NBPA Looking Into Rules Surrounding Knicks Ban Of Marbury

Marbury Still Receiving Pay While Banned From Team

Knicks President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh yesterday told G Stephon Marbury to "stay away from practices and games after buyout talks hit a brick wall," and the NBPA reportedly is "looking into whether Walsh's ban of Marbury is appropriate" under the NBA's CBA, according to Marc Berman of the N.Y. POST. Walsh's ban "may need Marbury's consent, even though Marbury is still being paid," and the NBPA may "dispute Walsh's directive by filing a motion." An NBPA source said, "Anytime an employer imposes discipline, they have to demonstrate just cause. Why did they discipline him? And the contractual argument is he's allowed to continue to market himself as a professional basketball player and keep in good physical condition." Berman writes the "lack of finality was another black mark on Walsh's handling of the Marbury saga, dragging out a controversy that has become a mammoth distraction" (N.Y. POST, 12/2). On Long Island, Alan Hahn reports while MSG Chair James Dolan is being "regularly updated by Walsh," a source indicated that the matter is "strictly in Walsh's hands" (NEWSDAY, 12/2). In N.Y., Mitch Lawrence writes under the header, "Jim Dolan Needs To Speed Up End Of Stephon Marbury Mess." Dolan and Walsh have "taken the air out of Marbury's ball," and they will "drag this out for many more days and weeks." It is a "gigantic PR blunder, but since when has Dolan ever cared about that?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/2).