Celtics Choose Instant Production Over Long-Term Consequences of Marbury

The Boston Celtics made an insurance signing Friday as they added the troubled Stephon Marbury to their already stacked lineup.

When you first skim over this acquisition, you see a good pick-up for the Celtics for two main reasons.

One reason is that Marbury is still one of the most talented guards in the NBA and will provide a spark for the Celtics team.

The other main reason is that Marbury has already publicly stated many times that he wants to play for the Celtics. He didn't want to play for the Knicks, and the roof caved in from there.

However don't let these seemingly great reasons fool you. He could provide many of the same problems he provided the Knicks for five seasons if he's not happy.

This team is already loaded with stars and has great chemistry that could be disrupted by a personality like Marbury's. If it isn't broke, don't fix it, and the Celtics were running like a well-oiled machine.

I'm not discounting the fact that Marbury could contribute to the team with his ability to score and pass. Who knows, maybe he is the small, missing puzzle piece to this team winning back-to-back championships.

The Celtics are taking a bigger risk than many people realize and this deal could cause the team to implode if Marbury returns to his old antics; like skipping games and having personal vendettas against the coaching staff.

That may not happen this season, and the Celtics might get another championship out of the deal, but the risk of a team implosion is still very possible in future seasons.

Signing Marbury to a long-term, lucrative deal would be the biggest mistake the Celtics could make. If you're going to gamble on him for another championship this season, sign him to a modest deal that you can dig your way out of if things go south in the coming seasons.

The Celtics were already many people's favorites to win another NBA title, but with the strong resurgence of the Cavaliers and the Magic, the Celtics may have gotten a little nervous with the current roster they have. Which is hard to believe.

The Celtics were already my favorite to go to the NBA Finals again this season, despite dropping a ridiculous game to the Clippers Wednesday night. Now that they've signed Marbury, this season could seriously bring another championship if he plays to his undeniably great ability.

The question that arises from all of this is what are you willing to spend to almost guarantee a championship?

Is the health of your team for seasons to come really worth it?