BOSTON BECOMING A FAVORED DESTINATION FOR FREE AGENTS

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/boston-celtics-becoming-favored-destination-for-big-name-free-agents




BLAKELY: BOSTON BECOMING A FAVORED DESTINATION FOR FREE AGENTS


By A. Sherrod Blakely June 29, 2016 1:54 PM




BOSTON -- In some circles the pursuit of Dwight Howard by the Boston Celtics is just as perplexing as Boston being one of the six teams getting an audience with Kevin Durant and, with that, a shot at the Durant sweepstakes this summer.

Both serve as examples of how the Celts are no longer at the back of the line when it comes to being a potential destination for the best free agents.

Of course it’s about sealing the deal, and getting the best free agents on the market under contract, and all that good stuff.

But before that can happen, Boston has to be seen as a place to even be seriously considered by free agents. That's exactly what we’re starting to see happen right now.

It’s easy to point to the Celtics having a ton of salary cap space, which in itself makes them a possible landing spot for players who we all know will be hauling in max to near-max salaries this offseason.

But there’s just one problem with that line of thought. More than half the league enters free agency with enough money to sign one max player.

The fact that Boston is on the short list for the summer’s top free agent (Durant) and have already secured a sit-down with one of the top centers (Howard) says a lot in terms of how far Boston has come in the eyes of players.

And several factors point towards the Celtics getting an audience with other top-shelf free agents this summer if they fail to secure one or two of their top choices.

But let’s not kid ourselves. How others view this franchise is the reality of what the Celtics have to deal with when it comes to adding elite, upper-echelon talent like Durant.

The fact that Durant is willing to include Boston in his short-list of teams is a bit of a head-scratcher when you see that the Celtics are the farthest away from the group in terms of competing for an NBA title (although an argument can be made that they are neck-and-neck with the Miami Heat along those lines). Durant has said in the past that would be something he would be looking for in whatever team he signed with.

The biggest selling point the Celtics have to offer Durant or any other free agent (besides money) is that they are a franchise on the rise, they have stability on the floor with Brad Stevens as the head coach, and they have stability in the front office with Danny Ainge. Both Stevens and Ainge signed long-term extensions earlier this month.

And one of the perks that players who come to Boston quickly discover is the fan base, which is about as rabid a group as you'll find in the NBA.

There’s no mistaking they wear their emotions on their sleeves, whether it’s cheering the team on following a season-ending playoff loss, or booing the owner after the team makes a draft pick they don’t particularly care for.

They bleed green!

Add all those things up and it’s clear that Boston has the kind of environment, the kind of culture, where a star can come and thrive.

The Celtics and their fans have known this for a while.

Now it seems some of the game’s best players are starting to catch on, as well.



bob
MY NOTE: Not a big fan of Blakely but this read well, if a bit obvious (which is to say, just like Blakely). We are getting meetings with the top free agents. Yeah, we have to seal the deal but just getting them to listen to us is evidence we are on the right track. Perhaps the top free agents this year are Durant, Horford, Whiteside and Howard. We have meetings set with 3 of them that I know of. Not too shabby for a team that won 25 games 3 years ago.




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"Becoming a favored destination..."

OK kewl beans and all, but this is like the first time EVER that we have been able to really even make a play for a big time f/a..

Show me a resort with no beach and I will bet no matter how great a resort it is you will never find it on a top ten list of world's best beachfront resorts...

In other news water is wet...

The Boston weather is not going to change (always cold in the winter), but the team's culture and coaching has changed and that has greatly improved the record. It also helps that this is Ainge's first year that he has salary cap space. We remember that last summer he had no money to spend for a big time free agent-now he does so big time free agents are interested.

I doubt that it has ever been just about the city.

I am guessing tonight Horford commits to a max contract with the Celtics. I am sure I am not the first to make this guess, but the stars and planets seem to be aligning and that 1 in a hundred are in the late 90's. The odds are in the Celtics favor....well, I am hopeful at least.

And if we get Horford will Durant follow?

Berlin-T

gotta sign someone first.

otherwise you are just being used to jack up the final deal signed.

so far, we've signed no one....I think we will of course, just may not be one of the "stars". time will tell.

some think Horford will end up back at Atlanta , as odd as that may seem.

dboss wrote:The numbers may it difficult for the Hawks to keep Harford because they also gave Bazemore a lot of cash.

Dboss

they have been reported to be looking at moving Millsap and his $20M salary, if they re-sign Horford.

doesn't make a lot of sense to me, as I thought Millsap was a bit younger but who knows.

dboss wrote:The numbers may it difficult for the Hawks to keep Harford because they also gave Bazemore a lot of cash.

Dboss

Dwight Howard signing with Atlanta might induce Horford to change his address and team.

painter33 wrote:

dboss wrote:The numbers may it difficult for the Hawks to keep Harford because they also gave Bazemore a lot of cash.

Dboss

Dwight Howard signing with Atlanta might induce Horford to change his address and team.

Hi painter,

Maybe.  I sure hope so.  I heard the Hawks are shopping Millsap to make room for Horford's max deal.  Might be hard to do since he he is getting paid over $20M this year and over $21M next year. He'll be 32 years old in February.

Between Howard, Horford and Bazemore we're looking at $23.5M for Howard, $26.5M for Horford and $17.5M for Bazemore.  That's $67.5M of salary cap hit for three players.  The cap is $94M, leaving $26.5M for the next 11-12 players.  Schroder, Splitter, Korver, Sefelosha, Muscala and Hardaway Jr are all under contract for one more year for a total of $22.5M.  Now we're down to $4M for 2-3 players.


bob


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