If you're making $21 million dollars in the coming fiscal year, here is my recommendation: get an accountant. This works well because not only do you have a lot of money, but you can easily afford one! Stephon Marbury would do well to heed this advice, considering there's a rumor that he just dropped $45 million on a brand new private jet. (P-Diddy quotes included for hilarity only.)

MAYBE Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury should have consulted Sean Combs before he bought himself a private jet. Marbury - in the last year of his Knicks contract, which will pay him another $21 million - is said to have plunked down about $45 million for the aircraft. But Combs, who already owns a jet, isn't using it because fuel costs have skyrocketed. The hip-hop mogul explains on Diddy Blog No. 12, which he videotaped in an airline terminal before boarding a commercial flight, "Gas prices are too mother[bleep]ing high," Combs says, wearing an off-kilter Yankees cap. "I've been flying back and forth to LA pursuing my acting career. If I fly back and forth twice a month, that's like $250,000 round trip. [Bleep] that! I'm back on American Airlines now . . . and I'm in coach!"

I'd find this whole thing believable where it not for the part about P-Diddy claiming to fly coach. Wait ... what's that? Diddy's blog is a video??? Let's go to the tape (NSFW if your loser co-workers are opposed to F-bombs):

A year ago, Stephon Marbury gave everyone the giggles by insisting he'd someday retire from the NBA and play basketball in Italy. So oddball was the assertion it became a major thread in our world-famous Chronicles of Starbury. But now, with Starbury's enabler gone and the end of the road fast approaching, Steph's overseas doesn't seem so unlikely.

And in fact, when he talks to the New York Post's Marc Berman about the idea, I sort-of look forward to seeing him in a red jersey with a massive Armani logo across the front.

"Why wouldn't you want to play basketball, still make money and live in a place that's beautiful," Marbury added. "Milan is definitely where I want to play basketball at. That's where I fell in love with Italy."

The only sad part about Starbury's aims for Armani Milan this season would be that said team (the spot Danilo Gallinari where starred last year) isn't in the same group as Brandon Jennings' Lottomatica Roma or Ricky Rubio's DKV Juventut. Those battles would be too much fun.

By the way, Kobe Bryant is a part owner of Armani Milan, and that's been the spot rumored to be a potential owner-player situation for #24. ... Maybe Steph should look elsewhere in Italy.

"Things fall apart, the center cannot hold." -Yeats.

You know things have to change with the Knicks. New GM. New coach. New regime. There are going to be changes and they're going to come sooner, rather than later. If reports coming out of New York prove true today, though, it may be players other than those you suspect that are finding new zipcodes.

Instead of Stephon Marbury or the highly prized David Lee, Newsday reports that Renaldo Balkman is on the table, with an offer being discussed with Denver for Bobby Jones and Taurean Green.

The deal makes sense on both sides. The Nuggets need an upgrade for a backup 3 and some size in the frontcourt, Balkman makes little to no sense in Mike D'Antoni's system, and New York wants small contracts for movable assets. It's going to be these kinds of moves that allow the Knicks to set up the deals they really want to make, if you know what I'm saying. If you don't know what I'm saying, go to Google and type in "Zach Randolph."

Update: The trade's gone through! Get your Taurean Green jerseys while they last, Knicks fans! Somewhere, Marcel Mutoni is crying tears of joy.

Notes from a trip to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Mike D'Antoni found himself in a whole new world of bizarre when he took the New York Job, from the environment to the media to the players. And by players, I mean Stephon Marbury. For a team trying to rebuild, the Summer League can be absolutely vital. I caught up with Coach D'Antoni yesterday to briefly ask him about Summer League, the plethora of guys on roster right now (16), and of course, Stephon Marbury's newest tat.

MM: What are the most important benefits the Summer League brings to a team?

MD: Well, it gives you a look at your rookies. It gives them a taste of the NBA. It gives you a chance to spend a week with them, and get to know the personalities of the first and second year guys, and work on their games.

MM: You signed Roberson, obviously, so there's going to be some thinning out of the roster. Do you consider it a blessing to have that much talent, or does this more give you a chance to get rid of some guys you don't want?

MD: Well, we're in the process of fixing the roster. We do have six days, so something's going to happen. We're pretty comfortable where we're at. There's no real set plan of "We'll do this tomorrow and this the next day." We're still evaluating every day.

So after all the talk that Stephon Marbury could/should/nearly almost certainly will be heading elsewhere after this season, you have to wonder why on Earth he would go out and get a huge number inked on the side of his dome.

After all, there's a ton of downside. What if you get traded? What if your new number's not available? What if you're a Jeff Gordon fan? What if you realize 20 years from now you don't want half your face covered in ink? None of these questions stopped Starbury though.

Stephon Marbury NewStephon Marbury bounded off the Knicks team bus at Vegas' Valley High last night - a new tattoo inscribed on his left temple. The "3" logo found on his Starbury sneaker and apparel line is now a permanent part of his bald head.

Good thing the permanent tattoo ink wasn't used on his Knick jersey.

Now bear in mind that in this same article, about five lines down, Starbury discusses the fact that he might not be coming back next year. Not to mention that he knows he nearly got straight up cut before the season. Oh, and he's also been quoted as saying that "there was a reason then ... can't think of it now" with relation to another one of his tats.

Which begs the question -- all shoe deals and endorsements aside -- why on Earth are you getting a giant number tattooed on your head, Steph?

I know it has worked out well for everyone else that's ever gotten something like this done, but it just seems a little crazy to me ...

Breaking into the athletic shoe industry cannot be easy, even if you're already a monster book and miscellaneous sales website like Amazon (dot com).

Combine the dangers (and barriers -- Econ 205, yeah!) of a new market with the highly combustable prospect of doing anything with Stephon Marbury and we have what could become a must-briefly-watch legal and marketing situation. From Darren Rovell:

The New York Post reported this morning that New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury, who popularized low cost basketball shoes with his "Starbury" brand at retailer Steve & Barry's, spent Wednesday in Seattle signing a deal with Amazon to sell the sneakers on their web site.

Although Steve & Barry's filed for bankruptcy reorganization on that very same day, and it appears like part of the plan is to close stores, sources tell me that Marbury's contract is still active. That makes me wonder how he'd have the authority to sign this deal.

And while Marbury appears to own the right to the name "Starbury," it's unclear if he owns the logo. It's also not clear at this point who would be making the shoe for Amazon.com.Marbury's marketing representatives at The Agency didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Steve and Barry's is going under regardless, but as Rovell points out, there are plenty of larger companies out there debating on purchasing them. Marbury -- who didn't sell his shoes online -- bouncing elsewhere would put a pretty serious dent in their value.

Laugh all you want -- Marbury, along with Sarah Jessica Parker, Ben Wallace and Bubba Watson, is one of S & B's biggest marketing angles. And despite his on court failures, his cheap as all get out Starbury shoe was still immensely popular. I'd expect Steve (and maybe Barry too) to have a little something to say about this Amazon deal.

You have to feel a little sorry for Stephon Marbury. Not only is today the day that Steve & Barry's, the company that produces his signature shoe line, expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but it's also the day that Chris Duhon, the man Donnie Walsh recruited to replace him in the starting lineup, can officially sign with the Knicks.

But while losing his biggest endorsement and (most likely) his starting gig has to sting, at least he can go to bed at night sleeping on a pile of money. He's set to make $21 million this year, the final year of his contract, and there's a good chance he won't have to do anything to earn it. While he's still going through the motions of preparing to play for the Knicks this year, no one on the team actually expects that he'll be around come the start of the season. From Alah Hahn of Newsday:

Most of the Knicks players aren't expecting Marbury to be there, despite his reported plans to come to Las Vegas this weekend to participate in voluntary workouts with other Knicks veterans while the team prepares for the NBA Summer League opener Monday. Marbury's effort to show up in Vegas is viewed by some teammates as a ploy, not a sincere effort.

"He's trying to show he's still dedicated," said one Knicks player, who asked not to be identified. "Come on, man, your teammates know. We see it every year."

Dwyane Wade has seen his career evolve to a constant state of duplicity. There are always mirror images of status as a superstar. For example, he's simultaneously a fearless aggressor who has an uncanny ability to get to the rim, and attacks with such determination he's almost impossible to stop, even if you foul him. On the other, he winds up spending more time on his back than that chick I dated in college whose nickname I later found out was "Easy McGee." On one hand, he's a spectacular combo guard who's best when he's creating something off the dribble, using his quickness and athleticism to create separation. On the other, he can be a turnover machine when he's in charge of getting the ball up the floor. Last season was a microcosm of those problems, as he missed a substantial time due to a variety of injuries, but still didn't shut it down until late in the season (Pat Riley, I'm raising an eyebrow at you), and his turnovers were at an all-time high.

It looks like Wade has turned a corner of sorts, though. In a recent report by Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel, Wade indicated that he would welcome help at the point position.

"Do I want to set up the offense every time? No, I don't want to do that," he said, as his basketball camp wound down at Florida International University. "I would love to get somebody else in that can handle the ball, as well, at times, and make plays."

So what exactly does this mean, given the scarcity of the free agent market?

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

It's almost sad that, with the NBA Draft in New York, we won't get to see Knicks fans freak out and boo whoever they take simply because Isiah Thomas is in charge. They still might boo, but it will likely be a force of habit thing rather than because they think Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni will screw this thing up. But to think that the Knicks will be a quick rebuild seems a bit too much to ask.

Picks: #6

Needs: They're gonna need a new point guard (Stephon Marbury "might" not use that option, but he's still gone sooner than later), they need a tough inside presence (Zach Randolph/Eddy Curry = notsomuch) and they need players that fit D'Antoni's system. Good thing they have so many picks.

Best case scenario: Jerryd Bayless falls into their laps at six, which is looking more and more likely as word seems to slip out that Seattle is interested in Russell Westbrook. On the other hand, there wouldn't be anything wrong with getting someone to take #6 and Zach Randolph (contract that lasts past the two year window they're clearly eying) in exchange for a move down the board.

More likely scenario: Zeke calls Donnie and offers him Marbury and the number six for Randolph. Things get awkward. Then, the Knicks take Bayless or Eric Gordon, depending on how the top five shakes out.

I've made WNBA jokes.

You've made WNBA jokes.

But Candace Parker is no joke.

Anyone that plays through a dislocated shoulder is pretty hoss in my book, so I was kind of intrigued by what Parker would do on a professional scale, even if it is the WNBA.

Now I might actually have to follow a WNBA Players.

In her professional debut on Saturday, Parker scored 34 points on 12 of 19 shooting for the Los Angeles Sparks in a 99-94 win over the Phoenix Mercury . She also added, and try and follow along, folks, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and a block. That's Josh-Smith-like stat filling right there, only with more points. Did I mention she's still wearing a brace on her shoulder?

Of course the criticism is going to come. "But she did it against girls." However, let me pose this quandry for you. Who would you rather have on your squad? Stephon Marbury or Candace Parker? A group of players with little or no work ethic, unrealized potential, and an inability to fight through injuries, or a core of players that are dedicated to playing the game and play through injuries? Okay, you'd still probably rather watch Eddy Curry. But still, with so many NBA players that never live up to their potential and are often questioned about their work ethic, it's refreshing to see a star player in a league that prides itself on hard work that not only makes a commitment that matches her talent, but lives up to expectations. It's just one game, and it's not likely that there will be any swarm of interest flowing to the WNBA, but it definitely raises the profile of the struggling league.

It's startling to come to this realization, but I have to admit. If I'm flipping through the channels in the long dreary days of the offseason and stumble upon Parker, I'm going to be compelled to watch. And that's definitely a first. Maybe it's time to quit with the punchlines and actually take a look at the WNBA.