Will the Sun set on Marbury’s Knicks’ Tenure?

by Guichard Cadet


Consider yourself lucky that print columnists are there to sell advertisements, and are not financial research analysts, telling you which stock to pick.

With the Phoenix Suns in town to play the Knicks, the coverage is all about Steve Nash vs. Stephon Marbury. Reading today’s New York daily newspapers and Chad Ford’s espn.com column, you’d get the idea that the Knicks should trade Stephon Marbury, so next year’s team can win 50 or more games, make it to the playoff, and win (WAIT) a championship.

Though I agree Lenny’s resignation puts more pressure on Marbury and GM Isiah Thomas, the Knicks organization should be prudent if they're even thinking of jettisoning either of these two men, especially Marbury.

Most of the Knicks’ misfortunes started with trading top point guards (Mark Jackson and Rod Strickland), when they were in their primes.

In defending his track record, quoted in the dailies, Marbury simply said, "The times when I was there, the main guys had gotten hurt…Amare got hurt. Shawn got hurt. Kenyon Martin got hurt. Keith Van Horn got hurt. So I don't look at that aspect."

Statistically one can make a case for Jason Kidd, Steve Nash and Stephon Marbury as the NBA’s best point guards. The emphasis should be the type of players you put around your point guard.

Recall why Jason Kidd asked for a trade after the Nets failed to re-sign Kenyon Martin – he needs someone of high caliber to pass the ball.

Everyone’s marveling at this year’s Phoenix Suns team, but talent-wise, one cannot compare it to last year’s, or even the one Stephon led to a near first round knockout of eventual league champion San Antonio Spurs.

That season, Steph had only two bona-fide players, Shawn Marion, and Amare Stoudamire won Rookie of the Year – so Stephon could not have hampered his game that much.

Unless you have a dynamic duo, a la “Shaq & Kobe” or "Duncan & Robinson", you need a complete team to win a championship.

And, teams take years to develop, by keeping players with expiring contracts until the term is done, and drafting well. The Knicks are on the right track, ever since Isiah made the first move – getting Marbury.