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crzymdups
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/sports/basketball/30knicks.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssFor All Knicks Changed, Marbury Remains the Same
By HOWARD BECK
Published: September 29, 2008
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — The far edges of the gymnasium were quiet and uncongested. Near one baseline sat Allan Houston, a respected statesman and a symbol of better days. At the opposite end sat Chris Duhon, the new floor leader who is being asked to bring order to the often-chaotic Knicks universe.
The chaos lay somewhere between the baselines.
Stephon Marbury, who could be cut loose any time, drew a thick crowd of reporters and veered wildly between nonchalance and indignation. Zach Randolph, who figured — and perhaps hoped — to have been traded by now, shrugged at his own uncertain future. Eddy Curry, a very large man now playing for a small-ball coach, chose gentle optimism.
The Knicks have a new president (Donnie Walsh), a new coach (Mike D’Antoni) and a few new players, but there is no sign that the turmoil that has haunted them for years will pass anytime soon.
The eve of D’Antoni’s first training camp looked a lot like the eve of Larry Brown’s first camp or Isiah Thomas’s last, with Marbury occupying the center of the Knicks’ storm and his teammates treading warily along the edges.
The Knicks would like to talk about basketball, about D’Antoni’s acumen and the chance to improve on a 23-59 record and maybe, just maybe, make a run at the playoffs. Instead, the focus is Marbury, again.
“It’s bigger than any one person,” Jamal Crawford said at Monday’s annual media day. “This shouldn’t be our team’s focus, is if a person’s on the team or not on the team. We have to make the Knicks relevant again. I think that’s what we all need to be focused on.”
Players spoke only in generalities about the countless controversies that derailed the Knicks the last four years. Marbury was central to most of that drama, as an antagonist to Brown, Thomas and several others.
“It’s been something every year,” Crawford said of the Knicks’ habitual turmoil. “So hopefully everything works itself out. It wears everybody out. It’s draining. It’s mentally draining. So you just hope the situation gets resolved.”
There was a strong sense that Walsh would unload Marbury before camp opened Tuesday in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. It remains likely that he will be gone by opening night, Oct. 29. There was palpable disappointment that Marbury was still here Monday, although players were reluctant to say so outright.
Marbury, in contrast, had a lot to say. He conceded that the Knicks might not want him, but said he would never accept a contract buyout. He said he looked forward to playing for D’Antoni, but then hinted that he has had little communication with him. He insisted that he was not bothered by the criticism he has read, but he lectured one of his critics at length.
Marbury was perturbed by a Newsday column that referred to him as a “toxic asset,” akin to the devalued mortgage securities that have poisoned Wall Street. When the writer asked him a question Monday, Marbury fired back.
“It doesn’t matter what you say, it doesn’t matter that you called me toxins and that you called me all of these different things,” Marbury told the reporter Ken Berger. “That’s what you got to live with. It’s not me, it’s you.”
Marbury told Berger he would “teach my kids not to be like you” and said, “I’m just going to pray for you.”
When the interview was over, Marbury stood up and bear-hugged Berger and said several times, “I’m praying for you, man.”
Tellingly, Marbury never disputed the persistent reports that the Knicks want to unload him. He practically pleaded for his release, saying, “Well, if I’m not wanted here, then let me go.”
The obstacle is his $22 million contract, which is nearly impossible to trade and, in Walsh’s view, too much to swallow.
Asked about his interactions with teammates, Marbury said, “Next question.” Asked whether he has had any dialogue with D’Antoni, he said: “Um, you got to ask Mike that. I think he’s better to answer that question.”
The status of Curry and Randolph is equally tenuous. Both are expected to have difficulty playing in D’Antoni’s run-and-gun offense. Both have large contracts that extend beyond 2010, when the Knicks hope to be under the salary cap. The Knicks might have already dealt Randolph to the Los Angeles Clippers or the Memphis Grizzlies, but both teams demanded a first-round draft pick as part of the proposed deals.
Randolph did not join the Knicks for voluntary workouts this month, preferring to play pickup games at U.C.L.A., against Kevin Garnett, Andre Miller and other N.B.A. players. He said he was fully prepared to play in D’Antoni’s system, or anywhere else.
Randolph also came closer than anyone to criticizing Thomas, saying that the Knicks were not well prepared for games last season. Particularly toward the end of the season, Thomas held short practices or canceled them outright.
“There wasn’t nobody really saying just, ‘You need to do this, you need to be here, we need to do this. If you don’t do it, you’re coming out of the game.’ ”
Asked if that was a coaching issue, Randolph gave a nervous chuckle.
“It’s going to be a lot better this year,” he said.
REBOUNDS
Danilo Gallinari, who has been dealing with a sore back for three months, said his goal is to play in the last two or three exhibition games. He has not yet been cleared to run and probably will not get on the court this week. Gallinari received a second cortisone shot late last week. He needs to go now. End it, Donnie. Do the right thing. I can't stand the idea of Marbury derailing another season. He's already doing so. End it. End it. End it. I hate this little punk.
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9/29/2008 10:31 PM
