Stephon Marbury, visiting San Antonio yesterday with the Knicks- a team that has benched him permanently- acknowledged that if the Knicks cut him and the Spurs show interest, playing for San Antonio would be at the top of his list.
The New York Post reports in Wednesday morning's editions that Marbury felt another snub from Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni yesterday when injured Eddy Curry was activated over him for last night's game against the Spurs.
Curry himself had been the subject of a trade rumor involving the Spurs earlier in the week-- an idea most Spurs fans reacted negatively to.
"Who wouldn't want to play for San Antonio?" Marbury said. "To play with Tim Duncan, who would complain about that? That's a great organization, they win championships. They have a nice system and I like (Gregg) Popovich as coach. I can play 1 or the 2. If I was a free agent, yeah."
Spurs general manager R.C. Buford has said he might look for a point guard after losing Tony Parker for a month.
The only point guards on the roster are rookie George Hill, who started last night, and Jacque Vaughn. A trade is unlikely because Marbury is scheduled to earn $42 million over the next two seasons. The Knicks' history suggests that they might be inclined to negotiate a buyout for Marbury, who then would become a free agent, but Knicks G.M. Donnie Walsh has indicated that he is not ready to waive Marbury.
"It's a situation where the Knicks are trying to make his stay miserable so he asks for a much less expensive buyout," said one insider. "It's a textbook play."
D'Antoni has taken some Heat from Knicks fans who feel Marbury has been slighted. "I know, but we get back to the same thing. I just think it's better that I'm going to play my guys. And that's who's going to play. So there's no reason to change course right now."
Marbury wasn't surprised.
"Mike said he's going forward and not playing me," Marbury said. "I'll wait the whole year if I have to."
http://www.spursreport.com/forums/spurs-nba-fan-feedback/100672-marbury-wants-spur.html
|
