Why Stephon Marbury Won’t End Up With Detroit Pistons

The AM Take: My morning has a routine: bagel, night black coffee, and HoopsVibe’s news section. After eating, slurping, and reading, I write my morning piece for you to agree or disagree with.

Often I’m reading NBA headlines with the roosters, so little surprises me at such an hour. But yesterday’s news that Stephon Marbury could leave New York for Detroit caught me off guard.

Let’s be clear: Marbury and the Knicks are finished. Right now, they’re separated. Soon their divorce will become official. And there is no chance of reconciliation. Marbury’s extended stint on the injured list is code for James Dolan writing a get-lost buyout check.

According to the New York Post, the Pistons could take a chance on the temperamental guard next season.

Stephon Marbury was on bench, perhaps scouting his next club. Detroit is a logical destination if he gets bought out because Marbury and coach Flip Saunders get along. Marbury and Saunders hung out for 10 minutes in the trainer’s room of the Detroit locker room after the game. ...

I disagree. I can’t see an organization like Detroit, where professionalism matters, taking a flyer on the troubled ’Starbury’. 

The Pistons are GM Joe Dumars’ team. The low-key executive sets the organization’s values of discipline and consistency, not the coaches. In fact, sideline bosses are disposable commodities in Detroit (Doug Collins, Rick Carlisle, and Larry Brown have all been let go despite posting winning records). So Saunders’ previous relationship with Marbury in Minnesota means nothing.

Only one person holds more pull in Detroit than Dumars: owner Bill Davidson. The grandfatherly gentleman can’t stand prima donnas. In the early nineties, he grew tired of Isiah Thomas’ act and wisely cut ties with his superstar once he retired. And a couple of years ago, he called-out the nomadic Brown to reporters. Davidson wouldn’t stand for Starbury’s antics.

On-court, Marbury wouldn’t offer much to the Pistons. Chauncey Billups is the clear-cut starter and the bench is loaded with developing prospects like Rodney Stuckey.

For a moment, the Marbury-to-Detroit rumor disrupted my morning routine. After a little thought, I went to back to eating, slurping, and reading. You should too.

Could Marbury end up in Detroit? The AM Take is Oly’s morning thoughts on the NBA appearing Sunday through Friday on HoopsVibe NBA Blog. Errors can be attributed to the time and his need for another coffee. ( image appears courtesy of flickr.com)