Projo Sports Blog

BOSTON - It's official.

Stephon Marbury is a member of the Boston Celtics.

The controversial point guard who agreed to a buyout of his $20.8 million contract with the Knicks signed a pro-rated share of the veteran $1.3 million minimum yesterday after clearing waivers.

After working out with the Celtics for an hour, Marbury suited up for the team when it faced the Indiana Pacers at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Boston coach Doc Rivers formally introduced Marbury at a press conference last night before the game.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Stephon Marbury, the new Boston Celtic," Rivers said with a smile.

"We are very excited to have a player of Stephon's caliber joining the team," Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in a press release. "Our entire organization is confident in the belief that Stephon can play an important role in helping us to win another championship."

After having a few good conversations with Rivers and Ainge, Marbury said that there was no question that he wanted to join the Celtics.

"I was lit up for myself," Marbury said as to what were his first thoughts after signing. "I was lit up because the tradition of the Celtics, you think about the championships, you think about all the guys who have played here, the history speaks for itself."

While the possibility of winning a championship with the defending world champions was a big incentive for Marbury, he said that the biggest reason why he wanted to play for the Celtics was because they wanted him in Boston.

"I pretty much had my mind set. I spoke to other teams, but this is where I wanted to be, because they wanted me," Marbury said. "My mother always says, `there's a difference when somebody wants you opposed to if you just want to go there.' So for me, they wanted me to come here to play basketball and I wanted to be here."

"[The Celtics] were receptive to me," Marbury added. "Everybody was excited which I was happy about."

Marbury took a long leave of absence from the Knicks when his father died in December of 2007. Then he had season-ending ankle surgery. He had not played in a regular-season game since Jan. 11, 2008 prior to last night.

When he entered the game in the final minute of the first quarter, he received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd.

"I don't know how long it's going to take me [to be ready to play], I'm just going to go out and play as hard as I can," Marbury said of getting in game-shape. "I've been training basically the whole summer and up until now so I'm ready to play basketball."

Marbury knows in his heart that he is still capable of playing good basketball.

"I don't look at it as something to prove," Marbury said of his opportunity to play with the Celtics. "I think it's just another opportunity for me to go out and play at a high level. To play with a championship team is something that I wanted to do, so for myself I'm just looking at this as another great opportunity for me."

Marbury is a two-time All-Star who has always been the focal point of an offense, but with the Celtics, he will backup Rajon Rondo.

That's just fine with him.

"I'm so happy to just be able to play basketball again, [I don't care] what my role is," Marbury said. "Like I said, I'm excited about just playing so whatever coach asks me to do, that's what I'm willing to do."

Marbury did not join the Celtics to take Rondo's position.

"I like him. He's a really good player," Marbury said of Rondo. "His hands, his hands are amazing. The things that he does with the basketball are amazing. And defensively, he's really good defensively."

The feeling is mutual.

"He's a veteran so he can only help...and he can definitely score off of the bench," Rondo said.

Rivers isn't concerned with Marbury's troubled past.

"That was New York and wherever else," Rivers said. "That has nothing to do with today and tomorrow...Our locker room is very strong and we just have good people. And so, no, I'm not that concerned about that at all."

Marbury will play the point guard position with the second unit, which will free up Eddie House to move back to his more natural spot at shooting guard.

"I think it'll help Eddie because it will move Eddie off of the ball more," Rivers said of Marbury's role. "So I think [House is] the guy who benefits the most - and obviously this is not right away, it's going to take Steph time to learn our system, to get into NBA shape. But in the grand scheme of things, I think it'll make Eddie a better player because now Eddie can be a shooter almost full time. He can run the floor. He can come off picks...

"I think of all the guys who this benefits it's probably Eddie. And maybe Paul [Pierce] and Ray [Allen] because now we can get them more rest. That's the other part of this that I don't think people see. You know we've, in my opinion, even though their minutes are down career-wise, to me their minutes are over the minutes I want them to play. And so this will give me the opportunity to give them some rest as well."

Marbury's main goal this season is not to become an NBA star again.

"I'm coming here to try to help the Celtics win another championship," he said.

 Tags  Boston Celtics Rob Lee Robert Lee Stephon Marbury

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