Beijing Ducks have decided not to pick up the option on arguably their most popular player, as the basketball team has decided against re-signing Stephon Marbury. The 40-year-old is now a free-agent and can sign with any team.

At the end of last season, the man known as "Starbury" said the upcoming 2017-18 season would be his last in pro basketball, and he did want to stay in the capital with a team he has led to three Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) titles. But if he wants to continue playing, it will have to be elsewhere.  

Marbury, the last fighter in the 1996 NBA Draft golden generation including retired peers such as Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen and Allen Iverson, has played in the CBA since 2010. 

Joining the Beijing Ducks in 2011, Marbury led the team to three championships in four years (2012-2013 Season, 2013-2014 Season and 2014-2015 Season). He averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds in the regular seasons. 

As the hero of Beijing Ducks, Beijing Municipal Government granted him honorary citizenship of Beijing in 2014 after his second CBA championship.‍