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July 4, 2009
Wicked Good Sports

Jack Jemsek

Bad Apple in the Big Apple? A Starbury Anthology
Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 3:42 am ET

Stephon Marbury is being bantered about as a candidate for employment as a back-up point guard for the Boston Celtics (see ESPN.com). Today, Marc Stein of ESPN looked at all the angles from the Celtics, Knicks and Marbury’s viewpoints in the Marbury FAQ in the Daily Dime. CSL Blog’s own Jon Duke also went into the dichotomy of the situation in We Want Steph Not Staph.

It is really hard to sit on the fence on this one, as you like to have principles as a basketball fan, and you want to like sportsmanship in your players. In your heart you know that you want your team to win the right way. So when it comes to this Marbury acquisition talk, I’m being clear, I’d rather stick a knitting needle in my eye than have an egomaniac like Marbury in the locker room. 

Talent can be over-rated, and in Marbury’s case, can confuse the issue of what is required to win. You know right away that the new Knick’s brass (Donnie Walsh, General Manager and Mike D’Antoni, Head Coach) made a judgment call regarding Marbury sometime over the summer, and they made the tough decision to go in a different direction. If Marbury was complacent, he was invited to come along for the ride, but Marbury was offended and was willing to not play at all if it meant collecting his full contract salary.
 
Think back when Danny Ainge came on board as the Celtics GM in 2003. It didn’t seem that Ainge hesitated at all in creating a new direction for the team by trading the team’s leading player – the enigmatic Antoine Walker, while keeping the more balanced Paul Pierce. Walker is a far cry from Marbury in so many ways, but Marbury likes to play his way, and he certainly told last year’s coach, Isiah Thomas and before that Larry Brown, as much, and back in 1999, he pretty much said the same to Coach Flip Saunders in Minnesota. So you can’t blame the Knicks for locking Marbury out. On the other hand, perhaps you can not blame Marbury for reacting on behalf of his alter ego “Starbury”. 
 
Because Stephon Marbury has this two-faced nature swirling about his basketball life, I thought I’d run a little anthology of who he is for the Boston Celtics Fans, and then you decide if you have the stamina to chart this guys downward spiral of a career.
 
1996-2001 (Minnesota & New Jersey)
 
Marbury was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves and instantly made the team better and helped elevated Kevin Garnett and Tom Gugliotta’s games. They made the playoffs for the first time in Minnie’s history in Marbury’s rookie year (1996-97), and then had their first winning record and 2nd playoff birth in 1997-98. 
 
Subsequently, Garnett got offered the largest NBA contract ever prior to the CBA being signed. When Marbury became eligible to his first veteran contract, Minnie offered Marbury the maximum contract, but Marbury suddenly had issues with how the T-Wolves were utilizing him, the upper Midwest climate, and lifestyle (see NY Times article).   He subsequently forced a trade in the strike shortened 1998-99 season where he landed with the last-place New Jersey Nets, and then signed his maximum contract there. 
 
Marbury began getting more recognition with the Nets as he was named to the All-NBA 3rd team in 2000 and to the All-Star game in 2001. However, despite Marbury’s accomplishments, the Nets remained basement dwellers, and it was understood that Marbury wasn’t able to improve his team despite his individual accomplishments. 
 
Marbury was then traded to the Suns for Jason Kidd in the Summer of 2001. In his parting shot to New Jersey, the NY Times had this to say:

 

“In his first year with the Nets, Marbury’s teammates criticized him for not passing the ball enough. And then, when Keith Van Horn missed the first 32 games last season with a broken leg, and shooting guard Kendall Gill played only 31 games before having knee surgery, Marbury felt the burden of scoring for a team stocked with role players. ”When everybody went down, it was kind of tough,” he said. ”Somebody had to do it.”
 
Marbury denied today that there was ever friction between him and Van Horn, that his demanding style did not seem to mesh with Van Horn’s introverted personality on the court. ”The question is always going to be the same and my answer is always going to be the same,” Marbury said. ”There was never a problem. I never had problems with him at all. I’m all about one thing, that’s about playing hard and winning.”
 
Marbury had a much quicker dismissal, however, when asked about Nets Coach Byron Scott. ”Next question,” Marbury said. The two were extremely close at the beginning of last season — until the losing began. “

 

2001 – 2004 (Phoenix)

Marbury’s 1st season in Phoenix was one without fan-fare, except the Suns dropped out of the playoffs for the 1st time in 14 years. In a move toward rebuilding, the Celtics may remember that the Suns sent Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk for Joe Johnson and a draft pick that year as well. While the Suns were excited to get Amare Stoudemire in the lottery in 2002, they watched the play-making Jason Kidd take the Nets to the Finals. 

Things did get better for the Suns with Stoudemire and Marion matched up with Marbury, as they made it to the playoffs again in 2003 and Marbury was an All-Star and voted 3rd team All-NBA for the 2nd and final time of his career.
 
The Suns gave Marbury a 4-yr extension in 2003.  Interesting quote by Bryan Colangelo , the Suns GM, when the extension was signed:
"I love his toughness, No. 1," Colangelo said. "I love his competitiveness, No. 2.  In the world of sports or the world of life, who do you want with you in the trenches in time of war? Stephon Marbury is the kind of guy I want with me in the foxhole." 
So despite signing the maximum extension in October 2003 with Phoenix, a few months later (January 2004) the Suns traded Marbury to the Knicks. Prior to the trade, Mike D’Antoni had become the Suns head coach and the Suns were in last place in their division despite nice numbers put up by Marbury.
 
Dr. Jack Ramsay had this to say about the Suns trading Marbury to the Knicks:
 
“I’m surprised that the Phoenix Suns would give up Stephon Marbury. He’s a great acquisition for the New York Knicks.  This trade immediately benefits the Knicks. I have a high regard for Marbury — he’s a tremendous talent. I believe Marbury is the second-best point guard in the NBA (behind Jason Kidd; remember, New Jersey traded Marbury for Kidd in 2001).
 
With this deal, it appears Phoenix is throwing in the towel on this season. Can the Suns do something profitable with the two first-round draft picks from the Knicks? Only time will tell.”
 
Indeed, the Phoenix perspective was a salary dump as the Suns expected more out of Marbury after signing him to an extension only a few months earlier. After making the trade, the Suns were able to sign Steve Nash in the Summer of 2004. 
 

2004 to Present (New York)

Upon his entrance to the Big Apple in January 2004, Marbury lead NY Knicks from a 14-21 record when he was traded to a 39-43 final season record and a spot in the playoffs (25-22 record with Marbury).  Lenny Wilkens took over as coach shortly after Marbury arrived.

The next season (2004-05) is where some doubt in Marbury’s leadership and ability to get along with his coach came to light.  Wilkens departed as head coach after going 17-22, and Herb Williams took over without improvement. The Knicks finished at 33-49 and were an especially poor defensive team, and were no doubt impacted by Allan Houston’s career-ending knee injury.  But Wilkins didn’t feel he got to know his players, and wasn’t able to get everyone on the same page on the court (see NY Times article).
 
Next up was Larry Brown as head coach for the 2005-06 season - where despite the numerous on-court feuds, Marbury at least got to play.  Brown was dismissed after not being to do anything with Isiah’s handiwork.  Going into this season, Marbury reflected on the good ol’ days with Larry Brown (see NY Times article).

On January 2, 2009, The NY Times said "When D’Antoni and Walsh arrived in the spring [2008], they quickly discovered that Marbury was terribly unpopular with his teammates."

It appears that Marbury may have turned toxic when his New York career began, and it may have been guilt by association as Isiah Thomas was the general manager.  This reminds me of the Jailblazer scenario where collectively, the group in Portland a few years ago was horrible with their behavior. But then a guy like Rasheed Wallace was transplanted to the Pistons and his Jailblazer image has been all but forgotten – spare a few technical fouls here and there.  So perhaps it can be argued that the door is ever so slightly open for actually doing well in a new environ like Boston.
 

In Closing

Flip Saunders, Byron Scott, Larry Brown, Mike D’Antoni are all coaches that wouldn’t give Stephon Marbury good grades on sportsmanship.

He’s been a good player, but never a consistent winner and has never really made the necessary sacrifices to win, as that requires handing the keys over to the coach, which he has refused to do repeatedly during his career.
 
And there’s been arguments made that he’s not been a bad apple in the Big Apple. Instead, he’s been worse than bad. In fact, he and Isiah Thomas have been the key components in the lowering the Knicks to their darkest period in 40 years.
 
Tell me again why the Celtics want this guy?
 
 

 

A Marbury Anthology from rotoworld.com

The following are the good, bad and ugly details of Marbury’s New York drama – taken from rotoworld.com news updates:

 

September 2005

Knicks captain Stephon Marbury wept uncontrollably during an impassioned speech at an NBA Players’ Association press conference after he pledged between $500,000 and $1 million to relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina.

He spoke of ”little babies floating in the river” before breaking down, and continued to sob for five minutes after he stopped speaking. Most people in the NBA have never seen this side of Marbury, who had his first son in March. When he follows through with the donation, it will be the largest contribution by an NBA player.

 

November 2005

Stephon Marbury and Larry Brown are at odds over Stephon Marbury’s role with the Knicks, as Marbury wants to play shooting guard.

Larry responded by saying "Are we going to invent a point guard?" Marbury is down in the dumps right now, saying "If he wants me to play a different way, which I am playing a totally different way, then if that’s what it’s going to take to win, I’m down for it. But if we lose, I’m not going to be happy playing like that. I don’t feel like I really contributed [Wednesday]. I feel I was just out there."
 

December 2005

Brown has been critical of Marbury’s lack of vigor on the offensive end of the floor that night, but has not spoken to Steph yet. "I don’t need to talk to him," Marbury said. "He needs to come and find me and tell me what he wants me to do, if that’s what he feels is the case. He didn’t say one word to me about (Wednesday) night." When asked about the state of their relationship," Marbury said, "No comment. I’m not answering that question."

 

February 2006

Stephon Marbury went to the press yesterday, urging coach Larry Brown to open up the offense and to stop running set plays: "I want to go up and down every single time I touch the ball," Marbury said. "With this team, I don’t think we should run any set plays. I think we should be pushing the ball every chance we get. We got so many athletic players on this team, so many guys who can make plays." Brown cited the team’s lack of defense and high number of turnovers as reasons that running won’t work. Let the games begin.

 

March 2006

Stephon Marbury has told at least two teammates that he expects to be traded during the offseason, according to a team source. Marbury said to a teammate, "I’m out of here this summer," and added that he is looking forward to next month’s exit interview with James Dolan, Isiah Thomas and Larry Brown so he can express his feelings about Brown in front of the organization’s highest-ranking officials.

 
Things are still far from "OK" between Stephon Marbury and Larry Brown, and there was speculation that Marbury asked to come out of Friday’s game against the Pistons.
"No, I didn’t ask out of the game," Marbury said. "When I went into the game he drew the play up for me and I said, ‘Why are we running a play for me when Jamal is hot? I’m the last person who should be getting the ball right now.’ I just got in the game. And I was sitting for like 30 minutes. Baseball players get to warm up before they get to pitch on the mound. I was just mad at the fact Jamal should take the shot." It’s become clear that either Brown or Marbury must go next year, and it would be easier for the Knicks to buy out Brown’s contract than to trade Marbury.
 

May 2006

The New York Daily News is reporting that Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan apparently has started the process of ending Larry Brown’s run with the Knicks after just one season. Dolan is apparently upset over Brown’s record, his relationship (or lack thereof) with his players as well as the coach’s public criticism of his players, and is considering buying out the final four years of Brown’s contract, worth at least $40 million. Isiah Thomas is rumored to become the new head coach if this happens, which means the Knicks would save quite a bit of money because he’s already on the payroll.

 

June 2006

Stephon Marbury now says that last year was the best year of his life, that he loves Larry Brown and that he had a spiritual awakening, among other things. "It was the best year of my life," he said. "I grew as a person, became a better man, better father, better husband, better communicator…Now my mind is free. Now I can speak the way I want to speak. The kids understand me now. I couldn’t come back and give them what I’m giving them now because I wasn’t free." He’s reportedly going to have a shoe that cost just $15 and was seen without his jewelry on yesterday, as he is obviously on a PR campaign in New York.

 

July 2006

[After Larry Brown was officially fired], Isiah Thomas had lunch with some beat writers yesterday and talked mostly about building personal relationships with his players and trying to rebuild Stephon Marbury’s confidence. "I just want him to enjoy playing," Thomas said of Marbury. "I know from being his size, trying to do the things we’re going to ask them to do, they have to feel good about themselves. I want Steph to be a confident player, feel good about coming to the arena. If you’re not playing in the right system, the right atmosphere, it’s not going to work for you."

 

August 2006

Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury appeared yesterday morning on "Live with Regis & Kelly" to promote his new $14.98 sneaker geared for inner-city kids.  "I’m predicting a big season," Marbury told Kelly Ripa. "All I can say is watch." He announced he will wear the inexpensive shoe on the court this season. "You take a $200 shoe and take my shoe, cut it in half and it’s the same shoe," he said.

 

November 2006

Stephon Marbury committed six turnovers, shot 1-of-9, and had just one assist and four points in Saturday’s loss to the Pacers. Marbury’s last couple of bad passes brought a rein of boos and a "Fire Marbury" chant, after which he said he played "like garbage." It’s been suggested that his "Starbury shoe tour" took away from his preseason preparation, but he spent extra time on Sunday working on his game.

 
Analyst Kenny Smith thinks to turn things around, Stephon Marbury needs to stop trying to be something he’s not. "The things that you’re good at, you always have to do first," said Smith. "And I don’t know if he’s doing that … You don’t have to prove a point. This is your tenth year in the league, why are you proving a point?"
Source: Newsday
 

December 2006

Isiah Thomas has enlisted Magic Johnson to talk to Stephon Marbury about fighting through struggles. "You know what I see in him right now? I see a guy who’s not playing loose and having fun. He’s got to get back to that, so I’m going to have a talk with him to get him going," Johnson said. Starbury said he’s definitely open to talking to Magic, so this can’t hurt. Perhaps therapy is the next step.

 

January 2007

Stephon Marbury has signed a deal to host his own TV show called ‘Stars on Stars," which could debut on Fox in March. Kobe Bryant is slated to be the first guest, while Mavs’ owner Mark Cuban and Knicks’ coach Isiah Thomas are also on the guest list. "It’s not a sports show as much as a lifestyle show," Marbury said. "Hopefully I can show a different side of other people and a different side of me." Hopefully he can keep up his fine fantasy play of late, as well.

 

March 2007

Marbury finds his rhythm:

March 2nd: Despite struggling through practice with knee and toe issues, Marbury scored 34 points and drained four threes on 11-of-16 shooting in a win over Golden State.
 
March 3rd: Marbury (38 points, nine assists, six 3-pointers, five steals and a block) was an instrumental part of Saturday’s overtime win against Atlanta.
 
March 6th: Marbury (40 points, eight 3-pointers) was on fire in Tuesday’s loss to Seattle, but missed a key free throw that would have tied the game with just seconds remaining.
 
March 14th: Marbury (31 points, nine assists, five 3-pointers, five rebounds and two steals) production was wasted as the Knicks fell to Toronto.
 
March 31st: Marbury did what he could to keep the Knicks in Friday’s loss to the Mavericks, scoring a season-high 43 points on 14-of-29 shooting, including five 3-pointers, but had a late turnover that ended up costing the Knicks the game.
 

June 2007

"I’m a born-again Christian," Marbury said. "I’ve been reborn. I’ve awakened from the dead. My body and my mind were asleep. I was sleepwalking. I basically was laying in a coffin dead. Then when I became reborn, I was able to open my eyes and see myself."

 

July 2007

After recently saying he wants to die a Knick, Stephon Marbury has changed his mind, saying he wants to go play in Italy afer his contract with the Knicks runs out in two years.

 

August 2007

Stephon Marbury defended Michael Vick on Tuesday, comparing dogfighting to hunting and calling it a sport.

 

September 2007

Stephon Marbury testified Saturday in the sexual harassment case against Isiah Thomas that he, Marbury, did not have an affair with Anucha Browne Sanders in the backseat of his car.

 

November 2007

Knicks’ owner James Dolan recently met with Isiah Thomas to discuss limiting point guard Stephon Marbury’s role; the Knicks might even try to trade him or buy him out.

Marbury was quoted this morning in the New York Daily News as saying, "Isiah has to start me. I’ve got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can (get) me. But I’ll (get) him first. You have no idea what I know."
 

December 2007

Stephon Marbury’s father, Don Marbury, passed away in early December. In November, Marbury’s aunt passed away – it was his mother’s sister, who is Sebastian Telfair’s grandmother. Marbury was in bereavement for essentially the month of December.

 

February 2008

Stephon Marbury is expected to miss the rest of the season after having surgery performed to remove bone spurs from his left ankle. He was reportedly instructed by Isiah Thomas not to attend New York Knicks home games while he rehabs after ankle surgery.

Despite having one year left on his contract, this news comes a day after Isiah Thomas spoke about New York’s backcourt next season, not mentioning Marbury in the conversation. Marbury is said to be under a gag order by the Knicks, and has not commented since his Jan. 22 ankle surgery. Kiki Vandeweigh is rumored to be a candidate to replace Thomas as president, but there are also rumblings that Isiah could remain as coach.
 

March 2008

Knicks coach Isiah Thomas recently said that Stephon Marbury will start attending home games, but Marbury skipped the very next game, saying he didn’t feel welcome because he hadn’t been personally invited by Thomas.

 

May 2008

Mike D’Antoni has wrapped up his negotiations with the Knicks and was introduced as their new coach at a press conference. Donnie Walsh was assigned the General Manager earlier.

Donnie Walsh has already taken Mike D’Antoni’s side in a feud with Stephon Marbury that hasn’t even started yet.
"I know one thing. Mike’s not going to be the problem," Walsh said when asked about Marbury’s shaky history with Larry Brown and Isiah Thomas. "Let’s put it that way. If that’s what you want me to say, I just said it." This is a new concept in New York, as Isiah backed Marbury when the point guard and Brown started feuding three years ago.
 

July 2008

Sources close to Knicks president Donnie Walsh indicate that the team is nearly certain to get rid of Stephon Marbury this summer, via either a trade, buyout, or waiver. The Knicks have not had a winning record since Marbury joined the team in 2004. His bad attitude is seen as a major reason for the Knicks losing culture, and the recent signing of PG Chris Duhon has obviated his presence.

 
On July 12th, Stephon Marbury made one last push to ingratiate himself with new Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni. He showed up early for training camp in Las Vegas and has described D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense as "a system my game is built for." Unfortunately, Marbury has done enormous damage to his reputation and trade value over the past year, and it’s unlikely that he is a part of the Knicks plans. . . . The 31-year old knows that he might be waived from the Knicks and has already stated his desire to play for the Celtics — unfortunately for Starbury, Paul Pierce is not a fan.
 
Stephon Marbury showed up for summer league practice with a new tattoo on the temple of his bald head.  Marbury now has the "3" logo from his Starbury shoe line permanently etched into his skull. And to steal the punch line from the Post’s Marc Berman, it’s a good thing his Knicks jersey isn’t tattooed on his body. If Marbury is bought out, he has said he’d like to go play for the Celtics, based on his relationship with Kevin Garnett, the C’s need for a backup point guard, and the obvious chance to win a title. Marbury must have forgotten to look at the rafters. The late Celtic Dennis Johnson’s number three is retired in Boston.
 

October 2008

Marbury said that he would be fine if asked to come off the bench and would not cause a distraction. "I don’t want to go through any more distractions," Marbury said. "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."

 

November 2008

Stephon Marbury was told by the Knicks that he couldn’t practice with his alma-mater, Lincoln High, on his own time to stay in game shape. Marbury had stopped practicing with the Knicks in order to give bonafide players more time on the court, by his choice. To Marbury’s credit he backed off immediately when the Knicks denied him the right to practice, although he had to know that practicing with his high school would be a violation of his contract (he is his own agent after all).

 
Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni told Stephon Marbury before Saturday’s game that there were 30-35 minutes available if he wanted them, but Marbury refused to play. "I was told they were moving in another direction and that I wasn’t in the plans," Marbury said, "so that’s it."  Marc Spears of the Globe reports that Marbury said he felt D’Antoni asked him to play only out of desperation following the trades. He didn’t want to commit to a coach who does not believe in him. The Knicks still lack a backup point guard to Chris Duhon. See also Marbury: A Tale of Two People at knickerblogger.net.
 

December 2008

Donnie Walsh has asked Stephon Marbury "not to participate in practice or attend games until further notice."

 

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Comments

  • The Duke said:

    Jack Jemsek…. no longer on Steph’s Christmas card list.

    -January 4th, 2009 at 11:06 am
  • Tom Halzack said:

    It can’t get much more detailed than that, Jack. Good points in a bespeckled career.

    Is Marbury a misanthrope, or misunderstood? Signs point to him being highly inflexible, and unable to read the tea leaves for much of his career.

    I certainly understand your point of view. I can’t disagree with the history lesson. In fact, I agree completely.

    The creed in play might be…. “Those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it.”

    Yet, I hold the door ajar and even understand the move if Ainge makes it. As a part-timer against a second unit for the most part, some of Marbury’s selfish play, most likely becomes a positive, in an odd turn of events.

    Who woulda thunk it?

    If not, there is always Sudden Sam to take his place.

    T

    -January 4th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
  • Jack Jemsek (Author) said:

    For the record - I really wouldn’t poke my eye out if they signed him - but I would worry about Doc’s health and other issues . . . regardless, I don’t think this makes or breaks the Celtics if the starters are going to be as listless as they were against the Knicks.

    -January 5th, 2009 at 7:46 am

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