“Candide at MSG starring Starbury”

Despite all the summer intrigue of Brooklyn’s Finest being shipped and showing off his new committed body in the zip codes of South Beach, it’s not going to happen! The Knicks can’t part with Stephon Marbury because they don’t have a better point guard to turn to.  Yeah it’s true they have wealth in point guards in Chris Duhon, Nate Robinson, Mardy Collins and the Summer League sensation Eric Roberson, and they all have qualities that are nice but “they ain’t Starbury” and in places where basketball is still played, that group is called a plethora of mediocrity, or fool’s gold.

Marbury is still the Knicks best point guard and from the looks on the horizon he is here at least until mid-season. Name another Knicks point guard that teams game plan around and know that they still can’t stop. Here is a guy who is good for 20 points and 8 dimes every time he steps on the court The only way I can see the wizard of Madison of letting Starbury go before then is for some superb draft choices and cash due to injury of some “so called” Western Conference contender who has to sellout to get a championship, (like the Houston Rockets, realize that “Skip to my Lou” is not a championship point guard) and wants him and his salary.

The truth is getting rid of Marbury does not benefit the Knicks. It only helps out other teams and if he is not taking PR queues from Ann Coulter or a Jerry Farwell sermon he can run and lead a team. Ok the last part was a stretch Marbury has not won since college and a little homework every team since he has been in the NBA has gotten better…when he left!  But each of the other Knick PGs options has his own faults, and Marbury in a Candidean way, he “is the best of all possible worlds”.  Bartender I’ll have that drink now, make it a double!  

Chris Duhon I personally feel like this dude is that character from a television show that is always at the wrong place at the wrong time. At Duke he has to play with and after Jay Williams, in the NBA he gets to replace Williams again plus gets Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordan and Larry Hughes to compete with can a brother get some love? Duhon has great leadership skills, can run a team and puts pressure on the defense with penetration and his jump shot has improved since he has come into the league but he no Charlie Ward (This is actually a good thing for the New York Jewish community).

Nate “The Great” Robinson I honestly feel if I left my house, with Nate, my nephew and nieces there, I would have to tell one of them “keep an eye on Nate and make sure he does not get himself in trouble and hurt his self”. He is dynamic on the court and he, Lee, Balkman and Crawford were the only reason to watch the Knicks over the last 3 years but he is more jester than general. 

Nate can run a team but not for 82 games. At some point the other team’s guards are just going to starting posting him all night. His inconsistent play shows up in every aspect of his game. On defense he is great on the perimeter but then he will take a risk for the big play like a defensive back or lose focus, and viola it’s a two point donation at minimum, with Knicks front line. On offense he will forget that a point guard has to run the team, not score 20. Nate is perfect as the 1st or 2nd of your top players to come off the bench, though more particular if he is matched a more defensive minded combo guard, it allows him to wreck havoc.

Mardy “The Cheese Steak” Collins You know the thing about a cheese steak is that all that meat, cheese and the grilled vegetables , it all looks so good, but it will kill you.  Mardy Collins has eaten every cheese steak he has ever seen at 6’5 (really 6’4) 220 pounds. Mardy is the type of player that frustrates coaches and GM’s he looks good, when he is playing, he’s always in control, and you always want a little bit more. But here it is people, like the cheese steak he is slowly killing you, because you think you have a player and you are building your dreams and hopes on this 6’5 combo guard that can dish, board, play defense, and has a high basketball I.Q. But the reality is that Mardy is going to get injured and he has no confidence to play into being one of the top 8 guys on your team.

It is worse when you realize in complete basketball I.Q., on the Knicks for their guards, Collins may have the highest. He understands angles and never seems to make the wrong decision, but the truth is Mardy Collins is a five year project and we are in year 3. The good news though, this is a system where Mardy’s multiple skills sets will allow him stand out. Having Collins, Chandler and Crawford on the court at the same time could be spectacular.

Anthony Roberson Really I have to answer this one? Because until this summer I forgot that Roberson had even played basketball. Roberson can and will put it up from anywhere, anytime against anyone a lot like Marbury. But unlike Marbury he can’t run a team yet and he had chances at Florida. The best way for you to look at Roberson is Barbosa with range.

Which brings us back to Starbury, he is the only proven person on this team that can run the team and score, consistently. Don’t cry just yet Knick fans. Something I have always said about a Marbury team, since his first season in New York “a team that has Marbury as one of its best two players will never be successful “. Well, basketball fans Marbury is the 3^rd best player on this team. Randolph is the best granted this maybe because he just refuses the basket ball concept of the pass, followed by Crawford who finally in confidence and shot selection is coming into his own. Oddly enough they have the perfect coach, when your top three players cannot and do not play defense. Find Don Nelson or Mike D’Antoni. We go the later.

What’s available outside of Marbury, I put a list of point guards that are quietly being shopped around or asked about, in some cases not so quietly;

Jamaal Tinsley injury prone but when healthy a double-double threat every night

Rafer Alston is an older version of Duhon, inconsistent jump shot but has proved he can run a team

Marcus Williams injury prone and unproven

Chucky Atkins  can hit the long ball but teams don’t plan on stopping him

Sebastian Telfair  inconsistent jump shot and has not shown that he can be effective if not scoring

Delonte West  more of a combo than a point guard is better suited coming off bench, but no one is tougher

Kyle Lowry injury prone because of style of play, but perfect for this system, unfortunately the Knicks have a better chance of getting Marko Jaric

Raymond Felton he is the other point guard taken in the “05“draft with Williams, Paul and Ellis (more of combo) but has not decided if he likes to shoot more than run the team.