"We know this much about Stephon Marbury.

The prodigal Knick loved his short time as a Celtic.

But his time in green was as a role player, not a leading man, and this New Yorker clearly sees himself as Robert DeNiro, not Robert Duval.

In the long run, that would probably cut against the grain for the point guard, who admittedly may not be a good long-term fit as Rajon Rondo's backup.

That's why Marbury, as well as Celtics management, has to think long and hard once free agency begins July 1.

"Being the sixth man coming off the bench is not a bad thing, but I know that I'm a starter," Marbury said when asked if he could accept these conditions on a long-term basis. "So it really doesn't matter, as long as I'm on the court."

When asked whether a starting job on another team would trump any affinity he has for returning to the Celtics, Marbury shook his head.

"I don't know," he said. "I have to sit down and evaluate the situation."

Of course, Marbury won't be the only one in the think tank.

As his years in other cities proved, Marbury can be disruptive when unhappy. The Celtics had a locker room that was seasoned and disciplined enough to ensure Marbury was a model citizen during his short stint.

A new contract and a full season could increase everyone's anxiety.

Marbury, as evidenced by his "starter" comment, may also consider himself a candidate for starting point guard dollars as opposed to backup cash.

But he does believe he would be of much more value to the Celtics with a training camp under his belt.

"It would be way different, way different," he said. "It was on the job for me, on-the-job training. It was something I adjusted to and I got used to, for the time that I was here. If it can work here, I definitely want to come back. I just have to wait and see. I'm not going to make any hasty decisions."

One thing that could lure him back? The opportunity to finally re-team with his old Minnesota teammate, Kevin Garnett.

Talk about ironies. Marbury finally gets the chance to share the floor with KG again, and the Celtics forward gets shut down for the playoffs."