Trade Steph Back to the Suns?
Photo. MannionMitch Lawrence’s column in this morning’s New York Daily News says that one of Mike D’Antoni’s first orders of business after he’s introduced this afternoon as the new head coach of the Knicks will be to try and figure out a way to get some of his favorite Suns (Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa) players to New York. No surprise there. Anybody who makes a move in any business wants to bring his guys with him, right? But Mitch says that D’Antoni would offer Stephon Marbury for Diaw and Barbosa.
Once D’Antoni is formally named to succeed Isiah Thomas, he is expected to try to make a push for two of his favorite Suns - forward Boris Diaw and guard Leandro Barbosa, who reportedly have fallen out of favor with Suns management. According to a person close to D’Antoni, one of his first moves would be to get the Knicks to offer Marbury and his expiring $22 million contract as a central part of the deal.
Because of the Suns players mentioned in this scenario, no one will be surprised if D’Antoni starts lobbying Donnie Walsh today to call Phoenix president Steve Kerr to begin trade talks.
“He loves Boris and Barbosa and he didn’t like Marbury when he had him,” said the source. “So this is the type of move that can jump-start D’Antoni’s program right off the bat. He went to New York with the notion that he will have input and help alter the roster to get his kind of players.”
Although Marbury played only a handful of games for D’Antoni before coming to New York in January 2004, after two-plus seasons in Phoenix, D’Antoni doesn’t view Marbury as a winning player or someone he thinks can play point guard in his system.
“D’Antoni and Marbury is going to be a bad fit,” the source predicted. “He views Marbury as a shooting guard, anyway.”
That’s all fine and good, and $22 million coming off the books after next season is a huge deal … for a rebuilding team. Unless they’re planning on flipping Marbury’s expiring deal into another trade to get them more big-time talent immediately, I can’t see the Suns doing this. By giving up two of their most important rotation guys for an expiring contract (Steph most likely wouldn’t play), they’d essentially be conceding that the Steve Nash era is over and that they’re planning for the future. They have a very limited window to run with Nash that’s getting a little smaller every day. The Suns can’t afford to wait for deals to expire in order to play the free agent game.
May 13th, 2008 at 9:46 am
rangerjohn says:
no way the suns do this deal, if they did, kerr would officially be the absolute worst gm EVER!
1st trading marion for shaqs money, then trading diaw and barbosa for STARburys bs contract, NO WAY!
screw d’antoni and his porn stash
May 13th, 2008 at 9:55 am
JAX says:
rangerjohn…
Outstanding analysis! Besides, STARbury has issues other than just on the court….therefore as a Laker fan, this would be a great deal!!
May 13th, 2008 at 9:58 am
GEE...I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom! says:
For real as much as Houston needs a guard I wouldn’t want Crunchbury!
Dude needs to play overseas or something. Unless he is willing to be a back up, dude needs to be out!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:02 am
fiyaman says:
Man IM beginning to HATE this WALSH guy.. right now he just seems like a white Isiah( another dumbass making dumbass moves)
1st I think hiring Antoni was bad decision but i guess i’ll have to live with it. But if we trade Starburst for anyone other than a superstar is plain stupid. We been holding this dude for so long for no reason and now when he is actually useful(22mil gone aft nxt yr) they want to trade him. I would have his ass ride the pine all season until his contract runs out. Then use his $$ on real players..
WHY IN THE HELL WUD U TRADE HIM FOR BARBOSA AND DIAW(2 OVERRATED NOBODIES)
im begining to hate this team and i thought that cud never happen. We need to get rid of Dolan so someone with smarts can take over.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:20 am
the_don_mega says:
@rangerjohn …
“screw d’antoni and his porn stash ”
is that u ron jeremy??
good one!!!
LOL!!!!!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Kermit Washington says:
Gee…
“Crunchbury”? I never heard that one before! Had me rollin.
And “screw D’Antoni and his porn stash”? I don’t know why that made me laugh so hard, but it did…
But yeah, just like Kupchak didn’t want to be known as the guy who traded Shaq AND Kobe away, Kerr doesn’t wanna go down as the guy who traded for Shaq and Marbury. Don’t do it Kerr!! You’re better than this…
May 13th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Kobeef says:
If Kerr stays in as GM there is no way in hell that he trades Barbosa and Diaw for an expiring contract. The team has a two year window to make the Shaq-Nash pairing work and opening up cap space for the future is basically admitting that was a mistake and that they need to rebuild…
If Kerr is shown the door you will see Shaq and Nash moved and the team will rebuild around Amare. In that case I still think the Suns keep Barbosa and Diaw because they are good complimentary players. If Diaw can show the side of him that played against San Antonio then the Suns ca really use him.
This is officially a stupid rumor that only makes sense for NY…..that said, I thought the same thing about the Shaq for Matrix trade and that happened.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Kermit Washington says:
yeah, but do they even HAVE a 2-year window? That’s what everyone’s been saying, but Shaq retired in 2006, and Nash can’t play defense enough to stop lil’ Bow Wow from giving him buckets. I say the Suns “window” closed when they traded the Matrix. So maybe Kerr says “2008 was our LAST chance and now we’re forced to blow this up and start over”? I mean, it’s pretty far fetched, but it’s the only way this trade would go down, and if it DID happen he’d be a better man for admitting the Shaq mistake and not trying to beat it into the ground for the next 2 years just out of pride.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Hoffman says:
No way this happens.
The Suns already have an atrociously bad 20 million per year contract (Shaq).
May 13th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Prof. TX says:
@post5
Ron Jeremy already has a job, coaching the Orlando Magic.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Myrie says:
Not a deal the Knicks need to make. Afterall, this is the LAST year of Stephon Marbury’s contract. Next season, he is off the books. That immediately free’s up $22 million for the 2009-2010 season.
Best thing for the Knicks to do with Marbuy, is allow him to play out his contract; don’t extend it and let him become a free agent and walk away. No need for NY to trade away an expiring contract and take on 2 others. Boris Diaw underperforms for his contract anyway.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:54 am
GEE...I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom! says:
Wow Prof. Tx they do favor huh …daaang lol.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
djKianoosh says:
only way the salaries match is a steph for shaq trade right?
May 13th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
rangerjohn says:
you know looking at the roster/salaries, the knicks COULD be in VERY GOOD SHAPE after next season, but there are several factors involved.
after next season, the knicks have 11 players on the books, BUT of those 11 players, 4 are on player options (i can see 2-3 of them taking the option which is not good because those 4 are higher paid) 3 players have team options (none of them will be back)and 2 players have qusalifying offers (david lee and nate robinson, only lee gets the offer, robinson gets the qualifying offer taken back)
all that being said, this could drop the payroll down to around 42 million after next season. that is a TON of money to play with for a team that has ZERO problem spending money!
May 13th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
rangerjohn says:
@dj
as i understand it, starbury (lmao) would be a “part” of a trade, diaw/barbosa combined would equal about 15 mil
May 13th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Celts Fan says:
Don’t the Knicks just want to let deals expire and keep getting cap space for LeBron in 2010? Wouldn’t Diaw’s deal screw taht up? ($9M per through at least that year, I think)
May 13th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
fiyaman says:
everyone is saying this is a dumb trade for the Suns but i think its a worst trade for the Knicks.. Why would they want to trade Starbust now(let him finish his contract and pack his bags).. We all ready confirmed that the Knicks need to rebuild. Getting Barbosa and Diaw (no offense) is not my definition of rebuilding. Thats y i was upset when they hired antoni.. I knew he would be tryign to fix shit in 1yr. we dont need that our fans would be happy if we say we’re gonna rebuild and actually rebuild and not jump at every free agent that gets big$$.. IF they got MJackson they wud have gave him the time need but now with softass antoni nobody is wanting to hear that shit everyone expects a turnaround by end of next yr.. we dont need that we need to be smart a get good players..
FUCK WALSH
May 13th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Kobeef says:
@ RangerJohn
I think the Knicks keep Jamal Crawford and Z-Bo just because they probably can’t move him and with the right guys around him he can still be a nice piece (20-10 guys don’t grow on trees). Eddy Curry is another guy they are probably going to have to deal with because with his heart issues and contract they are not getting much for him.
Lee is a good player but I could see them using him in a trade because he has some appeal (kind of like Channing Frye last year)
The Knicks need a star. Getting Derrick Rose in the draft would be the best thing that could happen to this franchise in the next 2 years. Crawford and Rose would make a very talented backcourt and booth are “good effort” guys. With a couple of trades and some ass kicking by the new coach they could put together a nice frontcourt to help Crawford and Rose. They really need some defense in the frontcourt….and Artest might be a real option there.
It is possible that they could pull this starting lineup together:
PG: Rose
SG Crawford
SF: Artest
PF: Z-bo
C: E-city
It would be about 50-50 odds that the frontcourt a)works hard and does some damage or b)goes insane and kills someone….but the intimadation factor doesn’t hurt.
Trade Jared Jeffries for Artest and Sac-Town can have an “all skinny-guys-with-afro’s” lineup of Martin Jeffries and Moore
May 13th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
rangerjohn says:
@ kobeef
a couple things stand out to me though, randolf is not exactly the best run and gun guy and that is absolutely what porn stash is gonna try to do (it is all he knows), he might do very well who knows but i dont see him runnin and gunnin. marbury isnt going to be there so they will need that PG spot filled bad (trade or sit he doesnt play)
the other thing standing out to me “With a couple of trades and some ass kicking by the new coach” 1st who do they trade easily? (this has historically been their issue over the last few yrs) and D’ANTONI KICKING THEIR ASS? since when, he is not a “confrontational” type guy, he wants to be the players buddy. he will not get in their faces, the knicks should have gone with avery for that.
i agree the knicks COULD be dangerous in the east quickly though
and the all skinny afro team LMAO!
May 13th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Gareth says:
The suns would be wise to use Barbosa to get a piece they need. He’s definitely expendable. Diaw is a one of a kind player, they’d be idiots to trade him. If they deal Barbosa they can’t give up any more 3pt shooting in the process…and ideal trade would be Barbosa for a package like TJ Ford and Jason Kapono. Doubt Raps would sacrifice Kapono as much as they want to get rid of TJ but that’s the kind of deal the suns need to make b/c Barbosa plays no D, shoots a low % and disappears in the playoffs. They need a backup PG who can actually play and a 3PT sniper or two…
May 13th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
BxBaller says:
WHY THE F#$K WOULD THEY GET RID OF MARBURY. This is making me really mad. Steph will come back next year ballin’, especially since everyone is saying he’s done. This makes no sense, Steph is in the last year of his contract and has 22 million coming off the cap next summer, so even if he doens’t do his thing next year, his contract will be off the books, and that gives us more cap flexibility in the future. Besides Diaw is overrated trash, and Barbosa is just a taller version of Nate without the heart and swag. Plus that bitch was crying last year when they joked about him being traded here. Keep his punk ass in Phx. Sorry for the cursing I’m just really pissed off right now as a Knicks & Starbury fan.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
nah soon, ron artest can’t ball in NY. there would be 41 riots at the garden.
here’s what these fools should do:
Trade zach randolph to cleveland for ben wallace. cleveland needs a low post scorer; young guy since big z aint gonna ball too much longer. ny gets an interior defensive presence to go along side eddy curry
trade jared jeffries and quentin richardson to utah for andrie kirilenko since ak-47 keeps crying and bitching.
trade steph to chicago for kirk hinrich
now, the knicks starting lineup would look like this:
kirk hinrich
jamal crawford
andrei kirilenko
ben wallace
eddy curry
May 13th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
PALakerFan says:
yallallreadyknow… Interesting scenario. I can’t imagine a team dumb enough to take on Marbury unless they’re trying to dump salary for the following year.
To the question of why not keep Marbury and free up cap space - aren’t the Knicks way over the cap now? If so, Marbury coming off would only get them close to or just under the cap, therefore not freeing up any space to pursue other FA’s.
Barbose and Diaw are overrated and would not help the Knicks nearly as much as a change in attitude toward hard work would.
If we’re thinking far-fetched trade ideas, how about a sign-and-trade with the Clippers for Brand. Brand can be a free agent this summer I think. Throw in David Lee and Nate Robinson to make the trade pallatable for Clips fans. Clips get some future cap relief and a couple young guys for the future. Knicks get a stud to build around. Then you can trade Curry or ZBo for a PG like TJ Ford.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
tj ford aint no upgrade over marbury.
who needs brand (who i luv) when you have zach putting up the same numbers
anyway, knicks suck. ny fans might as well start rooting for the liberty
May 13th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Lady Luck says:
No way Kerr makes this deal. Period.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
PALakerFan says:
How ’bout Steph for Baron Davis?
May 13th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Kobeef says:
“Steph will come back next year ballin’ ”
-BXBaller
WOW…I heard that they exist but this is the first time I have ever encountered an actual Starbury fan. Weird.
@Y’all
Brand will end up in Miami with Wade and Marion if the Heat don’t get Beasley.
There is no way Utah would accept Jeffried and Q for Kirilenko. They rejected Marion for Kirilenko and JJ and Q are overpaid and underperforming players.
Also, Z-Bo for Ben? Really?
Ben is averaging 3pts and 7rebs in the playoffs and you’d trade him for a guy that averages 17 and 10? That sucks. You give up 14 points and 3 boards a game with that move.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Bone says:
I think at this point any of us posting on this forum is an upgrade over Marbury.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
BxBaller says:
Yes Starbury fans are for real
May 13th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
new york j says:
even if the 22 million come of the books, knicks cant sign anyone unless they use midlevel. so i would deft trade marbury for players that will fill the system such as diaw and barbosa and i would throw in nate. but 1st get rid of overpriced role players like jerome james, jeffries, malik rose. then move curry to like memphis for darko, keep z bo who can shoot n rebound unlike curry. move lee into starting rotation. somehow i get the feeling that david stern promised dolan a top pick in the draft if isiah got canned and a serious gm and coach were hired…so with that being said and the success of willams n paul knicks pick derick rose. then trade jamal crawford to heat for udonis haslem and a 1st round picked up by miami on the shaq trade(haslem is expendable if heat get beasly and resign marion) and use that pick to pay the jazz the 1st round pick they were owed.and in the second round pick bill walker
pg rose
sg walker
sf diaw
pf lee
c z bo
balkman
barbosa
darko
chandler
and w.e scrubs we could get 4 james jeffries rose and the throw in from the suns to make da salaries match
May 13th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
new york j says:
sometime around the all star break, there was an article in the news where david stern said that the knick future was very promising, and considering that he needs the knicks to be relevant again because it would really help his business because of the attention from media and revenue and ratings,i believe after the whole isiah mess in court and what not he prolly told dolan to shut up and can isiah and then never interfere again with the team xcept for opening up his wallet, hire a serious gm (such as walsh) and then get a coach ( it was mark jacksons until phoenix got their asses handed to them and dantoni saw he was a deadman walking in the desert) if dolan did that then they would get a top pick just like they got a top pick and drafted ewing
May 13th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
new york j
ur logic is just plain foolish. pleae do not post on here anymore. feel free to find another site
Kobeef
zach randolph for ben wallace works. its a move made to benefit eddy curry. he needs an interior defensive presence besides him. an enforcer. rebound, block shots, help defender, use flagrants and dont shoot. it’ll benefit curry; its not about pts or rebs numbers.
and wallace needs to play beside a low post scorer to be fully effective
cleveland will need a low post scoring threat. a double double guy. big z and joe smith aint the answer
good move for both squads
May 13th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
K Dizzle says:
We’re not really comparin ZBo to Brand. Both give you 20 and 10. One can’t guard a glass of water, the other gives you blocks and plays defense. Since we all gm’in. Here’s what the kNYCks “should” do. No trades, no nuthin. Tank the shit outta next year. Then you draft Reke Evans and pair him with this year’s draft pick, who could be Mayo, Beasley, Rose if they get lucky wit the ping pongs. Bring Artest home and do whatever you gotta do to bring Brand home. Out east, in D’antoni’s system, Brand can play the 5 spot. This team could run and gun the ish outta the east…..it could happen, right? lol
May 13th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
GEE...I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom! says:
new york j’s period button on his keyboard broke on post 31 lol….. hahahahahahah.. just messin.
Still don’t think I seen one period in that whole ish dang homey.
Here take this one.
NYJ I am just messin with ya for real, so don’t trip.
Crunchbury fans are his family, classmates and pets.
Again Steph should just quit the L if he ain’t willin to take a back-up roll. He right up their with Steve Francis to me. So they both hoping to come back this year…. ok sure.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Kobeef says:
@Gee
“here take this one.”
LMAO
May 13th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
new york j says:
i rather have z-bo instead of curry and big ben, at least i know ill get 20 and 10 from z-bo everynight instead of of having to wonder if curry will give more fouls than points and if big ben is going to be able to hold up at his age in dantoni’s system, plus besides crawford and z-bo there is not much offence. that being said everyone here in new york wants to get under the salary cap so knicks can make a run at the 2010 free agents, but considering that the knicks still have to draft and field a team only way you have enough cap space for a lebron or d wade is to have a squad that makes lebrons supporting cast in cle look good
May 13th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Diego says:
May sound crazy, but I could see the Marbury-Diaw/Barbosa trade really happening. Downside for the Knicks is they lose the big $ coming off the payroll end of next season. They also end up with a slew of basically role playing forwards–Lee, Rose, Diaw, the S.C. guy with the dreads, and the rookie that really came on strong last year. One (or two additional guys) would be included in the trade–I’d bet on the S.C. guy who is a Diaw-lite.
I just don’t see what Barbosa brings to the table over Crawford or Diaw brings over the N.Y. forward gang.
For Phoenix, what the hell. It’s now or never. Why not give it a whirl? If Marbury really can still play, he fills Barbosa’s shoes and it will be one interesting team at least. Dread man takes Diaw’s role and Phoenix has at least one decent draft spot upcoming–the Hawks one from the Diaw trade–; then money off the next year to pay off Shaq (if he is still under contract).
May 14th, 2008 at 12:21 am
daquest?on says:
stephon marbury is done even if he can still play at a high level(which i personally think he can). Nobody wants him n e more he has too much baggage and everyone knows hes a proven loser. Anyone who trades for him only wants his contract and he will never play with the team he ends up with. It will just be like Steve Francis.. steve francis is still relatively young, hes like 5 years removed frm the all star game but nobdy want him n e more go ask the rockets. Its a real shame cuz both of them could play. So if ur a point guard that acts like a shooting guard dont go to the knicks because ur career would likely b over in the next 3 years. Wait let me refrase that n e player period that comes to the knicks expect ur career to b over by the next 4 years(except if ur lebron james). Think about it Zach, eddy, richardson,crawford, jeffries, james,marbury, collins… nobody wants them the only ones who could b saved are david lee and balkman not even robinson so get out there while u still can!!!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:22 am
daquest?on says:
i forgot malik rose too
May 15th, 2008 at 2:16 am
Montesquieu says:
Might sound crazy: Knicks should trade Z-Bo and Nate for Larry Hughes and Tyrus Thomas.
1. contracts match
2. Larry Hughes got a better contract then z-bo (1 year less, 1 million cheaper) and maybe a faster pace brings him back to his Wiz lvl
3. Thomas would be Marion 2.0
4. Chi has been looking for a low-post scorer for years
Anyone ?