Report: 'Prominent' free agents interested in Celtics

Report: 'Prominent' free agents interested in Celtics

By CSN Staff June 14, 2017 10:42 AM

After Adrian Wojnarowski said recently that Paul Pierce’s last game in Boston made a strong impression on Clippers teammate (and impending free agent) Blake Griffin, CelticsBlog spoke with a number of free agents who said that they view Boston as a very attractive destination.

The players spoke of the team’s history and the atmosphere at TD Garden when discussing why the Celtics would be a tempting suitor.

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Of course, free agents would have incentive to speak glowingly of each and every team, as publicly ruling out a team -- even one for which they wouldn’t want to play -- could cost them money.

Still, the quotes are interesting, especially given that it comes after the team made an unusually significant splash a year ago by getting Al Horford to sign. From the anonymous players:

‘Prominent’ Western Conference free agent

- “I only get to play there once a year, but you can feel it. The fans are crazy. Even when they were bad, those fans were there. When we were bad, our building was silent. And we all saw the way they sent off Paul. It was amazing. Cheering an opposing player like that doesn’t happen anywhere else.”

- “The history, the fans, Brad, the talent, the picks coming, yeah you have to factor it in. But the fans do matter. I remember talking to Paul once and he said ‘I understood why I had to leave, but I never wanted to. But Danny always does what is best for the team. And the fans love that. And they’ve never shown me, KG and the other guys anything but love.’ So, yeah that stuff matters for sure. We’re human. We want to be appreciated. And that place made (Brian) Scalabrine an all-time legend. So it does matter when you make a choice on where to play. Big time.”

‘Prominent’ Eastern Conference free agent

- “No one wants to play in a place where the fans don’t care. We all know Boston fans can be critical, but that is cool. They expect to win. As a player, you want that pressure. And KG, Paul, all those guys, they tell you that if you win in Boston you become a legend. Everyone wants to be a legend.”

Veteran free agent 1

- “The Paul salute was incredible. That happens sometimes, but you would think Boston would be spoiled. They win all the time in every sport and have retired almost every number. But they still love their guys. I had tears in my eyes watching that. And it went on all game long, not just at intros and at the end. They blew up like it was a title-winning shot when he hit that three. Like I said, tears man. Something you don’t see anywhere else.”

Veteran free agent 2

-  “It wasn’t just the sendoff for the Truth. Those fans were chanting like crazy at the end of Game 5 when the team was getting killed by Cleveland. There are other great fans, but none are better than Boston. And that matters. I remember playing them in the playoffs when they had Paul, KG and Ray and we had to scream during huddles to hear each other. That is during huddles when the crowd usually quiets down. As a player, you can use that lift. Those fans matter.”

112288

Oh -oooo..that looks a lot like quotes from Blake Griffin.

kdp59 wrote:Oh -oooo..that looks a lot like quotes from Blake Griffin.

kdp,

The "prominent" western conference free agent who talked about the Pierce farewell was probably Griffin.  The other "prominent" WC free agent?  Maybe Hayward?

What interests me who the EC free agent is...


bob


.

bobheckler wrote:

kdp59 wrote:Oh -oooo..that looks a lot like quotes from Blake Griffin.

kdp,

The "prominent" western conference free agent who talked about the Pierce farewell was probably Griffin.  The other "prominent" WC free agent?  Maybe Hayward?

What interests me who the EC free agent is...


bob


.

Milsap?

KyleCleric wrote:

bobheckler wrote:

kdp59 wrote:Oh -oooo..that looks a lot like quotes from Blake Griffin.

kdp,

The "prominent" western conference free agent who talked about the Pierce farewell was probably Griffin.  The other "prominent" WC free agent?  Maybe Hayward?

What interests me who the EC free agent is...


bob


.

Milsap?

kyle,

Good thought. Makes sense. I suppose it could be DWade, who is has a player option and who has played us in the playoffs vs Paul and KG too. I'm leaning towards Milsap though.


bob


.

Milsap certainly could help us.

KyleCleric wrote:Milsap certainly could help us.

shhh..I brought him up a bit ago as the big FA signing and the response was a resounding no thank you.

I still think he makes more sense than Blake, if the price is right.

kdp59 wrote:

KyleCleric wrote:Milsap certainly could help us.

shhh..I brought him up a bit ago as the big FA signing and the response was a resounding no thank you.

I still think he makes more sense than Blake, if the price is right.

He'd be the perfect pick up if he was about 4 years younger.

Would a Milsap and Blake combination get us over the top?

I'm not against Milsap as some are, and could see a rotation of Milsap, Horford and Blake working. I'm seeing a deal like this, sign one player and then do a sign and trade with the other guys team for a deal like this

Blake from clippers for Zeller, (resigned) Olynyk, Rozier and an arseload of second round picks.

our rotation could look like this

5- blake- Horford- Zizic
4- Milsap- Horford- Yabby- Crowder- Jordan
3- Crowder- Brown- Smart- Nader- Jerebko
2- Bradley- Fultz- Smart- Brown
1- Thomas- Fultz- Smart- Jackson

Where is our snipper?

112288

Matty wrote: Would a Milsap and Blake combination get us over the top?

I'm not against Milsap as some are, and could see a rotation of Milsap, Horford and Blake working.  I'm seeing a deal like this, sign one player and then do a sign and trade with the other guys team for a deal like this

Blake from clippers for Zeller, (resigned) Olynyk, Rozier and an arseload of second round picks.

our rotation could look like this

5- blake- Horford- Zizic
4- Milsap- Horford- Yabby- Crowder- Jordan
3- Crowder- Brown- Smart- Nader- Jerebko
2- Bradley- Fultz- Smart- Brown
1- Thomas- Fultz- Smart- Jackson

You are not starting Horford?
NOT happening

Matty wrote: Would a Milsap and Blake combination get us over the top?

I'm not against Milsap as some are, and could see a rotation of Milsap, Horford and Blake working.  I'm seeing a deal like this, sign one player and then do a sign and trade with the other guys team for a deal like this

Blake from clippers for Zeller, (resigned) Olynyk, Rozier and an arseload of second round picks.

our rotation could look like this

5- blake- Horford- Zizic
4- Milsap- Horford- Yabby- Crowder- Jordan
3- Crowder- Brown- Smart- Nader- Jerebko
2- Bradley- Fultz- Smart- Brown
1- Thomas- Fultz- Smart- Jackson

Matty if Boston got both Milsap and Blake they would have to part with both It and AB

Dboss

I do not think that Milsap would be the answer for the Cs unless he is willing to sign for much less
than a max contract and for only about two years.

This guy is not going to be anywhere worth a max contract in any one of the four or five years which would likely be the duration of such a contract. And, if he were very good in his first year, I believe that he will decline soon after that first year.

All this is not too say that he is not currently a pretty good player, but just not worth the huge money that he will get for the years that he will also get. Not a huge difference maker in catching Cleveland or the Warriors, in my opinion.