I'm not the only one:
Justin Leger
Tue, August 3, 2021, 5:08 PM
Celtics Talk: Are Tatum, Brown enough to attract free agents? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics are in an awkward spot with NBA free agency in full swing.
While the rest of the league wheels and deals, the C's are staying quiet. According to reports, Brad Stevens and Co. are focused on retaining a salary structure to potentially sign a "major" player next summer.
Forsberg: What's the endgame for Brad Stevens and the C's?
But do they have enough to entice such a high-caliber player to come to Boston?
On a brand new Celtics Talk Podcast, Chris Forsberg and DJ Bean discuss whether stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are enough to make free agents look at Boston as an ideal landing spot, even if the team struggles in 2021-22.
Celtics Talk Podcast: What’s the endgame for Brad Stevens and the Celtics? | Listen & subscribe | Watch on YouTube
"My concern is, if you're always keeping recruiting in mind -- and I think that's more important today in the NBA than ever -- do you need to remain good and competitive enough, or is just having Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown enough?" Bean said. "If you use this year as a bridge year, will prospective free agents look at the Celtics and say 'Alright, let's all meet up over there because they do have Tatum and Brown, and we can make this thing amazing.' "
Do you need to remain good and competitive enough, or is just having Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown enough?
DJ Bean on C's ability to recruit free agents
Forsberg believes it's a possibility that, if the Celtics scuffle this season, they risk Tatum and Brown growing frustrated with the state of the organization.
"It's a great point, because with Brooklyn and L.A., those are destinations," Forsberg said. "It was nice that they had intriguing young cores that gave you an ability to build the thing out a little bit, but that wasn't the allure for LeBron [James]. ... Boston doesn't have that luxury. Part of my concern here is not only with recruiting other players, but let's say they get into next season and out of the gates, it's not nice ... how does Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown feel about the situation?
"They're sitting there thinking, 'Man, we were on the cusp, all they had to do was put some pieces around us, now here we are and we're sort of middling.' Everyone else is getting better. Chicago's adding players, the Hawks are making leaps, the Nets are a super team, the Bucks had Giannis and Jrue [Holiday] and all that. What are the Celtics doing? I think there's a potential for them to be frustrated."