Knicks, Suns agree to blockbuster involving Marbury

[Prestige]

Jan. 5, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

NEW YORK -- Stephon Marbury is returning to his hometown as part of a blockbuster trade between the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns on Monday.

The Knicks acquired Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski from Phoenix for Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe, the rights to Milos Vujanic, two first-round draft picks and cash, Suns owner Jerry Colangelo confirmed.

The trade is the fourth of Marbury's career. The Brooklyn native was drafted by Milwaukee and immediately dealt to Minnesota, where he subsequently forced a trade to New Jersey. The Nets sent him to Phoenix for Jason Kidd, and he's now headed to the Knicks in the first major move made by new team president Isiah Thomas.

"I think we got the best deal," Knicks center Dikembe Mutombo said. "He's among the best point guards in the league, he's an All-Star player."

The trade represents a major shakeup for both teams. In exchange for its best player, Phoenix will go under the salary cap next summer and will have at least $8 million to offer to a free agent class that includes Kobe Bryant.

Colangelo said the Suns will save $20 million to $25 million in salary and luxury tax costs through the 2004-05 season. That will allow the Suns to rebuild a team that was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season after missing the postseason the year before.

"This is a big picture kind of move, and a bold move," Colangelo said. "We didn't have flexibility under the cap, and we were hamstrung by some contracts. This allows us to be a player in free agency if we choose to. This is not a telent-for-talent deal."

The contracts of McDyess and Ward expire at the end of this season, and Ward has a buyout clause that can be exercised before Jan. 10. Eisley is under contract for three more seasons. Vujanic, the starting point guard on the Yugoslavian team that won the 2002 World Championship, is playing in Europe.

Marbury, one of the league's best point guards, is averaging a team-high 20.8 points for the Suns, who are in last place in the Pacific Division.

Hardaway, a former All-Star, has been a reserve in Phoenix and will have the same role in New York. He will earn $14 million next season and $16 million in 2005-06.

McDyess, who played for the Suns in 1997-98, returned to action last month after missing more than a year because of knee surgery. McDyess took over a spot in the Knicks' starting lineup from Kurt Thomas, then lost it -- thereby becoming expendable.

"We've got a scoring point guard coming in, and a two-guard who's been getting it done for a number of years. So it's going to be a different look for us out there, but it definitely should be an improvement," Kurt Thomas said.

Eisley, who recently lost his starting job to Frank Williams, did not play in the Knicks' 95-85 loss to New Jersey on Sunday night.

Ward has been with the Knicks for 10 seasons, the second-longest current tenure of any player who spent his career with one NBA team.

Isiah Thomas has already turned over about half the Knicks' roster in the two weeks since he replaced team president Scott Layden.

"I knew right after we got a new sheriff in town that we were in for a shakeup. One of the reasons he was brought here was to shake up the team and get us to the playoffs," Mutombo said.

Marbury will be reunited with Keith Van Horn, his teammate in New Jersey. Last summer, Marbury said the Nets didn't win when he was there because he was surrounded with untalented players, lumping Van Horn in with Gheorghe Muresan and Jim McIlvaine.

"No matter how long you play in this league, there's still things that come up that are surprising, and this is definitely one of them," Van Horn said. "Personally we never had any problems. On the court we didn't win, and I think that was the biggest problem that Stephon and I had."

At 14-21, the Knicks are fifth in a weak Atlantic Division. But with a starting lineup of Marbury, Allan Houston, Van Horn, Thomas and Mutombo, they should have enough talent to snap their two-year streak of missing the playoffs.

"On paper, talentwise, this puts us right up there at the top," Van Horn said. "But that's just paper."


AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[Prestige]

I understand that the Suns are having a terrible year, but how do they go and trade Stephon Maurbury? He is the franchise for that team. They traded Jason Kidd for him, and then they trade Maurbury to New York for things they don't need.

Antonio McDyess- Been injured, hasn't played well all season.
Howard Eisley- Old, won't fill the shoes of Maurbury.
Charlie Ward- Can shoot threes, but not a starter.
Maciej Lampe- Rookie, should be a decent player
The rights to Milos Vujanic- Who?
Two first-round draft picks- Why? They are one of the youngest teams in the NBA
Cash- Eh, ok.

The Knicks will automatically become a contender in the less talented Eastern Confrence. They will make a push, and they will make the playoffs.

[*AtoMZ~Al~PoLE*]

thats a crazy fucking trade.... now phoenix has a shit load of big men shawn marion amare stoudamire and now Mc Dyess....thats crazy man....

[IllLiterature]

once again the pressure to always win in NY has forced them to trade away some future possibilities to win right now... i dont really like this trade either way.. but whatever

[Inn Deppth]

if they still had spree it would be locked.

[pretty crack]

you all have no idea how much this means to me

:)

[pretty crack]

welcome back

[FranchisE]

the kicks will still suck..
tho i like um'...

[FaC3 ºFF]

they will improve but now they need inside presence
like Elton Brand are sumin cuz Kurt Thomas and Dekembe aint cutting it...

and that coach is Garbage... get rid of him then they'll be str8

[pretty crack]

if i was zeke i'd forget about trying to get darius miles with frank williams and some other loser (most likely othella), and try and trade keith van horn and some cash for tim thomas. the money works out, and the bucks is a dead franchise anyway so i wouldnt be suprised if management accepted the deal.

right?

[Prestige]

^^Na, I heard that the Cavs were the ones making the move to try to get Frank Williams but Isaiah said he's not willing to deal him.

What the hell is up with Stephon these past two games?

[FaC3 ºFF]

What the hell is up with Stephon these past two games?


chemistry n comfort

[A.L.B.]

Star-bury looked terrible in those 2 games, especially against the Rockets . . .

This trade will benefit the Knicks right now as far as game attendance in the Garden, other than that, yeah they have a new scorer in Marbury and depth with Penny, and lost what they really needed, depth on the inside to help Van Horn.

In the long run, Phoenix is definetly the winner on this trade, they allow it to rebuild using a very young Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion, plus they can bring in whoever they want with free agency, plus they have a young coach and it'll be one big learning experience for everyone and you'll see a turn around within 2 yrs.

Phoenix did a real good job.

[JusIce]

^hahaha....some of ya are on star's back after 2 games...give him a break man....dint he get like 36 and 14 dimes or suim shit yesterday?

he's fukin ill, and now the knicks are one of the goodies in the east