Knicks FINALLY Waive Marbury

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By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer 30 minutes ago

NEW YORK (AP)—Stephon Marbury was waived Tuesday by the New York Knicks, ending a turbulent five-year stint in which the former All-Star couldn’t lead his hometown team to a single playoff victory.

The team released a statement saying an agreement between the Knicks and Marbury had been reached, but did not disclose financial terms. Knicks president Donnie Walsh has said the team and Marbury have been trying to workout a buyout.

Marbury is one of the highest-paid players in the NBA, set to make close to $21 million this season, but has not played a game for new coach Mike D’Antoni.

But D’Antoni never gave the temperamental guard a chance to cause the same troubles for him that he did for Larry Brown and Isiah Thomas.

Marbury would be eligible to play in the postseason for any team that signs him because he was waived by March 1. He has been linked to the Boston Celtics, who are in need of a backup guard with Tony Allen injured.

The statement also said Marbury’s grievance against the Knicks had been resolved. The sides attended an arbitration hearing earlier Tuesday regarding the nearly $400,000 in salary the team had docked the point guard after alleging he refused to play in a game in Detroit in November.

He then publicly criticized D’Antoni and saying he could never play for the coach because he didn’t trust him. Marbury sought his departure soon after that episode, but hadn’t met face-to-face with Walsh since Dec. 1, when he left a meeting after just 20 minutes because they weren’t close on a buyout agreement.

Marbury had previously refused to surrender more than $1 million of the remaining $20.8 million on his contract that expires after this season. It’s unclear what he gave up Tuesday to secure his release.

The Celtics and Miami Heat are the teams that are most frequently mentioned as possible destinations. Whatever team signs Marbury will get a player who hasn’t played in a regular-season game in more than a year.