Incidence of dry heaving surely spiked throughout New England this morning, in conjunction with ESPN’s report that, yes, there is a professional basketball team in the known universe voluntarily willing to do business with Stephon Marbury — and it is the defending champion Boston Celtics. Marbury still has to be bought out by the Knicks before signing, of course — a move that will perhaps be fast-tracked, it has been suggested, now that Cablevision won’t have to report the loss in 2008 — but a source in the Celtics organization says the signing “will happen.”
And so the obvious question is: Oh, dear God, why? Obviously the Celtics — who have been actively trying to replicate last year’s successful mid-season signing of veteran forward P.J. Brown — think they’ll be able to squeeze some productivity out of Marbury in a limited bench role. But is Celts GM Danny Ainge so reckless he’d bring on the league’s most talented head case, and gamble with the fate of a team that got off to the best start in NBA history this season? Doesn’t he follow the New York media?! For all of Marbury’s blog claims, we’re not quite convinced he never meant to be a distraction this season. Not that it needs to be said, but P.J. Brown is a mild-mannered, fundamentally sound, defensive-minded player, and Stephon Marbury is insane.
Unlikely as it would be, Marbury going to the Celtics could be a happy ending to our saga with him. Could poor Knicks fans — only half paying attention to the team this year and next, while praying for LeBron — watch from a safe distance as Marbury sabotages another team? And not just any other team, but the rival (and just plain rude) Celts? And if so, are there any positions available for Isiah?
