Former New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury is negotiating a deal to send a surplus of 10 million N95 masks to New York City from China but is running into issues with the deal.

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“At the end of the day, I am from Brooklyn,” Marbury told the NY Post. “This is something that is close and dear to my heart as far as being able to help New York.

“I have family there in Coney Island, a lot of family … who are affected by this, so I know how important it is for people to have masks during this time.”

Marbury has been in contact with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “We’ve been communicating back and forth with the city and state, and for some reason they are saying they don’t need any more masks, but the hospitals are saying they do,” Adams said Thursday.

Marbury currently coaches the Chinese Basketball Association’s Royal Fighters.

Marbury played 13 seasons in the NBA, before leaving to play in the CBA from 2010 to 2018.

As of Sunday, there are 59,513 confirmed cases in the state of New York, 33,768 of which are in New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city is down to a week’s worth of medical supplies: “We have enough supplies to get to a week from today, with the exception of ventilators, we’re going to need at least several hundred more ventilators very quickly. We are going to need a reinforcement.’’

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In promotion of Stephon Marbury's new documentary, "A Kid from Coney Island," the former NBA star turned Chinese Basketball Association legend has been making the rounds doing interviews and podcasts, speaking on everything from his basketball career to his thoughts about the late, great Kobe Bryant.

During a recent appearance on Complex’s Load Management podcast, the Coney Island kid issued some questionable remarks about those who have attempted to carry Kobe's legacy in the aftermath of his death. Specifically, Marbury was critical of LeBron James, who he says is "no real Laker."  

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When asked about the reactions to Kobe Bryant's death, Marbury explained (H/T USA Today), “I see so many people saying so many great things about Kobe and they hated Kobe and I’m like, 'hmm, this is interesting.'" He later added the following about LeBron, in particular:

“You don’t need to go get guys like LeBron to go speak and talk about what they’re going to carry and all of that. He don’t need you to carry his legacy. His legacy is already his legacy. You don’t do that. Carry your own legacy. Keep it popping and going. You not no real Laker. The real Laker fans are real laker fans. And real Laker players. So when you hear these guys saying this type of stuff and doing these type of things, I’m wondering what is it for? Is it for show or is it for real life?"

You can listen to Marbury's comments for yourself in the audio clip embedded below.

Former NBA star Stephon Marbury is the subject of a Kevin Durant-produced documentary titled, “A Kid From Coney Island,” which will have a limited theatrical release in March.

The film, which contains interviews with Stephen A. Smith, Cam’Ron, and Fat Joe, will document the rise, fall and redemption of the former Brooklyn high school basketball prodigy. Check out the first trailer in the video embedded below.

The film was directed by Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, and produced by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman.

Kleiman tells PEOPLE, “I think all of us as consumers and viewers always want to see that heroic story and that redemption story. I don’t think people really understood how low it got and what great heights [Stephon] reached. What he achieved in China — on the opposite side of the world — was incredible and mind-blowing. I can’t even imagine another story like this in any sport, ever.”

Over the course of his 13-year NBA career, which includes time spent in Minnesota, New Jersey, Phoenix, New York and Boston, Marbury averaged 19.3 points, 7.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. In China, Marbury won three CBA championships with the Ducks and was the 2015 CBA Finals MVP, which led the franchise to erect a Marbury statue outside of their arena.