he has not chemistry with the team. It seems to me that the whole team respects him, but he only respects a very teammates. I have watched all the game that he has played in and he is the only play that does not "consistently" give his team encouragement. He doesn't give anyone a pound after a made or missed free throw and nobody gives him a pound neither. He looks like he can show team unity. If the Knicks need to be successful he needs to step up more as a Captain and maker everyone feels comfortable to play with him. Lee, Frye, both Taylor’s, Richardson, Both Roses, Robinson, Crawford looking at they’re body languages don't like lake playing with most of the time but respect him, I think. Soon they will say the hell with him and freeze him out.

Maybe thats why they got Francis? Now one of the two is expendable.

The more I think about it the more I see Francis sticking around and Steph getting shipped out.

Martin, when you've watched Francis over the years, have you seen a guy who lives uk to that rep? I've seen a guy with a lot of the same shortcomings as Marbs, the incessant pounding of the ball till the shot clocks's low, then the one-on-one heroics. When it works, he looks spectacular and like he's carrying a team on his back. But it comes at the expense of a crisp offense and discourages other guys from working hard to get open early or move the ball since they won't necessarily get it back.

Posted by martin:

In terms of demenor Francis is the exact opposite of Marbury, except of course that one episode of not wanting into a game - call it his Pippen moment.

His rep is of one who hates to lose, gives himself every second, gets along really well with others. Brown has said that is all he wants.

I wouldn't be surprised if NY can't get KG (and KG is in fact not traded at all) that Marbury goes to the Wolves. It would have to be a 3-way deal since it seems to me that they don't have exactly what NY needs.

Marbury plays the pg position a little better than Francis, but Francis is more explosive and is by far a better teammate and lockeroom guy. Wouldn't mind Franchise staying and Marbury getting moved. Plus Franchise I think is better suited for tthe sg position.

Maybe we can get a couple of picks out of Minny for Marbs as well as (Mccants, Griffin, Rickey Davis etc.) Then take Marcus Williams with one of our picks (a pure pg who would actually help Eddy Curry.)

I said in another thread that the KG trade talks might have been a smoke screen to cover up the fact that Marbury was the one that was going to be moved to Minny. It didn't go through because Minny couldn't trade Davis ina package because they just got him. I could see this trade going down in the summer. McHale is as much hot-water as Isiah. He needs to shake things up.

[Edited by - bigbeast on 02-27-2006 10:45 AM]

Posted by jaydh:

anyone know if marbury is going to sit out a few games due to his injury? it would be interesting to see how Francis runs this team. i do think if we look to move starbury, minny will be one of our only options, which to me wouldnt be so bad since they have some players who can actually play D.

i have discussions with some posters here about steph offline. some of them think that steph "got it" under lb. i think the exact opposite. i don't think lb likes steph at all, and i don't think steph likes it here either. the chances of this are slim, but i wouldn't be surprised if steph plays more than 5-10 more games the rest of the way. i think steph's days in ny are numbered (27 games to be exact) and i would be quite surprised if he's on this team next year. they both take too many shots at each other in the press. as recent as two days ago, steph: "we shouldn't run any set plays. we should play uptempo." lb: "we didn't run any plays and we gave up 71 points."

do i like a flair for the dramatic? it seems that way but i'm not reading into it more than i have to. it's been recanted many times by SAS that the players on this team don't like steph. i also think that extends to lb as well.

francis should not be in ny and neither should rose. those two are here as a DIRECT RESULT of giving up an unprotected #1 in the curry deal. if there was protection, then rose nor francis are on this team.

i haven't really heard ex-teammates of Francis bashing him saying that they didn't like playing with him as much as they do about Marbury... if they have, i must've missed it.