NEW YORK — After Chris Duhon met with the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic, he went home to Chicago and slept on it. In the morning, he sent a text message to Steve Nash, asking if they could talk it over.
Once that message left Duhon’s phone, beamed up to a satellite somewhere, and landed in Nash’s phone, it was all over. Mike D’Antoni’s former point guard found him a new one.
Duhon chose starting for the Knicks over being a backup in Orlando, agreeing Friday to a two-year deal for the full midlevel exception of about $12 million. Duhon’s agent, Kevin Bradbury of BDA Sports, said there were more than 12 million reasons.
“Playing in New York, playing in Madison Square Garden, being a starting point guard, helping turn this around, and getting a chance to play for D’Antoni,” Bradbury said. “Steve said, ‘Man, you don’t even understand the stuff that D’Antoni did for me.’ With all that, Chris called me (Friday) morning and said, ‘I don’t want to sit back and wonder what might have happened if I had gone to New York.’ “
With their full midlevel exception committed to Duhon, the Knicks are effectively finished with free agency other than sign-and-trade possibilities. The Knicks are open to moving Zach Randolph and the $48 million he has left over three years and have received some inquiries.
But the Duhon signing has put Stephon Marbury’s future with the Knicks in jeopardy. Coincidentally, it was the Phoenix Suns’ trade of Marbury to the Knicks — OK’d by D’Antoni — that paved the way for Phoenix to sign Nash in 2004. And Nash’s sales job with Duhon looks like the beginning of the end for Marbury in New York.
Marbury could not be reached for comment Friday, and Knicks President Donnie Walsh didn’t return a phone call.
But a person with knowledge of the Knicks’ plans for Marbury said, “They’re going to make a change there.” Short of finding a team willing to take Marbury’s $21.9 million expiring contract in a trade, the only other possibility is a buyout.
“We’ve been given all assurances that they’re not bringing Chris here to sit on the bench,” Bradbury said.
Duhon, 25, averaged 6.9 points and 4.5 assists in four seasons with the Chicago Bulls with a more than 3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He’s a career .356 three-point shooter and a decent defender.
Duhon fell out of favor with Scott Skiles and was disciplined on various occasions for missing practice and video sessions and for oversleeping. In the city that never sleeps, he’ll need to invest a portion of his $12 million in an alarm clock.
But Duhon played for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, and Coach K no doubt gave D’Antoni the rundown on Duhon when the two convened last week with Team USA. And Duhon immediately signaled his commitment to D’Antoni by agreeing to join the team for summer league in Las Vegas.
From all appearances, it will be the start of his tenure as Marbury’s replacement.
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