We’re back with another post about trying to turn Stephon Marbury into a Hall of Famer. At this point, it’s really just a matter of when he retires. He’s currently 34 and still balling.

Unfortunately, this season did not end the way we wanted it to. We didn’t get a chance to defend the title for a sixth straight year. We actually lost in the first round in seven games, which genuinely surprised me. Boston sent us home early. Meanwhile, LeBron was able to lead the Cavs to their first championship, beating the Warriors in the Finals. We’ll see if Bron ends up leaving Cleveland in the future, but it definitely looks like them acquiring David Lee played a big role in that title run.

Even with the early exit, Marbury had another great year. He averaged 22.7 points and 9.5 assists on 54/45/91 shooting splits, officially joining the 50/40/90 club. With numbers like that, it’s hard to imagine him retiring anytime soon. That said, I could see a gradual decline coming in the next few seasons, which is when I’d move him into a sixth-man role and let Jonny Flynn take over as the starting point guard.

That’s the plan right now. I have five more seasons until Lonzo enters the league, and seven until Ja, so I’m already loading up on draft picks for those classes. And trust me — I don’t just want Ja. I want Zion in the ’19 draft too.

Because of those numbers, Marbury earned another All-Star nod, making him a 7× All-Star. He could very well grab his 8th this season, as he’s currently averaging 19.4 points and 10.7 assists on 51/45/93 splits. He also added another All-NBA Third Team selection. Personally, I think he deserved Second Team, but Third Team is still elite company.

Melo pitched in as well with another All-Star appearance and an All-NBA Second Team selection. He put up 23.8 points, 8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 55/44/84 splits. Look at Melo being more efficient than he ever was in real life — absolutely love to see it.

We’re currently a few games into the 2011–12 season, and there was some roster shakeup during the offseason. I traded Trevor Ariza, and honestly, there was only one reason: I had the second pick, Kawhi was sitting right there, and I couldn’t pass that up. Kyrie went #1 to the Clippers. I doubt Kawhi stays long-term given my future plans, but he fits perfectly into the same role Ariza had, so it made sense.

I was also able to draft Jimmer, so of course I’m happy about that. Hopefully, I can actually turn him into something. I traded Thabeet to the Clippers as well.

Right now, my starting lineup is:
Marbury / Mayo / Melo / Greene / Thomas

Off the bench:
Kawhi / Flynn / Frye / Shumpert / Jimmer / Lance

I like this group a lot. Frye gives me spacing, which is huge. I might need to look into adding a rebounding big off the bench, but so far, we’ve been holding up just fine.

I’m honestly considering moving O.J. Mayo soon. I love him — I was a huge Mayo fan when he was in the league — but I really want JR Smith, and having both might be redundant. That said, I could also keep Mayo and bring JR off the bench. Still evaluating that one.

The craziest development this offseason? Donte Greene jumped to a 92 overall. I was shocked. But hey, I’ll take it. He’s a big who can stretch the floor, and that’s exactly what I love. I always want one big who can shoot and one who just plays defense and cleans up the glass.

And don’t worry — Mitchell Robinson will be drafted by me, guaranteed. I’m also thinking about grabbing Drummond when he enters the league to fill that interior role for a few years. Pairing someone like him with Tyrus Thomas to split minutes could be huge.

Now we’ll see if we can chase Ring #6 this year or if the roster needs to be reevaluated and upgraded to get back on top.

To recap, Marbury’s career resume currently stands at:

• 5× Champion
• 3× Finals MVP
• 2× MVP
• 7× All-Star
• 2× First Team All-NBA
• 2× Second Team All-NBA
• 2× Third Team All-NBA
• All-Rookie First Team
• 13 straight seasons averaging at least 20 points and 6 assists

Stephon Marbury is a Hall of Famer. I just don’t see any world where he isn’t. Hopefully, the 2K world agrees when he finally hangs it up.

Stay tuned to see how this season plays out.

– Jett Garden