Stephon Marbury can’t be feeling very loved these days. After all, the Knicks have made it clear that not only is he not wanted on the court, he’s not even wanted on the bench. So we can only imagine his excitement when two men claiming to be Swiss bankers came calling, promising 12 million euros as part of a marketing deal to lure him to Spain’s Real Madrid. It would be perfect: He’d be far away from the drama of the past few years, he’d finally be the star of a team once again, and he’d even be getting paid in a currency that’s worth something.

The businessmen were relentless, too, claiming that both Donnie Walsh and Real Madrid’s president were in on the deal. They even contacted the Post, the Times, and the AP to get the word out about their plan. Unfortunately for Marbury (and for the tabloid press of Madrid), the men turned out to have no connection whatsoever to the Spanish club. Poor Marbury — even the possibility of a team actually wanting his services is a joke these days.

MARBURY TO REAL MADRID 'A HOAX' [NYP]