Stephon Marbury told The Post today that Mike D’Antoni’s portrayal that he refused to play in Friday’s game in Milwaukee is inaccurate.
Marbury said his initial conversation with D’Antoni didn’t last long enough for him to refuse to play.
According to Marbury, D’Antoni told him in the mid-afternoon he had 20-to-25 minutes for him in the wake of the Jamal Crawford trade. The conversation took place before the second trade left the team with just seven able bodies.
“He said, ‘I have 20, 25 minutes for you if you want to play,'” Marbury said Saturday morning. “I said, ‘You’ve told me you’re going in another direction and I’m not in the plans.'”
At that point, D’Antoni didn’t bother to press the issue, according to Marbury. “He had a smile on and just said, ‘I totally understand it, I get you,'” Marbury said.
Marbury said he didn’t think D’Antoni was upset and was shocked to read D’Antoni’s rough comments in the newspaper today.
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Later Friday, D’Antoni called Marbury in his hotel room in Milwaukee to tell him he had to dress because they were making another trade, sending Mardy Collins and Zach Randolph to the Clippers. The trades left them with just seven players and league rules mandate eight players dress. According to Marbury, at no point did D’Antoni then ask him if he wanted him to play because of their manpower shortage.
“I just said, ‘OK coach, I’ll dress,'” Marbury said.
Marbury said he taped his ankles in anticipation of having to be called upon, especially if players were in foul trouble.
“Refusing to play is when the coach tries to put you in the game and you say you’re not going in,” Marbury said. “If he asked me to go into the game, I was going into the game. That’s why I taped my ankles.”
For Saturday night’s game vs. Washington, Jerome James rejoined the team and the club had eight able bodies. Marbury was inactive again and D’Antoni said he didn’t ask Marbury if he wanted to play in that game.
When asked if Marbury had committed insubordination or had violated his contract, team president Donnie Walsh said, “I’m not completely clear with what happened. I don’t know the situation. He did dress up so we can have eight players. That helped us for that trade. I’m not lauding that because we’re paying the player.”
Saturday night, Marbury told a large group of reporters surrounding his locker he had “no comment” on why he didn’t play Friday night.
Marbury admitted he wasn’t enthused about playing because he hadn’t scrimmaged in two-and-half weeks before Thursday after being ostracized by D’Antoni since the season opener. Marbury hasn’t played yet this season and thought a 25-minute stint might be too much too soon.
D’Antoni bristled when Marbury’s name was brought up. “It’s done, it’s over,” D’Antoni said. “I think we made it clear [Friday] and what I said was the truth. That’s what happened and we’re not looking back.”
Walsh’s chances of trading Marbury are virtually nonexistent, with the Knicks president saying he’s most likely still not willing to take a long-term deal. Walsh is expected to resume talks with Players’ Association attorney Hal Biagas about a buyout proposal this week.
After the 104-87 Milwaukee slaughter during which the Knicks wore down physically, D’Antoni was even more agitated and called Marbury “a distraction.”
“This is it, it’s the last time I’m answering this question,” D’Antoni said angrily. “I sat him down and said. ‘One of the principles are gone, Jamal Crawford, there’s 30-35 minutes out there that’s yours if you want them.’ He said the team’s gone in a different direction and he wasn’t comfortable and didn’t want to play. We’re going forward.”
D’Antoni wanted Marbury released before training camp began and was overruled by Knicks brass. Marbury believes D’Antoni made a big issue over their conversation to force Walsh’s hand.
As The Post first reported, Marbury stated in a meeting with Walsh 10 days ago he is willing to take less from the Knicks as long as he clears his full wage $21.9 million. Marbury is expected to sign for the veteran’s minimum of $1.2 million with another club.