Marbury gone for rest of season
| NEW YORK (SI.com) -- New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury will miss the rest of the season after having extensive ankle surgery, according to a report in the New York Post. The surgery to remove bone spurs from Marbury's left ankle was expected to be a 30-minute procedure, according to the Post. But a source revealed the operation proved to be more complicated and took Dr. William Hamilton two hours to complete. The Knicks will continue to list Marbury as "out indefinitely." If he does not return, Marbury's career with the Knicks could be over. There have been numerous signs of a rift between Marbury and Knicks coach Isiah Thomas. With only one year remaining on his contract, New York could possibly trade Marbury this summer. Marbury's playing status has been a regular uncertainty since he unceremoniously left the team on Nov. 13 upon learning that he had been demoted from the starting lineup. After missing a game against the Phoenix Suns that night, he returned to the Knicks two days later and came off the bench in their next three contests. Marbury has also taken three leaves of absence since the death of his father on Dec. 2. Marbury, the NBA's fourth-highest paid player, will make $20.1 million this season and $21.9 million in 2008-09. The 30-year-old Marbury averaged 13.9 points, 4.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 24 games this season. Off to the worst 50-game start in franchise history, the woeful Knicks are just 8-18 in games that Marbury has missed this season. Mired in last place in the Atlantic Division, New York (14-36) currently is struggling through an eight-game losing streak and owns the fifth-worst record in the NBA. |
