Pointing to future

Isiah looks for Marbury backup and successor

BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER


LAS VEGAS - Isiah Thomas has less than four months to tinker with the Knicks before the season, and with 17 guaranteed player contracts for 15 jobs, there are at least two moves to be made.

In the wake of last month's Zach Randolph trade, Thomas could make one more significant transaction, especially with Ron Artest's future in Sacramento in limbo. But Thomas, the Knicks president and coach, hinted late Tuesday that a blockbuster deal for Artest appears remote.

"We think we've done enough major things," Thomas said. "(There could be) small things that may help here or there. But we're not looking to do anything major."

One minor alteration could be at point guard, where Nate Robinson, Mardy Collins and newcomer Dan Dickau will compete to become Stephon Marbury's backup. No one seems to have the inside track, and considering Marbury's age and health issues, Thomas is debating whether to acquire a more reliable and experienced backup.

Denver's Steve Blake is the best of free-agent point guards available, and the Knicks did speak with Blake's representatives, but Thomas quickly added, "I don't think it's likely that he'll be on our team." Brevin Knight, Chucky Atkins and Jason Hart are available, but signing any of the three would force Thomas to then cut three players and swallow their contracts.

The Knicks had internal discussions before last month's draft about trading up to select a point guard but that move never materialized. Thomas instead drafted another athletic small forward, DePaul's Wilson Chandler.

Marbury, 30, is under contract for two more years, so there is no immediate rush to find a successor, although acquiring that player figures to be Thomas' next major challenge.

Marbury finished the past two seasons sidelined with injuries as his body continues to show signs of breaking down. Understandably, Thomas does not want to enter the season without an insurance plan.

For the long term, the transition from Marbury to his successor will be a delicate issue for Thomas, who remains Marbury's strongest advocate. Thomas refused to criticize Marbury last season for showing up out of shape and suffering through a slow start in November while others on the staff were fuming.

Most recently, Thomas has been dealing with the fallout from Marbury's appearance on "Mike'd Up," a Sunday night sports talk show on Channel 4. The interview, which has become a hot download on the Internet, seemingly shows Marbury in good spirits but acting more aloof than usual. At best, one Madison Square Garden executive termed Marbury's nine-minute Q&A "bizarre." It certainly wasn't a shining moment for an organization renowned for obsessing over the media to the point of being controlling.

"I haven't seen it but I heard about it," Thomas said of Marbury's interview.

Thomas' main concern is getting Marbury to perform at the high level his veteran point guard did during December, January and February and most of March. But the way Marbury began and ended last season damaged the Knicks' chances of reaching the playoffs. It also provided Thomas with more reasons to start thinking about the team's next point guard.

are you kidding? hasn't Collins already shown he can be better than blake given the minutes?

yea, I agree, I thought mardy would be a legit successor, unless they have other plans for mardy...

What were some of the things Marbury said on Mike'D up again? I know he said he loved the trade and all, but what was so bad about it?

From ESPN.com:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hruby/070706

ESSAY QUESTION

During a live television interview, Knicks guard Stephon Marbury:


• Predicted, "I'm gonna average like 10 points, 12-13 dimes and two to three assists."


• Said, "I shoot to win because I shoot to win. And that's it."


• Discussed a charity shopping spree for children he sponsored by stating, "I have to be able to give the teachers the tools that they need to be able to help the little kids. I can't give them what they need if they ain't got it."


• Checked his ringing cell phone, then said, "That's my better half … my better ho … my wife."


• Said of his sister, or possibly his daughter: "Yesterday when I kissed her, I felt her body and I felt her soul. I was delighted to be kissing her. I couldn't even cry, because I knew they were gonna be happy tears so I was able to control them. You know, you really cry when the really bad stuff."


• Started shimmying in his seat at the end of the interview, telling a sportscaster to "check it out, I do this like that to keep me closer to the light … ahhhh … like this! … I want to see the spit on your mouth!"


In 800 words or less, please summarize Marbury's mental state.

Any answer that includes references to the DSM-IV, "cocaine is a hell of a drug" or "sounds like a guy who is still boxing at age 44" is acceptable.

Posted by djsunyc:

maybe isiah's not as high on mardy as some think.

I remember Isiah frustration at mardy when he appeared timid or didn't play aggressive enough during games.

But as Isiah looked down the bench , he had no one to take his place with all the injuries at the end of the yr.

I can't give them what they need if they ain't got it.




LOL.................

Oh my goodness! He was definetly out of his mind - wether from drugs or alchol. I know he isn't he smartest or most articulate person on any day but he obvioulsy was not in the right state of mind during this interview. If yoyu haven't seen it, please check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yTjebH2fLU

Just watched the interview on YouTube and its a hoot! I saw the Coney Island interview but this was somthing else.

It was pretty evident that When asked about the knicks the light went off on his head and he was being real careful to not piss off the MSG propoganda Nazi's but then he went off into bizzaro land!

That 9 minute piece really changed my view on him. He is really much more of a child.

I watched it again. Now that I think about it, the interview gets truly bizarre around the time of the phone call. I now think that Stephon was hypnotized sometime prior to the show, and the ringing of the phone was the signal for him to start behaving bizarrely. Now if we can just find the culprit behind this dastardly deed...

Who had a motive? Who could be so evil?




[Edited by - basketballjones on 07-12-2007 10:50]

Posted by Nalod:
Eye Say Her protecting Marbury while his coaches fume over his conditioning is very dividing. Lets just hope Isiah delt with him even if in a private manner.

"Hope Isiah delt with him"? Where were you last season, or is this selective amnesia?

Isiah dealt with him by benching him in the 4th quarter and at key points in games, causing a fair amount of controversy in the process. But while Stephon fumed, he got into shape and improved his game. Proved to be a more effective motivator than bashing the point guard in the press.

As for the interview...the hashish induced bizarre episode has zero significance if Marbury is in shape and ready to play in four months. His message, looking past the idiotic manner by which it was sent, was that he was prepared to suppress his own game to benefit his teammates.