The Celtics really had their best lineup here, huh?

Celtics free agent Troy Murphy has received a contract offer from Red Star Belgrade, which plays in Serbia’s Sinalco Superleague.

“According to Novosti.rs,” tweeted Sportando, “Red Star offered to Troy Murphy 250.000 per season but his agent said Murphy won’t move for less than 500.000 USD.”

Murphy and the Celtics were a match made in basketball heaven — the white, Irish kid with the white, Irish name playing for the Celtics — except they weren’t. Murphy’s time with the Celtics was marked more by DNP-CDs and low shooting percentages than anything helpful. On the bright side, Murphy finally made the playoffs for the first time in his NBA career. He played only three minutes of one game and didn’t score a single point, but still. Reaching the playoffs must have been a goal.

Nobody really knows whether Murphy’s poor play was a factor of bad conditioning and nagging injuries, or whether he’s washed up beyond the point of return. In Serbia, he will likely be able to get away with legs that can’t run as fast as they used to, can’t jump as high as they once did. In the NBA, not so much.

Murphy’s still an intriguing option for the Celtics whenever the NBA season returns: he’s only 31 years old, and as recently as 2009-10 averaged a double-double. The Celtics will certainly be starving for height and rebounding whenever the lockout ends. If Murphy can work his way back into game shape, he could become a valuable contributor in Boston.

Then again, when 10-year veterans lose a step, they often never find it.