Daily Knicks
Fansided

New York Knicks: Top five point guards in franchise history

By Rob Wolkenbrod

NEW YORK - 1973: Walt Frazier #10 of the New York Knicks shoots a layup against the Boston Celtics during the Eastern Conference Finals played in 1973 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Copyright 1973 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - 1973: Walt Frazier #10 of the New York Knicks shoots a layup against the Boston Celtics during the Eastern Conference Finals played in 1973 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Copyright 1973 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
DENVER – NOVEMBER 18: Stephon Marbury #3 of the New York Knicks looks on before playing against the Denver Nuggets on November 18, 2005 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The Nuggets won 95-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER – NOVEMBER 18: Stephon Marbury #3 of the New York Knicks looks on before playing against the Denver Nuggets on November 18, 2005 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The Nuggets won 95-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Stephon Marbury

Stephon Marbury joined the New York Knicks in the post-Finals era, when they transitioned into the Isiah Thomas era, who became the president of basketball operations in 2003. Thomas acquired Marbury, Penny Hardaway and  Cezary Trybanski for Howard Eisley, Maciej Lampe, Antonio McDyess, Charlie Ward, Milos Vujanic, a 2004 first round pick and a 2010 first round pick.

When the 2010 pick became Gordon Hayward, it proved a heavy price the Knicks paid for Marbury, but he still found productivity over parts of five seasons.

Marbury broke out with 19.3 points and 9.3 assists after the midseason trade from the Phoenix Suns, which did not fall far from his numbers before the move. He improved in the 2004-05 campaign, arguably a career year, with 21.7 points and 8.1 assists on 46.2 percent shooting.

After this, even at age 28, Marbury’s stats started to trend down, due to injury and extra scoring presences on the 2005-06 roster, including Eddy Curry and Channing Frye’s emergence.

Marbury was still a productive offensive player, with 15.9 points and 5.7 assists per game over his final three seasons, and he continued to shoot well from behind the arc. But as the team transitioned, they waived him in the 2008-09 season.

For a few years, Marbury was the face of the Knicks. It never led to winning, but he still provided some stability in a chaotic and forgettable era of this franchise.