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AP
Donnie Walsh is against buyouts and Stephon Marbury is opposed to taking one.
So even though the two met Thursday, neither gave an indication that anything happened to speed up Marbury’s long goodbye from the New York Knicks.
The New York Post reported Friday that Walsh, the team president, and Marbury met Thursday at the team’s practice facility for preliminary discussions about a buyout. Marbury confirmed the meeting before the Knicks faced the Oklahoma City Thunder, but provided no details.
“There’s nothing going on, man,” Marbury said. “There’s nothing going on but a humbling experience. That’s it, the only thing that’s going on here in the New York Knicks’ organization as far as me.”
Marbury gave the “nothing going on” response seven times, then went out to the court to warm up. After that, he changed out of his uniform, not needing it because he was inactive for the eighth straight game.
The point guard isn’t in coach Mike D’Antoni’s plans, so a parting of ways seems best for both the player and the team. The sticking point is money.
Walsh has said he’s against buying out contracts, a standard operating procedure under Isiah Thomas’ Knicks. Marbury is owed more than $21 million in the final season of his contract, and he’s repeatedly said he won’t take less to leave.
Asked if anything would make Marbury change that stance, he said: “Would you accept anything less if somebody owed you money? If I owed you $100, right, and I said to you I don’t want to give you $100, I want to give you $80, what would you say?”
Marbury could potentially make up the difference — maybe even earn more — if he accepted a buyout offer that was close to his full salary, then signed with another team. There would also be a minimal saving for the Knicks in that case.
But Walsh won’t say if he’d consider changing his position.
“I’m not going to confirm, deny ... I’m not going to make any comment about the Stephon Marbury situation,” Walsh said. “I said that about a week ago and I haven’t said anything to anybody since then.”
D’Antoni hasn’t ruled out Marbury playing for the Knicks again this season, but it seems unlikely. He’s even kept injured players on the active roster for games this week instead of dressing the longtime starter.
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