Stephon Marbury Doomed To Wander Knicks Sideline For All Eternity

Isiah Thomas established previously unprecedented levels of bizarro organizational management while running the New York Knicks, but just because he doesn't work there any more it doesn't mean the front office isn't still covered in crazy residue. Team president Donnie Walsh and new head coach Mike D'Antoni still know how to make people scratch their heads, as evidenced by their plan to make Stephon Marbury the highest paid towel boy in sports history. They won't waive him, they won't buy out his contract, they won't trade him, and they sure as hell aren't going to put him into an actual game. Nope—they're just going to make him sit there every night collecting his fat check and keep his mouth shut, because even though he's healthy, talented and willing to play ... he's dead to them.

"It is a lot of money," D'Antoni said. "He has a contract, rightly so. If somebody gets hurt, we might need him. Why not? Steph has been great. He is part of the team. We are trying to do what is best for the Knicks." Walsh said the case is "closed" on the Marbury controversy. Walsh said that he leaves playing time decisions to his coaches and does not interfere. Still, why keep Marbury on the team if there are no plans to play him? "He is a good player," Walsh said.

Yeah, he's a good player. We just want nothing to do with him and would prefer to light $21 million in cash on fire, rather then let him get one assist in a game. It's that kind of solid, rational decision making that's going to put this franchise back on top. "Knicks to pay Marbury $21.9 million to ride bench" [ESPN]