Walsh said he will step up attempts to buy out Marbury after Jan. 1 and will make the banished point guard another buyout offer. Walsh's first offer — $3 million off Marbury's prorated $21.9M wage — was flatly rejected. In response, Marbury took his $1M giveback off the table and ended negotiations.

There is urgency now because the Knicks are looking to sign a player (perhaps Patrick Ewing Jr.) when 10-day contracts become an option Jan. 5. Walsh needs a second roster spot - Marbury's - to do so. Walsh is saving his first roster spot, created by Cuttino Mobley's retirement, either to make a 2-for-1 trade or use the anticipated $4.5 million trade exception.

The banned Marbury is back in town after a West Coast vacation, but didn't get to see his cousin, Sebastian Telfair, star with 20 points and eighth assists for the Timberwolves last night.

If the Knicks receive the $4.5M disabled player exception from the league because of Mobley's retirement, they may be able to hold onto it until next October, according to Walsh. The league will have to determine if Mobley's hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurred after he was acquired from the Clippers in a Nov. 21 trade. If the league rules the condition was discovered after that date, the Knicks can wait until this summer to use the exception.