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Will Stephon Marbury return to the Cs?
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Let me just start this off with a caveat. A personal disclaimer. I’ve always strongly disliked Stephon Marbury. Marbury, as his ego evolved and morphed into delusional cockiness, became a comedic sideshow that few could enjoy. In fact, I began to like him simply because I knew that he would destroy any team that he played for, and there was NO WAY that he’d ever be a Celtic. Of course, I’m forgetting that these are the Celtics of Danny Ainge and Wyc Grousbeck. These Celtics have alternate uniforms, dancers, a mascot…and now Stephon Marbury. If you asked Red Auerbach while he was still alive which one of these realities he’d like to see happen, he probably would have laughed in your face and chose none of them.
The Celtics initially showed interest in Marbury because they finally realized that they needed a point to back up Rajon Rondo. Last year, Sam Cassell was added to the roster to do just that, plus add a little bit of veteran craftiness when it was needed. Marbury, for better or worse, was chosen as the man to assume this role for the 2008-2009 season.
When Marbury joined the Celtics, he said all the right things. He did an interview with ESPN saying that his move from New York to Boston was like moving from hell to heaven. He proclaimed that he was joining the Celtics to win a ring, not to disrupt the winning chemistry already established in the locker room. Since this was coming from a guy who calls himself “Starbury,” has a lame tattoo on the side of his head, has butted heads with coaches and teammates throughout his career, and even watched the Knicks play the Lakers courtside while serving an indefinite suspension from the team for being, well, himself…let’s just say that people had their doubts about his sincerity.
It became clear early on that Doc wasn’t simply going to give Marbury a spot in the starting lineup, like some feared, and he wasn’t even going to let him take a significant piece of Rondo’s playing time. Unlike last year with Sam Cassell, Rondo’s playing time and spot in the starting lineup were never in question when Marbury began suiting up with the green and white.
What was also clear was that Marbury had a ways to go in order to be productive with his new team. He was tentative on offense and a hustling, but still underperforming, defensive player. Boston kept throwing him out there, but he rarely provided a performance that justified all the hoopla that his arrival received. Was it a sign that his game is deteriorating? Or just rust? Or Marbury trying too hard to be a good teammate and fit in while adjusting to a life off the bench? Probably a mixture of the three, with the latter two being the prominent reasons.
In the playoffs, Marbury had two good performances, and was invisible in the rest of Boston’s games. His fourth quarter in the Cs’ Game 5 win over the Magic was impressive, as he reminded anyone and everyone who cared that he still had a shred of that “old” Steph left in him. How much Steph has left is an unknown at this point.
As of today, Marbury is a free agent. He was a good citizen with Boston, which was everyone’s biggest concern, but he was not nearly the player people expected. So while he didn’t blow the team up with his mouth, he certainly didn’t help it with his play.
Marbury has repeatedly stated that he wants to come back, and it’s an interesting decision on his part. He’s clearly going to be the backup on this team, but does he feel like he still has a chance to start due to the trade rumors circling around Rondo, and Rondo’s inconsistent play throughout his young career? CelticsBlog has a good quote from Starbury, in which he claims that he wants to play for a contender, regardless of money (and I’m assuming regardless of having a starting position as well). It’s admirable, but you still have to wonder is he truly just wants to win a ring, or if he is trying to position himself for one last big payday. Does he want a one-year deal, or a multi-year deal? It’ll be interesting to watch how the negotiation process plays out, because Boston at least has to look into what Marbury’s asking price is, even if their initial strategy is to let him walk.
Regardless of what team he plays for, Marbury will receive a healthy amount of attention. He still has some ability, but he needs to keep his head on straight and maintain his team-first mantra. If he does both, he should be a valuable asset for any team he plays on. If he doesn’t, then he’ll be a liability, the significance of which will be based on the size of his contract.
Verdict: This is a pretty tough call, because there are so many moving parts at the moment. If Eddie House leaves, then the Celtics definitely need Marbury’s scoring and veteran point presence coming off the bench. However, if Eddie stays and the Celtics re-sign Big Baby to a sizeable deal, how much money is left for Marbury? Will it be enough? And what do the Celtics do with Gabe Pruitt and the recently drafted Lester Hudson? I say let him walk, unless the Celtics consider Gabe Pruitt to be entirely out of their plans. If the latter is the case, and the Cs can’t find a decently priced backup to take Marbury’s place, then re-sign him to a one year deal. You’ll get the most out of him that way, and you can rid yourselves of him quickly if he becomes a problem.
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