http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/knicks/archives/2008/10/marbury_wants_t.html

Got a couple of texts and an urgent phone message last night while in a restaurant, capping a day away from Knickland. Marbury wanted to talk. Really wanted to talk. Wanted it all on the record. Wanted it in the next day's newspaper to clear the air and kill the issue.

Marbury wanted Knick fans, Knick teammates and Knick management to know he's accepted being a bench player if that's what it's going to be. Marbury had said before preseason he didn't want to come off the bench here. Said on Media Day he'd be fine to be waived if Chris Duhon is their new point guard. To a man, Marbury was shocked D'Antoni was having him wear the blue jersey, often playing wing. He predicted he'd be the starter opening night.

But across the last few days, he's been struggling with the issue whether he can be happy as a Sixth Man. Maybe he read the new wave of camp stories about the Celtics' ubuntu - the South African word related to unity and team, that when a team is elevated, so is the individual.

"I don't want to go through anymore distractions,'' Marbury told me last night. "I want all of us to concentrate on winning and not if I'm going to start or not. If the Knicks want me to come off the bench, that's what I'm going to do. I just want to win a championship in New York because we as New Yorkers deserve a chip.''

"I don't feel Duhon should have to go through that,'' Marbury said. " I don't feel D'Antoni should have to go through that. I don't want to go through another year of distractions. I just want to kill it now.''

"Jamal Crawford is right,'' Marbury said. "No one person is better than the organization. I have faith in us playing better than the last two, three years.''

I like the sentiment and hope it lasts all year for the good of the franchise.

I hope he means this and is sincere...but its crackbury so who knows

he's just a distraction no matter what.

he's not going to accept a bench role. waive him.

Berman?

*clicks link*

Thought so.

hey marbs if you really wanna end a PG controversy........resign and then move to another team.

Geez louis rice and peas Marbury will you shut the **** up! Shit man!

Nobody else is talking about the point guard situation in the media but Marbs! Walsh hasn't said a word. D'antoni hasn't said a word. Nate, collins, or Duhon for that matter.

Shut the **** up damn you!

why so serious?

Steph came to camp in shape and seems fully aware this could be his last NBA contract. Me personally this is the first time since the initial trade I'm actually looking forward to see him out there

Posted by Pharzeone:

D'Antoni and Walsh are the distraction. Why doesn't he be honest with Marbury that he doesn't want him to start no matter how well he outperforms Duhon. Why doesn't Walsh let the guy go? Starbury is a headcase but he isn't in the wrong this time. Stop all the games, the guy did what was asked of him by coach and president. He reported on time and according to objective reporting outperformed his colleagues. D'Antoni's insecurity issues already creeping in with the Knicks. Scared that Marbury's play will make him look bad for not starting. If he has this much problem with Steph being a team guy, he won't stand a chance against Dolan when he butts in.

How can you say that Walsh and D'Antoni are the distractions? Marbury has a contract, he's getting paid either way. If the coach doesn't want him to start then he should goto the bench quietly and be happy he's making all his money.

Posted by Elite:

D’Antoni’s reaction:

“Yeah, it’s great,” he said. “Wow. For ya’ll, that’s big news. To me, that’s like, well, that’s how everybody should act. Isn’t that how you do it? Don’t you build a team? Does it matter who gets the credit and who doesn’t? This is the New York Knicks. I would think the New York Knicks is bigger than me and anybody else. And it is that way. I’m really proud he did that, but it shouldn’t be newsworthy. To do the right thing should never make the news.”


I like him alraedy

[sarcasm]That's terrible, D'Antoni is just creating distractions by saying things like this. He should keep Marbury happy and screw the rest of the team.[/sarcasm]

Posted by nyk4ever:

Posted by Elite:

D’Antoni’s reaction:

“Yeah, it’s great,” he said. “Wow. For ya’ll, that’s big news. To me, that’s like, well, that’s how everybody should act. Isn’t that how you do it? Don’t you build a team? Does it matter who gets the credit and who doesn’t? This is the New York Knicks. I would think the New York Knicks is bigger than me and anybody else. And it is that way. I’m really proud he did that, but it shouldn’t be newsworthy. To do the right thing should never make the news.”


I like him alraedy

[sarcasm]That's terrible, D'Antoni is just creating distractions by saying things like this. He should keep Marbury happy and screw the rest of the team.[/sarcasm]

Why is D'Antoni making it about Marbury? Curry said he expects to be a starter. No issue with Curry from D'Antoni. Curry came off the bench last year without much trouble. Marbury took the bench for Mardy Collins after his run with Isiah and it was more eye opening than an issue. The only player that I have noted that went ape**** about not being a starter in recent memory was Crawford with Brown.

Only bitches worry about who starts. Basketball players care who finishes.

If you want your point guard to go out there and score 25 points on 25 shots, then yeah, Steph has outperformed Chris. But last I checked, that's not what D'Antoni wants from his point guard when he's got a shooting guard, a small forward and a power forward in the starting lineup who all want to do the same damn thing. Unless we want to make Dave responsible for getting everyone shots, Duhon is clearly the choice at point guard, no matter how much it makes Berman's blood boil.

Du's a better point guard than Steph right now and it has nothing to do with talent.

Steph is being put in a position where he will be most successful. He won't be saddled with running the offense where he often misses plays and can't differentiate between a good shot for himself and a better shot for a teammate. Instead, he can come of the bench as a hired gun and basically play "Starbury" basketball. Many nights, he may end up finishing games along side or as opposed to Duhon anyway.

He must've taken his meds or finally realized that "if he played the way how he normally played" he could probably play his way into a trade to a contender or an MLE somewhere else next season.

If anything, he should be thanking Walsh and D'Antoni for truly coming in with a clean slate as opposed to appeasing fans and the media.