Stephon Marbury, Chinese Team Split Ways

Marbury and Shanxi Zhongyu have split ways. Strangely, the two parties agreed on a three-year deal during the summer: “In half a year, Marbury had changed himself, the city of Taiyuan, the way basketball players approach China as a whole, the CBA and at least in some part the caliber of foreign players teams are able to attract. Last Feburary, Chinese basketball merely wanted the Lone Wolf. This season, as the league steps through uncharted territory, it needed him. And that’s why the news that Shanxi has suddenly decided not to bring Marbury back this for this season is particularly shocking to anyone who’s really followed this story throughout. According to NetEase, Shanxi management notified Marbury that the team will not be signing the 13 year NBA veteran to a contract this season after he arrived in Taiyuan to link up with the team for training camp on November 24th. The team announced that they have signed Jamal Sampson instead. Specific reasons as to why the team abruptly changed its plans have not been reported, but whatever events have transpired in the last few weeks were serious enough for Shanxi to tear up whatever the two sides had agreed upon this past summer. A source speaking anonymously to NiuBBall.com said there were unresolvable issues surrounding final salary and business cooperation arrangements.”