Isiah Thomas knew what he was doing when he traded for Marbury.

An assertion by Southwest sources, who have no stake in the trade, that Marbury's body is breaking down - both ankles have been surgically repaired - doesn't worry him, either. It's not as if any of this is a secret. Doctors were consulted. Homework was done prior to the transaction. The Knicks knew Marbury had stopped practicing as a precaution. He was averaging 41 minutes, second most in the league, so something had to give.

The reason damaged goods speculation is rearing its ugly head so all of us can see, I suspect, is based largely on the disapproval rating of fans. The Suns said the same stuff about Jason Kidd's body after trading him to the Nets for Marbury.

"Is that what's coming out of Phoenix?" Marbury asked incredulously. "I can't believe they'd dog me like that. I thought I had a good relationship with people out there. I consider Amare and Shawn [Marion] friends."

"You've been around the NBA long enough," counsels a Suns voice of reason, "to know there are plenty of people hovering around players who can and do get into their ears and heads.

"What happened with Shawn and Amare, I think, is they were told so often they couldn't play with Stephon they started to believe he was looking 'em off on the break, whatever. Even though they really didn't believe it deep down."

"Why try to defend myself?" Marbury declared. What good will it do? I'm not a selfish player. My body ain't hurtin' or fallin' apart. In the end, it'll all shake out. People are goin' to have to judge for themselves what's real and what's B.S.

"Truthfully, I don't give a bleep what they're saying about me in Phoenix. All I care about is helpin' the Knicks become a championship team. This is the best [bleepin'] situation I've ever been in my life and I intend to enjoy it to the mother [bleepin'] max."