"I enjoyed playing with Charlie Ward," Kurt Thomas said yesterday morning when asked if he were surprised that Larry Brown and Stephon Marbury have had their difficulties.

Thomas is loving his new life in the desert here with the Suns. And he made it clear it is not just the gorgeous weather that has made him so content.

Thomas is the latest ex-Knick to reveal just how thrilled he is to be playing with a point guard other than Marbury. Without ever uttering Marbury's name, Thomas managed to take some not-so-veiled shots at his old point guard.

When told that Tim Thomas recently had said how excited he was to be playing in Chicago with point guards who pass, the Suns' forward smiled.

"Oh definitely, total agreement," Thomas said. "Total agreement. Totally. Totally."

Thomas now receives passes from the man Jason Kidd calls the best point guard in the game - MVP Steve Nash.

Thomas was asked to describe the difference between playing with Marbury and Nash.

"I can't even think of the words," Thomas said. "We'll see how the season goes. We'll see what happens in Phoenix and I'll keep my eye on New York. But I'm definitely happy here."

Thomas spent seven seasons with the Knicks and was part of the 1999 team that reached the Finals. However, his Knicks tenure ended with Thomas trying to make the most of a sour situation. The man known as "Crazy Eyes" never saw eye-to-eye with Marbury and the two were involved in an altercation in his final season in New York. He then was dealt on draft night to Phoenix for Quentin Richardson and the rights to Nate Robinson.