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Stephon Marbury's days with Knicks might be numbered

BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Tuesday, November 13th 2007, 4:00 AM

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Isiah Thomas and Knicks brass are trying to figure out what to do = with=20 Stephon Marbury (below).

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Click=20 here to play NEW YORK Basketball Pick'em
Read Frank = Isola's=20 Knicks Knation Blog

PHOENIX - The customary postgame meeting between Garden chairman = James Dolan=20 and Isiah Thomas seemed to go on longer than usual late Sunday night in = New=20 York. Those sit-downs could be potentially harmful to a head coach. But = in this=20 instance, the discussion between Dolan and Isiah Thomas could mean the = beginning=20 of the end of Stephon Marbury.

A high-ranking team official told the Daily News that Thomas and = Dolan have=20 been in talks in recent days concerning Marbury's future. Knicks brass = is=20 considering what options it has to reduce Marbury's role or get rid of = him=20 entirely.

A trade is unlikely because Marbury, the team's controversial point = guard, is=20 scheduled to earn $42 million over the next two seasons. Dolan's and = Thomas'=20 history suggests that they would not rule out negotiating a buyout for = Marbury,=20 who then would become a free agent. At the very least, Marbury's minutes = could=20 be reduced substantially for as long as he remains on the team.

The Knicks are 2-3 entering tonight's game in Phoenix. Marbury, 30, = made the=20 trip west but there is some uncertainty whether he will even play. The = Knicks=20 traveled to Phoenix yesterday afternoon and were not available for = comment.=20 Attempts to reach Thomas at the team hotel were unsuccessful.

Marbury accepted responsibility for Sunday's loss to Miami after he = threw=20 away a pass in the final minute and allowed Heat guard Jason Williams to = get=20 open and hit the go-ahead jumper.

However, blaming Marbury for the Knicks' record is unfair, especially = since=20 Jamal Crawford had a similarly brutal turnover and has struggled = defensively.=20 The same is true of Eddy Curry, who was a nonfactor in back-to-back = performances=20 against Orlando's Dwight Howard and Miami's Shaquille O'Neal.

Perhaps Marbury is being set up as the scapegoat in the aftermath of = the=20 Anucha Browne Sanders sexual harassment trial. Marbury testified that he = once=20 referred to Sanders as a "bitch." It was also revealed during the trial = that=20 Marbury, a married father, had an affair with a Garden employee who was = a public=20 relations intern at the time.

Also, Marbury made several infamous and bizarre television = appearances over=20 the summer that embarrassed the organization. Marbury has maintained a = low=20 profile since the start of training camp and has even attempted to = extend olive=20 branches to those members of the media that he has feuded with for the = past=20 several years.

A person close to Marbury says he is beaten down emotionally from = everything=20 that transpired over the summer and through the Sanders trial and that = deep down=20 he would welcome a change of scenery. In five games, Marbury is = averaging 15.2=20 points and 6.8 assists. Now in his 12th season, Marbury has averaged = 19.8 points=20 and 7.9 assists over his career with four different teams.

Marbury was, of course, Thomas' first blockbuster acquisition. The = January=20 2004 trade was celebrated because it meant that Marbury, the Brooklyn = legend,=20 would be returning home. But Marbury quickly alienated teammates, = coaches and=20 the media with his moody behavior. He was involved in a memorable = altercation=20 with former teammate Kurt Thomas and later with current teammate Quentin = Richardson. Both players wanted to fight Marbury.

Through it all, including the losing seasons and zero playoffs wins, = Isiah=20 Thomas stood firmly behind Marbury and exiled anyone that had a problem = with his=20 guard - including Kurt Thomas, Shandon Anderson, Tim Thomas, Keith Van = Horn and=20 Dikembe Mutombo.

Marbury's career in New York, which seemed so promising, appears to = be headed=20 for an ugly divorce. If the Knicks were to sever ties with Marbury, it = is=20 uncertain how it would impact Thomas' future.

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