Stephon Marbury wasn’t surprised Knicks president Donnie Walsh is stepping down June 30th because he didn’t feel he’d have full autonomy of basketball operations thanks to owner James Dolan’s omnipresence.
“It’s always been like that, since I was there,” Marbury told me Tuesday as we sat together on a flight from Miami to JFK.
Marbury said his buyout in Walsh’s first season after coach Mike D’Antoni exiled him in November would’ve been done immediately if Walsh was in full control. Instead, Marbury said, Dolan dragged it out until February, with Walsh powerless, allowing the dark Marbury cloud to hang over the Knicks’ heads for months.
Now Dolan will look for a new president. Glen Grunwald will be interim and could keep the position during the expected lockout season.
“If Isiah Thomas could be president, anybody can do it,” Marbury quipped.
Marbury was in Miami for The Finals, taking his basketball-crazy, 6-year-old son, Stephon Jr. to a couple of games. He saw Thomas, coaching FIU, in the trendy Miami restaurant, Prime 112. They did not acknowledge each other. He will never forget that plane ride to Phoenix when Thomas, five games (2-3) into the season, told him the franchise was moving on without him and Mardy Collins was their new floor leader.
Heat president Pat Riley phoned Marbury twice last summer to see if he was interested in joining his Big 3 as he scoured for of a point guard. It didn’t work out. The Heat never found the PG it needed, with Mike Bibby a DNP in desperation Game 6.
The Heat’s offseason priority is adding a PG or two. Marbury is 34, a few months younger than his buddy Knicks guard Chauncey Billups. But Marbury still is not interested in playing in the NBA for the minimum salary the Heat can offer. Marbury has it going well in China, marketing his Starbury brand, and will return for a third season.
“But they do need a point guard,” Marbury said.
Marbury said LeBron James’ struggles in The Finals stem from him being a quasi-PG and not being able to run on the wing on the fastbreak. Marbury said James is not getting the ball in dangerous positions because he has to handle it so much. Marbury also believes what separates Kobe Bryant from James is upbringing. Bryant was brought up in an NBA environment with former NBA player Joe Bryant as his father, setting a foundation and structure.
Marbury said though James is the most skilled, physically talented player than anyone in NBA history, he had an inconsistent childhood – as James cites in his autobiography – sometimes living in other families’ homes in Akron because his young mother couldn’t always take care of him. As a result, Marbury believes Bryant is more mentally tough than James.
As for Dallas, Marbury was excited for Jason Kidd, his once-rival.
“I was very happy for Jason Kidd,” Marbury said. “He deserves it. He can now go out as a champion.”
Marbury said he predicted the expected lockout three years ago. He sees a lot of the 2011 free agents heading overseas, some to China.
“I’m so glad I’m in China right now,” Marbury said. “It’s going to be a long lockout.”
