Stephon Marbury Should Never Have Left the Minnesota Timberwolves

Some careers take unwanted paths because of decisions by players and those around them in regards to where the best place is and what is the right situation.

Sometimes players are blinded by perceived opportunities elsewhere that ultimately turn out to be horrible decisions down the road.

We all know the phrase, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. In the case of Stephon Marbury's career that phrase holds true.

Once thought of as an elite talent in the NBA at the point guard position, Marbury or Starbury as he was coined, just got done winning another championship, in China.

I'm not taking away from the fact that his team won another title in China or the fact that Marbury was a huge part of it, but what I am saying is that no one thought when he was drafted by the Bucks with the 4th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves that Stephon Marbury would be exiled to China to play hoops.

When the lockout season came in 1999, David Falk, Marbury's agent, demanded a trade from the T-Wolves. His agent and Marbury wanted to go to a market that provided more endorsement opportunities and provided the opportunity for Marbury to be the star, not play beside one like Kevin Garnett in Minnesota.

Rumor had it at the time that Marbury was jealous and down right pissed off that Garnett got this huge deal and the commitment hadn't been the same for him from the Timberwolves front office.

Whether that was true or not, Stephon Marbury should of never left the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was the beginning of the end for his career as we knew it or hoped for it to be.

He could of blossomed with that team, KG and the young Wolves. Instead he went to a couple of bad teams and alienated everyone along the way.

Maybe even with Marbury staying the Wolves would have a much different course and path as a franchise too. Kevin Garnett never had the other star in Minnesota. He had other good players like Wally, Sprewell and Cassell, but nothing the caliber of Marbury in his prime with the right mindset.

After being traded to the Nets, Marbury continued to have stops in Phoenix, New York and Boston before his exile to China.

Now to his credit, it has been reported that Marbury has been a different person on and off the court in China. More of a team player, more of a leader, which is great to hear.  Unfortuneatly, I wish he would of become those things much earlier in his career so that we didn't see such a huge talent waste our time in the NBA.

His decision to leave Minnesota, a good environment, where he could of co-shined with KG was a perfect fit. He didn't see it that way at the time, but I bet looking back he'd agree, it was a poor decision to leave.

That decision alone altered his career for the worse and he was never ever able to get it back on track in the NBA to stack up with what his ceiling could of been.

As mentioned, Stephon Marbury just completed another title run in China. His third championship in 4 seasons and Marbury picked up the CBA Finals MVP this year in the process.

** YOU CAN EMAIL JEFF THURN AT JT@ESPN991.COM AND FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @JTESPN991.