When Boston visits the Garden tomorrow, Stephon Marbury won’t be wearing Celtics green.
The banished Marbury said he would be “honored” to play for the Celtics, admitted they are on his short list, but denied an ESPN.com report he has made a decision to join Boston if he gets released by the Knicks.
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Marbury said Boston has not made an offer. A source close to the situation said the Celtics wouldn’t be Marbury’s No. 1 choice either because of the limited role, backing up emerging point guard Rajon Rondo.
Another source said Celtics president Danny Ainge has interest in Marbury, as has been reported here since the summer, but Ainge wonders if a buyout will ever be worked out. Marbury prefers to join a playoff-caliber team in a starting role, though the Celtics could be the pick if his only options require coming off the bench.
Marbury threw bouquets the Celtics’ way yesterday.
“If the world champions have interest, how can I not?” Marbury told The Post in a phone interview from Minneapolis, where he visited his cousin, Sebastian Telfair. “I would be honored to put on the white and green. The team that I am on has said they don’t want me. I want to move on with my career. And they should want to move on.”
Nevertheless, Marbury said it’s “nonsense” to discuss teams he might sign with, considering he is not close to being out of his deal.
Marbury expressed displeasure the Knicks continue to drag this out. Knicks president Donnie Walsh had said he would resolve the Marbury issue after Jan. 1. Marbury thought he would hear something yesterday, but last night Walsh said he plans to restart buyout talks next week when the Players Association officials return from vacation.
On the Boston report, Walsh said, “If there is an offer out there, maybe there’s motivation (for Marbury) to do something.”
Marbury said he is disappointed because he feels the Knicks have held him hostage because they don’t want him to play in the East with either Boston or Miami. A source said Walsh and owner James Dolan did not want to buy out Marbury before training camp because they feared he would sign with either of those rivals.
“It shouldn’t matter what team I play for because they said they had the team that would put them in the playoffs,” Marbury said. “They don’t want me anyway and (supposedly) I’m a cancer. It doesn’t matter if I go to Boston, Orlando, Miami or the Lakers.”
Walsh denied he doesn’t want Marbury to sign with Boston, but admitted the Knicks prefer he doesn’t go to a team they are competing with for the eighth seed. “Boston? No, I really don’t mind Boston,” Walsh said.
Asked about Miami, Walsh said, “That would be different.”
The Knicks gave union attorney Hal Biagas permission to talk to teams on Marbury’s behalf and Marbury gave him a list. Biagas has reached out to the Celtics, among others.
Marbury still defends his decision to decline coach Mike D’Antoni’s offer Thanksgiving Eve to become the team’s starting shooting guard. Marbury said he felt D’Antoni asked him to play only out of desperation following the trades. He didn’t want to commit to a coach who does not believe in him. The Knicks still lack a backup point guard to Chris Duhon.
“We talk about this being a marathon, not a sprint,” Marbury said. “You can’t substitute the runner after the race started.”
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A team source said Eddy Curry will be cleared to practice during the four-game Southwestern trip, possibly Wednesday. Curry could make his season debut on the trip, as he will have to play his way into shape.